Of all our summer cooking, this grilled vegetable marinade has been the biggest revelation.
My husband gave up meat as one of his resolutions this year, which for someone who used to eat 4 burgers a week, is not just impressive, but mind blowing.
As each season and holiday passes, I become worried he’ll be tempted by one of his old favorite meals. But BBQ season has come and he’s remained steadfast to his commitment. Even more striking, he’s volunteered to make me his perfected grilled steak once a week so that I can still get my iron on.
I wrote recently on stories how for me, there is no bigger gesture of love. I feel incredibly taken care of when he does this. But I also felt a little guilty the first few times.
I feel much less so now, and that’s because we’ve discovered just how delicious his steak marinade can be on grilled vegetables, even going so far as to give mushrooms that extra steak-like meaty umami flavor.
We’ve been using his tamari-balsamic vegetable marinade on repeat and can now truly attest to its all-purpose versatility. It’s great on planks of squash, zucchini and eggplant thrown on the grill. It’s fantastic with vegetable kabobs. It’s just as great when tossed with chopped cauliflower, broccoli and asparagus and roasted in the oven. You can’t go wrong!
The recipe below makes a cup, which usually lasts us a few grilling sessions. And I’ve included instructions for how to use the marinade for grilled vegetables, roasted vegetables and steak, should you be an omnivore like myself.
If this list of gluten-free sauces didn’t meet your needs, I’m sure this one will. It’s vegan if you go the maple syrup route, and low FODMAP if you do that and omit the garlic. If you’re trying to reduce your sugar intake, simply skip the sweetener all together and use red wine vinegar instead of the balsamic. We often mix and match depending on what we have on hand, and really enjoy a half and half version with a little of both vinegars.
Eat your grilled vegetables alongside your favorite BBQ fare, or stuff them inside a healthy taco. I guarantee whichever way you go, you will become as obsessed with this simple mix of condiments as I am.
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
Charlie’s All Purpose Tamari-Balsamic Steak and Grilled Vegetable Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic or red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
- ¼ olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 minced garlic clove optional
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl or 2-cup measure, whisk together the vinegar, Dijon and tamari. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until it emulsifies and incorporates easily. Sweeten with the honey or maple syrup, and season with the salt. Stir in the garlic if using.
- To use with grilled vegetables: brush both sides of your vegetables (zucchini, squash, Portobello mushrooms, eggplant, etc.) or vegetable kabobs with the marinade and season with salt. Grill over medium-high heat on both sides, rotating 90 degrees halfway through to get a nice cross-hatch, until nicely charred.
- To use with roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss 1 pound of chopped vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.) with ¼ cup of marinade. Arrange in an even layer and season lightly with salt. Roast until lightly browned, about 20 minutes depending on the vegetable.
- To use with steak: Marinate 1 pound of steak (we like rib eye, flank steak, skirt steak or fillet) for 30 minutes in ½ cup of marinade. Remove the meat from the marinade and season generously with salt and pepper. Sear over high heat on the stovetop or grill until medium rare and nicely charred on both sides.
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