The Ultimate Guide To Grilling Fruits And Vegetables

As grilling season gets underway, most of us are familiar with grilling burgers and hot dogs. In fact, you may even be an expert at grilling steaks, but fruit and vegetables? For many, how to achieve those perfect char marks on your vegetables is still very much a mystery.

But don't despair, vegetarians and carnivores alike can enjoy that charbroiled taste on their fruits and vegetables as long as they follow some simple advice. To start, vegetables and fruits aren't meat. Since they lack the fat of meats, a dip in some flavorful olive oil will keep your fruits and vegetables from sticking to the grill grates.
Softer fruits, like most stone fruits, papayas, and such require a more watchful eye than fruits like apples, pears, and pineapples that have firmer flesh. The natural sugars in the fruits require a lower cooking temperature to prevent the sugars from burning. For caramelized, but not burnt fruit, cook your fruits over indirect heat or what until the coals begin to die out and the temperature is less intense.

If you plan to cook your fruit directly on the grates, make sure you cut your fruit into large enough chunks. As the water evaporates from your fruits and vegetables, they will shrink. For smaller fruit, use a grill basket or bamboo skewers soaked in water to prevent your food from falling onto the coals.

Because of their somewhat lower sugar content, vegetables can stand a slightly more intense fire than fruits. For best results, cook your vegetables over medium heat on the grill. For very firm vegetables, such as butternut squash, you make need to par cook your vegetables before grilling, to ensure they cook through without burning on the grill.

Lightly salting vegetables about 30 minutes before grilling helps to draw out moisture from the vegetables and concentrate flavor. This is particularly important for water-laden vegetables, like eggplant and zucchini.

Like fruit, vegetables will shrink as they cook, so be sure to cut vegetables into large chunks or use a grill basket or skewers to keep your vegetables from falling onto the coals.

With these tips in mind, start grilling this summer with a few of our favorite grilled fruit and vegetable recipes using everything from peaches to sweet potatoes.

The sweet caramel and subtle char on the peaches gives this grill-time snack a pleasant smoky flavor. — David Burke

For the Beer-Infused Grilled Peaches and Caramel recipe, click here.

When it comes to "manning" the grill, few do it better than Melissa Cookston, owner of the South's hottest restaurant group, Memphis Barbecue Co. and author of the newly released BBQ and grilling cookbook Smokin' in the Boys Room. For Melissa, mother's day starts with a perfectly grilled ribeye and smoked Vidalia onions (the recipe for which can be found in her book) and ends with one of her favorite desserts, grilled cayenne peaches. — Clint Cantwell

For the Cayenne Grilled Peaches recipe, click here.

Fire up the grill for an easy-to-make side or snack with this recipe for grilled avocado stuffed with tomato and feta. — Salt for Life

For the Grilled Avocado Stuffed With Tomato and Feta recipe, click here.

Charred cabbage coated in a spicy, citrus dressing is going to be your favorite vegetarian dish this summer. — Hannah Hoskins

For the Grilled Cabbage Wedges With Spicy Lime Dressing, click here.

Try this grilled avocado-corn relish made with roasted corn, avocados, and peppers. — Ivy Stark

For the Grilled California Avocado-Corn Relish recipe, click here.

This simple grilled taco filling is healthy, delicious, and easy to make. — Hannah Hoskins

For the Grilled Corn and Poblano Tacos recipe, click here.

These whole-wheat, vegetarian quesadillas make a tasty, healthy Mexican dinner. — Hannah Hoskins

For the Grilled Cumin-Lime Zucchini Quesadillas recipe, click here.

This is a fun dessert to serve to company in the summer, and a great way to use the grill. — Pam Braun

For the Grilled Fruit Kabobs With Chocolate recipe, click here.

Choose your favorite seasonal fruit, douse it in a spicy maple syrup glaze, and cook it over charcoal for a healthy, summer dessert. — Hannah Hoskins

For the Grilled Fruit Skewers With Spicy Maple Cumin Glaze recipe, click here.

Quickly grill your avocados before mixing them with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice to give your favorite dip a slightly smoky flavor.

For the Grilled Guacamole recipe, click here.

To grill the kale, [Justin] Burdett, [chef–owner of Local Provisions in the heart of downtown Asheville, N.C.,] blanches and shocks whole kale — stems and all. He then coats the kale lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper before charring it on the grill. Once charred, he removes the kale from the grill and finishes it with lemon juice. The result is hearty kale stalks with a slight char flavor, which is brightened by the acidity from the lemon juice. — Justin Burdett

For the Grilled Kale recipe, click here.

Make a delightful red wine granita that's infused with spices and honey. Serve with grilled pineapple for a delicious appetizer. — Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi

For the Grilled Pineapple With 'Cue Sauce Glaze and Wine Granita recipe, click here.

The season for ramps is way too short, and you definitely don't want to miss out. I created this recipe specifically to highlight the ramps, but we enjoy this lemony quinoa long after ramp season is over. — Terry Walters, Eat Clean. Live Well

For the Grilled Ramps and Spring Vegetables Over Lemon Parsley Quinoa recipe, click here.

A fun way to serve vegetables, simply roasted and grilled butternut squash is topped with sweet marshmallow fluff. Use a kitchen torch or the broiler of the oven to achieve a browned top. Recipe courtesy of chef Janine Booth of root & bone in New York City.

For the Grilled Squash With Sea Salt and Black Pepper Marshmallow recipe, click here.

Dale Talde combines the natural sweetness from the sweet potatoes with the umami flavor of soy sauce for these sweet and savory grilled sweet potatoes that are finished with a shower of pungent spring onion and crumbled bacon.

For the Grilled Sweet Potatoes With Soy Sauce, Maple, and Bacon recipe, click here.

Nothing adds flavor to food like a little bit of char. Give your salsa a smoky kick by charring the tomatoes, peppers, and onion under a broiler before using them to make this easy salsa. Serve it with crunchy tortilla chips for the perfect good-for-you snack. — Brenda Novak

For the Grilled Tomato Salsa recipe, click here.

This recipe combines the best of both worlds to bring two of America's favorite comfort food dishes, grilled cheese and scalloped potatoes, together for the ultimate gooey cheesy side dish. — Great Flavors

For the Grilled Triple-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes by Great Flavors recipe, click here.

These grilled vegetable napoleons pack a lot of flavor in every bite — smoky, deep, spicy, robust, crunchy, it's a carnival for the taste buds! — Viviane Baquet Farre

For the Grilled Vegetable Napoleons With Spicy Scallion Vinaigrette recipe, click here.

The herb-packed Green Goddess dressing will be your new culinary party trick: Drizzle it on kabobs, burgers, and salads to turn every meal into the most flavor-packed food. — Hannah Hoskins

For the Grilled Veggie Kabobs With Green Goddess Dressing recipe, click here.

Here I take the classic Provençal dish and serve it with grilled vegetables and a basil vinaigrette — all in celebration of summer's exuberant flavors. — Viviane Bauquet Farre

For the Niçoise Salad With Grilled Vegetables and Basil-Mustard Vinaigrette recipe, click here.