If the extent of your plant-based BBQ cooking is hopping off your rattan garden furniture and hastily throwing a few vegetarian sausages on the grill when you realise you have guests who don’t eat meat, you might be ready to widen your culinary horizons.
Vegetable steaks
Cauliflower and butternut squash sliced into thick steaks can be fabulous carriers of flavours, and can be cooked directly on an oiled grill. Delicious when simply seasoned with black pepper and salt, marinating the steaks takes them to another level.
For a spicy version, combine two tbsp of olive oil, one tsp of smoked paprika, one tsp of chilli powder, one tsp of brown sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice and two tsp of chopped garlic. Marinate the steaks for at least an hour in the fridge before cooking. Transfer any remaining marinade to a bowl, and brush the steaks regularly while cooking to intensify the flavour.
Baked sweet potatoes
Quicker to cook than ordinary potatoes, sweet potatoes wrapped in foil sit nicely on the BBQ and can cook while you grill other foods. Serve with sour cream, chopped chives and a sprinkle of parsley. For an even speedier version, slice into wedges and cook directly on the grill, making sure the sweet potatoes are well seasoned and chunky enough to retain their shape.
Halloumi kebabs
Halloumi is perfect for grilling and makes a great main course when threaded on a skewer with equal-sized pieces of red onion, green pepper, whole mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Again, brushing with a flavoured oil will ramp up the flavour and elevate this dish.
A meat-free BBQ doesn’t have to be free of flavour with these delicious recipes up your sleeve!