Grilled Vegetable Salad with Giant Hot Croutons

This Grilled Vegetable Salad is pretty enough to serve to company and easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner. And, those giant hot croutons add just the right amount of texture and deliciousness. You’re going to love it!

Who needs a regular ol' salad when you can have a grilled vegetable salad, with …. wait for it … giant hot croutons. But of course you've read the title, so you already knew that was coming. But still, giant hot croutons just sound awesome, right?!

You want to start with some crazy delicious bread then tear it to pieces in big chunks. And I have to say, there's something cathartic about ripping chunks off a loaf of bread. I've never done a renovation where I've got to tear down walls, but I think it would be the same thing. Only totally different. But really, kind of the same, too.

Once you've gone all destroyer on your loaf, you toss it in oil, and salt and pepper then either fry it in a pan or grill it on your BBQ. The edges get all crispy and hot, and the center stays deliciously soft. I'm not normally a very big bread fan but these giant croutons are where it's at.

→sidebar← If you live anywhere near Vancouver you MUST try the sourdough from Railtown Cafe. It's kinda crazy, bananas, out of this world amazeballs.

Heading back to the grilled vegetable salad. This is one of those side dishes that is pretty enough to serve when guests come over and easy enough to make quickly when you get home from a long day at work. Best of both worlds. Love it!

The BBQ does most of the work turning the veggies into deliciously smoky little flavor bites. Once they come off the grill, they're tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette and voilà, you have yourself a delicious grilled vegetables salad!

In the summer (ok wait, who am I kidding? All the time … ) I love dinners that are:

• simple and easy to make
• have tons of flavor
• don't leave a mountain of dishes for me to wash when I have a full belly and really just want to watch Mad Men re-runs

Are you with me on this one?

So how does this sound … 2 bowls, 1 whisk, 30 minutes and done. Awesome, right? Throw some protein on the grill with the veggies and call it dinner.

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More Delicious Summer Vegetable Salads:

• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Easy Asian Coleslaw 
• Classic Broccoli Coleslaw with Lemon Buttermilk Dressing
• Grilled Zucchini Salad with Creamy Sunflower Dressing
• Grilled Broccoli Caesar Salad

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Charred Croutons

• Author: Kristen Stevens
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 6 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: American

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

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Description

This grilled vegetable salad is pretty enough to serve to company and easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner. You're going to love it!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon tarragon, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the grilled vegetables salad:

• 3 bell peppers, cut into thick strips
• 2 long eggplants (sliced 1/2-inch thick)
• 1 large zucchini (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 1 red onion, cut into thick strips
• A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• Microgreens, parsley and/or edible flowers, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the giant hot croutons:

• 1/2 loaf of your favorite, unsliced bread, ripped into 2-inch chunks (use gluten-free, if needed)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• Optional: a few sprinkles of oregano, thyme, rosemary, cayenne, and/or chili flakes

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Instructions

1. Preheat your BBQ to medium high. Oil the grill well.
2. Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk them together well.
3. Put the bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, red onion and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and sea salt. BBQ all the veggies, working in batches if needed until there are grill marks on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Toss the veggies in the dressing and salt to taste.
4. In a large bowl toss the bread chunks with the olive oil, sea salt, pepper and all or some of the optional ingredients. Place the bread chunks on the BBQ and grill, turning as needed until there are grill marks on all sides.
5. Assemble the veggies on a platter and top with the giant hot croutons, some micro greens or parsley and a few edible flowers.

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