Why You’ll Love This Grilled Vegetable Salad
There’s an undeniably indulgent feel to this nourishing salad. It’s vibrant and fresh, yet smoky and savory from the hot grill. It brings together the best of the summer months with juicy ears of corn, tender yellow squash, and sweet red pepper, all perfectly caramelized and tossed with a bright vinaigrette. It pairs beautifully with my Zesty Potato Skewers for a veggie-forward BBQ night or with grilled chicken or salmon for a filling main course.
I first shared this recipe years ago after falling in love with a version from a restaurant in West Hollywood (The Ivy, if you know it!). It was $28 a plate, and I knew I could recreate something just as delicious, and far more shareable, at home. Now, it’s a mainstay on our summer BBQ menu and often shows up as both a healthy side dish and a hearty vegetarian main.
If you’re looking for a great way to serve your favorite vegetables and wow your guests, this is it. If you’re planning a seasonal menu, you might also enjoy pairing it with my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad for added texture and flavor without the meat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Corn on the cob: Adds natural sweetness and beautiful grill marks.
- Asparagus: Tender and quick to grill, adds vibrant green color.
- Japanese eggplant or portobello mushrooms: Meaty texture and rich, smoky flavor.
- Zucchini or yellow squash: Mild flavor and grills up beautifully in inch rounds.
- Scallions or red onion: Lightly charred, they add a sweet, savory punch.
- Avocado: Creamy and cooling, balances the warmth of the grilled veggies.
- Romaine or red leaf lettuce (optional): Adds crunch and freshness; great as a base layer.
- Lime juice, unseasoned rice vinegar, shallot, Dijon mustard, honey: For a zingy, well-balanced vinaigrette.
- Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper: Essential for seasoning each layer.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Emulsifies the dressing and enhances grill flavor.
- Optional additions: Red pepper, cherry tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, or any of your favorite veggies. Add fresh herbs like basil or parsley, or grilled chicken or salmon for extra protein.
How to Make This Grilled Vegetable Salad
Step 1: Soak the prepped corn in water while you heat the grill.
Step 2: Whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, Dijon, honey, and shallot. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Brush the dressing over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Grill vegetables in batches over a hot grill. Corn takes about 5 minutes per side; scallions only need 1 – 2 minutes total. Let cool slightly, then chop.
Step 5: If using lettuce, toss with dressing and place the vegetables on a platter or large bowl. Top with grilled vegetables, more dressing, and avocado.
Step 6: Serve immediately, or chill slightly before serving.
If you’re looking for more summer-friendly dishes, try my Spring Salad with Oranges, Avocado, Radishes, and Pumpkin Seed Brittle or my Lentil and Grilled Eggplant Salad.
Serving Tips and Customizations
This salad makes a perfect addition to your grilled meal prep rotation and is an easy summer dinner idea that comes together quickly with fresh ingredients. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just trying to increase your veggie intake, this flexible recipe fits right in.
- Add protein, like grilled meat or cannellini beans to make it a main course
- Try a finishing sprinkle of feta cheese, crumbled goat cheese, or fresh mozzarella before serving. They all pair beautifully with the smoky flavors of this summer salad.
- Serve as a build-your-own board or deconstructed salad.
- Use whatever vegetables look best at the farmer’s market. This is a great side for a weekend cookout or a light main dish on warm evenings, a total hit at any gathering!
Best Vegetables to Grill
Corn, zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, red onion, and mushrooms are ideal for grilled vegetable salad thanks to their sturdy texture and rich flavor. They hold up well to high heat and develop gorgeous grill marks without turning mushy.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Grill and chop vegetables up to a day in advance and store in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. The dressing can be made 3 – 4 days ahead. Assemble just before serving for the best texture.
Leftovers store well in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, just store the components separately and dress before serving.
Either! Room temp or chilled is perfect for summer BBQs.
Use a hot grill and don’t overcook. Let them sit undisturbed to develop rich char marks and gorgeous grill marks while retaining their texture.
This delicious grilled vegetable salad is a celebration of summer. Try it as a hearty main or crowd-pleasing side. Let me know how you serve yours, and don’t forget to leave a review!
More Summer Salad Recipes
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The Best Grilled Vegetable Salad for Summer BBQs
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons raw honey
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- Salad:
- 2 ears corn
- 1 bunch asparagus, about ¾ pound, ends trimmed
- 3 Japanese eggplant, about ¾ pound, halved lengthwise or 3 Portobello mushrooms (less commonly know as Portabellas, but really just oversized cremini mushrooms)
- 3 medium zucchini, about 1 pound, halved lengthwise
- 1 bunch scallions, left whole or 1 red onion, sliced thickly
- sea salt and black pepper for seasoning
- 8 cups romaine or red leaf lettuce, chopped (optional)
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and cubed
Instructions
- Prepare corn: Pull husks down and remove silks. Replace one layer of husks and discard the rest. Soak in water until grill is ready.
- Preheat a grill over medium high heat or heat a grill pan.
- Place all dressing ingredients except oil in a small bowl. Add olive oil slowly, whisking continuously to emulsify. Lightly brush the asparagus, eggplant or mushrooms, zucchini and scallions with dressing (I used 7-8 tablespoons.) Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Grill each vegetable according to doneness. Each one takes a different amount of time. Corn takes about 5 minutes on each side. Do not overcook! Allow to cool slightly, then chop into bite-sized chunks. Cut corn off the cob.
- Place lettuce on a large platter and drizzle lightly with some of the dressing. Toss to coat. Drizzle the chopped vegetables with most of the remaining dressing and arrange on top of the lettuce. Dress the avocado cubes with any remaining dressing and arrange on top.
Notes
- Add protein, like grilled meat or cannellini beans to make it a main course
- Try a finishing sprinkle of feta cheese, crumbled goat cheese, or fresh mozzarella before serving. They all pair beautifully with the smoky flavors of this summer salad.
- Serve as a build-your-own board or deconstructed salad.
- Use whatever vegetables look best at the farmer’s market. This is a great side for a weekend cookout or a light main dish on warm evenings, a total hit at any gathering!
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This recipe is amazing… Thanks so much for sharing!!!!
You bet, David! Glad you tried it. I make it all the time!
I made this yesterday with roasted zucchini, red bell pepper, asparagus & sweet onion. I used the lemon basil dressing and it was delicious! Took it to a BBQ and everyone loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
YUM!! Thanks for sharing, Karen! 🙂
I need to make this salad. I love the one at The Ivy. Can you describe your technique if you make it in advance? Do you just keep the grilled vegetables together, allowing them to come to room temperature and top the lettuce and dress the salad just before serving?
I would do just that! Or if you grill the vegetables a few hours in advance, they can sit at room temperature on your countertop until you’re ready to assemble the salad. Yum!
WOW! Great salad! Thanks for the great inspiration! LOVED IT!
Rebecca, you’re such fabulous cook, you can take this in a hundred directions. Have fun!
Pamela, this is absolutely lovely! It’s not summer here in Australia but I used vegies that were in season and added baby spinach, chicken and grilled baby potatoes, it worked out brilliantly! Love your site and all the wonderful advice too by the way, I especially love the flexibility of your recipes – to be able to interchange ingredients depending on what works for our little family is great.
Cheers from Melbourne!
Thanks for your comment! I love hearing from readers how they changed a recipe to suit their families. I am a big fan of grilled potatoes, by the way!
Great recipe! We loved the lime juice dressing so much that I made more the next day and used it on grilled salmon and a quinoa salad made with grilled zucchini and red onion,
dill, and feta cheese. Yummy!
Mia, that sounds A-mazing! I am trying that combo asap! Thanks~
Wow that does sound fantastic – that’s for tomorrow night!
This is a really good dish. My mom is also a huge fan of your website. She made your grilled vegetable salad and brought it over for dinner. It was fabulous! I added grilled chicken to it when I ate it again. It was a very satisfying meal. You create the best recipes!
Thanks, Isabella! I agree, this salad is really hearty and a meal unto itself.
What a fabulous dish…filling but light. I want to now experiment with other veggies. Since we have so much basil in the garden, I used the lemon-basil alternative dressing. Excellent!
I actually prefer the lemon-basil dressing, but my family likes the lime-based one better. The lemon-basil dressing also goes nicely with grilled baby potatoes (parboil them before grilling.)
much less expensive at Fresh Corn Grill and no paparazzi!
great recipe. I eat this salad at the Ivy or Fresh corn Grill