Ideas for vegan and gluten free dishes for family barbecue

[Pumpkindoodles]

My BIL is bringing his new gf over, we’re having a small birthday party for my mum and I usually do a bbq and some little picky bits, pasta salad, some dips etc. nothing too fancy. However gf is vegan and gluten free (intolerance but not coeliac, he described it as)

I have no idea what to do for her other than a fruit platter maybe a gluten free pasta? Please can I have some suggestions, I’d like her to feel included and not like she just has a few side dishes to eat. Ideally I’d like to make things that are nice enough other people will eat them too and they won’t go to waste if she doesn’t want them.

Aubergine always works well on the barbecue. Thick slices, and serve with some kind of a dip. I do our with an orange-flavoured yoghurt - perhaps you could do this with a vegan yoghurt?

Cauliflower steaks would also work:

https://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/barbecue-cauliflower-steaks-with-chimichurri-sauce

Veggie kebabs
Corn on the cob
Cauldron and a brand called This Isn’t do vegan sausages that are Gluten Free
Maybe a potato salad but with vegan mayo…?

I’m vegetarian and coeliac and I know what a pain in the arse it is for people to cater for (I’d been veggie for a long time before I was diagnosed coeliac & just couldn’t bring myself to start eating meat) so it’s lovely that you’re being so thoughtful. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it!

BBQs are brill for vegan and coeliac.

I would make everything you cook coeliac friendly, just to be completely sure.

Sweet potato also does well on a bbq, loads of recipes online (look for ones with cinnamon)

I would also do vegetable kebabs (parboiled baby onions, red pepper, mushroom ) and some of kind of hot rice dish.

Oh and a home made guacamole with carrot sticks!

Baked potato with vegan toppings?

Not veggie/vegan but I am coeliac, and my sister is vegan so used to managing both! We tend to make sure everyone can eat everything - but that may not be acceptable to everyone. For BBQs we have done:

the vegan GF sausages mentioned above, also GF veggie burgers (check back of packs to make sure suitable)

halloumi on the BBQ (before my sister was vegan!)

veggie skewers, can include tofu chunks instead of meat (and marinate tofu; check marinades for gluten, I tend to just use tamari)

aubergine/pepper/cauliflower slices (“steaks”)

salads with plenty of beans

the best side dish ever: River Cottage sweet potato thingy with peanut butter, chilli and lime (can’t remember what it’s called, but it’s yum)

Mediterranean salad - chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, artichokes, etc. olive oil & lemon herb dressing.

Same! Well pescatarian but only recently diagnosed coeliac and I'm so torn, do I reintroduce chicken? But I haven't eaten it for almost 30 years!

Anyway sorry OP, Sainsbury's do some delicious frozen GF falafel, it's a brand in a yellow packet maybe Rachel's? Also GF tempura prawns.

Hummus, portobello mushroom, maybe some vegan cheese. Salad. M&S have good GF picky bits eg samosas, spring rolls which I think are also vegan.

Also Beyond Burgers are GF!

Please do not just do a fruit platter!

Veggie skewers - I'd go for tomato, peppers, courgette and aubergine chunks. Marinade with a bit of lemon, ollive oil, garlic and chilli.

Asparagus is absolutely gorgeous chargrilled on the BBQ. User fatter pieces, rub them in olve oil first with some salt. Normally, I'd serve with some cream cheese dip of some sort and whole roasted garlic (also works on the BBQ) but you can still do it, just ensure it's separate for the vegan.

I don't do a lot of tofu myself but I am pretty sure you could do something interesting with tofu on the BBQ - worth checking recipes online.

Another aubergine option is to char grilled thick slices then cut into chunks. On a large platter or wide shallow bowl, mix olive oil, sherry vinegar, chopped garlic, chopped fresh mint and some chopped chilli (or dried chilli flakes). add tomato cut into bite sized pieces - I like a mix of smaller tomatoes cut in half/quarters and add the aubergine. Stir well and sprinkle a little chopped mint and toasted pine nuts over the top.

It’s this from HFW’s Veg book - https://weareglobaltravellers.com/2014/08/sweet-potato-peanut-butter-dauphinoise/

but would need to be adapted as it’s got double cream in it

The frozen falafel is Ramona’s, they do great hummus too!

I'd advise against a gluten free pasta salad. Cold gluten free pasta is not nice.....as I discovered last year when catering for a gluten free, vegan dairy free bbq!

https://www.recipetineats.com/cowboy-bean-salad#recipe www.recipetineats.com/cowboy-bean-salad/#recipe]]]] this is delicious, vegan and GF. I also add some deseeded cucumber

Falafel & hummus & crudites is a good idea.

Maybe a bean dip? There’s a roasted garlic and white bean dip here https://www.savingdessert.com/roasted-garlic-white-bean-dip/ www.savingdessert.com/roasted-garlic-white-bean-dip/]]]] which looks delicious though I’ve never made it. With potato crisps, rather than anything bready, to dip into it.

Guacamole & tortilla chips would be great although can’t be prepared much in advance

Grilled corn on the cob, grilled tomatos, veggie kebabs with sweet chilli sauce. Otherwise I would focus on a variety of sides so everyone can choose.

Carrot and coriander salad
Cucumber salad with dill and olive oil
Coleslaw with vinegar rather then mayo or vegan mayo
Fried onions
Roasted broccoli with almonds
Black garlic rice
Potato wedges

As pp have suggested

Veggie kebabs
Corn on the cob

Guacamole
Pico de gallo

Quite a lot grains and pulses are gluten free and can be made into a side dish/salad

Buckwheat
Rice
Quinoa
Chickpeas
Potatoes (patatas bravas for eg)

Or ask your BIL to ask his gf what she might like/has eaten at other barbecues

You could always send people home with doggy bags if some food doesn't get eaten (unlikely ime!)

@Pumpkindoodles , just a thought but I wouldn’t be cooking her food on the BBQ which will be covered in meat deposits. There are two BBQs in my home one which is only for vegetables. I often cook Tofu skewers which are simple just cut a block of firm tofu into four pieces one way and then four the other giving sixteen pieces. Bake them on high in the oven until a little brown and then marinate in curry paste with a little added garlic and olive oil (they need salt). I skewer them and cook on my veggie BBQ but they cook well in the oven too. Cook them in advance even the day before and then just zap them in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. 😃
A mixed bean salad is a nice addition or a rice and roasted vegetable salad. Well done for being so thoughtful. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

We just use Elmlea 100% plant double cream 😊

Thanks we only have one bbq so I was thinking about getting a disposable for the veggie stuff, or cooking it first and covering it to keep it warm / let every one tuck into that first and it can be a sort of starter for any meat eaters that want to try bbq cauli steak etc. but gf is at least fed and not waiting around
and then I’ll do the meat after
Or I have some trays that we put on the bbq so maybe I can divide it up or as you say I can put some stuff in the oven

thanks for the tips on good subs like Elmlea and tips on how bad cold gluten free pasta is so I don’t make some big mistakes.

Very politely, as a vegetarian and parent of a gluten-free adult child, from experience, the meat and gluten eaters will happily tuck into all the vegetarian and gluten-free food, possibly eat most of it, not really understanding there is nothing else for those of us who choose not to/can't eat anything else.

You are putting a lot of thought into this, it should go really well!

Ottolenghi is your friend here, eg this salad is substantial, tasty, vegan and gf, the only thing to watch out for is the fried crispy onion garnish, the ready made tubs are not GF so omit it or make your own using GF flour or cornflour. It is yummy and will be devoured by the meat-eaters too. I usually halve the maple syrup in the dressing, maybe start with half and adjust to your taste (I’m diabetic too so I don’t like sweet dressings so much) https://ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/recipes/miso-peanut-butter-chickpea-salad

This is also really tasty, just use vegan yoghurt https://www.theedibleflower.com/recipes/harissa-roasted-aubergine-and-chickpeas

and a final plea, please make sure you have plenty of serving spoons so you don’t get cross contamination from people digging into the GF dishes with a spoon that might have gluten traces in it from another dish

Exactly this! Put some aside at least for BIL's gf

I love a sort of tabbouleh:

quinoa cooked in a bit of stock
massed of chopped parsley
finely chopped tomatoes
loads of lemon juice and glug of olive oil
salt and pepper
ideally a strong shake of sumac and allspice but not necessary
pomegranate seeds

Roasted new potatoes in a garlic/herb rub, fennel, walnut and orange salad, green bean and almond salad, hummus and falafel. Can prepare all in advance (just add dressing at last min) and doesn’t require the bbq.

Might be worth pre-roasting med veg before finishing on bbq as I think undercooked aubergine etc can be quite unpleasant.

@Pumpkindoodles , I personally wouldn’t eat something that had been cooked on a meat BBQ and I would check first if that’s what you plan to do. Have a lovely time.