How To Throw A Vegetarian BBQ has 30+ vegetarian recipes and tips to help you throw your next Vegetarian BBQ!

Last weekend, we had a lovely BBQ with some of our closest friends with so delicious food & much needed downtime. Two of our friends are slowly transitioning into vegetarian lifestyle so I volunteered enthusiastically to bring  vegetarian dish and make a blog post about it because vegetarian BBQ is totally a thing. I am not vegetarian (or plan on becoming one) but I love plant-based foods equally. While vegetarianism is on the rise, there is still a lot of hesitation and unawareness about plant-based options that are out there. I hope this post on “How To Throw A Vegetarian BBQ” will help you host your vegetarian guests, friends, and families. I have complied 30+ recipes to include main dishes, sides,  salads, desserts, and drinks + tips to make your next vegetarian BBQ a blast.

HAVE A PLAN : This is so obvious but it is a key to have everything go well. Make sure you know give adequate notice, have an idea on how many guests, their diet preferences (and how strictly they observe it), and if it’s a potluck vs. a party. If it is a potluck, have a signup sheet or some sort of a system to keep everyone on the same page on who’s bringing what. You clearly don’t want to end up with 5 bags of chips, 3 salsa, but no plates or cups. With proper planning and knowing your guests, a vegetarian BBQ doesn’t have to be all vegetarian either.

MIX & MATCH FOOD OPTIONS : A vegetarian BBQ doesn’t mean just grilled veggies. There are quite a few options out there for burgers, hot dogs, grilled portobello mushrooms, eggplants, and vegetarian kebabs to name a few. Once the entree is decided, have your sides planned, more variety the better it is! It is best to have sides that can be served at room temperature or cold so it doesn’t have to reheated.

Vegetarian BBQ Friendly Entree

Paneer Veggie Kebabs (marinate paneer cubed in garlic/ginger paste, lemon juice, garam masala)

Quinoa Beet Burger via C It Nutritionally

Pizza on the Grillvia Mom’s Kitchen Handbook

Black Bean Veggie Burgervia Peas and Crayons

Vegan Carrot Dogs with Spiralized Toppings via Inspiralized

Southwestern Bean & Corn Burgers via How to Eat

Perfectly Grilled Tofuvia Serious Eats

Quinoa Crusted Eggplant Chickpea Patties via The Delicious Crescent

Top Grilling Tips for Fruits & Veggies via Food, Family Fiesta

We had Lightlife Veggie Hot Dogs & P Terry’s Vegan Burgers, both were pretty good!

**Ask your guests if they are okay or not if it’s okay to share the same grill with non-vegetarian items. If not, you can first do the vegetarian ones and keep it warm**. 

Vegetarian BBQ Friendly Sides

Cannellini Bean Salad with Basil & Sun-Dried Tomatoes via Food, Pleasure, and Health

Herb Creme Fraiche via Mom’s Kitchen Handbook

Cheesy Refried Bean Dip via Rachel Cooks

Healthy Dill Potato Salad via Lively Table

Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad with Peanut Dressing via Spicy RD Nutrition

7 Layer Mediterranean Dip via Kiss in the Kitchen

Smashed Cucumber Salad via Food, Pleasure, and Health

Whole Wheat Spinach Mac n Cheese via Krolls Korner

Grilled Avocados Stuffed with Corn & Black Bean Salsa via nutritioulicious

Quinoa Tabbouleh via Katie Cavuto RD

Hemp Hummus via Triad to Wellness

Easy Pineapple Salsa via The Petite Cook

Samosa Bitesvia Food, Pleasure, and Health

Grilled Curry Stuffed Avocados via Grateful Grazer

Creamy Spring Pea Guacamole via One Hungry Bunny

Roasted Asparagus with Tzatziki Dressing via The Lemon Bowl

**Make sure there are plenty of potato chips, pita chips, and other delicious vehicles available to munch on**

Desserts

Honey Lime Mango Fruit Salad via Marisa Moore Nutrition

Grilled Stone Fruit with Honey Lemon Yogurt Sauce via nutritioulicious

Blueberry Watermelon Shaved Ice via 80 Twenty Nutrition

Mango Lassi Popsicles via Food, Pleasure, and Health

Fruit Burger via Perspective Portions

Grilled Fruit Recipes via Abbeys Kitchen

Sikarni (whipped yogurt with cardamom) via Food, Pleasure, and Health

**Store-bought desserts such as brownies and cookies are always a major hit and they withstand heat pretty well**. 

Drinks

Peach Green Tea via Nourished Simply

Bramble Cocktail via The Petit Cook

Cucumber Mint Chia Fresca via Food, Pleasure, and Health

Triple Berry Wine Slushiesvia The Cotter Crunch

Watermelon Strawberry Pomegranate Margarita via Kiss in the Kitchen

Ruby Redbird Summer Shandy via The Lively Table

KNOW YOUR FOOD SAFETY: Bacteria in food multiply faster at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F so be extra careful in warm weather to prevent food borne illnesses. Always wash your hands prior to touching the food, do not cross contaminate meatless food with raw meat esp with knife and chopping board, and eat hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

How to BBQ Safely (great information)

SUPPLIES: Depending on the recipes, make sure you have adequate tongs, spatula, aluminum foil, and supplies for the grill (like gas, charcoal etc). Extra cutting board, knifes, and serving utensils always come handy, trust me.

• It is always helpful to have separate coolers for food and drinks, adequate ice separately with a scoop please!

• Paper plates, napkins, plasticware, cups, paper towels, and trash bags.

• Condiments such as ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, and lemon, and other accompaniments for burger, hot dogs.

• To-go containers or tupperware for the extra food for guests to take home.

I hope these vegetarian-friendly recipes & tips will help you plan your next BBQ and have a great time with your friends and families this Summer. If you have any other tips or ideas, please let me know so I can add to the list.