20 Fruits and Vegetables That Taste Surprisingly Delicious Grilled, According to Thomas Joseph (2024)

Summer is peak grilling season, and I love how the grill transforms the flavor of foods we know and love. But if you’re starting to feel like you’re cooking the same foods over and over, you’ll be happy to know there are so many options beyond burgers, chicken, meats, and fish. Sure, you love green beans, but have you tried grilled green beans—or grilled potatoes for a potato salad? I’m sharing some of my favorite unexpected foods to grill, from kale to bananas.

Unexpected Vegetables to Grill

Many vegetables can be served as sides straight off the grill with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and some fresh herbs, or paired with sauces as a side. Alternatively, you can add them as an element in a salad, be that a green leafy salad or a grain salad, or use them in sauces, relishes, and soups.

Beans and Peas

When grilling thinner, smaller vegetables like string beans and snap peas, it’s best to use grill baskets or perforated trays. They keep your vegetables from falling through the grates, and you get to enjoy their blistered, more complex flavor as an appetizer or a side.

Broccoli and Cauliflower

Among my favorite vegetables to grill is broccoli or cauliflower. Treating them like steaks is a great way to make them the center of your meal, rather than just a side. I like to serve mine with romesco sauce or spicy yogurt sauce. I also like grilling smaller pieces (the florets) because the smaller they are, the more surface area they have and the more char or blistering you get, which amplifies the flavor. I might use the smaller pieces in a salad with other (not grilled) vegetables, like summer tomatoes.

Okra

I’m obsessed with okra, and when they’re in season in July and August, I use them as much as I can. Grilling is a great way to enjoy okra; its texture doesn’t get so soft as it does with other cooking methods, so you avoid the potential for sliminess that turns some people off of the vegetable. I use a grilling tray, so I don’t lose any okra between the grates. It also makes it easy to flip them all at once, rather than one at a time.

When grilling okra, I’m generous with the seasonings. I really love a little cumin and a hint of cinnamon or even allspice for depth, but almost any spice or spice mix works, from smoked paprika to garam masala or ras el hanout. I serve them with a dollop of cooling yogurt as an appetizer or side dish, or as a garnish for a big salad.

Onions and Other Allium

You may already be grilling onion slices to top steaks or chops, but the allium family offers many more possibilities. I consider grilled onions, shallots, and scallions to be a foundational element for salsas and sauces all summer. They also make a great condiment for proteins or other vegetables, or as a sauce for pasta salad—just grill them, chop them up, mix with olive oil, and maybe add some citrus or vinegar and a generous amount of olives, capers, and/or fresh herbs..

Hearty Greens

Another vegetable I’m pretty sure you aren’t grilling (but should be) are any—and all—types of hearty greens. In the winter, I’m a big fan of broiling them, so it was natural to try them on the grill, and they are so good, especially when pairedwith a bright, tangy dressing.

I treat the various hearty greens in different ways:

• Cabbage: I’ll cut into wedges or steaks and grill. The important thing is to keep the core in to hold the sections together.
  
• Kale: I usually keep the tough stems on for grilling to hold the leaves together. Then I’ll remove them and chop the leaves once they’re grilled, using them in a charred kale salad, or chopping them finer to use in a pasta.
  
• Radicchio or Romaine: I simply halve these and brush with oil for grilling.

Root Vegetables

Is this the most unexpected group yet? Carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, and even radishes are vegetables I often roast in the oven, and they’re a good choice for the grill. Enjoy root vegetables simply as grilled vegetable sides, but also consider using them in different ways.

• Potatoes: Don’t overlook how fabulous a grilled potato salad is. I’m not a big fan of the traditional, mayo-based potato salad, and prefer to make a potato salad with grilled potatoes in a vinaigrette.
  
• Beets: I recommend parcooking them and then grilling directly on the grates, or wrapping them in aluminum foil and cooking in the coals so they blister and get a smoky flavor. Grilling helps to sear them and caramelize their natural sugars, so it adds fantastic flavor. Like with potatoes, you can leave the skins on the beets for a more concentrated earthiness.

Mushrooms

Think beyond the portobello, which can sometimes get spongy when grilled. If I do grill them, I won’t do whole caps and will slice them on the bias to get more surface area exposed to the grill. However, my pick for a big mushroom is a maitake, which can be grilled like a steak for a vegan main.

Mostly I prefer grilling smaller mushrooms with more flavor, like smaller maitakes and also shiitakes. I lightly marinate them before grilling, maybe in a little soy sauce or some olive oil and herbs. I use a grill basket or skewer them to ensure I don’t lose any mushrooms between the grates.

These grilled mushrooms can be used in so many different ways. Try them on toast with cheese and herbs for a simple appetizer, tossed wth pasta for a simple summer main, or as a taco filling for something unexpected.

Winter Squash

Extend grilling season with fall and winter squash, like acorn, delicata, honeynut, or butternut. Cut them into slices for grilling—don’t make them too thick. Soft varieties like delicata and acorn will cook quickly, but varieties like butternut and honeynut squash will need parcooking. I’d recommend steaming over boiling for this.

Grilled squash is a great addition to a grain salad or a kale salad. I also love grilling butternut squash and then pureeing it for soup as the grilled flavor gives a really different end result to the usual butternut squash soup.

Surprising Fruit to Grill

You may think grilling any fruit is surprising, but it shouldn't be! Yes, grilled peaches served with vanilla ice cream makes a wonderful dessert, but various grilled fruits can also be used as ingredients in savory dishes, like salsas, sauces, and salads. Grilled peaches or mango, or just about any grilled fruit, is a magical pairing with meat or fish.

Stone Fruit

Perhaps the best known grilled fruit is peaches but I also love to cook other stone fruits, like apricots and nectarines. I’ll cut them into pieces (or halved if smaller, like apricots) and brush them with a neutral oil that can stand up to the heat of the grill. Usually I'll add any spice and an acidic element, like citrus juice, once the fruit comes off the grill.

Tropical Fruits

Pineapple is obvious, but so good. Do try grilling mango, it's delicious—and don't overlook bananas. I grill bananas, halved lengthwise, in the skin, so that there's structure around them and they don't fall apart. (Banana is one grilled fruit I’d only use for dessert.)

Watermelon

Grilled watermelon tastes delicious on its own or added to fresh summer salads made with arugula, watercress, mache, or other tasty greens. Add feta cheese for a salty-sweet pairing.Grilling wedges over direct heat on a hot grill will give the watermelon some nice grill marks, but only cook it for a short time to avoid drying out the watermelon or losing its brilliant pink color.

Citrus

I'll slice or halve lemons or oranges and grill them, but just on one side, and squeeze those grilled slices over simply prepared chicken, meat, or fish—or over a grain salad or another hearty vegetable dish that needs a little acid. Grilling changes the flavor of the citrus so the juice is condensed and almost syrupy, and adds dynamic flavor to whatever you’re making.