In the endless search for recipes that help us get more veggies into our diets, this grilled vegetable salad with Vidalia onion dressing, inspired by, A Farmgirl’s Dabbles, is a keeper. Tender, lightly charred Vidalia onions, corn, summer squash and colorful bell peppers sitting atop a bed of radicchio and your favorite dark leafy greens — all tossed with a Vidalia onion vinaigrette — will outshine whatever else you put on your plate.
After you fire up the grill and get your grates nice and hot, you’ll coat the grates with vegetable oil to keep your vegetables from sticking. If your grill grates are too wide to hold them, use oiled pizza screens or invest in a couple of open-style or enclosed vegetable grill baskets; they’ll keep your vegetables from falling to their deaths in the flame. Time-saving bonus: Enclosed grill baskets let you flip your food all at one time.
ALSO TRY: Copycat Panera Fuji apple chicken salad
Drizzle the veggies generously with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Corn takes a few minutes longer to cook, so put the ears on the grill first. Put the rest of the vegetables over the flames and grill until they’re softened and lightly charred.
While your grilled veggies are cooling, prepare the rest of your grilled salad ingredients. Place three Vidalia onion rounds in a blender along with olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, mustard, tarragon, salt and pepper. Blend them until they’re emulsified, and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Transfer this lovely dressing to a shaker or mason jar.
Arrange your favorite dark leafies on a large serving platter. Place grilled onions, zucchini, yellow squash and bell peppers over the greens. Cut kernels off the corn cobs and scatter them over the salad along with the radicchio.
You can lightly drizzle the salad with the yummy grilled Vidalia onion dressing to give your hungry party goers a fuss-free side they can pile on their plates, or you can serve the dressing alongside this lip-smacking yummy grilled salad for guests to drizzle on as desired. Either way, your grilled veggies salad is going to be a summer cookout winner.
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Brush onions with olive oil for grilled vegetable salad with onion dressing
The magic of olive oil! Coating completely will help keep onions from sticking to the grill and allow them to get nice color without over-drying.
Drizzle olive oil over zucchini and bell peppers on a separate baking sheet
Prepping veggies on a sheet-pan will help you get the oil spread out evenly.
Season with salt and pepper and brush corn with olive oil
Salt and pepper are essential. If you have fresh peppercorns and sea salt, use them here. You can taste the difference.
Place corn on heated grill first
With grilling, it is about timing. Corn takes longer to cook, so it’s a good idea to start it first.
Put additional vegetables on the grill for grilled vegetable salad with Vidalia onion dressing
Spread other vegetables out on the grill and allow to cook.
Cook until vegetables soften and have good color
With grilling you want nice coloring, slight char and some grill marks.
Remove corn from cob with knife for grilled vegetable salad with Vidalia onion dressing
After your corn has cooled a bit, slice the kernels off of the cob. This is a nifty little trick that is so easy to do and lets you have fresh corn at the ready for any recipe.
To make dressing add grilled Vidalia onions to a food processor
Food processors are wonderful tools for blending dressings and sauces. The nicely charred onions will get blended into smooth creaminess in no time.
Add remaining ingredients for Vidalia onion dressing, then blend
Just a few simple ingredients and you are good to go.
Place grilled veggies over a bed of greens
It’s as easy as that! Choose any greens you like, from baby spinach to spicy arugula.
Add corn kernels over grilled vegetable salad with Vidalia onion dressing
Sweet corn and tangy Vidalia onion dressing make this whole salad come together into one glorious meal.
Drizzle Vidalia onion dressing over top
The dressing is thick and so flavorful.
So many beautiful colors!
This is a perfect summer salad to bring to a party or serve at home when grilling out in the backyard.
Loaded with flavor
Try this recipe today! Even your non-veggie-lovers may become converts.
Enjoy a plate today!
So simple and good for you!
Grilled vegetable salad with grilled vidalia onion dressing
Yield 6-8 servings
Ingredients
SALAD:
- 2 large Vidalia onions, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds, divided
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick on the diagonal
- 2 medium yellow squash, sliced 1/2-inch thick on the diagonal
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 ears sweet corn, husked, silk removed
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Your favorite dark leafy greens, such as baby kale, arugula, or spinach
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced raddichio
DRESSING:
- 3 large rounds of grilled Vidalia onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
FOR THE SALAD:
- Preheat the grill to medium to medium-high. Oil the grates well.
- Place rounds of Vidalia onions on a large baking tray, keeping the slices in tact. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper on a separate baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and toss gently to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place ears of corn on another baking tray. Brush ears of corn lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Corn takes a few minutes longer than the other vegetables to cook, so place it on the grill first.
- Place onions, zucchini, squash, peppers, and corn on the grill. Cook for a few minutes (with the lid off) until char marks appear and the vegetables begin to soften. You can use tongs to flip the vegetable pieces, if desired. If you are using an enclosed grill basket, flip the vegetables after 3 to 4 minutes and grill the other side until lightly charred.
- Transfer onions, zucchini, squash, and peppers to baking trays to cool. Reserve 3 rounds of the onion for the dressing.
- When the corn is done, place it on a baking tray to cool. Using a knife, cut the kernels off of corn cobs into a large bowl.
- To assemble the salad, arrange salad greens on a very large platter.
- Add grilled onion rounds, zucchini, yellow squash, and peppers.
- Add radicchio and grilled corn kernels.
- Sprinkle salad with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Serve with grilled Vidalia onion dressing.
FOR THE DRESSING:
- Place all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 2 minutes or until well blended and emulsified.
- Transfer to a salad dressing serving container and serve on the table with the salad.
- Store leftover salad dressing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Courses Salads