Vegetarian Grill & Vegan BBQ Recipe Ideas

It's no secret that when us Brits see the first sign of sunshine the first thing we want to do is cut the grass, light the barbecue and then serve up some delicious, chargrilled delights to our family and friends.

Those used to BBQs of the meaty variety may not realise some of the exceptional options vegans and vegetarians have when it comes to getting the grill out at home.

You may well be asking, What can I grill that's not meat? or What do vegetarians serve at a BBQ?

If you're a vegetarian or vegan you will already have a pretty good idea of what your options are at a BBQ, however if you are looking to cut down your meat intake for health reasons for example, you may not be aware of what options are out there.

It's National Vegetarian Week, and with that in mind it seemed a good time to answer some questions about vegan and vegetarian bbqs, present some product suggestions and share some recipe ideas from our special guest contributor; Stoked BBQ, the only true southern American style vegan BBQ in the U.K.

Situated in the suburb of Westcliff-on-sea, Southend, Stoked regularly sells out of it's one of kind food where the menu changes every 6-8 weeks.

While some people may ask, "what do vegans eat at BBQS?" Stoked are living proof that the sensational, smoky flavours of the grill can be beautifully transferred to Vegan cooking.

What vegetarian food can you cook in a smoker?

A glance down the Stoked BBQ menu well and truly answers the question.

There are a whole host of treats, including Oak and Cherry Smoked Tempeh ribs, Charred BBQ Soya Chick'n Chunks, Seitan Ribs and plenty more main dishes too.

What veg is good on the BBQ?

Stoked's answer: "Corn, its so simple. Just par boil in boiling water then slam it straight over coals. Finish with butter, lots of salt n pepper. Mix up a bit of mayo, chilis puree and lime juice and its even better with that on the side."

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Can you smoke vegan food?

For burgers, burritos, spare ribs and smokehouse flavours, Stoked Vegan BBQ recommends flavour combinations that are "Sweet, savoury, umami and smokey" for an absolute knockout vegetarian and vegan bbq.

As well as their signature burgers, burritos and breads, Stoked have a truly delicious ace up their sleeve with their very own Old fashioned BBQ pit beans; and they've been kind enough to share the recipe for this show stopping side, which will light up any vegan bbq.

Stoked Old fashioned BBQ pit beans

1 x white onion diced, 1 x red pepper diced, 3 x garlic cloves crushed, 1 can baked beans (including sauce), 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed, 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 1 cup bbq sauce, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 2 TBSP mustard, 2 TBSP vegan Worcestershire sauce (Henderson’s relish), 1 tsp black pepper.

Method; Saute the white onion, red pepper and garlic until soft. Add in all other ingredients into an dutch oven or ovenproof sauce pan. Cover with foil and cook on 190c for one hour. Uncover, mix well then cook for another 30 minutes.

Visit Stoked Vegan on Instagram for more delicious vegan delights

BBQS, Grills, Smokers and Pizza Ovens

Cooking at home, outside on a Barbecue, Smoker or Pizza Oven and infusing the smoky flavours of wood or charcoal (or in some cases, both!) really transforms your cooking experience and you'll end up wanting to cook everything on one of the many items in our Outdoor Cooking range.

Buschbeck XL Kamado Barbecue Grill

View the Buschbeck XL Kamado Barbecue Grill

The Buschbeck XL Kamado Barbecue Grill with Pizza Stone delivers not only in grilling, but also smoking your food. Featuring a double skinned high quality ceramic structure it is designed to maintain very stable temperatures for long periods of time, it has a two stage air control damper located at the top of the grill and a second air control damper at the bottom to allow air flow to be easily and precisely controlled.

Hergom Firepit Outdoor Grill

View the Hergom Firepit Outdoor Grill

When not being used to cook up some hot, fresh and tasty food, Firepit from Hergom does exactly what it's name suggests. It offers a warming centrepiece to any outdoor space, for family and friends to sit around and enjoy. Stainless steel side bars and a cast iron grill ring with enamel finish can be attached to create a surface ideal for chargrilling perfectly.

ACR Vita Pizza Oven

View the ACR Vita Pizza Oven

A brand new product that has recently landed on the Direct Stoves Pizza Oven section, the Vita from ACR Stoves is a Pizza Oven that brings a taste of Italy to your home. Designed in Italy, and carefully crafted from top quality materials for that perfect, Italian dining experience. This log fired pizza oven can reach temperatures around 500 degrees in 30 minutes, with its premium insulation helping to retain body heat and a chamotte oven base for the ultimate in authentic crispiness.

Supreme Wood Fired Pizza Oven

View the Supreme Wood Fired Pizza Oven

As well as what its name suggests, the Supreme Wood Fired Pizza Oven is mainly used for cooking up some delicious pizzas outside, however it can be used for plenty more things too. Just take a look at the picture above, which was sent into us by Deana Hunt (Instagram - @newhousenewbeginnings) - she told us:

"We feel it finished our new garden beautifully and we’ve had hours of enjoyment so far. Not just in the summer but in the winter months too. We have also used it for a variety of things not just pizzas - roast potatoes, casseroles and more."

So there you have it! For a big vegetarian cook up outdoors this summer, there is a grill, smoker or oven out there for you to totally transform the way you and your family enjoy food at home!