Vegan BBQ Ideas and Recipes

Recipes and tips for a successful vegan BBQ.

HAVING A VEGAN BBQ

Holding a vegan BBQ yourself is easy and fun.

You don't have to worry about meat near your veggie burgers and you'll find the food you can share is much more colourful and interesting than a standard BBQ.

Preparation is key, but be kind to yourself and offer a selection of shop bought food as well as homemade food. 

You can also encourage your guests to bring a dish or some drinks, then you can concentrate on the food that's to be grilled? 

Much less work and it's fun to see what friends and family will bring.

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GOING TO A BBQ AS A VEGAN

If you are going to someone else's BBQ as a guest and you know it is going to be a meaty affair, speak to your hosts first to let them know you're vegetarian or vegan. I

If they know, it gives them a chance to help and plan. You don't want to embarrass your host by just arriving and expecting there to be options for you.

You could consider take along a portable or disposable BBQ to grill your food on. 

If you do this, you know your food won't be contaminated with meaty juices and you will take pressure of your host, but do let them know you are doing this.

You might also want to take along a few burgers and a side dish. If you take your own, then nobody gets stressed and if there are other options for you to dip into, then that is a bonus.

Lets face it the main point of a BBQ is to spend time with family and friends.

TIPS FOR YOUR NEXT BBQ

1. Start the night before and prepare your sauces, marinades and dressings. Pasta salad and potato salad can also be prepared ahead, but leafy salads should be made on the day.
2. Lighting a BBQ takes time, don't try and rush it. It takes at least half an hour to prepare your BBQ. You can tell when the coals are ready to cook over, as they are white, glowing and ready for cooking
3. Never try to speed the process up!  This is when accidents happen.
4. While the coals are burning start marinading.
5. While the coals are burning soak wooden BBQ skewers in water so they don't burn during cooking.
6. Make sure you have long tongs at the ready. That's one of the best tips.
7. Fill a bucket or basin with ice, then add bottles of beer, wine, water and juice for your guests (or family) so it will be ice cold and ready to drink.
8. Have paper napkins and baby wipes ready for sticky fingers and to mop up spills.
9. Use paper plates and bamboo cutlery to save on the washing up. These are kinder to the planet than plastic.
10. Make up a buffet table so your family or guests can help themselves to sauces, rolls, salads etc, so you can relax and enjoy the BBQ too.

BBQ RECIPES

BBQ BURGERS

A top tip is to freeze homemade burgers before grilling. Less chance of them falling apart. You could also use use a grill basket to grill them without fear of them falling apart.

• 10 Minute Spicy Bean Burgers
• Black Bean, Beet & Brazil Nut Burgers
• Black Bean & Peanut Burgers
• Cajun Spiced Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burgers
• Easy Chickpea and Coriander Patties
• Instant Haggis, Tattie & Neeps Burgers
• Mushroom & Lentil Sliders
• Vegan Seitan Beet Burgers
• Smoked Chilli Bean Burgers
• Smoky Red Pepper & Cheese Bean Burgers
• Spiced Chickpea, Carrot & Coriander Burgers

BBQ COLESLAW 

You can make your coleslaw the day before. The base of the dressing could be vegan mayo, yoghurt or cream.

• Coleslaw with Fresh Herbs
• Tex Mex Coleslaw

BBQ MARINADE & SAUCES

Marinades and sauces can be made ahead of your BBQ. You can freeze them in portions and defrost in the fridge overnight.

• Easy Homemade Chipotle Ketchup
• Homemade Tabdoori Paste
• Red Pepper Sweet Chilli Sauce
• Smutty Sweet Chilli Jam
• Spiced Peanut Butter Marinade

BBQ PASTA SALAD

Pasta salad is a really popular addition to any BBQ. 

It can be made the day before to save prep on the day and remember for the best pasta salad cook the pasta until al dente then rinse under cold water until cold before adding toppings. It will stop the cooking process and you will have firm, glossy pasta for the best salad.

• Best Summer Pasta Salad
• Creamy Chestnut Mushroom & Fresh Herb Pasta Salad
• Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad
• Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad with Olives
• Summer Greek Pasta Salad
• Summer Tomato & Corn Pasta Salad

BBQ POTATO SALAD

We all love potatoes, don't we, so potato salads are a must. Like coleslaw, you can make a dressing from vegan mayo, yoghurt or cream, or even a combination of those.

Remember to season potato salad well and including fresh herbs really perks up the flavour.

You can make these the day before.

• Balti Potatoes
• Creamy Pesto Potato Salad with Baby Corn
• Creamy Vegan Potato Salad

BBQ SALADS

Keep your salads simple. Remember there are other dishes too, so these don't have to be fancy. Grain based salads can be made ahead, but leafy green salads should be made on the day. Offer some dressings too.

• Bulgar, Couscous and Puy Lentil Salad
• Classic Homemade Salsa
• Layered Salad with Pasta
• Mediterranean Couscous Salad

SKEWERS

Cooking kebabs on the BBQ is such fun, you can add a rainbow of vegetables, but also consider adding tofu, falafel or chunks of vegan sausages to them too.

If you are using wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water for half an hour before making your kebabs, so they don't burn on the BBQ.

• Grilled Tandoori Tofu Skewers

BBQ VEGETABLES

Go crazy and try lots of different vegetables on the BBQ. 

You can stuff peppers and large mushrooms and add them straight to the grill, add potatoes in foil, add corn on the cob (check my guide below to cooking it with and without foil), caulflower steaks, whole aubergine and peppers or load up skewers.

• BBQ Grilled Corn (foil or naked corn)
• Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks
• Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms

BBQ DESSERTS

After everyone fills up BBQ goodies and salads, it's nice to finish with something sweet. You could keep it simple with some ice cream or make something a bit more special.

• Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Mousse - made with aquafaba (chickpea water)
• Chocolate Orange Sorbet
• Chocolate & Raspberry Sorbet
• Coffee Ice Cream
• Mango, Rose Wine & Cinnamon Sorbet
• Melon Peach & Red Wine Sorbet
• Pear Sorbet
• Sin-Free Chocolate Mousse
• Traditional Scottish Strawberry Cheesecake
• Vegan No-Bake Oreo & Caramel Cheesecake
• Vegan No-Bake Banoffee Pie Cheesecake
• Vegan Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes
• Vegan Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream (no churn)

BBQ SOFT DRINKS

Make sure you have some soft drinks for children and those who don't want to drink. You could top fruit juice with lemonade or soda water for a refreshing drink, make homemade lemonade or try some of the recipes below.

• Blackberry Apple Slushie
• Fizzy Plum & Apple Smoothie
• Mango & Ginger Mocktail Smoothie
• Oreo Chia Shake
• Pink Mango Smoothie
• Watermelon & Strawberry Iced Smoothie

BBQ COCKTAILS

A chilled cocktail is a delight at a BBQ, although do go easy and have soft drinks available too.

Whip them up in a blender with ice (if you have a power blender) or in a jug with ice.

• Cola Cube Cocktail  
• Cornish Cup Punch
• Green Apple Margarita with Appletiser  
• Frozen POM Orange & Tequiila Cocktail 
• Polish Raspberry Beer 
• Prosecco, Elderflower & Mint Cocktail   
• Purple Stag Cocktail
• Ruby Red Gin Cocktail with Clementine  
• Strawberry & Elderflower Cocktail   
• Strawberry Raspberry & Mint Cider Cooler
• Summer Sip Cocktail   
• Traditional Sangria  

BBQ GUIDES

Check out these guide for more tips and recipes.

• 60 Awesome 4th of July Vegan Picnic Recipes
• Best BBQ Grilled Corn - Foil or No Foil?
• Perfect Vegan BBQ - Tips & Recipes
• Ultimate 4th of July Vegan BBQ

For more vegan BBQ recipes follow my Pinterest Board - Veggie BBQ