These grilled vegetables are the ultimate easy summer side—perfectly charred, naturally flavorful, and finished with a bright lemon herb oil. Whether you serve them hot, cold, or tossed into pasta or salad, they’re the best way to upgrade any summer meal!
This side dish says “summer” to me.
Every time we grill these vegetables, my husband and I look at each other like, “Why don’t we do this more often?” And then we remember: it’s a bit of a chore. There’s slicing, flipping, timing. But the moment we drizzle them with herb oil and sit down to eat, we agree it was 100% worth it.
These grilled vegetables are simple, unfussy, and wildly flavorful. I keep the pre-grill seasoning to a minimum (just oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper), and save the bright herb and lemon notes for after grilling—because herbs and garlic will burn and turn bitter on the grill, especially on vegetables. This is purely anecdotal and I only know this from experience, not actual research – but yeah, I don’t want any burned garlic on my veggies. So I trust the grill for char and smokiness, and let the post-grill drizzle do the rest!
Ingredient notes and swaps
You can grill almost any veggie you enjoy—just prep them in a way that makes sense. I like to leave mushrooms whole, slice zucchini and summer squash lengthwise, and quarter seeded bell peppers. If you’re doing corn on the cob, I prefer to pre-cook my corn and cut each ear into half or thirds. Cherry tomatoes on the vine are delicious, but also annoying to grill (they roll, they burst… it’s a whole thing). I mostly grill them when I’m feeling patient and romantic, which isn’t often because my usual vibe is non-aesthetic mom wearing husband’s old t-shirt.
The oil? Use any mild one with a high enough smoke point—I usually go with olive oil, because I keep the grill at medium heat. And please don’t add fresh herbs or garlic pre-grill. That’s what the herb oil is for: a generous pour of olive oil, soft herbs from the neglected herb patch (parsley, oregano, thyme…), a squeeze of lemon, and salt and pepper. It brightens the whole platter and makes it feel special.
Real-life tips
Grilling vegetables isn’t hard, but it does take some attention. Keep your slices uniform, especially for things like zucchini and squash—too thick, and they take forever; too thin, and they fall apart. Leave mushrooms whole unless they’re gigantic, and don’t be afraid to grill in batches.
Make the herb oil while everything’s cooking (or better yet, before you even start) and let it sit—it gets better as it rests. Once the veggies come off the grill, serve them warm or let them cool down for a cold antipasto-style side. We also pile them onto sandwiches, toss them into pasta salad, or eat them straight from the fridge.
This isn’t just a side dish. It’s a meal builder, a flavor booster, and a great way to eat your vegetables without yet another leafy salad!
Printable recipe
Lemon Herb Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 2 pounds vegetables (cut as needed – see notes! (I like mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers; but you can also do pre-cooked corn on the cob, cherry tomatoes on the vine… whatever is grillable and you enjoy!))
- oil (as needed)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or more to taste)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
For the herb oil
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped soft herbs (I usually just grab whatever is growing from the “herb garden” (aka neglected patch, parsley, oregano and thyme are my faves here))
- ½ large lemon (zest and juice)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Add all prepared vegetables to a very large mixing bowl. Toss with enough oil to cover all vegetables, then add seasoning to taste. You may be tempted to do more to your vegetables, but I don’t add anything beyond garlic powder, salt and pepper at this point because a) fresh garlic or herbs just burn to a crisp on the grill, b) the best thing about grilled vegetables is their grilled taste – not their seasoning, and c) I prefer to add any additional flavor after grilling!2 pounds vegetables, oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt & pepper
- Grill the vegetables over medium heat until done. This will take a different amount of time for each vegetable, and also depend on how thin you sliced the zucchini etc.
- For the herb oil, combine olive oil with chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper to taste.6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons finely chopped soft herbs, ½ large lemon, salt & pepper
- Once the vegetables are grilled, arrange them on a platter and drizzle with the herb oil. We like them served both hot or cold!
More vegetables recipes you’ll love
It’s July 10th 2025 today, and this recipe was one of the first I published on my blog… On July 10th, 2014! I put off updating this recipe for the longest time, mostly for emotional reasons because it’s just… Sigh. Emotional. But it’s time, and for the sake of history, I’m going to leave in some of my old pics 😉
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