Grilled Vegetable Kabobs (+5 Marinades)

❤️ Why you’ll love it

I love how versatile this recipe is. You can use your favorite vegetables or whatever you have on hand. The key is to choose vegetables that cook in a similar amount of time so that everything is ready at the same time. This is a great way to clean up your fridge and prevent food waste.

The grilling process not only enhances the natural flavors of the vegetables but also adds a smoky, charred dimension that is truly irresistible.

Plus, it is a fun and interactive way to cook, making it perfect for gatherings or family meals. This is a must-try for the summer.

🧾 Key ingredients

These grilled vegetable kabobs are not only delicious but also very easy to make. The best part is that you can find all these ingredients at your local grocery store.

Red onions are a must for any kabob. They add a sweet and tangy flavor that is delicious, especially when grilled.

Corn adds a juicy pop of sweetness to the kabobs. It’s like nature’s candy on a stick.

Button mushrooms are perfect for grilling. They have a meaty texture and absorb the flavors of the marinade beautifully.

Bell peppers, with their crisp texture and sweet flavor, are a staple in any kabob recipe. They also add a pop of color, making the kabobs look beautiful.

Cherry tomatoes burst with juicy flavor when grilled. They are a great addition to the kabobs.

Zucchini and eggplant are perfect for grilling. They both have a mild flavor that pairs well with the marinade. The key is to cut them into the right size so they cook evenly on the grill.

🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

🥘 Equipment

For this grilled vegetable kabobs recipe, the most crucial piece of equipment you will need is the skewers. Whether you choose wooden or metal ones is up to you, but they are essential for threading and grilling your veggies to perfection.

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Preparing the ingredients

STEP 1
Begin by preparing your red onions. Peel the onions and cut them into eight equal pieces.

STEP 2
Next, prepare your mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. If you are using small white button mushrooms, there is no need to peel or cut them. Simply wash them. The same applies to cherry tomatoes. Just make sure to wash them thoroughly.

STEP 3
For the corn, wash it and then cut it into 2-inch thick slices. This will make it easier to thread onto the skewers.

STEP 4
Now, it’s time to prepare the bell pepper. Wash the pepper, then remove the stem and the seeds by cutting it in half. After this, cut the pepper into 2 x 2-inch square slices. These will be used for the kabobs.

STEP 5
Finally, prepare the zucchini and eggplant. There is no need to peel them. Simply wash them and cut them into 0.5-inch thick slices. If you prefer, you can also cut the eggplant in half or quarters.

Making the grilled vegetable kabobs

STEP 1
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk these ingredients together to make the marinade.

STEP 2
Once the marinade is ready, use a silicone brush to generously cover the prepared vegetables with the marinade. Ensure that each piece is well coated.

STEP 3
If you are using a stovetop grill pan, heat it to medium-high heat. Place the vegetable kabobs on the grill pan, leaving a small space between them. Cook both sides for approximately five minutes.

STEP 4
If you are using an oven, preheat it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the vegetable kabobs on a grill rack or a baking tray. Grill them under the broiler for 10 minutes, turning the kabobs at halftime.

STEP 5
If you are using a gas or charcoal grill, preheat it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill the vegetable kabobs for 10 minutes, turning them at halftime. To prevent burning, you can use aluminum foil drip pans.

💡 Expert tip

When preparing your vegetable kabobs, pay attention to the arrangement of the vegetables on the skewers. Place the vegetables that do not shrink much during cooking, such as corn, onions, and mushrooms, at the end of the skewer, leaving a small space between each piece. This allows the heat to reach all sides of the vegetables evenly, ensuring they cook thoroughly and preventing some pieces from remaining undercooked.

🔄 Variations / Marinades

Here are 5 of my favorite kabob marinades that are perfect for any vegetable:

Italian herbs: Make an easy, mixed herb marinade using olive oil, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. It is absolutely kid-friendly as well.

Spicy fajitas: Make a marinade using olive oil, hot chili powder or chili flakes, sweet smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. You can download the exact amounts from my fajita veggies post. 

Spicy mixed herbs: For this one, mix olive oil, garlic powder, sweet paprika powder, chili powder, ground oregano, ground basil, ground rosemary, salt, and black pepper. You can download the exact amounts from our cauliflower steak post. 

Harissa: The fourth option is to make a juicy, spicy, sweet harissa marinade using harissa paste, maple syrup, ginger powder, freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, fresh mint leaves, and soy sauce. You can download the exact amounts from our harissa tofu post. 

Chili miso: The fifth marinade you can try is a spicy miso marinade: miso paste, rice vinegar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder. You can download the exact amounts from our chili miso tofu post. 

⇒ Get these 5 awesome kabob marinade recipes as printable recipe cards here ⇐

🥣 Serving ideas

Grilled vegetable kabobs are a versatile and delicious dish that can be enjoyed in many ways. They are a perfect addition to any plant-based meal.

I love serving them alongside a smoky vegan beet burger or a fajitas-inspired portobello mushroom burger. The combination of the smoky, grilled vegetables with the hearty, flavorful burgers is a match made in heaven.

If you are a fan of classic fast food, you can also enjoy these vegetable kabobs with a vegan twist. They are a great side dish for a vegan Big Mac burger or a tofu burger in Whopper style.

In addition, I recommend serving a quick dip alongside these kabobs. A vegan tzatziki sauce or a lemon herb tahini sauce are both great options. The cool, creamy dip is the perfect complement to the smoky, grilled vegetables.

❄️ Storing tips

These grilled vegetable kabobs are best enjoyed fresh and hot off the grill, but you can store the leftovers and enjoy them later.

To store, allow the kabobs to cool completely. Once cooled, carefully remove the vegetables from the skewers. This will make it easier to store them. Transfer the vegetables to an airtight container, and place them in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh and delicious for about 3 to 4 days.

I do not recommend freezing the grilled vegetable kabobs since it can change their texture and make them mushy once thawed.

When ready to enjoy, you can reheat the kabobs on the grill, in the oven, or in a skillet until heated through. Keep in mind that the texture and flavors may change slightly upon reheating.

🤔 FAQs

More veggie sides

You can browse through our vegan side dishes or check out

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Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

Nandor Barta

These grilled vegetable kabobs are the easiest way to eat a rainbow of delicious veggies during summer. It is the perfect side dish for your weekend BBQ or grill party.

4.6 from 16 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 4 kabobs

Calories 96kcal

Equipment

• Bamboo skewers
• Metal skewers
• Turkey lacer (small)
• Silicone brush
• Aluminium foil drip pans for grilling
• Grill pan
• Grill tool set
• Baking tray with grill rack

Ingredients

  

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Vegetables for your kabob

• ▢ 1 Red onion (medium)
• ▢ 1 Corn
• ▢ 8 Button mushrooms
• ▢ ½ Bell pepper
• ▢ 4 Cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 1 Zucchini / Courgette (small)
• ▢ 1 Eggplant (medium)

Quick Italian herb marinade

• ▢ 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• ▢ ¼ tsp Garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp Basil
• ▢ ¼ tsp Oregano
• ▢ ¼ Salt
• ▢ ⅛ Black pepper

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Instructions

 

Preparing the vegetables

• Peel and cut red onions into 8 equal pieces.
• If you use small white button mushrooms, you don’t need to peel or cut them. Just wash them. The same for cherry tomatoes. Nothing to do there except washing.
• Wash the corn and cut it into 2-inch thick slices.
• Wash the bell pepper. Take the stem and the seeds out by cutting it first in half. Then cut 2 x 2-inch square slices for the kabobs.
• Wash the zucchini and the eggplant. No need to peel them. Cut them into 0.5-inch thick slices. You can even cut it in half or quarters the eggplant.

Get your skewers ready!

• We usually put the vegetables that don’t lose their size so much during cooking at the end, like corn, onion, or mushroom. Leave a small space in between to ensure that the heat reaches all sides. If the veggies are pressed against each other tightly, you may need a longer time to cook them. Or even some will remain uncooked, while for example, the cherry tomato will be vastly overcooked. Make sure to leave 1-2 inches free on both ends.

Making the marinade

• In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients: olive oil, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Use a silicone brush to generously cover the veggies with the marinade. (For more options, check out the post above the recipe card.)

Grilling vegetable kabobs

• On the stovetop: The easiest way is if you have a grill pan, and you cook them on a stovetop. First, heat the grill pan to medium-high heat, then place the veggie kabobs on it, leaving a small space between the skewers. Cook both sides for approx. 5 minutes.
• In the oven: You can use a glass oven-safe dish or a baking tray with a grill rack. Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit (ca. 204 °C) and grill them under the broiler for 10 minutes, turning the kabobs at halftime.
• On a gas grill or charcoal grill without burning: Our little trick is to use aluminum foil drip pans. Like the oven grilling, preheat your grill to 400 Fahrenheit (ca. 204 °C) and grill the veggie kabobs for 10 minutes, turning them at halftime.

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Notes

Skewers – 3 options to choose from:

• Wooden skewers (usually made of bamboo) – You must soak them for 20 minutes if you plan to use them on a gas grill. No soaking is needed for the oven or stovetop.
• Metal skewers (usually made of stainless steel) – Zero waste alternative. 
• Herb stems as skewers (rosemary is one of the sturdiest) – Only for soft veggies like cherry tomato or bell pepper. Not recommended for a gas grill at all!!!

Top tips

• For cutting, make sure to choose thinner corn. If your corn rings are too big, the other veggies will not touch the pan, making it harder to get them cooked.
• Don’t peel the zucchini and the eggplant, as without their peel, they might get too soft to stay on the skewers.
• We pre-poke the corn with a turkey lacer. 
• Leave a small space between the vegetables to ensure that they cook evenly.
• Watch kabobs frequently and brush them with the marinade after turning. It is especially important on the gas grill.
• Use tongs or heat-proof gloves to turn the metal skewers. They can still be hot after serving, so let your guests know.
• Using wooden skewers in a grill pan, you can easily turn them with your hands.

Video

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Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

Amount Per Serving (1 kabob)

Calories 96 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Sodium 12mg1%

Potassium 631mg18%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 677IU14%

Vitamin C 37mg45%

Calcium 31mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.