Summer is here and it’s finally time for a cold beer alongside an unevenly cooked burger, but with a vegan twist…
In years gone by the vegan options at a summer BBQ were a nice salad at best, and a burger bun with ketchup at the absolute worst. But, times are changing. Nowadays vegan and vegetarian options are exciting, plentiful and need to be treated with as much respect as their meaty forefathers.
Here are our tips for smashing the vegan options at your next BBQ…
Burgers and sausages
Plant-based burgers and sausages cook completely differently from meat ones. You might find that putting those Linda McCartney sausages directly onto the grill ends up with your food sticking to the disposable BBQ. One way to avoid this is to cook them in an oven beforehand, adding to the grill for that rustic char that makes you think of summer.
Grab some nice buns, your favourite ketchup or chutney, throw in some cucumber and tomato for texture, and you’ll have deliciously charred veggie burgers. Pro tip: bean burgers don’t tend to work at all on BBQs.
Grilled veg
There are some vegetables that you get away with just shoving on the grill. Brush with oil and/or season if you want, but portobello mushrooms, peppers, and courgette work really well cooked this way. Serve in a sandwich or with some salad.
Tofu kebabs
These are the real vegan BBQ masterpieces. Yes, they’ll require a bit more prep than other options, but it’ll definitely be worth it. You could marinate them however you like, but check out our suggestion below for a good starting point. Just put the kebab items onto skewers in an alternating pattern, then mix up the marinade and leave them in the fridge for at least two hours.
For the kebab:
- Firm tofu cut into 3cm cubes
- Green peppers cut into chunks
- Red onions cut into chunks
For the marinade:
- Sunflower oil
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Veg bouillon
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