These colorful, fresh veggie kabobs are perfect for throwing on the grill when you need a quick side dish. So delicious and easy!
Veggie Kabobs
Elevate your summer grilling game with this quick and easy grilled Veggie Kabob recipe, the perfect side dish for anything you’re grilling. Bursting with colors and texture, the charred corn, red onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and tomatoes are finished off with BBQ sauce for extra flavor. Make them in advance and throw them on the grill for a fast weeknight dinner or summer party. Perfect for dairy-free and gluten-free diets. For more kabob recipes, try my Grilled Chicken Pesto Kebabs, Steak Kebabs with Chimichurri, and Blackened Grilled Salmon Skewers.
In season summer vegetables don’t need much work to make their flavors shine, here I kept it simple with salt and pepper (no marinade needed!) then finish it with a little BBQ sauce. Quick and easy!
Veggie Kabob Ingredients
- Vegetables: Corn, red onion, yellow and red bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes
- Olive Oil Spray for the veggies
- Salt for seasoning
- Kabob Sauce: Water mixed with BBQ sauce (Buy your favorite or make homemade sauce.)
How to Grill Veggie Kabobs
- Skewers: Use metal skewers or bamboo skewers. If using bambo, soak skewers in water for about 30 minutes before threading the vegetables onto them. Soaking will prevent the sticks from burning on the grill.
- Corn: Shuck the corn and cut the small ends off the cobs. Cut each ear into six pieces for 12 total.
- Thread the Skewers: Alternate the veggies so you have two pieces of each vegetable on each skewer.
- Season the Vegetables: Spritz the kabobs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Sauce: Combine the BBQ sauce and water in a small bowl.
How to Cut Veggies for Kabobs
Kabob veggies are a popular choice for grilling, and the key to a great kabab is even cooking. All your ingredients must be cut to approximately the same size to cook the vegetables evenly. If your pieces are different sizes, the smaller ones could burn before the larger ones cook through. Here are some guidelines for preparing vegetables for kabobs:
- Bell Peppers: Remove the stem and seeds, and cut the peppers into 1- to 1 ½-inch squares. This size is large enough not to fall off the skewer but small enough to cook evenly.
- Red Onions: Peel the onion and cut it into quarters.
- Zucchini or Yellow Squash: Look for medium zucchini or squash. Slice them into ½-inch rounds. Make sure they’re not too thin to prevent them from getting too soft and falling off the skewer.
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Leave tomatoes whole.
- Corn: Remove the husk and the silk. Cut the cobs into ½-inch to ¾-inch rounds. Skewer the corn rounds through the center of the cob to ensure they stay on securely.
How Long to Grill Veggie Kabobs
Place the vegetable kabobs on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning often until everything is slightly charred and tender. Brush the BBQ sauce on the veggies at the last minute of cooking and turn one more time.
How to Cook Veggie Skewers in the Oven:
I find a grill pan is not the best for these skewers so if you don;t have a grill you can broil them in the oven. Place the oven rack six inches below the heating element and cook for about 10 minutes, turning a few times to ensure even cooking.
What to Serve with Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
These healthy veggie kabobs could be a vegetarian main or a simple side dish. Here are some ideas for what to serve with them.
- Grilled Protein: Cedar Plank Spice-Rubbed Salmon, Grilled Shrimp Panzanella Skewers, Grilled Crab Legs, Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Burgers: Turkey Burgers, Salmon Quinoa Burgers, Turkey Burgers with Zucchini
- Potatoes: Lemon-Parsley Potato Foil Packets, Grilled Potatoes, Red Potato Salad
- Pasta & Grains: Macaroni Salad, Italian Pasta Salad, Rainbow Quinoa Salad
How to Store
These easy vegetable kabobs can be prepped a day or two in advance and refrigerate in an airtight container them until you’re ready to cook them.
How to Store Veggie Kabobs
Leftovers will last up to four days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave until warm.
Variations
- Vegetables: Try different vegetables like yellow squash, eggplant, or mushrooms.
- Tomatoes: Swap cherry tomatoes for grape.
- Sauce: If you don’t like BBQ sauce, skip it. You could finish them off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
More Grilled Vegetable Recipes You’ll Love
- Grilled Vegetable Orzo Pasta Salad
- Grilled Asparagus
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Grilled Zucchini
- Grilled Vegetable Platter with Yogurt Mint Sauce
Veggie Kabobs
Equipment
- long metal or wooden skewers if wood, soak 1 hour before
Ingredients
- 2 large ears corn, shucked and peeled
- 1 1/2 medium red onions, cut into 6 wedges
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 12 1-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 12 1-inch pieces
- 1 zucchini, sliced into 12 slices
- 12 cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes
- olive oil spray
- 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce, homemade or use your favorite
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak about 1 hour.
- Cut small ends off corn and cut each into 6 pieces, to give you 12 total.
- Arrange the skewers, alternating each veggie so you have 2 pieces of each vegetable on each skewer. Spritz all over with olive oil and season with salt.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Combine BBQ sauce and water in a small bowl.
- Place kabobs on the grill and cook, turning often until the vegetables are slightly charred and tender, about 10 minutes.
- Brush the bbq sauce on the veggies, the last minute of cooking, and turn once again.
