Herby and bright salsa verde is the perfect sauce for this grilled vegetable salad. I’m using eggplant, asparagus and red peppers but you can use what’s in season, or better yet, what you have access to! Finish with creamy fresh burrata and you’ve got a gorgeous summer salad for your next dinner party.
Equipment
Here’s what you need to make my grilled vegetable salad at home:
- barbecue grill
- chef’s knife
- paper towel
- tongs
- food processor
- spatula
Note: you can find the full list of ingredients and instructions for my grilled vegetable salad in the recipe card below.
Cooking Tips
- Switch up the vegetables. If you can’t find one, or you don’t like one, try substituting for something you can find and do like. The vegetables listed here taste great in this recipe but can be easily swapped out based on your preference.
- Season your grill before cooking. When you heat the barbecue, simultaneously grease the grates. You can do this with a rag dipped in oil, or using a spray can. Seasoning the grill will encourage char and prevent sticking.
- Don’t have a food processor? Instead of pulsing the ingredients, do a fine dice on the charred onions, garlic and basil. Add the remaining ingredients to a small bowl and stir. The texture will be different but it will still taste great!
- Serve it with… garlicky lemon shrimp or whole roasted chicken.
What vegetables are best for grilling?
There are so many great vegetables for grilling! Some of my favourites are eggplant, red onion, red pepper, zucchini, asparagus, summer squash, corn and broccolini. The only vegetable I wouldn’t recommend grilling is any type of leafy green.
How do you prevent vegetables from getting soggy on the grill?
If your vegetables are getting soggy on the grill, you probably need to turn up the heat and add more cooking oil. Try heating your grill anywhere between 400°F to 500°F and coating your vegetables generously in oil before grilling. While you’re at it, try coating the grill in oil as well! This is also known as seasoning your grill, a similar concept to seasoning a cast iron skillet or griddle. Seasoning will prevent your vegetables from sticking to the grates and help encourage beautiful grill marks. I like using cooking spray to season the grill, but a clean rag dipped in oil also works.
How long should you grill vegetables?
Generally, I don’t time my vegetables when I’m grilling. Instead, I go by look and feel. You’ll know a vegetable is ready when it becomes soft and juicy. Most vegetables will also change colour, ideally picking up nice char from the grill.
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Salsa Verde and Burrata
6
servings40
minutesIngredients
1 large Italian eggplant (or 2 small)
2 red peppers
1 bunch asparagus (10-15 pieces)
1 bunch green onions (5-6 pieces)
1 medium red onion
100g burrata
3 garlic cloves
5-10 basil leaves
1 lemon
¼ + ⅓ cup olive oil, divided
1 tbsp honey
½ tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup farro or orzo
salt (I'm using Diamond Crystal)
Cracked black pepper
Directions
Heat your grill to 400F. I’m using a propane gas barbecue.
Slice your eggplant into rounds, about 0.5 cm thick. Lay the rounds flat on a cutting board and season generously with salt. Let sit while you prep the rest of your vegetables.
Cut your red peppers into quarters. Break off the ends of your asparagus. Trim and discard the green onion root bottoms. Slice your onion into rounds, trying your best to keep the rings together as you go.
By now, there should be water beading on your eggplant. Using a paper towel, or clean dish cloth, pat them dry removing as much moisture as possible. Transfer the dried eggplant to a tray (I like using a baking sheet!) along with the peppers, asparagus, green and red onions. Cover in ¼ cup olive oil and 1 tsp salt and toss to coat. Take time to make sure each eggplant slice has a generous amount of oil on it to avoid drying out on the grill.
Take your veggies out to the grill and test the heat. Divide the grill into four quadrants in your mind then hold your hand over each section. Note which is the hottest and place your red peppers there. Peppers take the longest to grill, so we will give them a head start by laying them out on the hottest section. Your asparagus should go in the coolest section because they will cook the fastest. Everything else gets spread out in between.*
Close the grill and let the temperature rise back up to 400F. Let cook at this temperature for 5 minutes. You may need to adjust the dials to keep the temperature steady. Lift the lid and flip the eggplant pieces. They should have grill marks. If not leave to cook for another 3-5 minutes. Next, give your asparagus a little roll to help even out the char. Finally, flip your green onion. Leave the red onion and red peppers on the same side, they need a little more time. Oh and don’t worry if one (or two, or three pieces, shhhh) fall through the grate, I won’t tell anyone!
Close the grill and cook for another 5-10 minutes at 400F. By now your asparagus should be done. You’ll know because it will reduce in size and be visibly softer than when you started, plus it should have some nice char. Set aside on the tray from earlier - you don’t need to bother with dirtying another one. Flip the eggplant once more, if it has char marks on both sides and the flesh is a light brown colour, remove and set on the tray with the asparagus. Hot top: keep the try on the side of the grill to stay warm.
Finally, flip the red peppers and onions and close the grill once more. Let cook for an additional 5 minutes. When the peppers are slightly charred and the flesh is soft, remove. The onions will be done at the same time as the peppers.
Set the grilled veggies aside while you make the salsa verde. To a food processor or blender add charred green onions, garlic, basil and juice of one lemon. Pulse until chopped. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and turn the motor on low while slowly drizzling in ⅓ cup olive oil. Once smooth, add a pinch of salt, honey and red wine vinegar. Stir to combine then taste and adjust seasoning. It should be herby and bright with a touch of sweetness and hint of bitterness from the charred green onions.
Plate the salad with a layer of the salsa verde on the bottom topped with a bed of farro or orzo, then layer your veggies with more salsa in between and fresh burrata pieces on top. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
- *Your grill’s built-in thermometer only measures the overall temperature when the lid is down. This doesn’t account for the temperature on the surface where the food will go. The age and quality of your grill, plus how level the surface it’s sitting on is, will determine the distribution of heat on the surface. Testing the heat before you start will help gauge the cooking time.