Vegetables that are best for grilling and why: Chefs share 5 smart tips

With summer grilling season in full swing, folks might be looking to push beyond the standard summer grill fare of burgers, hot dogs and sausages. 

While vegetables are not a traditional barbecue item, grilling is actually a great way to prepare them – and add some color to a meal. 

Two chefs shared with Fox News Digital ways to grill vegetables – and their techniques to bring out the best flavors from the grill. 

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1. ‘Slightly reduce the heat’ 

"For the most part, almost any vegetable, theoretically, can be grilled," Jami Flatt, executive chef at Amaterra in Portland, Oregon, told Fox News Digital in an email.

"Almost any vegetable, theoretically, can be grilled," chef Jami Flatt of Portland, Oregon, told Fox News Digital – but the technique matters.  (iStock)

"You want to make sure you're cooking it until al dente and not cooked too much through," he added. 

Flatt's biggest tip for grilling, he said, is to "slightly reduce the heat" used, depending on the size of the vegetable being grilled, he said. 

Different vegetables have to be approached differently, Flatt said. 

"There isn't one technique that fits each ingredient," he said. "Time and temperature on the grill will vary depending on what you want to do with it. You need to begin with the end product in mind." 

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For instance, he said he grills zucchini or eggplant "with the purpose of removing the inside from the skin." He will then purée the grilled vegetable for one of his dishes. 

But vegetables or even fruits with a high water content should not be grilled the same way as other vegetables, he said. 

"As a general rule of thumb, items with a higher water or moisture content will be more difficult to grill."

"As a general rule of thumb, items with a higher water or moisture content will be more difficult to grill because you won't get that char," he said.

2. Pick your grill (and veggies) wisely

The type of grill used – such as a gas grill, charcoal or other type – plays a role in how to approach grilling a vegetable, he said. 

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"Grilling food with higher moisture needs to be approached in a different way," Flatt said. "Make sure it's a very quick grill on an extremely hot surface." 

Flatt's favorite vegetable to grill, he told Fox News Digital, is green beans – particularly in the summer months, when they are in season at the farmer's market.

A favorite vegetable to grill is green beans, Flatt told Fox News Digital – like this dish served at his restaurant, Amaterra, in Portland.  (Courtesy Amaterra)

"They are beautifully tender," he said. 

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"Just add a little olive oil, salt and pepper over high heat. Add a little char on one side, but be careful not to grill them for too long."

3. ‘Love a good char’ 

Chef William Dissen, a James Beard-nominated chef, restaurateur, culinary diplomat and author, told Fox News Digital that his favorite vegetables to grill are "squash, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, peppers and onions."

"These vegetables love a good char and are enhanced by the flavor of the smoke from the grill," Dissen said in an email to Fox News Digital.

Vegetables such as squash and zucchini make for excellent grilling, two chefs told Fox News Digital.  (iStock)

Dissen is the owner of the Market Place restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina, and the author of the book "Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted in the New South." 

4. Choose a simple marinade

A way to further enhance the flavor of grilled vegetables is with a simple marinade, Dissen said – even something like lemon juice or vinegar. 

The best vegetables to grill, said one chief, are those that "love a good char." One such vegetable is asparagus, he said. (iStock)

"Growing up, my dad always used a bottle of Newman's Own balsamic vinaigrette and Italian dressing to make a quick marinade, then put it on the grill with the veggies to add acidity, herbal-ness and oil," he said. 

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"It was a quick and easy way to add more flavor to the grilled vegetables," Dissen said. 

5. ‘Just try it’

But most of all, Flatt encouraged people who might be afraid to grill to "just try it." 

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"Do a grilled potato salad or roasted potato salad over the grill instead of boiling or roasting potatoes," Flatt said. "Look up a standard recipe online and see what works."

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Plus kids love it, he said. 

"Grilling is a fun way for kids interested in vegetables since they can watch it cook and learn something at the same time," Flatt said.