How To Store Leftover Grilled Veggies (And The Best Ways To Use Them)

Grilling is for more than just meat. You can grill plenty of veggies to make a deliciously-charred side dish for whatever entree you're serving, from grilled cabbage wedges to grilled zucchini and so on. But what do you do if you end up with leftovers? To find out everything we need to know about storing and using up extra grilled veggies, Daily Meal spoke with an expert: Silvio Correa, a Brazilian grill master and private chef.

According to Correa, you can keep leftover grilled veggies in the fridge. Let them cool, then transfer them to an airtight container. He adds, "They'll keep for three to four days. Adding a drizzle of olive oil before storing can help retain moisture and flavor." The only thing to keep in mind is that some veggies don't hold up well. Correa says "delicate veggies," such as grilled asparagus or thinly-sliced zucchini, will likely become too mushy to enjoy later on, so you may want to make smaller amounts of these in the first place.

After storing the leftover grilled veggies, you can start thinking about how you'd like to use them up. Silvio Correa has some fun and tasty ideas to get you started. For example, you can use them as a topping for a homemade veggie pizza or make a veggie-filled pasta salad. For the latter, he says, "Toss chopped grilled vegetables with cooked pasta, olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs."

Correa also suggests using the leftovers to fill up a vegetable quesadilla. This meal couldn't be easier, since all of the work of prepping the veggies is already done. Plus, it will be more filling than a simple cheese quesadilla and will have that super-tasty, charred taste. Another idea is to add the veggies into a homemade omelet or breakfast scramble for "a smoky touch," per Correa.

For his final suggestion, Correa says, "Blend them into a creamy soup or add [them] to hearty stews for depth of flavor." The charred flavor from the veggies is sure to take your soup or stew to the next level. Similarly, you can also blend these leftovers into a pasta sauce. We've previously written about how frozen veggies can upgrade jarred pasta sauce – Well, so can leftover veggies from the grill!