Vegetarian BBQ Ideas

Cookout Vegetarian Recipes

I love a summer celebration in our yard, and I want to share some of my favorite vegetarian bbq ideas and cookout recipes. Most of us think only about meat on the grill for a barbecue, so I am excited to share these delicious vegetarian grill recipes with you.

If you have been spending more time at home and less time going out, you may want to find some new and create vegetarian cookout recipes!

Why Want More Vegetarian BBQ Ideas for Grilling?

Here are some great reasons to plan more vegetarian cookout recipes for your BBQ menu rotation!

• You may have guests come to your BBQ who eat vegetarian, and as a result, you want to make them feel welcome and brilliant with your knowledge of what vegetarian cookout recipes you can prepare on your grill!
  
• In addition, more research shows the benefits of a plant-based diet. If you want to know more about this, check out https://vineripenutrition.com/create-a-plant-based-diet-you-actually-love/
  
• Vegetables and fruits prepared on the grill are delicious, and if you don’t prepare some when you light up the grill, you are missing an abundance of flavor and nutrition.
  
• Charred meat may have health risks. Check out the National Cancer Institute’s Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperature and Cancer Risk https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cooked-meats-fact-sheet

Cooking More at Home More Important than Ever

This summer, I am looking forward “Summering at Home”. For instance, I want to explore new recipes and create an atmosphere where I can relax and enjoy being at home.

Here are a few great reasons:

• I can eat healthier and more economically at home than I can out most of the time, and it can be prepared exactly how I want.
  
• Learning to prepare our food without relying on others is an important life skill that we all need.
  
• It is fun to create an inviting atmosphere in my own space. Above all, it can be relaxing and enjoyable. For instance, try making some new “tablescapes” and enticing ways to serve food. (I also found new books with creative outlets like gardening and sewing and visited family and friends via phone, text, and online.) Have you ever had a dinner party or sipped a glass of wine or a fresh fruit mocktail with friends virtually, even when you are far away? It can be fun.
  
• Furthermore, discovering new things to keep things fresh, new, and amazing, including new recipes, is fun.

Cookout Vegetarian Recipes and Menu Ideas

Some great things to make for vegetarian options include :

• Grilled potato salad
• Pasta salad
• Veggie Burgers
• Caprese pasta salad
• And don’t forget a vegetarian side dish like grilled potatoes
• You can grill corn or grill asparagus, too!

I hope you love these three themed vegetarian BBQ ideas and that you make them throughout the summer. The recipes are included below!

Pizza Party on the Grill Menu

• Grilled (or Oven Roasted) Okra Fries
• Tomato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza
• Strawberry Sherbet
• Orange Missouri Mules

Summer Fiesta on the Grill

• Spinach Artichoke Nachos
• Sweet Potato Squash Corn and Black Bean Tacos
• Pico de Gallo and Fixings
• Grilled Tofu Fajitas
• Grilled Fruit S’mores
• Wild Blueberry Sangria

Old Fashioned Southern Barbecue With a Vegetarian Twist

• Pimento Cheese Pinwheels
• Barbecue Tempeh Open-Faced Sandwich with Slaw
• Southwestern Potato Salad
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
• Lavender Blueberry Lemonade

Vegetarian BBQ Recipe Ideas

Finally, here are the vegetarian cookout recipes for all the menu ideas that I shared!

Here are some Summer Pizza Party Ideas for the Grill recipes.

Grilled (or Oven Roasted) Okra Fries

Although okra fries are not on a grilled pizza, they are a great appetizer before the pizzas are ready.

If you have never made okra fries, you are missing out on something delicious to make this summer. To grill or roast in your oven?

So, if you don’t want to use your oven in the summer, adapt my recipe and make it on the grill. But if your grill space is a premium and you have two cooks, one inside cooking the fries and doing the essential behind the scenes, and a chef at the grill, give them a break and bring them out some okra fries. Check out my recipe in my blog on okra below with Chris Smith.

The two dips to serve with the okra fries are also delicious! To grill the fries, here are some nice directions on how http://www.myvegtableblog.com/inspiration/okra-roasted-tomato-stew/

Grilled Pizza

Try chopped broccoli, walnuts, sundried tomatoes, and red onion as an alternative to the Tomato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza. (use green onion and adapt ingredients to your food tolerances with IBS)

Tomato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza

Pizza Crust

The first thing you do is to make the pizza crust, my husband has perfected the pizza crust and I am sharing his secret recipe from my book  Farm Fresh Nutrition This book has several really good pizza topping ideas that you will want to have!

 To Grill Pizza Crust

Make pizza crust according to the recipe and allow it to rise for at least 15 minutes.

Make sure that you have all the toppings ready and near the grill.

Toss or Roll it out and lay it on a pizza pan that has parchment or wax paper.

We have a pizza wok and add the crust directly to the grill. If you don’t have one, here would work well for you: Barbeque Grill Wok. Grease it well before adding the pizza crust.

Heat barbeque whether gas grill or charcoal. If you are using charcoal, make sure the grill is medium heat not too hot or you will burn the pizza crust.

Grilled Pizza Directions Continued

Place the crust on the grill and shut the lid.

Allow it to cook for a few minutes.

Use a spatula to check and see if the crust is slightly brown.

Take to spatulas and take care to flip it over.

Add toppings of your choice and let them cook over the grill.

For this pizza, I used homemade 1/4-1/3 cup pesto sauce, one medium chopped vine-ripe tomato, 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1 bunch garden arugula, and a large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese.

I add the arugula as a salad on top of the pizza at the end just before serving. I toss it with 1/2 squeezed lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, pepper to taste and 1-2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese.

This sherbet should be one of your delicious dessert recipes. No ice cream maker is needed to make this tasty recipe—just blend, freeze, and serve! It tastes especially delicious in my grandmother’s dessert dishes. Try making it with other berries and peaches depending on the seasons! I made it from local strawberries in my freezer!

Strawberry Sherbet

2 cups strawberries (The recipe works best with slightly frozen or thawed berries. I used the last of my frozen berries from last year)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup low-fat milk

2 cups Greek yogurt

One teaspoon vanilla

One pinch of salt, optional

Add strawberries to the blender and puree.

Mix well with sugar, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and Greek yogurt.

Place in a shallow bowl and let freeze until firm.

Take an ice cream scoop and scoop it up into your favorite dessert bowl. Top with a local, fresh berry! This same recipe would make some great popsicles, too. Makes eight servings, 1/2 cup each.

Orange Missouri Mules

These ginger beer and fresh orange juice mocktails are refreshing and will knock your socks off!  … Continue reading

Southwestern Menu on the Grill

Spinach Artichoke Nachos

Sweet Potato, Summer Squash, Corn and Bean Tacos

This recipe is a farm-to-table feast! You can change this recipe depending on what season is available. It would be great to substitute tomato or eggplant! These vegetables were prepared on the grill, but you can saute or roast them on a rainy or cold day!

Makes four servings

One medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed

One small onion, peeled and cubed (can use green onion if following low fodmap diet)

One zucchini, peeled and cubed

One yellow squash peeled and cubed

One corn on the cob, husked but left on the cob (corn is not low fodmap)

One can of black beans, rinsed and  drained (use garbanzo beans or lentils if following low fodmap)

Enough olive oil to coat vegetables to grill

One clove of garlic minced (skip if following low fodmap)

One teaspoon freshly ground cumin

One teaspoon chili powder (choose the kind without onion or garlic if following low fodmap)

Salt and pepper to taste

Lime juice, if desired

One pack of corn tortillas

Barbeque Grill Wok

Heat the barbeque grill. Prepare vegetables along with pico de gallo and taco fixins. Place vegetables in separate bowls and toss them lightly in oil. Begin grilling with sweet potatoes. Add them to the wok and let them get slightly soft, then add onions. Place corn on the grill, turning every few minutes.

Toss the onions and sweet potatoes around gently until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the squash, seasonings, and garlic. Cook until the squash is slightly soft. Remove the squash from the grill and place it in a large bowl. Take the cooled corn off the cob and add it to the bowl along with the drained beans.

Heat tortillas lightly in the microwave or on the grill. Add warm tortillas to plates, then add grilled vegetables, fixins, and pico de gallo (see recipe below).

Pico de Gallo

One medium to large tomato, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped (substitute green onion if following low fodmap)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

One clove garlic minced (skip if on the low fodmap diet or use garlic oil)

1/2-1 chopped jalapeno, depending on heat tolerance

One lime, squeezed

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. It is best to let it sit for at least 30 minutes or an hour.

Taco and Fajita Fixings

Toppings that went well with these tacos included cilantro, cabbage, cheese, and avocado.

Tofu Fajitas on the Grill

Try using tofu, tempeh, or another protein alternative like plant meat extra firm sliced into ¼ inch slices, cutting it along the wide part of the block instead of slicing the long ways

Juice from one lime

One teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder (if following low fodmap, use one without the onions or garlic).

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Sliced green and red peppers (stick with 1/2 cup per person if you have IBS)

One onion sliced (or substitute the greens of scallions to make it low in oligios)

One small zucchini or yellow pepper or add them both

One clove of garlic minced (or use garlic oil if you are sensitive to the garlic)

Olive oil

Fixins: chopped tomatoes, chopped avocados or guacamole, shredded cheese, and lettuce (if you are sensitive to the polyols in avocado, use about a 1/8 of one)

Light up the barbeque grill and get it ready. Toss all vegetables in a small amount of oil in a large bowl. Mix lime juice, one tablespoon of olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl, and marinate tofu in the mixture. In a wok made for the barbeque grill or cast iron skillet, cook vegetables over the fire until they brown and caramelize.

Add the tofu and cook until slightly crisp and brown.

Pour the remaining marinade over the top and let the flavor go through. Remove the vegetable mixture from the grill and serve in warmed tortillas with all the fixings.

You can add lots of healthy vegetables to your fajitas that taste great!

Grilled Fruit on the Grill

Grilled Fruit S’mores

BBQ Fruit Skewers Who doesn’t love a s’more in the summer? But I have to tell you, the marshmallows are just gooey and that sticky sugar gets on my hands and face. Some people may love the toasted marshmallow the best but the best part of the s’more for me is the melted chocolate. The … Continue reading

Festive Wild Blueberry Sangria

My dear friend Bobbi shared a version of this recipe below.

Here are the recipes for Old Fashioned Southern BBQ with a Vegetarian Twist

Barbecue Tempeh Open-Faced Sandwich with Slaw

For this vegetarian BBQ sandwich, skip the bun and serve your barbecue sandwich on grilled bread or perhaps even a lettuce leaf! You can make your bread gluten-free or use an old-fashioned sourdough to make a low fodmap sandwich!

Makes six servings

2 (8-ounce) packages of tempeh (I love our local Smiling Hara Hempeh, and their Raspberry Habanero Flavor would work well instead of my barbecue sauce)

One recipe of Homemade Barbecue Sauce

One recipe of Summer Cabbage Slaw Recipe (below)

Six slices sourdough bread

Olive oil

Garnish with cilantro sprig and slivered carrot if desired

Cut tempeh into 1/4 thick pieces by cutting it across the shorter end. Lightly brush with olive oil. Place on BBQ grill for a few minutes and then until lightly browned. Lightly grill both of the bread. Pour warm homemade barbecue sauce over browned tempeh. To serve sandwiches, add warm tempeh with sauce over the bread. Top the tempeh with the cabbage slaw. Garnish as desired. Below is my barbecue sauce.

Barbecue Sauce Ideas for Your Meal

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Many barbecue sauces are available on the market, and sauce recipes are full of sugar and salt but often have very little flavor. This sauce has a little kick, but it tastes delicious. If desired, you can tone down the spice or use one of your favorites that doesn’t use excessive sugar or salt. This recipe makes a fodmap-friendly BBQ sauce.

If you are wanting to purchase a low fodmap BBQ sauce, try this Fody one: https://www.fodyfoods.com/products/low-fodmap-bbq-sauce?msclkid=5968de69744b147cf8c9809ae7163b75&utm_campaign=FODY_Bing_USA_Shopping&utm_content=Ad%20group%20%231&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=4575617642058493

Two teaspoons canola oil (or if you like the garlic flavor, use garlic oil for a low fodmap sauce

1/4 cup chopped green onion

One tablespoon paprika

One tablespoon chili powder (without garlic or onion if following a low fodmap diet)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons of your favorite mustard (I like a seedy mustard without garlic or onion

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

16-ounce tomato sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce, saute’ onion until it becomes soft. Add garlic, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and sugar until blended well, and then add mustard, vinegar, and tomato sauce. Simmer on low for 30 minutes

Summer Cabbage Slaw

This simple slaw will taste great with any meal. Have this recipe on hand!

Makes 6-8 servings

3 cups of cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded

1/2 cup carrot sticks

1/3 cup green onions

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup vinegar

One tablespoon sugar

One tablespoon mayonnaise (if desired a little creamy)

Salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice or shred cabbage.

Toss the ingredients together and let set for a few hours if desired.

Southwestern Potato Salad

This recipe below makes the best potato salad!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Lavender Blueberry Lemonade

You can find the recipes for my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and Lavender Blueberry Lemonade which are included below in my Festive Spring Brunch Menu post!

BBQ Ideas for Vegetarians

In conclusion, I hope these vegetarian BBQ and menu ideas make your summer party planning more fun and easier! As a registered dietitian nutritionist living in Asheville, North Carolina, I love helping my family, friends, and clients find joy in eating again by finding lots of new things they will love.

I am so glad you stopped by to read this post. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to pass it along with your friends!