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Veggie Kabobs are the easiest thing in the world to make, but I’ve got all the best tips to keep you on track. As a classically-trained chef, I tested them several ways and I’m ready to pass all my secrets on to you. Learn which vegetables work the best and why fresh flavors are crucial for skewer success.
Meggan’s notes
Vegetable Kabobs are so easy to make, you might not even need a recipe. Skewer some veggies, douse them in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. If you love vegetables, you’d probably love them just like that!
I too love vegetables, but I wanted to spruce things up a bit. I decided on a simple combination of garlic and thyme (both fresh, not dried) with fresh lemon zest. I tried adding lemon juice to the marinade, too, but it got a little lost. I suggest squeezing lemons over the kabobs at the end. The fresh lemon juice tastes really good, and if you add it at the end, you’ll get to appreciate it in all its glory.
I chose a combination of mushrooms, red onion, bell pepper, and zucchini. It’s a nice, colorful mix, easy to cut things to a similar size, and they all cook in about the same amount of time. I think chunks of eggplant and cherry tomatoes would be tasty too.
If you have time or want to work ahead, add the veggies to the marinade up to 4 hours in advance. That gives them time to soak up maximum flavor while you get ahead of dinner.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Lemon: Zest the lemon for the marinade, then cut it in half and reserve the lemon halves for squeezing over the finished kabobs. To elevate your presentation, brush the lemon halves with olive oil and add to the grill until they are nicely browned.
- Onion: Use any color onion you like or even green onions with the whole bulb attached. After cutting the onion into chunks, I break it apart into 2 or 3-layer sections for skewering.
Step-by-step instructions
- Add wooden skewers to a bowl and cover completely with cold water. Soak bamboo skewers at least 30 minutes (or start them the day before and let them soak overnight).
- In a large bowl or zipper-top plastic bag big enough to hold all the vegetables, add olive oil, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest and stir or mash to combine. Add zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper and toss to coat.
- Building one skewer at a time, thread one piece zucchini, one whole mushroom, one onion chunk (2 layers), and one pepper chunk on to a skewer, pushing to the end with the handle.
- Repeat with additional vegetables until the skewer is full, then repeat with additional skewers until all vegetables have been skewered. Season generously with salt and pepper (I use at least 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
- Preheat grill over medium-high heat for 10 minutes and clean and oil grates. Grill veggie kabobs directly over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn the skewers over and continue grilling until they are nicely grill-marked and tender crisp, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Do not overcook.
- Transfer to a platter, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This veggie kabob recipe makes about 8 skewers of vegetables, enough for 4 main-dish servings or 6 to 8 side-dish servings. This recipe doubles and triples easily.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 4 days. Leftover grilled veggies are especially delicious in scrambled eggs and omelets.
- Make ahead: Feel free to soak your bamboo skewers up to a day in advance. Mix the marinade up to 2 days in advance. Prep and marinate the vegetables up to 4 hours in advance and skewer just before grilling.
- Metal skewers: If you opt for metal skewers, you can skip the soaking, obviously.
- More veggies: Substitute your favorite vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or even rounds of corn on the cob. Just choose vegetables that cook in a similar amount of time.
- Potatoes: If you’d like to skewer some baby potatoes with your steak, be sure to par-boil the potatoes so they are mostly cooked through before they go on the grill.
- Pantry-friendly: Omit the fresh garlic, lemon, and thyme in favor of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, or dried parsley if desired.
- Dipping sauce: Serve Veggie Kabobs with cool and creamy tzatziki sauce or herby yogurt sauce if deisred.
- Grill pan: Substitute your favorite stove-top friendly grill pan for the outdoor grill if desired.
- Beef kabobs: Tuscan-style Beef Kabobs feature juicy chunks of ribeye steak skewered with ripe cherry tomatoes and fresh Tuscan herbs. Pair with crusty grilled bread for a feast reminiscent of central Italy.
Frequently Asked Questions
I love a colorful combination of quick-cooking vegetables such as bell pepeprs, onions, zucchini, and mushrooms. Eggplant and tomatoes are good too.
If you are skewering both meat and veggies together, it’s fine to marinate them together (in a bowl on on the skewer). Just cook all meat to save temperatures such as 165 degrees for chicken and you’ll be good to go.
Be sure to always soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes. Wash and trim and veggies that you want to cook, then cut into similarly-sized pieces that will fit well on a skewer. This ensures they will finish cooking at the same time. Finally, add any flavors like herbs or spices. You can do this in advance to give them a chance to marinade, or add right before grilling.
Marinading allows herbs and spices to infuse your veggies with flavor, but it’s not required. You can also squeeze fresh citrus juice or sprinkle fresh herbs over your grilled vegetables before serving.
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Veggie Kabobs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1 lemon (reserve the fruit for garnish, see note 1)
- 1 large zucchini trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 8 ounces)
- 1 pound white button mushrooms
- 1 red onion cut into 1-inch chunks (see note 2)
- 1 red bell pepper or other bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- minced fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
To assemble the kabobs:
- Add bamboo skewers to a bowl and cover completely with cold water. Soak bamboo skewers at least 30 minutes (or start them the day before and let them soak overnight).
- In a bowl or zipper-top plastic bag big enough to hold all the vegetables, add olive oil, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest and stir or mash to combine. Add zucchini, mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper and toss to coat.
- Building one skewer at a time, thread one piece zucchini, one whole mushroom, one onion chunk (2 layers), and one pepper chunk on to a skewer, pushing to the end with the handle.
- Repeat with additional vegetables until the skewer is full, then repeat with additional skewers until all vegetables have been skewered. Season generously with salt and pepper (I use at least 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
To grill the kabobs:
- Preheat grill over medium-high heat for 10 minutes and clean and oil grates. Grill the skewers directly over high heat for 5 minutes. Turn the skewers over and continue grilling until they are nicely grill-marked and tender crisp, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Do not overcook.
- Transfer to a platter, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Lemon: Zest the lemon for the marinade, then cut it in half and reserve the lemon halves for squeezing over the finished kabobs. To elevate your presentation, brush the lemon halves with olive oil and add to the grill until they are nicely browned.
- Onion: Use any color onion you like or even green onions with the whole bulb attached. After cutting the onion into chunks, I break it apart into 2 or 3-layer sections for skewering.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 8 skewers of vegetables, enough for 4 main-dish servings or 6 to 8 side-dish servings. This recipe doubles and triples easily.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up 4 days. Leftover grilled veggies are especially delicious in scrambled eggs and omelets.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.