Grilled Peppers and Onions

Name: Grilled Peppers and Onion
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Vegetables
Ingredients: 3 multi-colored bell peppers; 1 medium red onion; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

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These grilled peppers and onions are a delicious side dish that takes just 20 minutes on the grill with four simple ingredients! Here’s what you need to know to make it perfectly every time.

Here’s how to make a summer meal in no time: grilled peppers and onion! These colorful veggies transform into the most incredibly flavorful side dish: they’re tender, charred, smoky, and sweet all at once. It’s so easy to fire up your grill for the main event and then toss these babies on the side.

Peppers and onions are one of my absolutely favorite things to throw on the grill for summer meals because they infuse so much smoky flavor into everything they touch. Here’s how to make this treat pairs well with all the grilled dinner ideas, be it grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, or portobello burgers.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The great thing about grilled peppers and onion is: they taste incredible with almost no seasonings! You need no fancy spice blends for this one. Just good old salt! Here are the basic ingredients:

3 bell peppers: I like using multi-colored for a splash of color.
Red onion: You can also use white or yellow onions, but I like using red onion for color and its sweet flavor.
Olive oil and kosher salt: For cooking and seasoning: it’s all you need!

How to Make Grilled Bell Peppers and Onions

You’ll need a grill basket (or aluminum foil) for this method. Why? The onion in particular is so thin that it tends to fall through the grates if you place it on them directly. A grill basket keeps all the veggies together and heats them evenly. Here are some tips on how to do it (or go right to the recipe):

Make sure to preheat the grill basket on the grill!
Slice the peppers and onion into thick strips: about 1 ½ inches thick. Mix with olive oil to coat and salt.
Grill for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the veggies are charred and tender. Toss them a few times to ensure even cooking. That’s it!

No Grill Basket? No Problem

Don’t have a grill basket? No problem. Here’s the grill basket we use, if you’d in the market for one. Or you can make a make-shift grill basket out of aluminum foil! Here’s what to do:

Fold a large piece of aluminum foil in half and prick several holes in it with a fork.
Fold up a 1-inch rim around the edge to make a makeshift tray. This isn’t required, but it’s helpful to keep all the veggies in the tray. Then you can use it like you would a grill basket!

Seasoning Variations

You can vary up the seasonings on these grilled peppers and onion as much as you’d like! They’re beautifully sweet and tender without extra seasoning. But there are endless variations! Here are some ideas:

Cumin and lime. Add a hint of cumin before grilling (¼ teaspoon), then spritz with fresh lime juice.
Taco seasoning or fajita seasoning. Make them fit for a Mexican-style feast.
Cajun seasoning. Love heat? Sprinkle with a little Cajun seasoning before or after grilling.
Old Bay. Add big flavor with a little shake of Old Bay seasoning.

Ways To Serve Grilled Peppers and Onions

Grilled peppers and onions often make an appearance on my patio in the summer months! Often it’s as part of a random assortment of grilled items. But if I’m entertaining, here are some meals I might pair it with:

Grilled fish. Go for Grilled Salmon or Grilled Halibut.
Grilled shrimp. Try Grilled Shrimp, Cajun Shrimp, Blackened Shrimp, Grilled Scallops, or Grilled Shrimp Tacos (perhaps adding some of the Mexican-style seasonings listed above).
Use as a taco filling. Add refried beans and grilled peppers to a tortilla, and you’ve got quick vegetarian tacos.
On top of a salad. I like adding them to my Fajita Salad with either chicken or beans as a delicious dinner idea.

Dietary Notes

This grilled peppers and onion recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to cut peppers and onions for grilling?

Slice peppers into 1 1/2-inch wide strips and onions into thick wedges or half-moons. This ensures even cooking and allows for nice grill marks.

Do I need to precook the peppers and onions before grilling?

No precooking is needed. The grilling process will soften and char the vegetables perfectly.

Should I use a grill basket for grilling peppers and onions?

A grill basket is helpful for keeping smaller pieces from falling through the grates. If you don’t have a basket, you can thread the vegetables onto skewers or use a grill pan.