Another week, another grilling recipe — and thank you for following along with my summer cooking mission.
I’ll be honest: when I first started insisting on more time at the grill, there was a little tension. My partner Logan has always taken pride in his grilling skills (and he’s very good), so sharing the grill took some adjustment. We quickly realized we each have different strengths and preferences, though, and that made it easy to divide the duties.
Logan rules the meats, and I focus on seafood and vegetables. Divide and conquer has been working beautifully — and lately I’ve been leaning hard into grilled vegetable sides. These Grilled Vegetables with Tomato Basil Sauce, Feta, and Herbs have become a reliable favorite.
I brush the vegetables with garlicky olive oil, season them simply with salt and pepper, and grill them until they’re just tender and nicely marked. Properly grilled vegetables are a thing of beauty on their own, but the dish truly comes together when you serve the vegetables on a bed of warm tomato-basil sauce. A generous sprinkle of salty feta and a shower of fresh basil and parsley finish the plate and make it a memorable side — or an easy vegetarian main.
A quick note on the sauce: I warm a good-quality tomato basil sauce and use it as the base for the vegetables. Warming the sauce on the grill gives it a faint smoky note that pairs beautifully with the char on the vegetables. This step is optional, but I highly recommend it if you have the time.
This recipe makes enough to serve about eight as a side, and it pairs well with any grilled protein. It also stands alone as a satisfying vegetarian option. If you turn this into a vegetarian main, I suggest grilling slices of crusty bread alongside the vegetables. Brush the bread lightly with olive oil, grill for a couple minutes per side, then rub the warm slices with a halved garlic clove and finish with flaky salt. For extra plant-based protein, stir canned chickpeas or white beans into the warmed tomato-basil sauce before plating.
If you’re cooking for one or two, you can easily halve the recipe. That said, I encourage making the full amount for delicious leftovers. Grilled vegetables keep well and can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or cold. They transform into many tasty meals:
- Sandwich leftover vegetables with extra sauce and melty cheese in bread or tortillas for an excellent panini, grilled cheese, or quesadilla. Add cured meats if you like and serve with sauce for dipping.
- Chop the vegetables, toss with remaining sauce, and add to pasta or a whole grain for a quick, flavorful bowl.
- Fold chopped vegetables into a frittata or omelet, or top them with a fried egg and fresh herbs for breakfast or brunch.
- Simmer chopped vegetables and leftover sauce with vegetable broth and a handful of small pasta or rice to make a quick minestrone-style soup.
- Use the vegetables as a pizza topping — extra credit if you grill the pizza.
- Stuff the vegetables into pita pockets with arugula and extra feta. A squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of balsamic brightens the filling.
- Make a quinoa bake: combine chopped vegetables and leftover sauce with 2–3 cups cooked quinoa and ½ cup grated Fontina or mozzarella. Transfer to a baking dish, top with more cheese and toasted breadcrumbs, and bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Feel free to vary the vegetables, herbs, and cheeses based on what you have on hand. Goat cheese or burrata substitute nicely for feta if you want a creamier finish. Fresh herbs make a big difference here — basil and parsley are classic partners, but you can add oregano or chives as well.
Grilled Vegetables with Tomato Basil Sauce, Feta and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced (add more if you like)
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into ½-inch planks
- 2 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise into ½-inch planks
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody stems removed
- 1 large red onion, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- One 24-ounce jar tomato basil sauce
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat a lightly oiled grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. If you have a grill basket, use it for asparagus and onion to keep smaller pieces from falling through.
- Combine the olive oil and grated garlic in a small bowl.
- Pat the zucchini and squash dry with a towel to remove excess moisture. Brush all the vegetables with the garlic oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Place the vegetables on the hot grill and cook until tender with nice grill marks. Approximate times: asparagus 5 minutes (turn every 1–2 minutes); zucchini and squash 7–8 minutes (3–4 minutes per side); bell pepper and onion 8–10 minutes (4–5 minutes per side).
- While the vegetables cook, warm the tomato basil sauce in a medium saucepan until it simmers. You can do this on a cooler area of the grill or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- Spread the warmed sauce in a large shallow serving bowl or platter, arrange the grilled vegetables on top, and finish with crumbled feta, chopped basil, and chopped parsley. Serve warm.
Enjoy the bright flavors of summer — happy grilling!
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