How Long to Grill Vegetables

With the first day of summer now behind us, grills are being pulled out of hibernation all over the country. Although burgers and dogs are far more delicious when grilled outdoors, vegetables are often forgotten when heading toward the fire. When in fact, they are also far more delicious when grilled properly.

It is, however, very easy to over cook and/or burn vegetables on the grill since many of them cook up in no time at all and others will take a little bit of TLC to cook up properly, take the corn in the picture for example.

grilled vegetables

Following is a chart of grilling times for most common vegetables. This is a guideline, since grill heats can vary greatly. This guide will also help with how to prepare and where to place each given vegetable on the grill. Fruits are also excellent grilled, instructions for grilling fruits is included after the chart. Follow these guidelines and it will be easier to keep eating healthy all summer long.

How Long to Grill Vegetables

Grilling Times for Vegetables

Just a tiny bit of preparation can get most any fresh vegetable ready to toss onto the grill. Universally, you can wash the intended vegetable and then spray it with a little bit of olive oil and you’re good to head out toward the hot coals. The reason that veggies should be gently tossed with a little oil, cooking spray or melted butter is to prevent them from sticking to the grates.

Veggies can also be seasoned with a little salt & pepper (and/or other desired spices) before grilling, if desired. Marinating vegetables is also a great way to introduce more flavor, just beware that marinades will quickly absorb into soft fresh vegetable flesh so an hour of marinating time is generally considered plenty. If vegetables spend too much time in a marinade, they will end up tasting like straight marinade.

The following chart indicates the heat and time requirements for many popular vegetables. A few definition reminders first:

  • Indirect heat = pile the hot coals on one side of the grill and place the veggies on the other side. If using a gas grill, only light one side of the grill and later place the veggies on the other side.
  • Direct heat = place the veggies directly over the coals.

  • Vegetable Preparation Placement Heat Time
    Asparagus Cut off the bottoms Perpendicular to grates Medium-high Indirect 3 to 5 Minutes
    Beets Wrap loosely in aluminum foil after tossing with oil On grill Medium Direct 30 to 35 Minutes
    Broccoli Soak in salted water for 5 to 10 minutes In grilling basket Medium-high Indirect 5 to 10 Minutes
    Broccolini Trim the bottoms Perpendicular to grates Medium-high Indirect 3 to 5 Minutes
    Bok Choy Halve and soak in salted water for 5 to 10 minutes In grilling basket Medium-high Indirect 3 to 5 Minutes
    Carrots Remove tops and wrap in foil On grill Medium Direct 15 to 20 Minutes
    Cauliflower Soak in salted water for 5 to 10 minutes In grilling basket Medium-high Indirect 5 to 10 Minutes
    Corn Soak in water for 5 to 10 minutes (or remove the husks and skip this step) Perpendicular to grates Medium-high Direct, turn often 20 to 30 Minutes (or 10 to 15 if no husk)
    Eggplant Slice into 3/4 inch thick circles On grill Medium-high Indirect 3 to 4 Minutes per side
    Fennel Cut bulb in quarters (save the tops!) On grill or in basket Medium-high Indirect 12 to 15 Minutes
    Garlic Wrap entire bulb tightly in aluminum foil On grill Medium Indirect 45 to 60 Minutes. Slice off the top & squeeze out the bulbs to serve
    Mushrooms (Portobello) Remove the stem Cap side down Medium Direct 5 to 10 Minutes
    Onions Slice into 3/4 inch thick circles On grill or in basket Medium-high Indirect 5 to 7 Minutes
    Peppers Halve and remove seeds before grilling for most larger peppers On grill or in basket Medium direct 2 to 3 minutes per side
    Scallions Cut off the roots Perpendicular to grates Medium-high Indirect 3 to 5 Minutes
    Zucchini Cut in half lengthwise On grill or in basket Medium-high Indirect 3 to 5 Minutes

    How Long to Grill Vegetables

    Additional Information

    Fruits are also great if grilled.
    For most fruits; including pineapple, peaches, plums, pears, mangos and plantains the following instructions will apply:

    1. Remove any pits from the fruit.
    2. Oil or spray the grill.
      This is important so that the resulting caramelized sugars won’t stick to the grates.
    3. Place the fruit directly on the grates over direct medium heat.
    4. Cook until grate lines appear.
    5. Flip the fruit.
      Finish cooking until grill lines also appear on the other side. Flipping may not be necessary for smaller fruits like apricots and plums.

    Grilling baskets are great for smaller vegetables and for those that tend to fall apart easily once softened. This one works great for us.

    For some general grilling tips and ideas, see our grilling ideas post.

    For more on alternate ways and times for cooking corn, see our how long to boil corn post.

    To find out how long other foods are good for, please visit the Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables and Other sections of Eat By Date or use the search function below.

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