Grill It, Thrill It: Elevating Vegetarian Options on the BBQ

The smell of charcoal, the tell-tale white smoke, and the sizzle of a grill will tantalise your senses with delight as you attend and enjoy this summer’s BBQ festivities. For those out there who do not enjoy or choose to abstain from eating meat and choose to live the vegetarian life, their BBQ plates do not, and should not be a collection of veggies and dips, or sides from the BBQ table. Grilling vegetarian dishes is a simple and exciting way to add extra flavour and variety to your summer cooking extravaganza.

Grilled Vegetarian Delights

Kirsty from The Garden Living Company says “When it comes to grilling vegetarian dishes, there are nearly endless avenues to provide delicious, mouth-watering meals that could rival any animal protein. What type of dishes can you grill to elevate the dining experience of the vegetarians at your BBQ?”

• Vegetarian Burgers

            Where to begin? There are so many wonderful options to choose from that it can be hard to decide where to start. Here are 5 of the best vegetarian burgers for your vegetarian friends.

1. Mushroom Burger: Whether you choose to use a king oyster mushroom or a juicy portabella, marinating a mushroom of that calibre with a vinaigrette and giving it a beautiful sear will give your guests a meaty, filling vegetarian burger that they will be talking about for weeks.
2. Black Bean Burger: Black bean burgers have the perfect texture and are a wonderful canvas for your best spice mix, providing vegetarians with a burger that would rival any animal protein burger at your BBQ.
3. Lentil Burger: Lentils make a burger patty similar to black beans, but lighter. They can be spiced any way you desire and can be a showstopper at your backyard BBQ.
4. Beyond Burger: The perfect replacement for a beef burger, Beyond Burger provides all of the delicious texture and flavour of beef but without animal protein.
5. Grilled Beet Burger: Grilled beets are somewhat sweet but with the right seasoning and the right sear, they make an amazing burger patty.

• Vegetarian Steaks

When people think of steak, they typically think of beef but for the vegetarian crowd, there are many other options to soothe their BBQ cravings. What kind of steaks can you cook for your vegetarian brethren?

1. Tofu Steaks: Tofu makes a great steak as it initially has a very light flavour that can be enhanced with spices, marinades and sauces. It also boasts a unique texture that works well on the grill.
2. Portabella/ King Oyster Mushroom Steak: These mushrooms are perfect as a stand-alone dish because of how well they can handle the heat of the grill and the way in which they absorb seasonings.

• Grilled Desserts

Grilled vegetarian desserts? Absolutely! Sweet fruits, such as pineapple and apples, can be charred beautifully and served with a refreshing creme fraiche to cap a fantastic meal with an even better dessert.

The Thrill of Grilling Vegetarian

Vegetarians around the globe are enjoying some of the most succulent and delicious BBQ’d food this summer. Are you going to join them? Take these ideas and make them your own to add a little extra variety and excitement at your BBQ this year.