Chargrilled veg kebabs | Vegetable recipes | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

What veggies go in kebabs? ›

Some of my favorites for kabobs are: bell peppers (any color), zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, onions (I like red onions, but yellow onions or shallots are great too), and tomatoes (smaller cherry or grape tomatoes). I've also tried grilled brussels sprouts on skewers and loved them!

Pre-cook Tougher Veggies

Longer-cooking vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and fennel should be par-boiled until just tender (5 to 10 minutes) beforehand so all the ingredients cook in the same amount of time. Added bonus: This pre-cooking step makes them easier to thread on skewers.

Cook skewers on the preheated grill until vegetables are tender, turning and basting vegetables with remaining olive oil mixture occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

The veggie kabob seasoning

For grilling, I like to baste the vegetable kabobs with an easy marinade of olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. I also like to add a small amount of sesame oil (which is completely optional) because it adds another level of flavor to each vegetable.

The most amazing grilled vegetables are charred on the BBQ or roasted in the oven, then marinated in a lovely lemony herb garlic dressing. Unlike meat, it's better to marinate vegetables AFTER cooking because they absorb flavour so much more effectively when they're hot.

Marinate for 6-12 hours or overnight, making sure to carefully flip the container upside-down and shake occasionally to redistribute the dressing. Grill for 10-15 minutes over medium-high heat or until vegetables reach the desired crisp, done-ness. To serve, slide vegetables off the skewer onto each person's plate.

In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Lightly brush skewers with marinade and place them on the grill. Or, place loose veggies inside a zip bag and allow the marinade flavors to soak through for 30 minutes up to 4 hours.

Veggie Kebabs = Make Ahead

Up to three, maybe four days - depending on what you're marinating. I do it regularly, where I grill veggie kebabs one night, but don't use up all the ingredients. Then come back two days later and skewer up the rest of the kebabs.

Here's where it gets science-y: The baking soda raises the pH on the outside of the meat as it marinates, in a process known as velveting (which can also be done with a cornstarch slurry). This makes it so the proteins have a harder time bonding to each other when it's time to cook the meat.

While 30 minutes is the minimum, it's best to plan ahead and soak your bamboo skewers overnight in water. It takes a long time for the skewers to soak up the water, but well-soaked skewers, which are slow to give up their moisture, will last longer on the grill without burning up.

How do you soften vegetables before grilling? ›

Certain vegetables do better if they are briefly cooked before being placed on the grill. For example, precook firm veggies, like asparagus and carrots, for about three to five minutes in a saucepan of simmering water. Potatoes can also be cut into slices or wedges and parboiled for about 10 minutes until just tender.

Serving suggestions:

Allow 1-2 kabobs per person. (Nutrition Facts are for 1 kabob.) For an optional dipping sauce, double the olive oil, rosemary, and garlic mixture and reserve half of it for serving with the grilled vegetables. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.

I find that close to 1 inch squares is a good size. Don't cut the vegetable pieces too small. The smaller your cuts are, the quicker they'll cook! But if they're too small, you won't be able to thread them onto the skewers without them splitting apart or breaking.

PLACE kabobs on grill on aluminum foil and grill for 10–15 minutes, or until veggies are desired doneness. TRANSFER kabobs to plate to cool before serving.

In this grilled vegetable skewers recipe, you'll marinate the vegetables for at least an hour. That's a good rule of thumb for most vegetables, too. You want to make sure there's enough time for the flavors to penetrate the vegetable skins and into the flesh as much as possible.

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large Ziplock bag. Add in veggies and allow to marinate 4 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally.

Semi-Hard Vegetables (Green Beans, Asparagus, Peppers, etc.): Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours. Soft Vegetables (Broccoli, Tomatoes, Greens, etc.): About 10 minutes is good. Don't marinate these for longer than 30 minutes because they will release water and get soggy.

A good marinade will not only flavor your kabob, but it will also tenderize the meat and keep it juicy and moist as it cooks. You'll want to make sure your marinade contains oil to coat the ingredients and help the marinade stick to the food's surface.