Top Vegan BBQ Recipes

Summer is the time for barbecues which in turn can be threatening to a vegan newbie. It is the season for carnivores slapping copious amounts of animal flesh on the grill and filling the warm summer air with smoked family dinners. Thankfully seasoned vegans (such as me) are eager to tell all of you that barbecues do not have to be skipped or even boring.

My husband, aka the Vegan Grill Master, just adores barbecue season. I prep everything in the kitchen and my husband joyfully mans the grill. During our first year being vegan, we shunned the grill and mostly made chopped salads and tofu. Thankfully we cracked our shell and broke out. We absolutely love grilling various mock meats and new creations. Our BBQ recipe index now contains hundreds of recipes but here are a few that we love to make every year.

1. Yukon Gold White Bean Basil Burgers by Mama Pea. This is a new recipe to our recipe catalog but has turned into one of my favorites. Basically the burger mixture combines the all-American potato, inexpensive white beans and basil (which is in abundance throughout the entire summer). It has a creamy center with a crisp crust. It is a recipe that you can make a few times and then transform with your families’ favorite spices and herbs. It is just an amazing recipe from the Peas and Thank-You Website.

2. Ultimate BBQ Tofu by Vegan Dad. Another family favorite that can be made as the original recipe has been written or can be transformed with your families’ favorite flavors. Vegan Dad does an amazing job at finding a good middle ground between parents and children since he tests all his recipes on his children and wife. Not only is the recipe amazing but it is also inexpensive to make and simple to put together.

3. BBQ Seitan Ribz by Fat Free Vegan. I’m not sure if you can officially consider yourself vegan until you have tried at least one of Fat Free Vegan’s recipes. This recipe was created by Fat Free Vegan (Susan) and really hit fame throughout the internet within minutes. It is a recipe that takes vital wheat gluten and creates a mock Ribz dinner that can be tossed on the grill. The ribz have a great taste and takes much less time than the carnivore equivalent that normally takes a few days to prepare before being tossed on the grill. It is easy to put together and everyone will wonder if it is really meat-free or not.

4. Veganized Korean Bulgogi by Genki Kitty. Sometimes you want to stray from traditional American recipes to something with an Asian flavor at the barbecue. What better way to celebrate the BBQ season but with a Korean Barbecue? The recipe has been converted from a traditional Korean recipe into a veganized version. It requires mock Beef strips that you can make at home with Vital Wheat Gluten or purchase pre-made versions from health food stores such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. It is the perfect dinner that is simple, easy and inexpensive.

5. Hearty Barbeque Beans by the Cancer Project. This is a recipe that I feel across for The Fourth of July. In the Midwestern states, barbecue baked beans are commonly seen on the table for BBQ parties. Unfortunately, baked beans usually do contain meat. Thankfully the Cancer Project has created this delicious recipe that involved protein packed beans that also happens to be low-calorie for those needing a little reduction to fit into that skimpy swimming suit. The only “special” ingredient that is hard to find in out stores is Lima beans. We make ours without them but no one noticed the absence of the ingredient. Be sure when you shop for the ingredients to assure that your baked beans are vegan.

6. Creamy Avocado Potato Salad by Isa Chandra. This is another website, along with Isa Chandra’s cookbooks, that I check everyday. She has an out-of-this-world set of taste buds unparalleled to other vegan cookbook authors on the market. This recipe is no different from her other recipes. This recipe has the appearance of traditional potato salad that combines egg and mayonnaise but the vegan version raises the bar for taste. It is a must have side dish for all your barbecue parties this summer.

7. BBQ Pizza by Genki Kitty (http://genkikitty.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/how-to-make-bbq-pizza/) Another tasty grill treat that will have carnivore, vegan, vegetarian, adult, kids and even your furry pets will be drooling at the smell and appearance. It is simple to put together and can be invented with your own ingredients each and every time. What’s best is that it can be made on the grill, so no more standing in the hot kitchen or waiting for the pizza delivery man to arrive.

8. Tempeh BBQ Sandwiches are so easy to put together I am not even going to link a website for to another person’s version. Simply purchase a package of tempeh from your local health food or grocery store and slice it into four squares. Place it on the grill for about two minutes on each side to get that much coveted black grill marks. Spill BBQ sauce over the top and serve on a bun or just on a plate. In under 5 minutes, enjoy!

9. Portobello Burgers are another favorite in our household. Simply take clean, de-stemmed Portobello mushrooms and toss them on the grill. A few minutes on each side is all you need before your burger is complete. You can place the mushroom on a plate of couscous, millet or other pre-cooked grain and it can be a low-calorie BBQ dinner. If you do not mind having a few more calories, go ahead and put the mushroom on a bun with some lettuce, tomato and onion and it can be a full meal.

10. Grilled Vegetables are also so simple to put together and make into a full meal. Toss whole carrots, corn on the cob, full okra and so on the grill. Go to your local farmers’ market and find the freshest ingredients in season and play around with the vegetables to make a meal. If you are a little more daring, go ahead and pour some of your favorite BBQ sauce of the vegetables and make it an extra special treat.