BBQ items - both shop bought and homemade (vegetarian not vegan)

[OMGitsnotgood]

We’re having a BBQ ahead of the football on Saturday. Mainly meat eaters but a few vegetarians (not vegan). These vegetarians eat all cheeses.

We do have a separate BBQ which we use only for non-meat items

Meat eaters will be having homemade burgers, sausages from the butchers and chicken drunsticks.

For the vegetarians:
I am planning on buying plant based burgers and sausages, so would appreciate recommendations for best ones (will be from Tesco).

For everyone: vegetable kebabs made with courgettes, mushrooms, onions, peppers, halloumi -ossibly a bit boring? I would welcome I alternative vegetable deas that could be eaten by all.

Also one more vegetarian option, as the meat eaters will have 3 (burgers, sausage and chicken), vegetarians only have burger and sausage. Or maybe I just make them extra kebabs?
Sides will be suitable for all - not finalised yet but will include homemade coleslaw and a mixed salad. Other thoughts please - nothing too ‘carby’ as the burgers and sausages will be in rolls.

Thank you.

@C8H10N4O2 makes a good point. “Fake meat” can be very divisive, as can portobello mushrooms! (unless you are veggie you have no idea how often they are presented!)

For instance, the thing I most want to see at a BBQ is veggie kebabs and corn on the cob. That won’t be everyone’s opinion but you should probably just ask the guests before going to trouble finding Beyond Meat or learning how to cook a portobello mushroom.

Sorry, a bit off topic. Have you successfully barbecued tofu before? Would you mind sharing what you did? I have never had success. It has always fallen apart.

Thank you for all the comments and suggestions. I will ask the vegetarian guests re their feelings on veggie burgers and sausages, and will make veggie kebabs and lots of veggie sides

make a load of side salads etc? Veggie friendly and goes well with bbq veg/halloumi kebabs

I already posted but also agree with having several salads. Those with cheese, you'd need to check for rennet. My favourites:

-4 ingredient Watermelon salad: Watermelon in small cubes, grilled halloumi cut into similar sized cubes, green beans cut into small pieces and toasted pine nuts.
-Beetroot salad: Cooked beetroot in cubes, feta crumbled, mixed salad leaves, walnuts and balsamic glaze
-Broccoli salad- mix and match this recipe depending what I have. I swap cranberries for raisins, no sugar, I swap nuts for sunflower seeds and no bacon for the vegetarians. https://www.spendwithpennies.com/broccoli-salad/
-Greek salad
-Som Tam (Thai Papaya salad. Green papaya can be substituted with kohl rabi, celeriac and carrot if needed). Leave the dried shrimp out also. https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/papaya-salad-v3/
-This has steak but 1 piece goes a long way in it https://www.recipetineats.com/thai-beef-salad-2/

Veggie kebabs - marinaded in a herby dressing, are delicious, no cheese needed either, make enough for all though. DD’s like the Richmond veggie sausages and we don’t bother with fake burgers instead I make chickpea patties (basically large falafels) as db is vegan and into whole foods no fake meat. The upside to most the invitees being vegetarian is we buy delicious expensive food for us the meat eaters eg lamb chops, yum

Only once. Bought extra firm tofu and it was fine. I did a very simple marinade. Didn’t get to try it though as it was eaten too quickly - but I will take that as a good sign.

Use the extra firm tofu (Aldi or Lidl own brand is really good). Press it by wrapping in a tea towel then putting between two plates with a couple of tins of beans on top. Then cut into fairly big chunks, marinade, dust with cornflour, and skewer.

That's what I do and I never have trouble with it falling apart!

If you do stuff like veggie kebabs, make more than you need for just the vegetarian guests. The meat eaters won't touch fake meat options, but will all eat anything like a veggie kebab, halloumi etc. If you only do enough for the veggie people, they will probably not have enough to eat!

Yes I did say in my OP I would do veggie kebabs for all. The only things I will just provide for the vegetarian guests are the plant based sausages/burgers. The rest there will be enough for all

Did the chickpea patties stick to the grill? I am happy to make rather than buy veggie burgers but nervous after a bad experience where they stuck badly , in spite of having been in the fridge overnight and sprayed with oil before cooking

Vegetarian guests might be happier with their stuff cooked in the oven if they're bothered about contamination. Although you probably don't want to heat the house up this weekend.

I once put lots of effort into veggie options for my friend's wife, and as it turns out, she only really eats fake meat, so I had to nip out to the garage for veggie burgers and sausages. I now always ask what kind of veggie they are.

For homemade veggie options, a baked camembert with crusty bread goes down well for everyone, as do haloumi kebabs and paneer tikka kebabs.

Grilled aubergine that's brushed with pesto and grilled, then layered between sliced mozzarella is another good one. Portobello mushrooms with the stalk removed and then a blue cheese melting ball placed in the middle is nice. Grilled corn on the cobs with a selection of butters; Cajun is my personal favourite.
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If you have a BBQ with a lid, then a foil vegetable tray baked with olive oil and lemon, as is grilled tender stem broccoli sprinkled with sea salt and then drizzled in garlic sauce, is a nice beer snack.

For baked bananas with dark rum, serve with ice cream.

Another good beer snack is peas in the pod on the bbq and then sprinkled with salt - like edamame beans really.

Add pineapple to the veggie kebabs.. its amazing.
I am another lifelong veggie who doesn't like any of the fake meat/beyond type burgers and would prefer a bean type burger.
However my 6yr old (veggie) loves a bit of fake meat.
Definitely ask the guests, they will be happy to be thought of

I like halloumi, flat mushrooms with stilton, and a good potato salad. With sweetcorn.

Please.

People are recommending Linda McCartney mozzarella burgers. They're lovely but I've never liked them off the bbq as the cheese melts and escapes/drips. Maybe do them over tin foil?

As per OP we have a separate small BBQ that is only used for vegetarian food.
I said this on another thread - and people didn’t believe - our oven doesn’t heat the kitchen too much, apart from the obvious blast when the door is opened to take stuff out

Mango chutney and cheese in a bun - wrapped in foil.
Fake burgers are a bit hit and miss.
Spicy bean burgers used to be a fav - but can't remember if that was from the 8th day in Manchester as a dry mix.

A few people mentioned pesto - I would avoid having anything with pesto at someone else's house as it usually isn't vegetarian and I wouldn't want to ask the host if they've got the veggie version or not.

Can confirm they BBQ well too (some veggie burgers either fall apart or burn)

I love spicy BB but they don’t BBQ well - tend to fall apart

I love them that way 😂

I have had potato waffles cooked on a BBQ.
They were really nice !