I love grilling out, and we do it often at our house. We pretty much grill out all year around and have even grilled when we had to shovel a path in the snow to get to the BBQ. That’s dedication! But there is nothing like a nice New Year’s Eve steak cooked on the grill after the kids are tucked safely in their beds. Just you and your sweetie in front of a warm fire enjoying the dinner that he nearly got frostbite to cook. Oh no! Did I just mention New Year’s Eve? That makes me think of Christmas, which is a very short 90 days away from today! Yikes! I am never going to be ready in time! Well, no use in fretting. I think I’ll just fire up the grill and pretend fall is going to last forever.
When it comes to grilling veggies, I recommend getting a grilling basket. It’s a good time of year to buy one now as they are often on sale. I have had mine for years and it’s worth its weight in gold! I have even used it to cook fish that I am worried will fall through the regular grill. Don’t buy a non-stick one, as I find the grill temperatures ruin the finish quickly.
I always preheat mine and spray with cooking oil to make sure nothing sticks. I serve these grilled veggies with everything from burgers to salmon. And I think the addition of the potatoes is a really nice touch. You have to parboil the potatoes first as I find they take too long on the grill if cooked from raw. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It’s quick, easy and yummy! And all the time you save making dinner you can spend getting ready for Christmas. 🙂
Best Ever -Easy Grilled Veggies with Potatoes
2 medium Zucchinis
2 medium Yellow Squashes
1 medium Sweet Onion
6 medium Red Potatoes quartered
1 medium Egg Plant
8 oz small Mushrooms
I cup Cherry or Grape tomatoes¼ cup Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic
1 teaspoon Basil
1 teaspoon Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parboil Potatoes in salted water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Potatoes should still be quite firm.
Cut zucchini, squash, onion and eggplant into large chunks approximately 1-2 inches in diameter.
At the bottom of a large bowl with a lid mix olive oil, minced garlic, basil and oregano. Put all veggies except tomatoes in the bowl, put the lid on, and shake to coat the veggies with the oil mixture. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes, shaking the bowl every once in a while, or a few hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat grill basket on BBQ over medium-high heat. Add marinated veggies. Season with salt and pepper.. Grill and stir occasionally for about 15-20 minutes or until veggies are tender. In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking add tomatoes.
Remove veggies from grill, place on a serving platter, and drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.
Serve.
Variation – Grilled Potato, Veggie and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese.
3-4 minutes before the veggies are finished, stir in a couple of handfuls of fresh Arugula. When the arugula starts to wilt add in tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer to platter, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and top with crumbed goat cheese. Serve with grilled chicken or salmon for an easy and delicious complete meal.
Oh, yum! I think both the salad and the veggies by themselves would make a nice alternative vegetarian meal for my family. Guess what? I have all ingredients except eggplant and that’s because they don’t really like it around here. I think I know what we’ll be having after the girls get back from their shopping spree and my son gets home from his study session this evening.
(We have been known to fire up the grill after a snowfall because it is the only way I know to get my husband to make the Asian salmon we love.)
Oh, this sounds so good! Do you deliver? Sending this recipe to the grillers in the family, my son, and my future son-in-law (I think he is). My hubby was the same way trudging to the grill in the snow, with the down filled jacket on. Miss those days!
It looks delicious and sounds delicious. I have a grilling basket that I purchased recently and have not used it yet. I usually do my potatoes in foil with onions and garlic but I am going to try it this way with the veggies.
Of course I deliver but I expect a big tip!
It’s a easy good recipe and easy to adapt to your family’s tastes.
My goodness, this sounds delicious! I would probably substitute yellow potatoes for red potatoes as I hate red potatoes. The salad sounds particularly yummy – goat cheese and arugula make everything better!
pattypie,
I also would like delivery, lol. No eggplant here either , but I could just throw in some parred carrots!! I agree, grill baskets are really nice to have. I will try this the next time we have a group here. 🙂
Hey, while you’re delivering… I’ll take any eggplant no one else wants. Love the stuff!
BlogHawg,
I’ll give you all the free ones that people offer me. LOL.
I love eggplant too! Don’t forget me.
Thanks for the photos! I always fret over what a actually constitutes a medium in vegetable.
Oh I hear you Marie! This is a pretty forgiving recipe so if you happen to have veggies on the large medium or small medium side – it will still work out just fine! 😉
This looks so good to me right now. Wish I had a big plate of them in front me to chow down on.
Thank Pattypie.
In addition to being obviously delectable, that is a mighty fine looking dish, if I do say, Patty. Love all the colors!
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Don’t mean to be shallow, but looks count! 🙂
LOL thanks ladies…it’s all in the photo editing 🙂
Anya – Totally agree. I need to be enticed into trying something new. These pictures are just the enticement.
And the first time I try a new recipe I follow it exactly. Then I get all freelance with a large zucchini and a small eggplant. Third time I might go crazy and add extra garlic. 🙂
Yummy! I love grilled veggies! When the snow is covering the grill, I roast them in the oven, although not quite as good as grilled.
pattypie, does your eggplant ever turn an unsightly shade of graybrown before you can get it to the grill/oven? Do you know of any way I can stop that?
Hi Chardonnay. Great question! I should have brought this up in the recipe. A chef friend of mine once told me to salt the eggplant quite liberally and it helps with the eggplant turning that grayish color before cooking. It’s also helps to draw a bit of the moisture out so the texture is nicer. If you are just grilling egg plant you can do that a few hours before and let the eggplant drain then rinse and pat dry. For this recipe I just salted the eggplant before I added to the oil mixture and didn’t add additional salt later so it wasn’t too salty.
My mom always salted her eggplant first for that reason. She is one smart cooky…I mean cook too!;)
This is a great recipe! It’s good idea for a meal… I’ll try it for sure 🙂
Recipe looks delicious. How many will this recipe serve as it’s written?