This easy grilled vegetable marinade makes all your favorite veggies extra tasty and delicious. With only 5 super flavorful ingredients, including bright lemon, tangy mustard, and pungent garlic, it will make any vegetable pop! This recipe is what I call a “quick marinade” because it has a lot of acid and salt. Therefore it does not need to sit long to permeate the food and give it a big flavor boost. You seriously won't regret it!
Confession: This marinade is also great on chicken, fish or anything else that you want to grill, so it's suitable for way more than veggies, too. It's also an easy way
to convince the veggie haters to fall in love with them.
Why grilled veggies are the best veggies
Do you like vegetables? Be honest, do you ENJOY eating them or is it a chore? Eating veggies can be a struggle, but my easy grilled vegetable marinade recipe will fix that.
Instead of bland and boring vegetables like many of us grew up with, grilling is the perfect way to fall in love with the different colors, textures, and flavors.
Once you start to treat vegetables with the same love, reverence, and creativity that is given to meats, I promise, you will begin to LOVE vegetables. And truly, there is no better flavor boost for vegetables then this unbelievably simple yet flavorful marinade.
It's incredibly easy to make, works with pretty much any raw vegetables, and is my favorite way to convert any veggie hater into a diehard fan. It's the best!
I tip my hat to Chef Janice Chapler of Berkeley’s Westside Cafe for teaching me a variation of this Marinade recipe circa 2004. She was a major influence of my cooking and I am forever grateful. She taught me how to cook grains, vegetables, dressings and marinades, but most of all, to trust the process when cooking.
Why you’ll love this easy lemon Dijon marinade
- Can be used with almost any type of vegetables (think portobello mushrooms, onions, squash, red bell pepper, and more)
- Comes together in just a few minutes with everyday ingredients
- Only requires a brief marinade to maximize flavor
- Brings out the natural sweetness & complex flavors in veggies that we often miss
- Grilling veggies is a great way to convince your family to enjoy more veggies
- Perfect side dish for al fresco dining and summer entertaining
- Can be used with all your favorite vegetables
- Works with either a gas or charcoal grill
Marinade Ingredients
This marinade is made from pantry ingredients that most people have on hand. Feel free to adapt it based on the ingredients you have around; it's very forgiving.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon is one of those special ingredients that can make anything taste better. It's earthy, spicy, and bold, perfect for waking up any type of vegetable!
- Fresh lemon juice: Technically, you can substitute with different vinegars for a bolder flavor, but I love the mild, refreshing flavor of lemon juice. Try using red wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar for a similar flavor profile.
- Fresh garlic: Just a few cloves of garlic will amp up the flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adding oil to a marinade helps get a nice char and caramelization while giving the vegetables just the right texture. It's also a great source of healthy fats and can make these veggies more filling.
- Salt + black pepper
Bonus tip: Feel free to customize this marinade by adding your go-to seasonings and spices. It works well with Italian seasoning, garlic or onion powder, or red pepper flakes, if that's your kind of thing. You can also serve them with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or basil to make the colors and flavors pop.
How to Make a Simple Marinade for Grilling Vegetables
This marinade comes together very quickly. You can make the process even quicker by using a food processor or blender.
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
Use this for any grilled seasonal vegetables you like. My faves are asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, corn on the cob, cauliflower. Just toss the cut veggies in the large bowl until well coated and let them sit while you fire up the grill.
Tips for Making the Best Grilled Vegetables
- This recipe yields around ½ cup of marinade which really goes a long way. Since it is so very flavorful, you do not need a lot. It is enough for several pounds of mixed vegetables.
- Cut thick slices or trim the vegetables large enough so they do not slip through the grill grates.
- Do not flip vegetables until they have nice grill marks, 3-5 minutes per side depending on your grill. If you flip too often the vegetables will not get seared properly and will end up mushy. Cook vegetables until they are about 75% cooked and then take them off the grill. They will continue cooking after removed from the heat just like a steak would.
- Grilled vegetables should be eaten within 3 days.
FAQs
I think you'll be surprised to realize that pretty much any vegetable can be grilled, except perhaps really delicate items that might fall between the grates or disintegrate during the process (think salad greens). But even those smaller vegetables, like cherry tomatoes or sliced onions, can still be grilled in a grill pan or cast iron pan, and grilling brings out the most incredible flavor.
Grilling makes ordinary vegetables taste sweet, smoky, and savory. They often take on a meaty texture, too, which helps make your vegan meals more satisfying.
We like to mix and match different vegetables, like red onion, bell peppers, zucchini or yellow squash, sweet potatoes, eggplant, green beans, asparagus, and more. Give this simple marinade a try with different veggies to see which ones you prefer!
Yes, you can! If you end up with too much, just add it to an airtight container, like a glass jar, and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also make several times the recipe and keep in a jar for quick marinating through the week. Great time-saver on those busy nights!
If the temperature drops and you're not longer able to grill, roasting vegetables in the oven is the next best thing. In general, you want to crank up the oven to 400-425F, coat the veggies in the marinade, then roast on a baking sheet until caramelized, golden brown, and tender in the center. Be careful not to overcook!
Recipes Featuring Grilled Vegetables
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Easy Grilled Vegetable Marinade
Equipment
- whisk, bowl
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp dijon mustard Maille brand traditional is my fave
- 2 each lemons juiced
- 2 cloves garlic chop extra fine
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth
- use for any grilled seasonal vegetables you like. My faves are asparagus, zuchinni, mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, corn on the cob, cauliflower. Just toss the cut veggies in the large bowl until well coated and let sit while you fire up the grill
Lee
Love this!! We're such grilling fanatics during the summer so I'm excited to try this combo. The mustard addition is really clever.
Sara Tercero
I can't wait for you to try it!