How to Throw an Epic Vegetarian BBQ (Plus 8 Recipes)

Learn how to host an epic vegetarian BBQ this summer with 8 delicious recipes and my recommendation for the best plant-based burger! Thank you Beyond Meat for sponsoring this post. Try The Beyond Burger today! The Future of Protein. Made from Plants.

Are you an omnivore or a carnivore?

Either way, I think everyone can benefit from more plant-based meals in their life. And what better time to do that than the summer?

Summer, to me, is all about fresh produce, lighter and healthier eats, and grilling anything and everything possible.

I recently discovered my new favorite plant-based burgers, which I will share with you below, in addition to 8 of my favorite vegetarian side dishes, salads, and desserts to include in a vegetarian BBQ or summer get-together.

Here are my tips for throwing an epic vegetarian BBQ:

1. Serve The Beyond Burger from Beyond Meat. Trust me. (More on that below!) It’s great on the grill! There are a lot of different types of grills so it’s important you get the right one for this dish.
2. Keep it simple. Shop your local farmers market to pick up fresh fruit and veggies and let the produce shine.
3. Get creative. Create a side dish or recipe that’s just a little unexpected, like grilled watermelon or a salad dressed with a grilled lemon vinaigrette. (Recipes below.)
4. Think beyond the corn. What other vegetarian goodies can you grill up? Think: grilled halloumi cheese (yum), grilled pineapple or other fruits, charred cauliflower steaks, grilled romaine for your salad, and fun skewers.
5. Check out current trends. There are always so many new things happening in the plant-based food world. Try your hand at something new like Carrot Hot Dogs, grilled pizzas, or grilled zucchini roll-ups.
6. Keep it lighter. Take the opportunity to create some healthier dishes. Make potato salad sans mayo and swap it for a tasty vinaigrette or create a healthier version of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad using protein-packed Greek yogurt (both recipes below).
7. Save room for dessert. Consider taking the time to create a special dessert, like seasonal fruit-focused hand pies or fudgy coconut brownies. Keep dessert hand-held and individual to keep things casual (and for less dishes/easy clean-up).

Now, let’s learn about my favorite plant-based burger, and get cooking!

Click on the tag in the above image to download a coupon valid for $1 off The Beyond Burger!

The Beyond Burger is the best plant-based protein I have ever had, hands down. It’s so comparable to meat that it’s actually sold in the meat case of over 7,000 grocery stores nationwide.

I love this burger for many reasons. Here’s a few:

• Amazing texture. It makes the carnivores and omnivores in my life both happy, which is difficult to do. Heck, the inside of it even stays red (thanks to beet juice) to mimic the look of a perfectly cooked medium burger.
• Cooks up nicely. Whether I’m grilling or cooking this burger in a pan, it keeps its shape and it never falls apart or crumbles.
• Makes for a very tasty burger. As a meat-eater, I would be absolutely fine with swapping my red meat burger for this plant-based protein. I actually prefer it now, for the reasons I’ll list below.
• Quality ingredients, not fillers. The Beyond Burger is made with non-GMO ingredients and contains no soy or gluten.
• Protein, protein, protein. This plant-based burger actually has more protein than a beef burger by weight. With 20g of protein per patty, I’m in.
• Less of the bad stuff and more of the good stuff. The Beyond Burger has more iron and less fat and cholesterol compared to a beef burger.

This is why I love this burger, and why it makes for one epic vegetarian BBQ.

From experience, I know that you’ll make both the vegetarians and meat-eaters in your life happy if you serve The Beyond Burger as the feature of your next summer gathering.

Now what to pair it with? I’ve highlighted my favorite warm-weather plant-based dishes for an epic vegetarian BBQ below, from pasta salad to grilled fruit to dessert.

8 Recipes to Throw an Epic Vegetarian BBQ

Grilled Watermelon Salad

This recipe imparts a smoky flavor to sweet, ripe watermelon by lightly charring it and pairs it with a punchy pesto made from arugula, fresh mint, and pine nuts.

Roasted Fennel and Feta Pasta Salad

Take your typical pasta salad next-level with the addition of roasted, caramelized fennel. This pasta salad is packed with cherry tomatoes, marinated artichokes, roasted peppers, olives, salty feta, and fresh herbs.

Grilled Lemon Chickpea Salad with Pickled Shallots

Charring lemons give the dressing to this summer salad a whole new depth. This grilled lemon chickpea salad is the perfect BBQ accompaniment, loaded with fresh vegetables, pickled shallots, protein-packed garbanzo beans, and bright citrus.

Caramelized Goat Cheese and Strawberry Salad

Looking for an easy but impressive salad to showcase those summer strawberries? Try this fresh spinach and watercress salad. The show-stopper is the caramelized goat cheese on top.

Mango, Corn and Black Bean Salad

This fruity side salad is the perfect addition to any vegetarian BBQ. It’s sweet, savory, and smoky—laced with grilled corn, crunchy jicama, fresh lime, and creamy avocado.

Healthier Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

The slightly sweet, slightly tangy flavor of Hawaiian macaroni salad is addictive. Here, we lighten up this dish but keep it creamy with the addition of Greek yogurt and crème fraîche.

Purple Potato Salad with Fiddlehead Ferns

This bright purple potato salad looks as pretty as it is delicious. Keep the eggs out of this salad and it’s completely vegan. The fiddlehead ferns offer a lovely crunch—but if you can’t find them, asparagus will do.

Red Berry Rhubarb Hand Pies

Of course, we can’t leave out dessert. No BBQ should be without pie, in our humble opinion. We recommend these individual hand pies, laced with rhubarb, raspberries, strawberries, vanilla bean, and citrus.

We hope that you enjoyed this post on How to Host an Epic Vegetarian BBQ! What are your favorite plant-based summer recipes? Let us know in the comments below, and make sure you grab your coupon for The Beyond Burger!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.