Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables With White Beans
When it's too hot to turn on the oven in the summer, make these Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables with White Beans. They're light but satisfying, and they taste even better the next day.
It's hot outside my friends. I mean, really hot. Like 115 degrees earlier this week. Not that I'm complaining. I'll take the one-teens any day over the months of gray clouds and snow I used to hate when I lived in Boston.
But summer in Arizona means there's absolutely no way I'm turning on my oven for the next few months. From May through October, I'm all about easy recipes that require minimal prep time and can be cooked on the grill.
It's also REALLY nice when the recipe makes enough for some leftovers the next night, and I don't have to do a thing except pour a cool drink to go with it.
These Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables with White Beans 100% fit the bill for an easy summer meal. There's just a few minutes of grilling time required. Then toss the ingredients together, and dinner is done.
I don't have a huge appetite, so a bowl of these Mediterranean vegetables is filling enough for me for dinner. However, if you want a heartier meal, you can add a few handfuls of cooked brown rice, farro, or quinoa, and a can of tuna to the mix.
I love the flavor combination of grilled Mediterranean vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, and sweet peppers. But you can also add some grilled asparagus, mushrooms, or yellow squash. They're all good here!
No matter which vegetables you use, they'll be so full of flavor from a balsamic vinaigrette, garlic, and fresh herbs.
Another thing I love about this easy recipe is that it's full of all of the elements of the Mediterranean diet:
- A good variety of colorful vegetables for blood-sugar reducing fiber and antioxidants
- Legumes (white beans) for protein and more fiber
- Olive oil for heart-healthy fat
- Fresh herbs for cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Did you catch my post on all of the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet? It's SO good for so many things!
Recipe
Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables with White Beans
Ingredients
- 1 small eggplant
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus additional to season
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 medium sweet pepper
- 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning mix
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 15 ounce can white beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the stem and bottom ends off of the eggplant, and peel if desired. Slice the eggplant into long planks, about ½ inch thick. Sprinkle the eggplant with sea salt, toss well, and let it sit in a colander for about 15 minutes.
- Heat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates.
- While the eggplant is resting, prepare the dressing by mixing together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small jar. Whisk or shake well to combine and set aside.
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. Slice the pepper in half or thirds lengthwise, and remove the core and seeds. Slice the onion into round thirds.
- Place all of the vegetables (including the eggplant) in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and ground pepper over the vegetables, and using your hands or tongs, lightly toss the vegetables to coat with oil and Italian seasoning.
- Lay the vegetables on the grill and grill for about 5 minutes or until lightly charred in spots. Flip and cook on the second side for about 2 more minutes. Remove from the grill and place the vegetables back in the mixing bowl.
- Let the vegetables cool for about 5 minutes. Chop them into bite-sized pieces and return them to the bowl.
- Add the beans, fresh parsley and basil, and pour the dressing over everything. Toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. They can be enjoyed cold the nex day.
Nutrition
If you want more delicious Mediterranean Diet recipes, check out my Mediterranean Diet for Two Cookbook!
Eat well!
Italian herb seasoning mix...what's that? I use individual spices, not mixes. I could probably make an approximation of it, if I knew what it contained. Any help greatly appreciated! Recipe looks delicious!
Hi Juanita,
Italian herb seasoning is one of those shortcut spice blends in the spice section. I use the O Organics brand from Safeway. It's a blend of basil, oregano, marjoram, sage, and dehydrated garlic. I think different brands vary a bit. To use regular spices/herbs, I'd go with about 1/4 teaspoon of each of those. Or feel free to use a bit more or less of those herbs depending on your taste. I don't think you could go wrong with any Italian spices in this recipe.