There’s nothing quite like a grilled vegetable platter on a warm summer night. We know you’re all about getting dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, which is why we created this easy recipe so you don’t have to slave the day away in your kitchen. No oven involved! All you’ll need is a hot grill, a blender, and a handful of ingredients. This Creamy Avocado Sauce is sure to make a comeback on your weekly meal plan because it’s easy, takes less than 5 minutes to make, and has a touch of coconut that will leave you wanting to dip EVERYTHING into it. We guarantee it!
This recipe is sponsored by our friends at Lifeway Kefir. All opinions are our own.
WHY WE LOVE IT
There’s something so comforting about grilling vegetables on a cool summer night. I don’t know about you but when the grill is on and the music is playing and everyone is outside with candles burning, it just feels heavenly. Perhaps you can relate? The better I feel, the more of an experience I want when I’m dining. When I go to visit my family on the New Jersey shore in the summer and my father heats up the grill, it just makes me feel such a sense of joy and the night just feels magical.
HOW WE MAKE IT
PREP TIPS // When you’re making grilled or roasted vegetables, I suggest slicing your veggies to about 1/4 inch thickness so that they’re not too thick and not too thin- they’re just right, like Goldilocks! You can do this by using a sharp knife and a wooden cutting board (see below for the one we use) and making sure you’re slicing the vegetable to a thickness that looks about 1/4 inch thick.
If you slice the vegetables too thick, they will take much longer to cook and if you slice the vegetables too thin, they will burn quickly so be sure to keep an eye on the thickness when you’re slicing and while you’re grilling.
INGREDIENT SWAPS // You can easily use any vegetable you’d like for the this platter such as eggplant, yellow summer squash or any other one you prefer. Have fun and switch up the vegetables you choose for some variety.
THREE easy STEPS
Here’s how we made this Grilled Vegetable Platter with Creamy Avocado Sauce in three simple steps:
STEP 1 // Turn on your grill or heat your grill pan. Coat the grill or pan with avocado oil (use for high heat instead of olive oil).
STEP 2 // Coat the vegetables with your desired marinade or oil and spices. Place the vegetables on the hot grill or hot grill pan. Meanwhile, make the creamy avocado sauce in the blender and remove the vegetables from the grill.
STEP 3 // Serve.
LISTEN // STEP-by-STEP DIRECTIONS
Listen below for Amie’s tips that are not mentioned in this article as well as quick directions on how to make this recipe step-by-step.
SHOP the RECIPE
HOW WE EAT IT
SERVING SUGGESTIONS // Vegetable platters are ideal for serving in the summer when it’s too hot to cook in your kitchen. You can turn on your outdoor grill and have these grilled vegetables on the table in under 20 minutes. If you’re making this platter in the winter, we suggest using a grilling cast iron skillet as seen above in the SHOP the RECIPE. The grill marks will appear on your vegetables just like an outdoor grill. Serve these vegetables warm or at room temperature with the Creamy Avocado Sauce. Leftovers are equally as delicious served cold the next day chopped up in a salad. Here are a few other sauces we love serving grilled and roasted vegetables with: hummus sauce, garlic tahini sauce and a white bean Sauce. You can make these sauces alongside the Creamy Avocado Sauce.
OPTIONAL ORGANIC ANIMAL PROTEIN // If you’re a carnivore, you can serve this Grilled Vegetable Platter with organic chicken. Whether you like it roasted, poached, sauteed or baked, we have step-by-step directions for our favorite ways to cook organic chicken: How to Cook Chicken.
STILL HUNGRY? If you loved this Grilled Vegetable Platter with Creamy Avocado Sauce and want more of our anti-inflammatory recipes, check out our 30 Day Reset Program, which is only available for a limited time through summer.
There's nothing quite like a grilled vegetable platter on a warm summer night. We know you're all about getting dinner on the table in under 30 minutes so we created this easy recipe just in time for the warm evenings where you don't have to be slaving in your kitchen. No oven involved! All you'll need is a hot grill, a blender and a handful of ingredients. This Creamy Avocado Sauce is sure to make a comeback on your weekly meal plan because it's easy, takes less than 5 minutes to make and has a touch of coconut that will leave you wanting to dip EVERYTHING into it. We guarantee it!
Ingredients
Grilled Vegetables
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
- 2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 1 large head cauliflower, sliced into thick 1 inch “steaks” or 1 inch pieces
- 2 large bell peppers or 6 mini bell peppers
- 1 head Bibb lettuce leaves removed
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Avocado Sauce
- 1 large ripe avocado peeled, pitted and diced
- ½ cup Lifeway Plantiful Coconut Vanilla
- pinch sea salt plus more to taste
Instructions
Grilled Vegetables
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Slice the vegetables lengthwise into 1/4 inch thickness and brush both sides of the vegetables with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and peppe. Set aside for 5 minutes to let the oil and sea salt soak into the vegetables.
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Preheat your grill to medium heat. Use avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil to brush or spray the grill grates. When the grill is nice and hot, add the vegetables in a single layer and close the grill. Grill the vegetables on each side for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and grill marks appear.
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Meanwhile, as the vegetables are on the grill, make the Avocado Sauce (recipe below).
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When the grilled vegetables are done, transfer them to a large serving platter and sprinkle sea salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the vegetables warm with the head of Bibb lettuce on the side. Use the cavity of the lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps by wrapping the grilled veggies and serving with a dollop of the avocado sauce on top.
Avocado Sauce
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Combine all the ingredients in a blender and purée until very smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve as a sauce or a dip with the roasted vegetables. Store leftover sauce in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
RECIPE COPYRIGHT // This recipe was created by Amie Valpone of The Healthy Apple. Please do not reprint this recipe without our permission. If you’d like to feature this recipe on your website, please rewrite the directions and link to this recipe as the original source. Thank you.
Nice recipe
Liked the post
The article is very nice….keep up the good work…
It sounded yummy, but the avocado dip was a bit lacking in directions. Mix all the ingredients together isn’t too helpful when you don’t know what ingredients are involved. I mean, I assume avocado is one of them, but nothing else was listed.
Hi Lucille! The ingredients for the Creamy Avocado Sauce are listed in the recipe card just below the “Grilled Vegetables” list and just before the Instructions. They are 1 large ripe avocado peeled, pitted and diced; ½ cup Lifeway Plantiful Coconut Vanilla; and a pinch of sea salt. I hope that helps!
Yummy it tastes! I made the dish according to your recipe, and everyone liked it very much.
You’re so right – grilled veggies are perfect right now