Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki
Take advantage of fresh summer produce with this Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki recipe. Serve with grilled pita and homemade tzatziki sauce for an extra boost of flavor!
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This is the 3rd time in a month that I’ve made this tzatziki dip – we love the stuff! Tzatziki might be a funny sounding word (the 1st “t” is not pronounced), but the dip itself is no joke. Tzatziki is a combination of Greek yogurt, cucumbers, lemon juice, vinegar and fresh dill. I often substitute in just a bit of sour cream to give the tzatziki a bit more of a tangy flavor.
So how do you use tzatziki? Well, that’s easy! We spread a bit of tzatziki on a pita and then top it with grilled chicken or gyro meat. And then we just eat the leftover tzatziki as a dip with warm pita bread. SO good! I could absolutely make an entire meal out of homemade tzatziki and warm pita. (Bonus tip – for extra flavor, brush the pita bread with a bit of olive oil and then toss it on the grill for a minute or two. The grilled flavor adds a fun twist!)
Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki
The other day, we decided to embrace the summer vegetable bounty and grill up a whole bunch of veggies. Zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes. You name it, we put it on the grill! We even added some potatoes to bulk up the recipe a bit more. (On a side note, grilled potatoes are fantastic by themselves!)
Aside from the amazing taste, the great thing about this Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki recipe is you can easily change it up to your own preferences. Or perhaps change it up based on what veggies look good at the market this week. Want more mushrooms? Add ’em in! Not a fan of eggplant? Leave it out!
What is Souvlaki?
Souvlaki is a type of Greek street food that features meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. The items are often eaten straight off of the skewer, but sometimes they are wrapped in pita and served with a sauce. (If you’re looking for souvlaki with meat, try this recipe for Grilled Chicken Souvlaki.)
Asian Eggplant vs. American Eggplant
It is worth noting that we opted for Asian eggplant in this recipe. Asian eggplant (sometimes called Japanese eggplant or Chinese eggplant) are smaller and longer than American eggplant. They are also sweeter and a bit more tender. American eggplant are good in some recipe, but when it comes to grilling, we prefer the Asian variety.
Grilled vegetables are delicious in their own right. However, the veggies in this recipe receive a flavor boost from a simple mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano and salt. A pinch of red pepper flakes in the sauce also bumps up the flavor. The veggies get tossed in that mixture before they go on the grill. Once they come off? Flavor explosion!
We served these grilled veggies with a piece of grilled pita and a generous amount of tzatziki sauce. In the end, this is a great summer recipe that really highlights the flavor of fresh produce. While a good grilled hot dog or hamburger is always delicious, this recipe is a fun way to mix things up a bit. Swing by the local farmer’s market, see what you can find and then give this recipe a try. Happy Grilling!
Did you make this Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki
Ingredients
For the Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki
- 8 small red potatoes halved
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice ~2-3 medium lemons
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano can substitute 2 tsp of dried oregano
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 medium zucchini halved and sliced into 1” pieces
- 1 Asian eggplant halved and sliced into 1” pieces
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and cut into 1” squares
- 8 oz. small button mushrooms trimmed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch green onions cut into 1½” pieces, can substitute red onion cut into 1" pieces
- 6 pita breads
For the Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 English cucumber
- 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- 1½ Tbsp fresh lemon juice ~½ medium lemon
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ pepper
Instructions
For the Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki
- Using a small saucepan, add potatoes and cover with cold water. Add large pinch of kosher salt to water.
- Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until potatoes are tender, ~10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, using a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and red pepper flakes.
- Drain potatoes and place them in bowl with lemon juice; toss until well coated.
- Add sliced zucchini and eggplant; toss until well combined. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, soak (8) 8”wooden skewers in water. (Note: If you didn’t make the Tzatziki Sauce earlier, then this is a great time to whisk it together.)
- Preheat grill to 350°F.
- Add remaining vegetables (bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes and green onions) to the bowl; toss until well coated.
- Thread vegetables onto the skewers.
- Grill skewers, turning every 2-3 minutes, for 8-10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. (Note: For more flavor, brush pita breads lightly with olive oil and grill for ~1 minute per side.)
- Remove vegetables from skewers and place in a large bowl; drizzle with several tablespoons of the reserved marinade.
- Serve with pita and Tzatziki sauce.
For the Tzatziki Sauce
- Slice the cucumber lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Using a medium grater, grate the cucumber into a bowl. Using several paper towels, press the grated cucumber firmly to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients (yogurt, sour cream, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, salt and pepper); stir until well combined.
Looking for more summer grilling recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i love eggplant / mushrooms and zucchini sooooooooo much i never had grilled vegetable souvlaki before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Oh you should definitely make this recipe soon, Ramya! The assortment of grilled veggies combined with the tzatziki and grilled pita is fantastic!
Looks wonderful! I would not miss meat at all.
You know, I thought I might miss the meat here, Mimi…not at all! So many different flavors from all the various veggies made this one quite enjoyable. 🙂
We’ve been using our grill way more than usual so far this year. Now I know what I’m going to make next … these yummy grilled vegetable souvlaki! Love all those colourful veggies. And, like you, I adore tzatziki. Such a delicious pairing and great summer recipe, my friend! 🙂
I love grilling season! Keep that grill out and use it to make all sorts of fun recipes. 🙂 The assortment of grilled veggies with the tzatziki sauce made this one quite fantastic!
David, this summer goodness! Tzatziki is always fresh and wonderful. I love this dip/spread on all my summer vegetables.
Another great post.
Why thank you very much, Veva! I’m with you on tzatziki – it is such an easy yet delicious sauce to pair with all sorts of things. In this case, the grilled veggies with the warm pita bread was an excellent match!
These look so delicious David. I love tzatziki too! The more garlic the merrier!!
Haha – I remember you love the garlic, Sherry! Tzatziki is such an easy sauce, and it pairs well with grilled foods.
Love all the grilled veggies for the summer! Now I’m craving souvlaki!
Grab some veggies and fire up the grill, Michelle!!
We’re both on the same page this week with grilled vegetables recipes, David! I love grilled veggies for those unique smoky notes. Needless to say, the souvlaki look terrific!
Grilled anything is always good as far as I’m concerned! (You know me – I’ll put anything on the grill or smoker.) These veggies turned out well, and pairing them with the creamy tzatziki was a great combo. Thanks, Ben!
Your Grilled Vegetable Souvlaki recipe not only celebrates fresh summer produce but also offers a delightful twist on traditional souvlaki. It’s a perfect recipe for enjoying outdoor grilling and exploring different flavors. Thanks for sharing this delicious and inspiring recipe!
This is a fun recipe for embracing whatever you can find at the farmer’s market this week. It’s super versatile in terms of the veggies, and the tzatziki goes well with its cool, creamy texture. Thanks, Raymund!