Grilled Vegetables with Two Dipping Sauces

Grilled vegetables including asparagus, zucchini, eggplant and peppers on a platter with two sauces, one creamy and one oily.

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Grilled Vegetables with Two Dipping Sauces

Summer grilling season isn’t complete without a big pile of Grilled Vegetables and delicious dipping sauces to go along with them. Asparagus, sweet peppers, zucchini, eggplant and cipollini onions get a little smoky char on the grill, then they’re served with not one, but two easy sauces: a bright sweet and sour parsley sauce and a cool, creamy dill sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Seasonal

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: People

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $20

Ingredients

For the Vegetables

1 Asparagus bunch - tough ends trimmed
2 Sweet peppers
1 Eggplant
1 Zucchini
10 Cipollini onions
1-2 tbsp Olive oil
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp Black pepper

For the Sweet and Sour Herb Sauce

2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Honey
¼ Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

Dreamy Dill Lime Sauce

3 tbsp Mayonnaise
3 tbsp Sour cream
2 Garlic cloves (minced)
1 tsp Lime zest
1 tbsp Lime juice
2 tbsp Fresh dill (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the Sauces. In two separate small bowls, combine the ingredients for each sauce and mix well. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, acidity or sweetness to your preference. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
Prep the Vegetables. Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Slice the zucchini and eggplant into ½-inch rounds. Prepare the sweet peppers for grilling and thread the peeled cipollini onions onto skewers so they don’t fall through the grill grates. Brush the prepared vegetables lightly with olive oil on both sides and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Grill. Heat a gas grill to medium-high. Clean the grill grates well and lightly oil them to help prevent sticking. Arrange the vegetables on the hot grill. Cook until tender and lightly charred, turning as needed. Keep in mind that the vegetables won’t all cook at exactly the same rate, so remove each one as it becomes tender.
Serve. Transfer the grilled vegetables to a large serving platter and serve warm or at room temperature with the sweet and sour sauce and creamy dill sauce on the side.

Notes

Key Ingredient Notes:

Red Wine Vinegar: Used in the sweet and sour herb sauce. Adds acidity and tang. White wine or sherry vinegar can also work.
Honey: Also used in the sweet and sour herb sauce. Balances the vinegar with sweetness. Maple syrup can be used instead.
Sour Cream: Used in the creamy dill lime sauce. Adds tanginess. Plain Greek yogurt can be substituted.
Lime: I am using both the lime zest and lime juice in the creamy dill lime sauce. You can, of course, use lemons if you prefer.
Fresh Dill: The star of the creamy dill lime sauce. Fresh dill is preferred here, but dried dill can work in a pinch. If you don’t have dill, you could also use parsley.

Tips for Success:

Don’t cut the vegetables too thin. Thick slices are easier to handle on the grill and are less likely to become overly soft or fall through the grates.
Oil the vegetables lightly. You want enough oil to coat their surfaces and discourage sticking, but they shouldn’t be dripping with it.
Start with a properly heated grill. A hot, clean grill helps create better browning and grill marks.
Don’t constantly move the vegetables. Give them some time against the hot grates to develop those gorgeous grill marks before turning.
Pay attention to individual cooking times. Asparagus can cook in just a few minutes, while peppers, eggplant and zucchini generally need longer. Don’t be afraid to add and remove vegetables from the grill at different times.

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