During the summer months, we love using our grill to cook just about everything! Grilled vegetables are a favorite healthy side dish. The smoky flavor that grilling imparts to our favorite vegetables, (tomatoes, sweet corn, zucchini), can't be beat.
So, we decided to cut the grilled veggies we love into bite-sized pieces and toss it with a creamy avocado dressing, and the results deserve a 5-star rating! This delicious grilled veggie salad can easily be a main course during the warmer weather. The addition of pumpkin seeds adds a terrific texture and protein to this easy salad. We added cherry tomatoes and a sliced tomato to the mix, adding more of that seasonal summer flavor we love.
For this salad we decided to use our Creamy Avocado Dressing. However, you can use your favorite salad dressing and a variety of different grilled veggies, including red bell peppers, red onion, eggplant, and just about any summer squash. For more seasonal salad inspiration try our Apple Barley Autumn Harvest Salad or our Roasted Asparagus & Fennel Salad.
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What You're Going to Need!
- Grilled zucchini - we grow tons of zucchini during the summer months and grilling it is our favorite way to eat it!
- Fresh corn - here in Colorado we have delicious, sweet corn and we look forward to it every year.
- Heirloom tomatoes - we found some beautiful cherry tomatoes and large slicing tomatoes at a local farmer's market. Homegrown would be great! Ours just haven't ripened just yet.
- Roasted & salted pumpkin seeds - add a terrific texture.
- Chives - are the perfect finishing touch.
- Creamy avocado dressing - or any favorite salad dressing.
See recipe card for quantities.
Recipe
Easy Vegan Grilled Vegetable Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Shuck the corn on the cob and slice the zucchini length wise in ¼ strips.
- Heat your grill to about 400℉ and brush the grill grates making certain they are clean. Spray the cleaned grill grates with nonstick pan spray.
- Place the corn cobs and sliced zucchini into a large bowl and season with 2 Tbsps. olive oil and ½ of the sea salt and black pepper.
- Place the corn cobs on the heated grill along with the sliced zucchini. Place the zucchini at an angle in order to create grill marks.
- Grill the vegetables on all sides until the corn is golden brown and the zucchini has grill marks and is tender but not mushy. Remove the vegetables and set aside to cool.
- Place the sliced cherry tomatoes and the pumpkin seeds into a large bowl.
- When the zucchini cools off cut it into bite-sized pieces. Stand the corn cob on its end and using a sharp chef's knife carefully cut downwards to remove the corn from the cob.
- Place the corn kernels and the cut zucchini into the bowl containing the cherry tomatoes and the pumpkin seeds. Add the ⅛ cup of olive oil, the remaining sea salt, black pepper, the chives (or green onion) and the creamy avocado dressing (or your favorite salad dressing).
- Slice the heirloom tomato and arrange the slices on a serving platter or large plate. Using a large spoon mix the salad ingredients in the large bowl until coated evenly.
- Spoon the grilled veggie salad on to the sliced heirloom tomatoes and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Let us know how it was!How to Make a Grilled Vegetable Salad!
- Clean and slice your vegetables and place them into a large bowl. Season the vegetables with sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
2. Make certain your grill is nice and hot! About 400 degrees F. Clean and spray the grill grates. Place the vegetables onto the hot grill, making sure the zucchini is on an angle creating those beautiful grill marks.
3. Place all of the prepared grilled veggies, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, and creamy avocado dressing into a large bowl.
4. Mix the ingredients together combining until everything is evenly coated with the dressing. Slice the heirloom tomato.
5. Arrange the sliced tomato on a large plate or serving platter.
6. Scoop the grilled veggie salad on to the sliced tomatoes and enjoy!
Chef Tip
Making certain that your grill is heated to at least 400 degrees F is the key to perfect grilled veggies. In addition, using a grill brush to clean the hot grill grates before grilling is really important. We use nonstick spray release to give the grill grates a quick oil coating before grilling. It helps to prevent sticking and will assist in creating those lovely grill marks.
Substitutions & Variations
This delicious grilled veggie salad is gluten-free & vegan!
- Grilled vegetables - we always have tons of zucchini in the summer, but any variety of summer squash will do. In addition, you could add red pepper, red onion, or eggplant to the mix.
- Pumpkin seeds - can be substituted with sunflower seeds, crispy chickpeas, or even black beans for added protein.
- Creamy avocado dressing - we are quite pleased with our latest salad dressing creation! However, you can use any favorite salad dressing and perhaps add some avocado wedges for added creaminess.
- Cayenne pepper - can be used to add a bit of heat to the final salad.
Storage & Helpful Hints
The finished salad without the sliced heirloom tomato garnish will store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You could prepare the grilled veggies a few days ahead of time and mix the remaining ingredients together when you are ready to serve it. If you are making our creamy avocado dressing this dressing can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 4 days.
When removing the corn kernels from the cob we like to place a small bowl into a large bowl. With one hand hold the cob upright on the small bowl and in a downward motion using a sharp knife cut the corn kernels from the cob. The large bowl will catch the kernels as use cut them from the cob!
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FAQ
The best vegetables for grilling would include zucchini, red pepper, green pepper, red onion, sweet onion, green onions, asparagus, eggplant, and just about any summer squash variety! Just make sure the veggies you are grilling aren't starchy veggies like potatoes or winter squash, and if you do grill those veggies, precook them first.
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