There's no denying grilled meat is effing delicious. But produce shouldn't be relegated to side dish status at every cookout. Put some char on your fruits and veggies, let 'em get smoky, and give them life as main courses with intensified flavor and hearty, dig-in texture. (Related: 10 Twists on Grilled Vegetables for a Damn Good Cookout)
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Vietnamese Herb Salad with Grilled Carrots and Red Onion
You can make a delicate herb salad more substantial by adding chopped peanuts and heaps of charred veggies. This recipe is as nutrient-rich as its rainbow of ingredients would lead you to believe. Red onions are rich in flavonoids; watercress is an excellent source of nitrates, and carrots bring vitamins A, C, and K to the party.
This recipe lets fennel take the lead. You'll skip the oil when grilling but drizzle it on afterward. It burns on the grill, giving veggies a bitter taste. Plus, you don't need it: When grill marks appear on your vegetables, they will naturally release from the grates.
If you like baked avocado boats, then you'll obsess over these grilled avocado boats. They're stuffed with a fresh tomatillo and string bean salsa that plays off of the avo's smoky, juicy goodness. (Still hungry? Check out these fruit-centric grill recipes.)
