6 Easy Smoked Vegetables Recipes That You Can Try

Smoking can turn bland vegetables into appetizing sides with their rich flavor and added crunch. It brings out their natural tang and sweetness in a delicious blend of smoky flavor, irresistible even for picky eaters making them a great side dish choice with any type of smoked meat or even as a healthy lone dish. To make full-flavored, crunchy vegs on the smoker, here are my favorite smoked vegetable recipes!

How To Smoke Vegetables

Smoking vegetables may sound complicated, but essentially all it means is you’re cooking them with wood. Thus, the best wood chips also play a part in the recipe by adding a blend of taste and aroma.

For this, we recommend using a pellet grill for a nice slow smoking with fewer burnt sides since it maintains a low temperature. Others may prefer charcoal smokers for a richer smoked-infused flavor and charring, but it’s your call.

Vegetables, unlike smoked meats, are a little delicate and absorb smoke faster. The technique for many smoked vegetables recipes is using indirect heat from non-resinous wood chips.

Light woods like mesquite, cherry, or apple wood are ideal for their unique fruity flavor, or you may use hickory for a classic smoked taste.

Some grillers like soaking their wood chips but that has long been a myth. Wet wood chips do not produce smoke; they only steam and do not make any difference in smoking.

What Are The Best Vegetables to Smoke

You can use whatever vegetable you have for smoked vegetables recipes, but not all of them will turn out well. Some vegetables char more easily than others, while some may end up soggy in the heat.

While smoked vegetables are versatile, choosing the best vegetables to smoke is still essential. Vegetables that absorb flavor well are top-rate choices for many smoked vegetables recipes.

Corn on the Cob

This is the most popular vegetable present in many barbecues. Fresh corn on the cob can be added to the smoker and basted with butter or olive oil. You can smoke corn on the cob at 225⁰F for about an hour. Turn and baste every 25 minutes to allow it to coat and seep in every kernel.

Bell Pepper

Bell peppers in a recipe are not just a colorful addition to kebabs. They are also the best vegetables to smoke with their unique sweetness and natural taste as they absorb the smoky flavor from the wood chips.

In low to medium heat, bell peppers will be at their tender and juicy best when smoked for about 20 to 25 minutes. If you want a spicier version, jalapeño peppers are also a good option.

Carrots

Carrots are best for crispy-outside-juicy-inside smoked vegetables recipes. They accentuate a smoky flavor that even picky kids will love when seasoned well. It is also easy to prepare as you can smoke carrots with their peels. For a moist and juicy interior, you can pop them in a preheated 300⁰F smoker for 90 minutes.

Potatoes

Smoked potatoes provide delicious flavor that goes well as a side with almost any meat dish recipes. Potatoes absorb smoke, so it cooks to perfection without an overpowering smoky flavor. You can smoke them whole, half, or cut them into pieces. Then, smoke them at 225⁰F for 2 hours or until tender.

Brussel Sprouts

The sweet and nutty taste of Brussels sprouts is accentuated when smoked. Smoked Brussels sprouts are crispy and crunchy outside with a soft and creamy inside. Cook them at 225⁰F for 45 minutes or more, depending on the size, with balsamic vinegar or your favorite seasoning.

More Vegetable Options

Here are more of the best vegetables to smoke for different flavor variations. These are classic for many smoked vegetables recipes that complement smoked meat perfectly.

Cauliflower
Broccoli
Sweet potatoes
Green beans
Asparagus
Red onion
Mushroom
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Yellow squash

6 Easy And Healthy Smoked Vegetables Recipes You Can Make

Smoked and grilled vegetables are easy to prep and are incredibly healthy. Try mixing differently colored vegetables for a more appetizing and fun look. When smoking a batch of veggies, choose a combination of vegetables of similar type and with similar cook time. Otherwise, you will end up with battered veggies wilting with undercooked ones.

Here are some easy-to-make smoked vegetables recipes you can prep.

Summer Smoked Vegetable Mix

Ingredients

1 red onion, quartered
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Preheat the pellet grill to 350⁰F.
Cook for about 30-45 minutes until cooked through.

Keto Smoked Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 medium-head cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup (or regular maple syrup or honey if not keto)
¼ tsp ground pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tbsp smoked paprika

Procedure

Preheat the smoker to 250⁰F.
Cut off the cauliflower leaves, leaving its head whole and intact, and steam for 5 minutes.
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade.
Coat the cauliflower head with the marinade using a pastry brush.
Place it on the smoker, away from the heat source, and cook for about 60 minutes or until tender.

Grilled Root Vegetable Medley

Ingredients

Carrots
Turnips
Beets
Parsnip
Potatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ red onion
6 whole garlic cloves
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper

Procedure

Preheat the grill to medium or medium-high or 400⁰F on a gas grill. Let the grill basket heat up for about 10 minutes.
Chop the root vegetables into chunks of similar sizes and place them in a large bowl.
Season with olive oil and the rest of the spiced herbs and mix until the veggies are well-coated.
Load the seasoned vegetables in a grill basket.
Cook for about 45 minutes to an hour until done, stirring every 20-minute intervals.

Savory Mediterranean Kabobs

Ingredients

Zucchini
Cremini mushrooms, whole
Cherry tomatoes, whole
Brussel sprouts
Red onion
Garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
Seasoning (fresh parsley, salt, pepper, dried oregano)
Lemon juice

Procedure

Cut the zucchini, Brussels sprouts, and red onion to the size of the whole mushroom and tomatoes. Microwave the Brussels sprouts for about 3 to 5 minutes to soften them.
Marinate the vegetables in olive oil, garlic, seasoning, and lemon juice.
Thread the marinated vegetables in a skewer and grill or smoke for about 10 minutes, turning once in a while. The vegetables should finish fully cooked and with charred but not over-burnt sides.

Easy Smoked Corn on the Cob

Ingredients

4 ears of corn with husks on
2 tbsp melted butter
Chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure

Soak the corn in a pot of water for about 2 hours.
Preheat the smoker to 250⁰F. Place the corn unstacked in a wire rack and into the smoker.
Smoke for 75 to 90 minutes until the kernels are tender.
Combine butter and cilantro.
Peel back the husk, brush the corn with the butter mixture, and then season with salt and pepper.

Easy Smoke-Roasted Veggies

Ingredients

Large carrots
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley

Procedure

Chop the vegetables into chunks of the same size, toss with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place them in an aluminum foil or pan.
Turn the smoker to 350⁰F or medium for the gas grill and place the foil on the indirect heat side.
Smoke for about 45 to 60 minutes until tender.
Transfer the grilled veggies to a platter and garnish with chopped parsley.

Smoking Tips and Techniques

Smoking veggies does not come with a canon of rules. Even its cook times are loose estimates that are variable to the smoker’s temperature and capacity. To create the perfect smoked vegetables recipes, remember these few simple tips.

Cook slow and low to prevent them from falling apart. Smoke soft vegetables at 225 to 250⁰F with an average of 45 minutes to an hour of cooking time. Root vegetables cook at a higher temperature.
Poke a hole in the vegetables to reduce cooking time.
Vegetables have different cooking times. Cut them up in varying sizes when smoking them together. Veggies that cook slower should be smaller than those that cook quickly.
Crank the temperature up to 400⁰F when they are almost done to make them crunchier.
Stir the veggies at an interval to keep them from getting burnt.
The best vegetables to smoke are those that are fresh, fully ripe, and in full color.

Takeaway

Smoked vegetables are a relief from bland salads and casseroles. You can enjoy them by themselves or serve them as a side to a variety of dishes. If you are not fond of vegetables in the first place, smoking is a tasty way of sliding them into your diet.

For the best flavor, you can marinate and baste them in your favorite seasoning. You may use smoking salt instead of the usual sea salt to give it an umami fusion of flavors. Or, you can add honey or maple syrup to let them caramelize perfectly according to your taste and preference.

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