It’s pretty rare that I put this much effort into a side dish, but maybe I should start because these veggie kabobs are amazing! Here’s what you need to do to make veggie kabobs like a pro:
1.) Make a delicious marinade from scratch then use it to make a sauce.
2.) Marinate overnight.
3.) Grill to perfection!
If you’re looking for an impressive veggie kabob recipe, look no further. The made-from-scratch marinade makes all the difference and simmers down to a delicious sweet and tangy sauce. Allowing the vegetables to marinate overnight is going to transform your veggie kabobs from bland to flavorful inside and out. After marinating, just grill them for about 5 minutes on each side to get those gorgeous grill marks and seal in all the flavor.
I did a very basic combination of vegetables for this recipe; yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms, and red onion. But you can mix and match and add in any veggies you like. Bring these to your next BBQ potluck and you’ll have people asking how you can make vegetables taste so flavorful and filling! All it takes is a little extra work the night before, but it is so worth it.
(Looking for a perfect pairing? These taste amazing with some grilled chicken!)
Ingredients For Veggie Kabobs
1 yellow squash
2 zucchinis
10-12 Crimini mushrooms
1 medium red onion
1/4 sesame or olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt (optional, to taste)
Directions For Veggie Kabobs
The Night Before:
Start by cutting the vegetables into similar sized chunks and place them in a large bowl. Don’t make them too small unless you want to spend forever skewering them later. I made the zucchini and squash chunks pretty big because I know they don’t take long to cook through.
Next, whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl until combined. (The dijon mustard is really important here because it helps bind the oils and watery ingredients together!) As you may have noticed in the ingredients list; salt is optional. That’s because soy sauce is pretty salty on it’s own, so you might find that is enough for you. But I’m not going to tell you how to live your life…if you want more salt, by all means, add it in!
Finish prep by tossing veggies in the marinade and placing in a large ziplock bag.
Now let’s take a moment and talk about this “marinating in a bag” business. For some reason no one ever explained to me WHY I should marinate this way and I always kind of assumed it was because people had an obsession with ziplock bags and disposable things. Although that may be a part of it (and a good enough reason), that’s not the whole story. Having your ingredients tightly sealed in a bag is going to give you a much better result than having it all in an open dish or bowl. There will be less drying out this way and if you suck out the extra air in the bag (by pressing it out then quickly sealing or with your mouth) it creates a vacuum seal that ensures everything is covered in the marinade and really soaks it up. Give it a try and you’ll see the difference.
Marinate overnight, turning the bag over occasionally to ensure even coating of the marinade.
The Day Of:
Pre-soak bamboo skewers in water to prevent burning. This is a little extra “pro” tip that helps keep the skewer from burning as quickly over high heat. Just put the skewers in some water for about an hour or so before using them.
Skewer the marinated vegetables making sure to get at least one of each kind on each skewer.
Then grill on each side for about five minutes. Use the marinade to baste after turning.
Then pour remaining marinade in a small pan and simmer to reduce liquid by about half. No need to let this deliciousness go to waste!
When the sauce has thickened, drizzle it over the grilled veggie kabobs or serve on the side for dipping. This is my favorite part of the recipe!
Finally, enjoy these veggie kabobs as a delicious side for any entree. They go especially well with some coconut rice and chicken!
xoxo,
Yuli
Ingredients
- 1 yellow squash
- 2 zucchinis
- 10-12 Crimini mushrooms
- 1 medium red onion
For the Marinade
- 1/4 sesame or olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Cut vegetables into similar sized chunks and place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients until combined.
- Toss veggies in marinade and place in a large ziplock bag.
- Marinate overnight, turning the bag over occasionally.
- Pre-soak bamboo skewers in water to prevent burning.
- Skewer the marinated vegetables and grill for about 5 minutes on each side.
- Baste with marinade after turning.
- Pour remaining marinade in a small pan and simmer to reduce liquid by about half.
- When sauce thickens, drizzle over the grilled veggie kabobs or serve on the side for dipping.
