Seeking an easy way to get more veggies this summer? British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver just debuted his latest cookbook, Grill, and among the collection of nutritious, flavorful recipes, we're perhaps most drawn to a humble, vegetarian side dish. When you're firing up the grill this summer, gather some asparagus and pumpkin seeds to make this satisfying and smoky green grain salad.

To prepare this easy side, you'll start with a pound of mixed vegetables and fresh green chilies. Toss those on the grill until softened and charred, then chop everything into bite-sized pieces. Prepare your grains according to package instructions — brown rice, quinoa, or barley would shine here.

The dressing calls for avocado, herbs, and tart, bright lemon juice, which you'll blitz in a blender with olive oil for a luxurious yet light sauce. Drizzle it over your veggies and grains, then garnish with funky feta cheese and crunchy pumpkin seeds.

Jamie Oliver's Grilled Green Grain Salad Recipe

Serves 6–8 as a side | 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb mixed asparagus, broccolini & green beans
1 bunch of scallions
2 fresh green chilies
2 x 8.5-oz packages of cooked mixed grains
½ a bunch of mint (about ½ oz)
½ a bunch of Italian parsley (about ½ oz)
1 large ripe avocado
1 lemon
2 oz feta cheese
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Instructions

Light the grill. Trim the asparagus, broccolini, green beans, and scallions, then spritz with olive oil. Prick the chilies. Working in batches, if needed, line up the veg in a grill basket for easier handling, and grill for 6 minutes, or until softened, turning halfway and charring the chilies alongside. Transfer it all to your board.
Heat the grains according to the package instructions, then add to a large serving bowl. Finely chop the charred veg, leaving the asparagus and broccolini tips whole, and scrape into the bowl.
To make a dressing, pick most of the mint into a blender, reserving the nice baby leaves. Add the parsley, stems and all, then halve, pit and scoop in the avocado. Scrape off the bigger bits of blackened skin from the chilies and seeds, then add to the blender along with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Blitz until smooth, thinning with splashes of water until you have a drizzleable consistency. Season to perfection.
Pour the dressing over the salad, gently toss to coat, then crumble in the feta, and sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds and reserved mint leaves.

Excerpted from Grill by Jamie Oliver published by Appetite © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2026 Grill). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2026. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.