This grilled vegetable recipe uses a simple Italian balsamic marinade to turn everyday vegetables into a flavorful, grilled side dish. Made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and fresh herbs, the marinade takes just minutes to whisk together and works with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Grill or roast in about 10 minutes, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Close-up overhead shot of a white serving platter with a serving fork and grilled mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, red onion, and asparagus topped with oil and herb mixture.

5 star review

“I’ve made this twice and my family loves it. Last night I made it when having girlfriends over and they all requested the recipe. So happy to pass this delicious one along! PS I made extra marinade and used it on chicken thighs to make a complete meal.”

– Amy
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Italian Balsamic Grilled Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

These simple marinated and grilled vegetables are vibrant, packed with flavor, and truly irresistible. And the best part? Because they taste even better when made ahead, so they are just as perfect for entertaining as they are for batch prepping. I swear, just adding a super simple marinade to vegetables takes them to the next level with very little effort. They come out beautifully charred and perfectly seasoned and make a versatile and show stopping side dish. Trust me, people are always so impressed when I bring out the colorful platter of these babies! But don’t just reserve them for guests as this is the best meal prep veggie recipe to have in the fridge since the vegetables get better with time, and you can use them in so many ways.

And while this recipe screams summer, it can be made any time of year since the 5-ingredient marinade makes even out-of-season vegetables taste amazing. I recommend using bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, crimini mushrooms, asparagus, and red onions; but you could choose a few of your favorites from this list, swap the crimini mushrooms for portobello mushrooms, use yellow or white onions, or another type of summer squash. Whatever vegetables you use, make sure to slice them large enough (and equal in size) so they don’t fall through the grates. Otherwise, you can use skewers for smaller vegetables. 

Most of the veggies will cook about 7-10 minutes on the grill, but asparagus cooks for just 4 minutes. In the oven, everything will roast for the same amount of time. Once they’re cooked, arrange on a beautiful platter with the reserved marinade either warm or at room temperature or refrigerate for later in the week. And for a protein to pair with these vegetables, my balsamic chicken marinade uses the same flavor profile and comes together in just a few minutes. Or, my roasted Italian sausage and vegetables is another easy option when you want a complete meal with similar Italian-inspired flavors all on one pan.

Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Grilled Vegetables

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Overhead shot of the following ingredients: salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, zucchini, asparagus, fresh herbs, yellow squash, bell peppers, red onion, eggplant, mushrooms, minced garlic.
Gather ingredients.
Overhead shot of a wooden cutting board with mushrooms, sliced eggplants, onion wedges, sliced bell peppers, asparagus, sliced zucchini, and sliced yellow squash.
Prep vegetables.
Overhead shot of whisking chopped herbs, minced garlic, and oil in a glass bowl.
Whisk marinade ingredients.
Overhead shot of a glass bowl with oil and chopped herbs. A small glass bowl of herbs and oil is on the side.
Reserve 3 tablespoons of marinade.
Overhead shot of a white baking dish with a mixture of mushrooms, red onion, eggplant, bell peppers, asparagus, yellow squash, and zucchini topped with oil and herb mixture. A small bowl of an oil and herb mixture is in the corner.
Marinate vegetables.
Overhead shot of a white serving platter with a serving fork and grilled mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, red onion, and asparagus topped with oil and herb mixture. Platter is surrounded by a striped towel and small bowls of an oil and herb mixture and chopped fresh herbs.
Grill vegetables & drizzle with marinade.
Overhead shot of a white baking dish with mushrooms, red onion, eggplant, bell peppers, asparagus, yellow squash, and zucchini topped with oil and herb mixture. A small bowl of an oil and herb mixture is in the corner.

Testing Notes for The Best Grilled Vegetables

  • Don’t marinate the vegetables for more than 3 hours. Unlike meat, vegetables absorb liquid quickly and can become soggy if left too long.
  • In testing I really preferred balsamic vinegar for this recipe. The sweetness and caramelization it adds during grilling is what makes this marinade work, and other vinegars won’t give you the same result.
  • Use fresh garlic! With only five ingredients in the marinade, fresh garlic makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
  • Don’t stress about having every vegetable on the list. Pick three or four favorites and the marinade will do its job regardless of the combination.
  • Get ahead by prepping the marinade up to 4 days in advance and chopping the vegetables a day or two ahead. When it’s time to cook, everything comes together in minutes.
Overhead shot of a white serving platter with a serving fork and grilled mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, red onion, and asparagus. Platter is surrounded by a striped towel, fresh herbs, and small bowls of an oil and herb mixture and chopped fresh herbs.
Close-up overhead shot of a white serving platter with a serving fork and grilled mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, red onion, and asparagus topped with oil and herb mixture.
5 stars (2 ratings)

Grilled Vegetables (Italian Marinade)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Marinade Time: 15 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Grilled vegetables with a simple Italian balsamic marinade of olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs. Perfect for grilling or roasting and great for meal prep.
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil
  • 3 pounds mixed vegetables: such as 3 bell peppers, 3 yellow squash, 3 zucchini, 1 eggplant, 8-oz crimini mushrooms, 1 bunch asparagus, and 2 red onions

Equipment

Instructions 

Prepare the Vegetables

  • Wash the vegetables, then slice into thick wedges or triangles. If using asparagus, snap off woody bottoms, but do not slice.

Prepare the Marinade

  • Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, garlic, and herbs in a small bowl until smooth.

Marinate the Vegetables

  • Set aside 3 tablespoons marinade. Add the remaining marinade along with the vegetables to one to two 1-gallon zip-top bags or a large baking dish.
  • Toss to coat, then press as much air out of the bag (if using) as possible, or cover with plastic wrap (if using a baking dish). Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or up to 3 hours.

Grilled Vegetables

  • Prepare a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8-10 minutes for bell peppers, 7 minutes for yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant and mushroom, and 4 minutes for asparagus.
  • Arrange on a platter, then drizzle with the reserved marinade. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Vegetables

  • Preheat the oven to 425F.
  • Place the vegetables on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip and roast for another 10-25 minutes.
  • Arrange vegetables on a platter, then drizzle with the reserved marinade. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Course: Appetizer, Dressings & Sauces, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 8), Calories: 82kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 452mg, Potassium: 459mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 425IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition disclaimer
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