Ultimate grilled vegetable kabobs with caramelized pineapple chunks

Last Updated on November 4, 2020

Besides swimming and ice cream, barbecuing is probably one of the best things to do in summer. Just in time I present to you our ultimate grilled vegetable kabobs.

I didn’t plan to add exotic fruits to the skewers but out of necessity I had to improvise a bit. It turned out to be a great decision, resulting in our favorite, extremely tasty veggie skewers.

Heads up: Although the recipe calls for 30 minute altogether you have to plan also for the marination time of 1 hour.

Meatless grilling alternatives gain in popularity

Vegetable skewers on the grill are a perfect alternative to fish and meat for vegans and vegetarians. But not only for them…In my family and around my friends I observe that more and more meat lovers occasionally also like to use meatless alternatives as foods for barbecue.

The best: vegetable skewers are not only healthy, but also flexible regarding the choice of ingredients.

They can be easily made and taste just as good as a side dish for grilling, an appetizer or as a main course on a vegan or vegetarian barbecue. Since vegetables usually take longer than meat, I recommend to start with the vegetable skewers on grill first.

By the way, you can prepare raw vegetable kabobs in the morning and let them sit in your fridge until the barbecue begins.

Which types of veggies are best?

You can roast vegetable skewers according to your preferences or the wishes of your guests. Veggies such as mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers and onions are especially good.

But also eggplants, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus and garlic are excellent for sizzling on a skewer.

For my vegetable skewers on the grill I first wanted to combine mushrooms, zucchini, red onions and red peppers. But as bell peppers where out, I’ve luckily found a small can of pineapple chunks in my pantry. The caramelized sweet and sharp tang of the fruit perfectly complements the veggies.

How to make an easy veggie kabob marinade

Most vegetable skewers marinades are based on olive oil or rapeseed oil and herbs. You might be surprised to learn that my light marinade is totally fat free and still works. In its basic version, this marinade is made of just two ingredients that you usually always have at home: Soy sauce (Tamari) and garlic.

For my vegetable skewers on grill I use a combination of Tamari sauce, garlic, vinegar, date syrup and pineapple juice. Instead of a small bowl I pour this mixture in a ziplock bag together with the vegetables and let it sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Only then I thread the marinated ingredients and pineapple chunks on the skewers. Learn more about it, in the recipe directions.

Don’t forget to water wooden grilling skewers

For the veggie kabobs you can use either metal or wooden skewers. If you use wooden bamboo skewers like me then it’s important to pre-soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. This will keep the skewers from cooking along with the food.

How long to grill vegetable kabobs?

On the one hand the vegetable kabobs grilling time depends on the way the veggies are prepared and on the other hand on the type of vegetable.

If you roast it directly on high heat, then you have to turn the marinated or oiled vegetable skewers regularly. They should be well cooked and ready to eat in a few minutes. I prefer however indirect grilling.

How to grill vegetable kabobs on a gas grill?

With the indirect method (my favorite) you grill the vegetable skewers more gently and slowly but you have to invest a little bit more time. Depending on the variety, this process can take around 20 minutes, but it is the healthier way to barbecue.

For this method we use the convenient disposable aluminum foil barbecue grill plates we can buy at Aldi. When using the gas grill I usually roast the kabobs within the aluminum plates on medium to low heat for 5 minutes. Then I turn them around and grill the other side for 5 minutes.

In the next step I switch to low heat and repeat this process again for 5 minutes each. If you have a charcoal grill I recommend to test out what works for you best.

As with direct grilling, you should regularly check the cooking condition in order to maintain perfectly cooked food.

I recommend to never leave vegetables on the grill for too long to avoid the risk of drying out. As dried vegetable skewers no longer taste delicious you should occasionally check your skewers.

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OTHER VEGETABLE RECIPES FOR BARBECUE YOU MIGHT ENJOY

• Balsamic mushroom skewers