35 Vegetarian BBQ Recipes Perfect for Summer

Hot take: Grilling isn't just about burgers and ribs, and BBQS aren't just for omnivores. Whether you’re vegetarian for life or just looking to eat less meat, you don’t have to miss out this season. Please your plant-based partygoers with these creative, flavorful, and filling 35 vegetarian recipes—we bet you’ll come back to them again and again this summer.

It’s FINALLY summer, so you’re going to want to put all that warm weather produce to the best use possible. That could mean grilling veggies directly on the grill, like our grilled carrots or grilled green beans; whipping up super fresh sides like our black bean and corn salad or Mediterranean chickpea salad; or assembling mini meals on skewers, like our buffalo cauliflower kebabs or tomato gnocchi kebabs. Trust us, fresh veggies are a MUST—they’re what turn a good outdoor BBQ into a great one.

Maybe grilling isn’t just about hamburgers, but there is something pretty wonderful about biting into a super flavorful patty tucked between a soft and squishy bun. Lucky for you, we’ve got tons of options for meatless burgers, like our copycat shake shake shroom burger or our meat lover’s veggie burger (making two thinner patties instead of one big one is the BEST hack to keep them from falling apart). Once you get the hang of making meatless patties, swap these recipes and ideas in for any of our burger recipes (we think the lemon yogurt sauce from our lamb burger or the white cheddar and caramelized onions from our bison burger would go great with these meatless patties)

Looking for more meat-free ideas? Try our amazing grilled vegetables and veggie burger recipes.

Tofu is so much more than a meat substitute, it’s a protein source that stands on it’s own, and the perfect base to soak up tasty sauces, like this chipotle and guajillo chili marinade inspired by a popular Mexican street food, tacos al pastor.

Get the Chipotle Tofu & Pineapple Skewers recipe.

The grill adds subtle smoky flavor to these tempeh steaks, almost bacon-like, but there's no meat in sight. Add a whiskey-infused homemade barbecue sauce, a cooling, creamy coleslaw and a toasted buttered bun for the perfect summer sandwich.

Get the BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches recipe.

As with most root veggies, carrots take awhile to cook through, meaning they've got to be tended to and turned frequently to get tender on the grill. The good news is that your hard work will be rewarded; the carrot's natural sweetness comes out during cooking, a complementary foil to the smoky char achieved on the grill. We love serving this veggie side atop creamy ricotta, with a punchy carrot top-based chimichurri for some brightness.

Get the Grilled Carrots recipe.

We used a big wheel of brie to fit perfectly inside a 10" skillet. It was almost THREE POUNDS. You can definitely use something a bit smaller, depending on the size (and brie obsession level) of your crowd.

Get the Campfire Caprese Brie recipe.

If you're cooking over an actual grill, place a heavy duty piece of foil over the grates before adding the green beans. It'll prevent all the veg from falling through the cracks. Not a fan of peanuts? Use any crushed nuts or seeds here for crunch!

Get the Grilled Green Beans recipe.

The cult favorite from the NYC-based chain is the rock star of veggie burgers. Thanks to breaded portobellos and the delicious shake sauce, we bet you won't even miss the meat.

Get the Copycat Shake Shack Shroom Burger recipe.

We found the perfect funky balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy in this Thai-inspired sauce to blanket your cauliflower steaks. Try the sauce and if needed, balance it out to your taste with brown sugar for more sweetness, red pepper flakes for more heat, lime juice for more pucker, and salt.

Get the Thai-Inspired Grilled Cauliflower Steaks recipe.

Sure gnocchi is amazing served in a bowl with a sauce, but have you ever had nicely browned gnocchi taken straight off the grill?The gnocchi paired with blistered grilled tomatoes and tender red onion make for a perfect summer dinner or side dish.

Get the Tomato Gnocchi Kebabs recipe.

We changed up the classic caprese salad by switching out juicy tomatoes for plump summer peaches and replacing sliced fresh mozzarella with its creamier cousin, burrata. Surrounded by fragrant basil then topped with candied pecans and a drizzle of spicy honey, this sweet & savory salad is a STUNNER.

Get the Peach & Burrata Caprese recipe.

Grilled veggies can get sidelined at a barbecue as the lame side dish for vegetarians, but when tossed in a balsamic-soy glaze, these mushrooms will get all the attention.

Get the Grilled Balsamic Mushrooms recipe.

This easy salad comes together quickly and works as a side dish, a great topping for tacos, or as an appetizer with tortilla chips. Think of this as a medley of the most exciting parts of a vegetarian burrito bowl, unadulterated by rice, and hyped up by a little honey-lime action.

Get the Black Bean and Corn Salad recipe.

If you think mayo is the worst, and are worried this recipe won't be for you, think again. Elote will have you reconsidering your stance; or, at the very least, make one incredible exception. The mayo becomes more like a creamy sauce, absorbing the flavor of the chili powder, cotija cheese, and lime juice. It's tangy without overpowering the corn—exactly the kind of refreshing treat you could use at your next cookout or backyard BBQ.

Get the Elote: Mexican Street Corn recipe.

Listen, no one has ever bitten into a bean burger and said "Wait, is this meat?" Black bean burgers are never going to taste exactly like a hamburger, so why not get a little creative with the seasonings? We chose to lean in to the black bean vibe and add some cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and paprika for smokiness. Any chopped herbs or spices would be delicious here, so try out your favorites!

Get the Black Bean Burger recipe.

We here at Delish know the value of adding spicy buffalo sauce to cauliflower (see our buffalo cauliflower wings), but we never thought to grill the cauli up… until now. These buffalo cauliflower kebabs put all your favorite flavors from classic buffalo wings onto skewers–and they're vegetarian to boot!

Get the Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs recipe.

This versatile, flavorful corn salad is the perfect way to use up leftover grilled corn. Mix and match your favorite cheeses, herbs, and nuts, but keep the citrus for brightness and oil for a little richness. And if you like a little *kick*, add some sliced jalapeños or a big pinch of red chili flakes. Delicious served cold or at room temperature, this easy dish is summertime gold.

Get the Grilled Corn Salad recipe.

The foil packets trap in steam from the wine and juices from the tomato and corn as everything grills, which in turn cooks the gnocchi to perfectly tender while infusing the pasta with all the flavors of the dish. Bonus: Some of the meal browns a bit on the bottom right before it finishes cooking, adding extra flavor.

Get the Gnocchi Foil Packets recipe.

To avoid the mush-factor, we opted for 2 thin, smaller patties rather than one large one. That way, you get that nice caramelization on the outside without a thick layer of uncooked patty in the center. Plus, double the patty means double the cheese. 😉 Topped with some crunchy lettuce and lots of brightly flavored special sauce, it’s sure to satisfy vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.

Get the Meat Lover's Veggie Burger recipe.

Our lemon-parsley vinaigrette is perfectly tart and fresh with a hint of spice and you can put it on everything. Not a fan of olives or bell peppers? Cherry tomatoes and diced ripe avocado will fill that flavor gap. Want to keep it dairy free? Sub in another form of protein in place of the feta, like a couple of hard-boiled eggs or a can of tuna, or a handful of chopped toasted nuts.

Get the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad recipe.

This pasta salad is classic, featuring a homemade basil-and-pine nut pesto, a generous amount of Parmesan, and juicy grape tomatoes. It's worth getting out your nicest olive oil for this recipe since the flavor will shine through.

Get the Pesto Pasta Salad recipe.

Panzanella is one of those summer recipes that truly tastes like summer. It's one that you want to make in peak season—when the tomatoes are extra juicy, the squash slightly sweet, and the basil extra cheap. To give this classic dish more flavor, we grill the bread, zucchini, and onion until charred, then toss those with the remaining ingredients.

Get the Summer Panzanella recipe.

Here's our #1 tip for success: Prep everything you are going to need before you start grilling. The grilling part goes fast. We're talking 4 minutes tops, so don't wait to slice your tomatoes until the pizza is on the grill. Have everything ready and near you so that as soon as you flip the pizza crust, you can start topping and pull your pizza off the grill as soon as it's done.

Get the Grilled Pizza recipe.

A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and barbecue. This one is creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles.

Get the Classic Potato Salad recipe.

This is our simplest, easiest recipe, but the flavor combo options are endless—check out the rest of our grilled corn ideas too.

Get the Grilled Corn On The Cob recipe.

Surprisingly, we found this vegetarian burger harder to perfect than our classic fried falafel. We figured out the solution after remembering that we had roasted the black beans in our black bean burger. Roasting the chickpeas to the point before they start to crisp draws out a ton of moisture. When you combine it with all the herbs, spices, and onion, the patties stay together easily!

Get the Falafel Burgers recipe.

Macaroni salad works well with most anything you want to add in. We love adding broccoli, pimento peppers, tuna, hard boiled eggs, and bacon!

Get the Classic Macaroni Salad recipe.

Bang Bang Shrimp gets all the hype, but we are here to tell you that flavor-packed grilled corn deserves a little more time in the spotlight. The sweet-spicy sauce is perfect over almost anything and will really spice up your meal.

Get the Bang Bang Corn recipe.

Cooking over the campfire is our favorite thing to do, and throwing everything into a foil pack makes it so easy! These cook up fast and make the perfect summer side dish.

Get the Campfire Potatoes recipe.

For those nights we really need a vegetable in our lives, we turn to these eggplant steaks. They grill up quickly with minimal prep for a delicious weeknight dinner! Perfect for your next meatless Monday.

Get the Caprese Eggplant Steaks recipe.

These kabobs have the *perfect* combination of flavors and textures. Serve them up with our ultimate meat-lovers veggie burger for a backyard vegetarian feast that even a carnivore couldn't turn down.

Get the Veggie Kabobs recipe.

Zucchini is one of our favorite vegetables to grill in the summer. Why? It's healthy, it's easy, and it cooks SO FAST. This recipe takes just 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish!

Get the Grilled Zucchini recipe.

Roasting the portobellos makes them extremely flavorful and brings out all of their juices. We love ours simply topped with honey mustard and some veggies, but a slice of white cheddar melted on top would be killer. Warning: the marinade for these include Worcestershire sauce, which typically includes anchovies. Sub the Worcestershire out for soy sauce or one that doesn't include anchovies for a truly vegetarian burger!

Get the Portobello Mushroom Burger recipe.

Grilling baby potatoes are the perfect way to incorporate creamy, delicious potatoes to your next BBQ without having to step foot inside the kitchen. We take these spuds to the next level with two levels of ranch dressing goodness: The seasoning adds some salty, umami flavor while the dressing provides that cooling, tangy creaminess.

Get the Grilled Ranch Potatoes recipe.

Marinating carrots in veggie broth, vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic powder, paprika and liquid smoke makes them taste uncannily like a hot dog—these are the vegetarian and vegan dogs of your dreams.

Get the Carrot Hot Dogs recipe.

Cucumber salad is one of those classic summer sides that we weren't sure about until we took a bite for ourselves. Now we're hooked on the cucumber slices in a lemon juice, Greek yogurt, and dill dressing. Your barbecue will thank you.

Get the Cucumber Salad recipe.