Grilled Vegetable Kabobs Recipe

Recipe Note

TIP: The use of a double prong or flat skewer will make assembling and grilling your kabob a breeze.

Recipe FAQ

Can I prepare the kabobs in advance?

Yes — marinate and skewer the vegetables up to 24 hours in advance and keep covered in the refrigerator. The Smoke on Wheels BBQ Marinade is acidic enough that extended marinating (beyond 8 hours) can start to soften the firmer vegetables like zucchini and bell pepper slightly. For maximum texture on the grill, 2–4 hours is the sweet spot; overnight is fine but expect slightly softer vegetables.

What vegetables work best and which don't hold up well?

The five vegetables in this recipe — tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and zucchini — are all specifically chosen because they hold their shape through the marinade and the 10-minute grill without falling apart or going mushy. Vegetables to avoid: leafy greens, asparagus (too thin), and very soft items like ripe avocado. Corn on the cob, eggplant, and summer squash are good additions that hold up similarly to zucchini.

Do I need to soak wooden skewers before grilling?

Yes, if using wooden skewers — soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the vegetables. Dry wooden skewers catch fire quickly at grill temperatures and can char through before the vegetables are done. Metal skewers don't require soaking, but flat or double-prong metal skewers prevent the vegetables from spinning when you rotate the kabob, which makes turning significantly easier.

How do I cut the vegetables to the right size?

Aim for roughly equal-sized pieces across all vegetables — about 1 to 1.5 inches. Consistent sizing means everything cooks at approximately the same rate. Tomatoes: halved. Onion: cut into quarters and separated into two-layer pieces. Mushrooms: left whole if small, halved if large. Bell peppers: cut into 1.5-inch squares. Zucchini: cut into 3/4-inch rounds. All of these at approximately the same size on the skewer means 10 minutes at 350°F gets everything to tender-crisp simultaneously.

Can I make these indoors?

Indoor cooking rating: 4 out of 5 — Great in the kitchen, better on the grill. A broiler on high with the rack positioned close to the element replicates the high-heat char character well — 4–5 minutes per side, watching closely. A cast iron grill pan on a high-heat burner also works and gives visible grill marks. What you lose is the live-fire char and ambient smoke. The marinade and seasoning translate completely indoors.

Recipe Highlights

• Marinate in the Bowl, Not a Bag: Tossing the cut vegetables in a bowl with the Smoke on Wheels marinade lets you coat all surfaces evenly with a quick stir. A zip-lock bag works too, but a bowl lets you see that everything is coated and makes it easy to add more marinade if the vegetables absorb it quickly. Don't over-marinate — 2–4 hours is the target; the acidic marinade softens vegetables over time.

   

• Season the Skewers After Assembly, Not the Vegetables Before: Direction step 5 applies Cattleman's Grill Tri-Tip Seasoning to the assembled kabobs — not to the raw vegetables in the marinade bowl. Applied after skewering, the rub coats the outer surfaces and builds into a crust on the grill. Mixed into the marinade, the rub loses its textural character and distributes unevenly. Sprinkle generously on all four sides of each assembled skewer before it goes on the grill.

   

• Turn Every 2–3 Minutes, Not Just Once: The direction says "turning occasionally" over 10 minutes — that means 3–4 turns total, roughly every 2–3 minutes. A kabob left on one side for 5 minutes will char the bottom while the top is barely marked. Frequent turning produces even char marks on all four sides and prevents any single face from burning before the others have cooked. Use long tongs and rotate 90 degrees each turn.

   

• Pull When Tender-Crisp, Not Mushy: Ten minutes at 350°F is the guideline, but the actual done marker is texture — the vegetables should yield slightly when pressed with tongs but still have a noticeable bite. Zucchini and bell peppers are the best indicators: when they flex slightly rather than resisting firmly, the kabobs are done. Tomatoes will have softened and slightly burst; onions will have charred edges and a slight translucency. Pull immediately — vegetables continue cooking off heat.

   

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