Featured Recipe
Grilled Veggie Salad with Goat Cheese
By Kate
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A smoky blend of tri-color peppers and zucchini charred over high heat, tossed with tangy fresh goat cheese and fragrant herbs. Subtle sweetness from caramelized red onion, hit with garlic-infused olive oil. Textures contrast—soft cheese, crisp-tender vegetables. Flexible, fast, vivid colors. No nuts, gluten, or eggs, fits vegetarian diets. Grill marks crucial, not mushy. Timing guided by sizzle and color shift more than the clock. Goat cheese can swap for feta; shallots replace onions if preferred. Simple, rustic, rustic charm with a hint of freshness from basil.
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Prep:
18 min
Cook:
17 min
Total:
35 min
Serves:
4 servings
vegetarian
barbecue
easy recipes
Introduction
Grilling peppers and zucchini transforms their texture and flavor dramatically. Those blistered skins crackle slightly as they soften, releasing smoky sweetness. Here, garlic-infused olive oil bastes everything, amplifies aromatic layers. Red onion caramelizes to add a rich umami note, a counterpoint to the fresh, crumbly tang of goat cheese that melts barely on warm veggies. Fresh basil scattered last turns fragrance bright, green and herbal. Timing’s loose; watch veggies color shift. The goal isn’t mush but tender with bite. A straightforward salad that pairs with grilled meats but also stands proud solo on lighter evenings. Substituting feta or shallots shifts notes but keeps essence intact. No fluff. Just real-ingredient roasting mastery. Good, rustic, no fuss.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Adjust pepper count if smaller or larger, aim for about two cups chopped total. Zucchini slices thick enough to hold up but thin enough for char. Olive oil is crucial—extra virgin for flavor and smoke point balance; sub any neutral oil if sensitive to smoke. Garlic fineness critical here—too big chunks can burn and become bitter. Goat cheese needs to be fresh and crumbly not aged hard logs—melts into bites rather than overpowering with sharpness. Basil best fresh; dry won’t do. Onions: if you want sweeter, soak rings briefly in cold water before grilling to temper raw harshness. Kitchen hack: if no grill, hot cast iron pan works but tends to lack smoky char flavor; add a drop of smoked paprika to oil for partial illusion.
Method
Technique Tips
Grilling peppers and zucchini: patience is key. Let them hit the hot grill and blister undisturbed—plenty of smoke and sizzle cues when time to flip. Flip gently to preserve flesh. Onions caramelize differently—use a pan to avoid them falling through grates, stir carefully once or twice. Overcooked onions turn mushy; look instead for translucency bordered by rich brown edges that offer crunch contrast. Crumbling cheese last ensures it doesn’t melt fully into a puddle, preserving texture and tang on hot but not scorching veggies. Basil uses: add last step off heat, any earlier loses aroma quickly. Salt should be balanced carefully to lift all components without drowning freshness. Serve immediately while still warm to best experience harmony of char and creaminess. Salvage tip: if veggies cool too much, reheat briefly on grill but watch closely—cheese will melt too much and lose crumbly character. Timing varies with grill heat, so rely on visual cues.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Patience. Don't rush the grilling. Let veggies sit. Wait for the sizzle. A hot grill means better flavor. Colors change. That's your cue.
- 💡 Use fresh basil. Dried doesn’t cut it. Adds brightness. Wait until the end to sprinkle. Keeps aroma intact. More flavor in fresh.
- 💡 Vary the sizes of zucchini slices. Too thin? They’ll burn. Too thick? Won't cook through. Aim for balance. Texture matters.
- 💡 Watch for garlic. Mince finely. Toss quickly with veggies. Large pieces burn. Too bitter. Adjust garlic amount if unsure.
- 💡 If using feta, adjust salt. Goat cheese tangier. Test taste after mashing. Don’t overpower fresh flavors with salt. Less is more.
