Grilled Vegetable Salad with Giant Hot Croutons

This grilled vegetable salad is all about perfectly charred summer vegetables and giant, warm croutons, all tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. It comes together in about 30 minutes with just a couple of bowls and a whisk, making it as easy as it is satisfying.

This is one of those side dishes I lean on when I want something that feels special for guests but is still easy enough to pull together after a long day. The grill does most of the work, turning simple vegetables into smoky, caramelized bites, and once they come off the heat I toss them with a simple balsamic vinaigrette. The finishing touch is my favorite part: giant, hot croutons made from torn bread, seasoned, grilled until crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle, and scattered over the salad while they’re still warm.

I love this grilled vegetable salad because it really celebrates summer produce and stays flexible. I usually grill bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, red onion, and a handful of cherry tomatoes, coating everything in olive oil, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper before it hits the grill. The peppers bring sweetness, the eggplant and zucchini soak up all that smoky flavor and dressing, and the red onion keeps its bite. Once everything’s grilled and tender, I layer it over arugula or microgreens for a fresh finish.

It comes together in about half an hour, cleanup is minimal, and it’s endlessly adaptable depending on what’s in my fridge. Whether I’m serving it at a backyard BBQ or making it as an easy weeknight side, this salad always delivers big flavor, especially with those warm, crunchy croutons tucked into every bite.

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Grilled Vegetable Salad Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

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This grilled vegetable salad is perfectly charred vegetables and giant warm croutons all tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. All it takes is 2 bowls, 1 whisk, and 30 minutes to make. Throw some protein on the grill with the veggies and call it dinner!

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Ingredients

Dressing

• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (can sub balsamic vinegar)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon tarragon (finely minced)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Grilled Vegetables salad

• ▢ 2 medium bell peppers (cut in half)
• ▢ 1 globe eggplants (sliced ½-inch thick)
• ▢ 1 medium zucchini (cut in half)
• ▢ 1 medium red onion (cut into 2 circles)
• ▢ 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes
• ▢ Microgreens or arugula (to serve)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper

Giant Hot Croutons

• ▢ ¼ loaf bread (unsliced and ripped into 2-inch chunks)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and Italian seasoning
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon EACH: black pepper and chili flakes

Instructions 

• Add the dressing ingredients to a small jar and shake well.
  3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1 teaspoon tarragon, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
• Preheat your BBQ to medium-high heat. Put the bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  2 medium bell peppers, 1 globe eggplants, 1 medium zucchini, 1 medium red onion, 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  
• BBQ all the veggies, working in batches if needed, until there are grill marks on both sides. The cherry tomatoes will cook in about 1 minute while everything else will take 6 to 8 minutes to cook.
  
• In a medium-sized bowl, toss the bread chunks with olive oil, salt, Italian seasoning, pepper, and chili flakes. Place the bread chunks on the BBQ and grill, turning as needed until there are grill marks on all sides and the bread is toasted.
  ¼ loaf bread, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon EACH: black pepper and chili flakes, Microgreens or arugula
  
• When the veggies are cool enough to handle, chop them into bite-sized pieces and then add them to a salad bowl.
  
• Add the croutons to the bowl and then pour the dressing over the top and toss well. Add a handful of arugula or micro-greens and serve right away.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ⅙ of the recipe, Calories: 319kcal (16%), Carbohydrates: 46g (15%), Protein: 9g (18%), Fat: 12g (18%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 701mg (30%), Potassium: 818mg (23%), Fiber: 9g (38%), Sugar: 15g (17%), Vitamin A: 2143IU (43%), Vitamin C: 96mg (116%), Calcium: 118mg (12%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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