For anyone who knows me, it's no surprise that my favorite part of any cookout is the grilled veggies. And it's not just because I'm a self-proclaimed health nut—is there really anything better than smoky, crispy grilled vegetables?
But, different veggies require different techniques. Follow this list, and you'll learn how to grill vegetables for any and all recipes at the family barbecue. Tbh, being able to cook is much more impressive than winning the family game of corn hole.
1. Peppers
Let's start off the list with my absolute favorite grilled veggie, the pepper! Peppers are super versatile and perfect for spring and summer. You can go with a sweet bell pepper, or if you're looking to amp up your cookout, try grilling a jalapeño. And while blisters aren't great for your skin, they're perfect for peppers.
After you season your veggies, you'll want to place them on the grill, skin side down, until the skin starts to blister (about 3-8 minutes). You can enjoy this vegetable pretty much year-round, but the peak season is from July to September. The perfect light, smoky side for your summer barbecue.
2. Zucchini
I'm pretty sure I could eat my entire weight in zoodles, so I'm always really excited when the warm weather comes around and I get to grill some zucchini. This vegetable is in season during the month of May, so this will be the perfect addition to your Memorial Day cookout.
Grilling zucchini is a snap — you'll want to place your slices on the grill and let them sit on one side until the vegetable starts to soften and get a little browned. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Then, just flip and repeat on the other side! If you want a little more crunch, you can keep them on the grill for less time.
3. Corn
Once June rolls around, corn will be available for grilling. A classic cookout staple, corn is pretty much foolproof and is a great place to start if you're just learning how to grill vegetables.
All you have to do is shuck the corn, put it on the grill, and then cover the corn. The corn will take 15 to 20 minutes to grill, but a good way to test if it's done is to use a pairing knife to make sure the kernels are tender. This recipe by Food Network god Bobby Flay gives some more tips and tricks—like how to make BBQ butter to go with each ear! Just make sure you don't make popcorn.
4. Spaghetti Squash
Picture this: You have a real hankering for a low-carb, pasta-style dinner, but it's too nice out to justify staying inside and using the oven. Why not grill some spaghetti squash?
Use these tips to first carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half, then season and place the squash flesh-side down on the grill. Then on medium-high heat, let the spaghetti squash grill for 25 to 30 minutes. You'll know it's done when you can pull the flesh into strings with your basic table fork.
5. Eggplant
If you can bear cutting through the gorgeous purple skin on this vegetable, you might as well throw it on the grill for dinner, am I right? You can dress the eggplant any way you like (my fave is just some simple salt, pepper, and olive oil) before popping these slices on the grill.
Over medium-high heat, the slices should only take 3-4 minutes per side to grill. Make sure you're looking at the middle of the slices—eggplant is done cooking when the middle is gray and soft, rather than white and hard.
6. Tomatoes
A staple in a traditional English breakfast, a grilled tomato will make the perfect accompaniment to your standard cookout fare. Although a tomato is technically a fruit, it's still worth including on this list.
When these babies start hitting their peak in mid-July, everyone will be rushing to get them on the grill. Just cut your tomatoes in half and put them on the grill cut side down. Cover and let cook for about four minutes. You'll see the skin get more delicate and start to shrivel a bit. Just make sure your tomatoes aren't too ripe, or else they'll fall apart!
7. Avocado
The avocado is a major trendy food right now, with some major health benefits to boot. But have you ever thought about grilling one? It's actually a pretty easy feat and a great way to get the Instagram-famous food into your diet.
After you remove the pit, drizzle with olive oil and place on the grill, flesh side down and cook for 2-3 minutes. Go for the grill marks, but be careful! Avocado is squishy enough as it is, so you don't need it melted all over your charcoal.
8. Artichokes
Artichokes are pretty versatile in the veggie world. They can be canned, chopped, pickled, so why not grilled? This veggie takes a little extra preparation before hitting the grill, but if you follow this step-by-step tutorial, it should be no sweat!
Soak the artichokes before putting them on the grill, but once you have them on the grill over medium heat, you'll only have to wait another eight minutes before you can have some of that smoky, charred goodness. Who knows, maybe you can even incorporate the finished product into a killer spinach artichoke dip.
9. Sweet Potatoes
Out of all the veggies on this list, the sweet potato is probably my favorite. In my opinion, you can't learn how to grill vegetables and leave out the sweet potato. Besides, the grilling process is so easy, you def won't want to leave out the sweet potato anyway.
Grill your sweet potatoes for three minutes on each side, and then move them to cook in indirect heat for half an hour. This recipe is so easy, it's practically the perfect excuse to have sweet potato fries whenever your cravings hit.
10. Asparagus
Asparagus is one of those weird foods that I didn't realize I really liked until I got to college. When summer barbecues roll around, this veggie is the perfect one to pop on the grill for a side dish. The natural flavor will sing through with only a little pop of salt.
Asparagus is usually pretty flexible in terms of grilling time. Most recipes say two to three minutes as a baseline estimate, but it really all depends on how you like this veggie. If you want your asparagus a little more tender, grill it for longer. If you're craving crunch, grill it for a little less time.
11. Onions
I personally wouldn't recommend eating a grilled onion on its own (whatever floats your boat), but usually onions are in a lot of traditional barbecue meals. Your education in how to grill vegetables simply wouldn't be complete without learning how to grill onions!
Just keep in mind that this one might be a little bit of a wait, although, well worth it! This recipe for grilled sweet onions recommends grilling the onion for 35-40 minutes (maybe put out some appetizers first).
Let's be real — you're always going to be a bit of a barbecue rookie if you don't know how to grill vegetables. But, with this list at your disposal, you'll be a regular grill master in no time, able to please your veggie loving friends, and a few carnivores as well.