1) Heat the grill
Preheat your grill to medium-high (about 400°F to 450°F). Clean the grates well. If sticking is a recurring villain in your life, lightly oil the grates too.
2) Prep and season the vegetables
Consistency is the whole game here. Cut pieces so they are similar thickness and they will finish at roughly the same time. (That 1/3-inch zucchini plank is not random. It gives you char without turning the middle to mush.)
Add all vegetables except the corn to a large bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Toss until everything is lightly coated.
Coat the corn separately with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. No bowl wrestling required.
3) Grill in batches
Place vegetables on the grates in a single layer. Grill with the lid closed when possible, flipping once, until tender-crisp with good char marks. Timers are helpful, but doneness cues are better.
- Zucchini planks: 2 to 3 minutes per side (look for deep grill marks, still a little firm in the center)
- Bell peppers: 3 to 4 minutes per side (edges blistered, peppers softened but not collapsed)
- Onion rounds: 3 to 5 minutes per side (sweet, browned, and flexible). If using wooden toothpicks, soak them in water for 10 minutes so they do not scorch.
- Asparagus: 5 to 7 minutes total, rolling occasionally (bright green with light char, tips just tender)
- Mushrooms: 3 to 5 minutes per side (browned and juicy). Halve large ones or use a grill basket if they want to escape.
- Corn: 10 to 12 minutes total, turning every 2 to 3 minutes (kernels deeper yellow with some char freckles)
Transfer grilled vegetables to a large platter as they finish.
4) Make the lemon garlic herb oil
While the veggies grill, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, basil, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt.
5) Finish and serve
Drizzle the lemon herb oil over the hot grilled vegetables. Toss gently on the platter. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
Optional but excellent: finish with feta or Parmesan and a handful of toasted nuts.
Matt’s tiny troubleshooting tricks
- Veggies getting soft before they brown? Your grill is not hot enough or the grates are crowded. Turn up the heat and cook in batches.
- Too much char too fast? Slide to a cooler zone and flip sooner. Char is flavor. Ash is a mistake.
- Tastes flat? Add a pinch more salt and a squeeze of lemon at the end. That combo fixes 90 percent of “meh.”
