8 Spring Vegetables You Should Throw On The Grill

With the onset of warm weather comes the start of grilling season, but before you fire yours up for the first time this year, don't make the rookie mistake of assuming a grill is just for meats. Grilled vegetables can bring showstopping flavor to the table as well, and the spring harvest means there's an abundance of fresh, delicious options to choose from.

Grilling vegetables can be a delicate affair, though — cut too small, and they can fall through the grill grates. You may want to consider cooking with larger cuts or even whole vegetables, or if size will be an issue no matter what, using a grill basket. Wrapping them in aluminum foil also works, though this method will yield the least amount of delicious charring. And, with few exceptions, they cook fast — so don't let them linger.

However you decide to cook them, great grilled vegetables are everywhere. There are perhaps unconventional choices like artichokes and turnips, but also some familiar classics like carrots and asparagus. Whether these or other grilled spring vegetables shine as a simply seasoned side dish of their own or as the key ingredient in a larger recipe is up to you.

Fresh asparagus is available year-round, but its peak season is from February to June, with the best crops usually available in April. It's also perhaps one of the most common vegetables to grill, and common to mess up as the spears can easily fall into the flames. Consider using a skewer to hold grilled asparagus in place; arrange the trimmed and seasoned stalks perpendicularly on a skewer for safe, direct grill contact and peak charring.

Peak artichoke season is March to May, and they make for a savory, tender plate when grilled with olive oil and a modest seasoning. But an artichoke is a dense vegetable that takes a long time to cook, so many recipes call for steaming it first, and only grilling for a smoky, charred finish.

Radishes are an underrated spring vegetable that grills up nicely as a low-carb and keto-friendly side dish. They are often sliced and cooked in a grill basket (either a reusable one or simply wrapped in aluminum foil) to keep them from falling into the fire. But they can also be halved and placed directly on small enough grates, or you can use the skewer trick for asparagus to keep them all secure.

You may not have thought of grilling snap peas before, but they're a deliciously smoky-sweet treat when grilled inside their pods and eaten like edamame. (Loose peas can also be grilled in a basket, but are more prone to bursting and overcooking.)

As this recipe for grilled snap peas warns, snap peas rapidly lose their sweetness after harvesting, so try to get the absolute freshest pods possible. See if the vendor will let you check the taste of one before buying — it should be sweet even when raw.

Don't be intimidated by a somewhat unfamiliar spring vegetable. Ramps are like a hybrid of leeks and green onions, and like both, they taste great when charred on a grill, and they're generally large enough to put directly on the metal. The heat reveals a delicious sweetness, perfect on its own or paired with a savory meat.

Carrots peak in both spring and fall, but spring harvests are commonly thought to be sweeter and more tender. They are yet another classic choice for grilled vegetables, where the added smokiness works well with the full development of their natural sugars during cooking.

Similar to radishes, turnips also harvest well in the spring and can be grilled nicely, sometimes even with radishes. They are best grilled in slices or cut into smaller pieces, in which case they can be another excellent candidate for grilling on a skewer.

Rhubarb may not be as popular a vegetable as spinach or carrots, but it is a delicious spring harvest that grills surprisingly well despite not being known for it. Grilled rhubarb can be eaten on its own as a vegan-friendly dessert for a cookout, or folded into larger recipes. Rhubarb is a sophisticated pairing for grilled cheese, and if the vegetable is grilled, expect a layer of tangy-sweet caramelization to level up the entire sandwich.