Grilled peppers and onions are my answer to: "I'm grilling. What do I serve as a side dish?" I always have onions in the pantry and peppers in the vegetable crisper, and they grill up beautifully.
Grilling peppers and onions is how I learned to grill vegetables. Most grilled vegetables cook the same as these peppers and onions. Grill them over medium to medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until they get soft and have nice grill marks.

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These easy grilled peppers and onions are a versatile side dish. If you already have the grill heated up to cook some burgers, try them on the side! I especially love them with Grilled Sausages.
Ingredients
- Onion
- Red bell peppers (or a mix of red, green, and yellow bell peppers)
- Kosher salt (or fine sea salt)
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Fresh ground black pepper
See the recipe card for ingredient quantities
How to Make Grilled Peppers and Onions
Prepare the peppers and onions
Cut the onion crosswise into ½-inch rings. Cut the peppers into planks by chopping off the top and bottom of the pepper, setting the pepper cut side down, then cutting each side away from the core to make the pepper into planks. Sprinkle the onions and peppers with the salt, then brush with the olive oil.
Preheat the grill to medium-low heat (300°F)
Set the grill up for direct heat cooking at medium-low (about 300°F). For my Weber Summit, this means preheating the grill for ten minutes with all burners on high. Then, I clean the grates with my grill brush and turn the burners down to medium-low.
Grill the peppers and onions
Put the onions and peppers directly over the medium-low heat. If you are cooking on a gas grill, keep the lid closed. Cook until the peppers and onions have grill marks, about 3 minutes. Flip the peppers and onions and cook until they have good grill marks, about 3 more minutes. Flip the peppers and onions, rotating 90 degrees as you flip them (to get diamond grill marks). Cook until the peppers and onions have another set of grill marks, about 3 more minutes. Flip and cook until the peppers and onions are softened, about 3 more minutes. (Sometimes, smaller pieces of pepper will blacken before they start to soften. If pieces need to cook more, but they're getting too black, stack them on top of each other and move them to a cooler part of the grill.)
Marinate the peppers and onions
Move the peppers and onions from the grill into a bowl, and pour the balsamic vinegar over them. Toss to coat, then let rest for at least 5 minutes and up to 15 minutes.
Serve
Cut any overly blackened edges from the peppers and onions. I serve peppers and onions one of three ways: whole, sliced into strips, or diced into a relish. Move the peppers and onions to a serving dish, and sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon of salt and the fresh ground black pepper. Pour the remaining balsamic vinegar from the marinating bowl over the top of the peppers and onions, serve, and enjoy!
Substitutions
- What kind of onion? I usually cook sweet Vidalia onions. But white, red, or yellow onions all work in this recipe.
- What kind of pepper? I prefer red bell peppers because they're ripe. Green bell peppers are just bell peppers that haven't ripened yet. (That's why they're bitter compared to red bell peppers.) That said, I will buy a stoplight pack of peppers from my grocery store when I want a mix of colors with my meal.
Serving Suggestions
After grilling the onions and peppers, I serve them a few different ways:
- As a relish: I dice them, toss them with their sauce, and use them as a topping for sausages or burgers.
- As a vegetable side dish: I slice them crosswise into strips and serve them on the side or pile them on tortillas.
- As a sandwich: I leave them whole, put them in a bun, and top with some cheese and grainy mustard.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is a classic "what grows together, goes together" pairing. Peppers and onions come out of the garden at the same time. At some point in history, every cook has thought, "What if I combine these two…"
- Italian style: This recipe makes Italian-style peppers with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Asian style: Use peanut oil, soy sauce, and a tiny drizzle of toasted sesame oil after cooking.
- Mexican or Tex-Mex style: Use canola oil and lime juice for the marinating step.
- Spanish style: Use olive oil and marinate with sherry vinegar.
Equipment
A grill and grilling tongs to flip the peppers and onions.
Some people like to use a grill basket to keep the peppers and onions from falling through the grill grates. I've never liked them; they're flimsy compared to my grill grates. They don't heat up, which gets in the way of browning the vegetables.
I flip carefully so the peppers and onions don't slip through the grates. Sure, I lose the occasional pepper or onion into the grill, but not so often that I want to mess with a grill basket.
Leftovers
If you don't eat all the peppers and onions, the leftovers will last a few days in the refrigerator. Leftover peppers and onions make a smoky topping for sandwiches and salads. (I don't bother reheating them.)
Unfortunately, cooked peppers and onions turn to mush after freezing. You need to use them up within a few days of cooking.
How long does it take to grill peppers and onions on the grill?
It depends on your grill. On my grill, set to medium-low heat, it takes about 12 minutes, flipping the peppers and onions every three minutes.
But remember, grill temperatures vary a LOT. Keep an eye on the peppers and onions. They may need more time to brown or less time if they start to burn around the edges.
Grilled Peppers and Onions Recipe
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
Grilled Peppers and Onions. My favorite veggie side dish on the grill. Why let the empty space on the grill go to waste?
Ingredients
- 1 large onion (or 2 medium onions), ends trimmed and cut into ½" thick slices
- 3 red bell peppers (or a mix of red, green, and yellow) cut into planks
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or fine sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or fine sea salt)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers and onions: Cut the onion crosswise into ½-inch rings. Cut the peppers into planks by chopping off the top and bottom of the pepper, setting the pepper cut side down, then cutting each side away from the core to make the pepper into planks. Sprinkle the onions and peppers with the salt, then brush with the olive oil.
- Preheat the grill to medium-low heat (300°F): Set the grill up for direct heat cooking at medium-low (about 300°F). For my Weber Summit, this means preheating the grill for ten minutes with all burners on high. Then, I clean the grates with my grill brush and turn the burners down to medium-low.
- Grill the peppers and onions: Put the onions and peppers directly over the medium-low heat. If you are cooking on a gas grill, keep the lid closed. Cook until the peppers and onions have grill marks, about 3 minutes. Flip the peppers and onions and cook until they have good grill marks, about 3 more minutes. Flip the peppers and onions, rotating 90 degrees as you flip them (to get diamond grill marks). Cook until the peppers and onions have another set of grill marks, about 3 more minutes. Flip and cook until the peppers and onions are softened, about 3 more minutes. (Sometimes, smaller pieces of pepper will blacken before they start to soften. If pieces need to cook more, but they're getting too black, stack them on top of each other and move them to a cooler part of the grill.)
- Marinate the peppers and onions: Move the peppers and onions from the grill into a bowl, and pour the balsamic vinegar over them. Toss to coat, then let rest for at least 5 minutes and up to 15 minutes.
- Serve: Cut any overly blackened edges from the peppers and onions. I serve peppers and onions one of three ways: whole, sliced into strips, or diced into a relish. Move the peppers and onions to a serving dish, and sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon of salt and the fresh ground black pepper. Pour the remaining balsamic vinegar from the marinating bowl over the top of the peppers and onions, serve, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
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Cutting a pepper into planks (pictures)
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After grilling (pictures)
Notes
- I like this as a side dish because I can make it on half the grill while my main course cooks on the other half.
- If the grill is too hot, and the skin of the peppers is overly blackened, don't tell anyone! Pretend they were supposed to be roasted red peppers and peel the blackened skin off the peppers before cutting them up.
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
Grilled Asparagus
Grill Roasted Fennel
Grilled Beets
Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos
Inspired by
I don't remember, specifically. I think it was Cooks Illustrated and Steven Raichlen, but I've done this recipe for so long that I forgot who taught me the basic technique. I know Stephen and Cooks have both had good suggestions on how to grill vegetables, so I'm going with them.
Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Steven Raichlen: How to Grill
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bkhuna says
A couple of thoughts-
I recently bought a perforated carbon steel grilling skillet and it has been a game changer. It allows me to grill veggies over wood coals for an amazing taste and because it's a long handled skillet, I don't have to spend much time flipping veggies on a flat grill.
I can't eat green bell peppers. Besides the flavor, they tear up my insides. I started substituting Poblano chilies. So much better flavor and none of the side effects.
Thanks for your blog, I always find something to indulge my love of grilling/Instant Pot cooking.
Mike Vrobel says
You’re welcome!
MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says
@Cheryl:
I love grill-roasted red peppers! I think I have a recipe for them on here somewhere...
/searches through site archives
Wow, post #10, almost two years ago...
Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Which you should try out if you haven't already. It's a great used for roasted red peppers.
Cheryl says
A grilled veggie sandwhich sound delicious. I never thought to even try something like that but I beat it would be great. Or maybe even make a pita pocket with grilled veggies and a southwesten dressing (just salsa and ranch dressing) drizzled over the top. Yum!
Also since you are doing peppers, might want to fully char some, peel and pack them in oil. They will keep a week or so and are great for adding to recipes.
Great post!
MikeV @ DadCooksDinner says
@AYOTG:
Thanks! I'm not sure about the book deal (but if you know any publishers, you can give them my name.)
@Guitarzan:
That's a great idea - I do the "roast garlic in foil" from time to time, but I use it as a topping for bread, primarily. Combining it with the peppers and onions is genius.
@Pat:
Thank you!
Pat says
One of my favorites. I love grilled veggies. The pictures made me hungry!
Guitarzan says
I'd add just one more ingredient. It's easy to roast some garlic in foil while grilling the peppers and onions, and it's also a breeze to process after it's cooked. The sweet roasted garlic pairs complements the other ingredients perfectly.
A Year on the Grill says
whoop whoop... always a standard. GREAT how to post, really well done, when does the book deal happen???