Italian Marinated Summer Vegetables

Grilled summer vegetables served in a simple marinade with oregano, garlic, tomatoes and red onion. This recipe is so easy and is good served on crostini or with grilled meat or fish.

We can't get enough of grilled vegetables in the summer. They go with almost everything and can be served in so many different ways, like our orzo salad or grilled zucchini with ricotta.

This recipe is quick and easy, especially if you have extra veg to use up. It's a simple marinade that gets better the longer it's left, so we love to prep this a few hours in advance.

Saying that, it's still good straight away, so don't worry if you don't have much time. See the full recipe below, including ways to serve it and other ingredients you can add. Enjoy!

• Zucchini and Eggplant – we use one of each, but red pepper or fennel would also work well.
• Cherry tomatoes – We love the sweetness these add, but you can use any fresh tomatoes you like.
• Red onion – you could also use a sweet white onion.
• Red wine vinegar – you could also use white wine vinegar.
• Dried oregano – you could also add in fresh basil or parsley.

How to serve it (some good ideas)

• On crostini – chargrill ciabatta bread, then spread some ricotta on top and top with the vegetables. This is suited to a light lunch or an aperitivo.
• Grilled meat – it's good served with grilled steak, chicken or pork tenderloin. A favourite is pork tenderloin cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds seasoned with salt, pepper and fennel seeds and grilled on a griddle pan or BBQ for 1-2 minutes each side. It's so good.
• Make it a salad – add some chickpeas, lentils or cannellini beans for a more substantial salad or side.

More good summer recipes to try

Salads

Authentic Tuscan Panzanella Salad

Salads

Insalata di Riso (Italian Rice Salad)

Soups

Pappa al Pomodoro (Italian Bread Soup)

Salads

Insalata Pantesca (Sicilian Potato Salad)

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 1 medium zucchini (courgette)
• 1 medium eggplant (aubergine)
• 1 garlic clove (thinly sliced)
• 150 g (about 5-6oz) cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
• 1/2 red onion (finely sliced)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1-2 tablespoon Olive oil

Method

1. Heat a ridged griddle pan or use a BBQ.

2. Cut the ends off the zucchini and eggplant and cut them into thin slices (about 0.5cm or 1/4 inch thick). Drizzle them with olive oil on both sides and grill them until soft and charred.

3. Roughly chop the cooked zucchini and eggplant (we cut each slice into 3), then add them to a bowl.

4. Add the finely sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, finely sliced garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir everything until well combined. We like to add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

5. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and then serve. The vegetables taste better the longer they are left, so we ideally make this a few hours in advance, but it's still delicious eaten right away.

6. After 10 minutes, taste the veg and add more vinegar if desired.