Meatless barbecue exists. As strange as it may seem in a culture of ‘carnivorous’ barbecues like ours, you can succeed with the grill without grilling chops, Moorish kebabs, or blood sausage. Furthermore, a vegetarian barbecue is healthier, more affordable and more inclusive. Suitable for those who voluntarily give up eating meat and fish and a delicious surprise for omnivorous palates.
Vegetarian or vegan barbecue?
Before we start heating the coals, remember that the vegetarian diet only rules out meat, fish and seafood, but can include dairy and/or eggs. That is, we can play with the intensity of the goat cheese or prepare yogurt sauces for dipping. The vegan diet, on the other hand, renounces all foods of animal origin.
Taking these subtle differences into account is important when we have guests over and we don’t want a misunderstanding to lead to embarrassing situations.
Types of foods for vegetarian barbecue
vegetables
If you have ever thought about what to do on the barbecue that is not meat, we give you a wide range of vegetarian alternatives to succeed. “There are three vegetables that never fail: tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. The ideal is to choose them at the point of optimal freshness, that is, shiny, smooth and hydrated. I would also add the mushrooms. For them to be perfect, you have to make sure when purchasing that they do not have brown or blackish parts,” declares Juan Obrero, Category Manager at ALDI.
Zucchini, asparagus, lettuce heads, endives, sweet potatoes and onion (sweet or red) are great roasted in slices. Not to mention the famous calçots, always with their romesco sauce.
There are those who even dare to put cauliflower or broccoli in pieces on the grill. In this case, you have to be proactive and prepare the embers in advance, since it is a thick vegetable that can spend about 40 minutes on the grill.
Finally, potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn on the cob are two basic foods that the little ones especially love.
legumes
The proof that a vegan barbecue can be healthy and surprising is that we can incorporate homemade legume-based burgers as a source of protein. The recipes to make the dough are endless: cooked legumes, rolled oats and carrots with onion sautéed and seasoned with curry; chickpeas, beans or peas with various vegetables… You can prepare them the day before with the help of the chopper and leave them ready in the refrigerator. On the barbecue you will only have to mark them on both sides.
Veggie burgers are also great adding tofu or tahini to the recipe. An excellent alternative to incorporate alternative vegetables into your menu, but also a smart strategy for making useful recipes.
soy and seitan
Swap traditional chicken skewers for textured soy protein or seitan tacos. Add the vegetables you like the most to the skewer: cherry tomatoes, peppers, onion… They can also be prepared in thick slices round and round to achieve a crispy crust on the outside and a tender and juicy interior.
Soy is a high-value protein food, but it is also very allergenic. If you have guests at home, don’t forget to ask beforehand to avoid even cross-contamination.
fruit
Grilled fruit puts a refreshing and innovative finishing touch to any barbecue. The meatier a fruit is, the better. Since barbecues are usually held in summer, take the opportunity to give an original touch with stone fruits, such as peaches, plums or nectarines. You just have to cut them into tacos and thread them on the skewers.
Grilled melon and watermelon also take on very surprising nuances.
Unlike vegetables, fruits should not spend a lot of time on the coals to remain juicy.
Marinades and marinades for a vegetarian barbecue
One way to give an unusual touch to the ingredients of your barbecue for vegetarians is to marinate the vegetables. The key to making it work is not to overload the vegetables with the marinade so as not to mask the natural flavor of the ingredients.
These are just some ideas:
- Marinated with garlic and lemon
- Soy sauce with sesame
- Yogurt, cumin and lemon juice
- Olive oil, lime juice and cayenne.
Aromatic herbs and spices
Whether we make a vegetarian or vegan barbecue or the classic one with meat or fish, aromatic herbs and spices cannot be missing.
Among the former, thyme, basil, rosemary and oregano provide a delicious country touch, all the better if they are fresh.
As for spices, in addition to pepper, it is a good time to explore all the possibilities of turmeric, curry and, depending on the spiciness tolerance of the diners, cayenne and chillies.
Garnishes and accompaniments for vegetarian barbecue
An appetizer that never fails in any self-respecting barbecue is guacamole. “To make sure that the avocados are ready, we will apply light pressure to the part of the peduncle or button (narrowed upper part). If it is hard, it will take a few days before consumption, if it yields as if it were cream, the avocado will be stale. Another expert fruit grower’s trick is to look at the color of the skin: if it is light green or bright intense, in general, the avocado is underripe. If it is blackish or very intense brown, it may be stale,” he explains. Juan ObreraCategory Manager at ALDI.
Some sliced tomatoes with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil, they are another easy-to-prepare and healthy appetizer.
Without forgetting the humus to disappear. It can be made from chickpeas, lentils or beans. You can also play with colors by adding turmeric to make them more yellow, beet to provide a maroon tone or parsley to leave them green.
Sauces: the more natural the better
There are a lot of healthy and easy sauces to prepare at home. Those are just some ideas:
- Yogurt sauces with spices
- Lemon juice, garlic and olive oil
- pesto
- Mango, lime and chili sauce
- Tomato sauce, basil and olive oil
Barbecue sauce is vegan, but don’t forget that commercial versions of the sauces are often high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.
Vegetarian barbecue recipes: original and tasty ideas
Vegetable and seitan or tofu skewers. Cut the vegetables into cubes of similar size.
Grilled corn cobs. Brush with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil and leave on the grill for about 15 minutes, turning frequently so that they grill evenly.
Montaditos with vegetable base. For this peculiar vegetarian version we only need roasted eggplant slices. As soon as you take them out and taking advantage of the fact that they are still hot, put goat cheese, Parmesan flakes or whatever cheese you like the most on top.
Eggplant and ricotta rolls. After roasting the sliced eggplants, put the ricotta cheese and roll up. Secure with a toothpick so it doesn’t come apart.
The ALDI Council
To make a barbecue even healthier, season with extra virgin olive oil and reduce the added salt.
Juan Obrera. Agronomist and Category Manager F&V ALDI SPAIN. Previously, he was Key Account Manager Export – Agromediterránea, responsible for F&V and commercial purchasing at Grupo AN, and F&V Quality Control technician – Just Quality Systems (Netherlands).
