The sun is out which can only mean one thing… it’s BBQ Time! Us Brits love a BBQ or two when the weather is hot! Is it even summer without one? But with more and more of us turning to a plant based diet, we’ve come a long way from just a burger and hot dog…
We’ve rounded up some of the best vegan BBQ foods for you to try this summer, whether you’re vegan yourself, accommodating for guests or simply want some yummy veggie goodness. This includes gorgeous grilled vegetables, tasty salads and great vegan alternatives to the classic BBQ foods that you love.
Warning, your belly is sure to rumble after this…
Potato salad is a must have for any BBQ! We’ve got some good news for our vegan or dairy-free friends as you can dive right into this summer staple by simply using vegan mayonnaise. You can then begin flavouring it to your taste with mustard or paprika, a bit of olive oil, parsley and chives. Delicious!
To really impress your guests, why not make a sweet potato salad? By using the same ingredients as above, but switching those potatoes out for the amazingly sweet kind, you can create the best vegan potato salad EVER.
Is there anything better than freshly chopped vegetables all mixed together in a heavenly creamy sauce? We didn’t think so. That’s why we’ve found a vegan alternative to this dreamy BBQ accompaniment so that everyone can get a taste.
The trick is in that coleslaw dressing. To make it vegan friendly you will need some essential ingredients like:
Mix that all together with crunchy veg like carrots and red cabbage and you’ve got yourself the ultimate vegan slaw.
Now for something simple, but packed with flavour, the humble veggie kebab! There isn’t so much a recipe for this yummy vegan BBQ food, as the great thing about them is that you can build them yourself. All you need is some skewers and an array of fresh vegetables and you’re good to go.
You could even make an activity out of it where family and friends can build their own, so that everyone gets a personalised kebab full of the ingredients they love. This could be juicy mushrooms, sweet peppers, red onion, grilled courgettes, whatever tickles your fancy!
Serve with gluten free pita bread and vegan tahini sauce for the ultimate flavour combo.
You can’t have a BBQ without a burger and what better than a hearty, plant based chickpea burger. Made with a blend of nutritious chickpeas, corn, carrot, onions, herbs, turmeric and cumin, you can have great fun molding these natural ingredients into delicious burger patties.
To top it all off use a garnish of your choice, like lettuce, tomatoes or a gorgeous sauce and place between two gluten free buns, for a healthy burger alternative that vegans and non vegans alike will enjoy.
For another chickpea delight, treat yourself to some scrumptious couscous. All you need to do is cook the couscous in some water, then bring it to life with ingredients of your choosing.
Every nationality has their own special twist to make their couscous the best. You could make Moroccan couscous that’s bursting with spices like turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and coriander, a Mediterranean couscous with beautiful veggies and zesty lemon or Israeli couscous which is a little bit bigger and softer than your average wholegrain.
Whatever you may add to it, couscous is a great, healthy carb that’s packed full of vital vitamins which is not only good for you but tastes great!
There’s only one way to finish off our list of vegan BBQ food and that’s with a side salad. We know what you’re thinking, surely all salad is vegan? But here at Nakd, we go above and beyond to make sure all our food is for everyone, so we’ve found some tasty vegan friendly versions of typically non vegan salads…
A vegan pasta salad is a great way to bulk up your BBQ as it’s easy to make, moreish and super satisfying! All you need is the pasta of your choice (can be wheat-free pasta), veggies like sun-dried tomatoes and a simple dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon, garlic and herbs. It’s like Italy in your back garden!
Lastly, we all like a Caesar salad so you’ll be happy to know that you can make a vegan Caesar dressing by recreating the flavours you love, using plant based ingredients. By mixing capers, lemon, maple syrup, olive oil, garlic and either houmous or vegan mayo, you can whip up a batch in no time. If that fails, you can always pop to the shops and buy a bottle ready made (we won’t tell).
There we have it, some mouthwatering vegan BBQ food for you to cook up this summer. Be sure to tag us in your marvelous creations on Twitter at @nakd or Instagram @nakdwholefoods.
Left you feeling hungry? You’ll be happy to know that all our Nakd products are vegan friendly as well as dairy and gluten free. So why not pick up a gorgeous fruit and nut bar or whip up one of our vegan recipes today!
