A vegetable lover’s guide to the grill

By Ali Slagle, The New York Times

When the summer sky softens and the grill’s embers flicker, dinner anticipation builds — especially when vegetables are what’s over the coals, curled in smoke. As their colorful outsides singe and their plump bodies slump, vegetables’ vibrant selves become substantial, rich and nuanced. Sugars caramelize, edges char, a whisper of smoke appears. The grill can create satisfying vegetarian meals by sizzling out moisture and teasing out deep, dark flavors. And yet a plate of grilled vegetables does not a meal make.

Follow these recipes and apply their lessons to other dishes for plant-based mains that are filling, fun to eat and a friend to summer’s bounty — and to you.

Soba Salad With Grilled Mushrooms and Tofu

By Ali Slagle

Throw together this exciting tangle of soba noodles, grilled mushrooms and tofu, raw vegetables and maple-miso dressing for your next picnic or warm-weather dinner. Hitting mushrooms and tofu with a little heat accentuates the nutty quality of the soba, while snap peas, serrano chile and herbs give this plant-based salad a juicy crunch. Lime juice, miso and maple work double duty as the salad’s dressing and the tofu’s marinade, which chars once it hits the grill. To mitigate the tofu sticking to the grill, maintain medium-high heat and let the tofu release itself from the grates instead of prying it off. To save time, prep the vegetables while the grill heats, or marinate the tofu and cook the soba up to a day ahead and refrigerate until needed.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 65 minutes

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 (14- to 16-ounce) block extra-firm tofu
• 3 limes, juiced (about 6 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed, plus more for greasing
• 3 tablespoons white miso
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 8 ounces mushrooms (any type), trimmed into large, bite-size pieces
• 8 ounces soba noodles
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas or snow peas, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 to 1 serrano chile, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 cup basil, cilantro or mint leaves, or a combination, torn if large

Preparation

1. Heat a grill to medium-high. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the tofu in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 6 sections. (You’ll have 12 squares total.) Pat the tofu dry. In a large bowl, use a fork to stir together the lime juice, oil, miso and maple syrup until smooth. Add the tofu and turn to coat. On a sheet pan, toss the mushrooms with enough oil to coat, about 2 tablespoons; season generously with salt.

2. When the water’s boiling, add the soba noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool, then shake the colander to remove as much water as possible. Toss with a little oil to keep from sticking. Set aside.

3. Clean and grease the grates. Grill the tofu (closed if using a gas grill) until it releases from the grates and grill marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Return the tofu to the bowl of dressing. While the tofu’s grilling, grill the mushrooms, turning occasionally, until browned and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the sheet pan and head back inside.

4. To the bowl of tofu, add the soba, snap peas, mushrooms, chile, sesame seeds and basil. Use your hands to toss gently. Season to taste with salt.

Barbecue Vegetable Salad

By Ali Slagle

This knife-and-fork dinner salad is full of char and crunch, topped off with a festive dressing to incorporate into your summer repertoire. It’s also an ideal way to use up any grillable vegetables. On a verdant bed of romaine lettuce, kale and cilantro, pile on grilled summer vegetables and peaches and a shower of corn chips. Beans add protein, though you could also top with quinoa, grilled tempeh bacon or another protein. While barbecue sauce doesn’t often coat lettuce, here it becomes a tangy, thick and pleasantly sweet salad dressing with the addition of a little lime juice to loosen and brighten. If you have some ranch in the fridge, drizzle zig-zags of it on top, too; the duo tastes like an herb-flecked Thousand Island dressing. Eat this big salad solo or with a side of cornbread.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bunch lacinato kale (about 9 ounces), stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 head romaine, thinly sliced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 ripe, firm peaches, cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
• 1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges through the root
• 1 pound grilling vegetables (see Tip)
• Neutral oil such as grapeseed, for greasing
• Handful of crushed corn chips