Meatless Grilling Can Be Fun Too!

Vegetarian and grilling don’t need to be an oxymoron. Whether you wish to go meatless once in a while, or have vegetarian guests coming to your BBQ party, there are delicious ways of preparing meatless dishes that are tasty and wholesome.

Main Dish

Burgers

A juicy burger is one of the summer’s favourites. Going meatless doesn’t mean resorting to frozen processed patties. I’ve tried countless ways of making a vegan patty using various ingredients; and lentil puree works best in terms of texture and nutrition! One quick note to share is that you need to season homemade patties more aggressively; and using herbs is a wonderful way to add bold flavor (and antioxidants!) If you have never tried making vegan patties yourself, I’d recommend you to try these miso-flavored Vegan Lentil Burgers! All you need is a food processor, that’s it!

Alternately, if you are short on time, a tofu patty is super easy to prepare. At the grocery store, look for “Extra-Firm” or “Pressed” tofu. Some of them are in blocks, some come in thinner patty styles. If it’s block-style, simply slice them into thinner patties. Season or marinade them in sauce in advance before grilling them. They are usually cooked already so don’t take long to grill up.

Fajita or Wraps

An easy and delicious way of making a meatless grilling dish is to make fajita or wraps. Simply cut all ingredients like bell peppers, eggplants, tofu, or seiten into strips. Then grill them up and let your guests assemble themselves!

Sides: Veggies

Simply grill a variety of veggies and let your guests choose their favourites. Vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, eggplants, and summer squash are the usual staples. Other options like whole button mushroom, red onion, grape tomatoes, and pineapple rings are also delicious and easy to handle. Make sure to cut all the vegetables into similar sizes so they all cook evenly at about the same time. Then drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning to fire them up!

To present your veggies in a fun and colorful way, make veggie kabobs! Thread mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers etc onto skewers! Again, cut veggies or simply choose pieces with similar size for even cooking.

Stuffed Veggies

If you have more time and eat dairy, making grilled stuffed veggies is fun and will sure impress your guests! Here is a great meatless option that both kids and adults will surely enjoy. It’s zucchini stuffed with Gouda and parmesan. This can be grilled at the same time as your burgers so it’s easy to include this recipe on your next grilling session! Recipe: Grilled Stuffed Zucchini.

Next Up – Dessert

For dessert, grilled seasonal fruits, such as pineapple, peaches, and nectarines could be an easy option!  If you do have a few minutes to make ahead-of-time, I’d recommend this very unique avocado-lentil dessert recipe. This vegan Avocado & Lentil Chocolate Pudding encompasses both savory and sweet ingredients, and the best part is that it only takes 10 minutes to prepare!

Even if you are newbie to grilling, simply follow this 5 easy steps to grilling. A beginner can turn out impressive and wholesome foods this summer!