What should a vegan bring to a barbecue?

Beer? Potato salad? Seriously, just bring whatever you're grilling for yourself—but bring enough for everyone. Perhaps by tasting just how good your vegan BBQ recipes are, someone might give plant-based cooking a try.

Is anything at a cookout vegan?

If your host isn't vegan or isn't expecting you, don't get your hopes up. More than likely they'll offer you corn on the cob or potato salad or (shiver) beans. All them will have animal products in them and look, it's not entirely their fault. There's a 50/50 chance the salad is vegan. Try sending them this article or bring your own food—and bring enough for everyone.

Is barbecue sauce vegan?

Not all BBQ sauces are vegan. Look deep in the recipe for honey or 'natural beef flavoring'. Stubb's Spicy BBQ Sauce is vegan and available everywhere.

Three Mind-Blowing Vegan BBQ Recipes for the Win

Name: Easy Carrot and Black Bean Burgers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: barbecue
Ingredients: 1/2 C panko crumbs (gluten-free if you prefer); 1 T Olive oil; 2 Shallots, minced; 1 Small leek, minced; 1 T of San Marzano tomato paste; 2 medium carrots, diced; 1 small red beet, diced; 1 T Apple cider vinegar; 1/2 T good balsamic vinegar; 1 t salt; 1/2 t curry; 2 15-oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained, one tablespoon of liquid reserved; Pinch of cayenne pepper

Description

These carrot burgers taste wonderful and look amazing, with their dark meat from the black beans and their red highlights from the beets. So good.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1/2 C panko crumbs (gluten-free if you prefer)
1 T Olive oil
2 Shallots, minced
1 Small leek, minced
1 T of San Marzano tomato paste
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small red beet, diced
1 T Apple cider vinegar
1/2 T good balsamic vinegar
1 t salt
1/2 t curry
2 15–oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained, one tablespoon of liquid reserved
Pinch of cayenne pepper

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Instructions

Toss the diced carrots and beets in a bowl with tomato paste and curry powder until well coated.
Roast on a sheet pan for 15 minutes at 350° or until they give slightly to a fork—not too soft; remove from oven.
Add the panko and olive oil to a saute pan and toast until crispy and brown. Place in a large bowl.
Saute the minced shallots and leeks until translucent and very slightly browned.
Add the lightly roasted beets and carrots to the pan and saute until the shallots and leeks turn light brown and begin sticking to the pan.
Add vinegars to the pan to deglaze, getting that food incorporated.
Add mixture to the bowl with the panko crumbs, beans, and reserved bean liquid. Mash roughly with a mallet or a wooden spoon until the mixture is combined, but still a bit chunky.
Form into six patties and store in plastic containers to transport them to the party or backyard.
Grill over a hot flame until burgers caramelize, about two minutes on each side.
Season to taste, serve on vegan buns with vegan dijon mustard.

Notes

Any kind of bean will work, but black beans give your burgers a more burgery color, which helps mess with your meat-eating friends’ minds.
Which vinegars you use is your call—mix it up.
You can give these burgers an Asian flair by adding a dash of sesame oil to the pan and using rice vinegar and vegan soy sauce.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: sandwich
Method: grill
Cuisine: barbecue