Grilled Veggie Kabobs

Name: Grilled Vegetable Kabob Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1 medium green pepper; 1 medium red pepper; 1 small red onion; 2 medium yellow squash; 2 medium zucchini; 1/2 pound button mushrooms; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (grated)

These Grilled Veggie Kabobs are a fun and easy side dish to make at your next summer cookout. Each perfectly cooked bite-sized veggie is seasoned with zesty Italian dressing, giving it a little tang and a lot of flavor. These are finished off with a little grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh herbs for an incredible flavor combo.

Veggie kabobs topped with parmesan cheese on a serving plate.

Recipe Notes

I live in the Northwest and we have looooong winters. It’s always a real treat to have springtime weather warm enough to grill. I am seriously jealous of all my southern friends who can grill all year round. When the weather is nice, these beautiful and nutritious veggies are always at the top of our grilling list.

And if you’re looking for more kabob recipes, be sure to try our Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs, Fingerling Potato Kabobs, Chicken Bacon Pineapple Kabobs and our Asian Beef Kabobs.

Happy Grilling!!

During the summer, these Veggie Kabobs are my favorite way to serve a variety of vegetables quickly and easily. They make eating a rainbow of veggies fun. Plus, they could not be more simple to prepare.

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This recipe calls for using a variety of different bell peppers, red onions, yellow squash, zucchini, and button mushrooms but you can feel free to add other veggies like cherry tomatoes and eggplant. For a little extra zip, brush Italian dressing over the skewers as they cook. My favorite way to finish these off is with a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Three veggie kabobs lined up on a serving plate, sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Main Ingredients

Bell Peppers – I like to use at least 2 different colors of bell peppers. Any one will work great.
Red Onions – you can cut the red onions into 1” chunks, then skewer the entire piece.
Yellow Squash and Zucchini – you can use both or just one or the other.
Mushrooms – whole button mushrooms work great. Baby bella mushrooms are another good option.
Olive Oil – either olive oil or avocado oil help keep the veggies from sticking and add good flavor.
Italian Dressing – this can be used to brush over the Vegetable Kabob while it cook. It’s completely optional but gives the kabobs just a little tang and a lot of flavor.
Italian Seasoning – this is an easy way to season veggies, but you could substitute any dried herbs and garlic powder.
Salt and Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese – freshly grated Parmesan cheese is a great way to finish off your Grilled Veggie Kabobs.
Kabob Skewers – you can use either metal skewers or wooden/bamboo skewers. Metal skewers will just need to be lightly brushed with olive oil. Wooden and bamboo skewers, however, need to soak in water for 30 minutes so that they don’t catch fire.

A silicone brush brushing Italian dressing onto vegetable shish kabobs just before cooking.

More Shish Kabob Vegetables

There are loads of other great vegetables to add to your vegetable kabobs. Just make sure that the veggies you put together will take a similar amount of time to cook. Here are a few more ideas:

Eggplant
Cherry Tomatoes
Asparagus

I recommend avoiding the following, simply because they should either be blanched first or will take too long to cook on a skewer:

Baby potatoes
Carrot chunks
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli

How to Make Grilled Veggie Kabobs

Soak the bamboo skewers. Place the bamboo or wooden skewers in a shallow baking dish and cover with water. Let wooden skewers soak for at least 30 minutes so the sticks don’t burn while the vegetables cook.
Prep the veggies. Rinse and prepare the vegetables by slicing them into 1/2″ thick slices or 1″ bite sized pieces.
Add veggies to skewers and season. Thread the vegetables onto the wooden skewers, alternating colors. Be sure to evenly space the vegetables so they cook evenly. Brush the kabobs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and Italian Seasoning to taste.
Grill the veggies. Spray the grill with cooking oil then grill the kabobs over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender and slightly charred. If desired, brush lightly with a vinegar-based Italian dressing. Continue to grill until all sides of the kabobs are lightly roasted, turning with tongs as each side cooks.
Serve. Remove the kabobs from the grill and lightly sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Choose the Right Vegetables: When making grilled vegetable kabobs, it’s important to choose the right vegetables that will hold up well on the grill. Go for veggies with a firm texture that won’t turn mushy, such as bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and cherry tomatoes.
Prep the Vegetables Properly: Before assembling your kabobs, make sure to prep the vegetables properly. Wash and dry them thoroughly, then cut them into uniform-sized pieces. This will ensure that all the vegetables cook evenly and is easier to thread onto the skewers.
Marinate the Veggies: To add an extra burst of flavor to your grilled vegetable kabobs, it’s a great idea to marinate them. Whisk together a simple vegetable kabob marinade using ingredients like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs, and spices. Let the vegetables marinate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
Soak the Skewers: If you’re using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before assembling the kabobs. This will prevent the skewers from burning on the grill.
Brush with Oil: Before grilling, don’t forget to brush the vegetable kabobs with oil to prevent them from sticking to the grill and to help with caramelization. You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or any other oil with a high smoke point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you marinate vegetables for kabobs?

You don’t need to marinate veggies for kabobs, however you absolutely can. For certain porous vegetables such as mushrooms or squash, marinating them can add quite a bit of flavor. You only need to marinate for about 20-30 minutes.

How long does it take to cook vegetable kabobs on the grill?

The amount of time it takes for your veggies to grill depends on lots of factors including what types of vegetables, what size and shape they are cut in, how hot your grill is, and how many you are cooking at once. In general, you can expect it to take between 5-10 minutes for Veggie Kabobs to become golden brown and cooked through on all sides.

What’s the best way to prep shish kabob vegetables?

The most important thing to keep in mind when prepping veggies for kabobs is to keep them all roughly the same size. This way they will cook evenly. Otherwise, just aim for bite-sized pieces.

Storing and Reheating

Refrigerator: remove all grilled veggies from the grilling skewers and store in the airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat: you can microwave leftovers, or reheat in a skillet over the stovetop slowly with a little water or avocado oil.

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More Easy Summer Grilling Recipes

These easy Grilled Vegetable Shish Kabobs are the perfect side dish to serve at your next summer BBQ. For extra flavor, brush the veggies with Italian dressing as they cook.

Categories:

4th of July, Appetizers, Healthy, Nut-Free, Sides, Summer Recipes, Vegetarian, Veggies,

Vegetable Kabobs

Recipe Notes