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Recipes

Vegetarian Recipes For When You Just Don’t Want Meat

Cookouts aren’t just for carnivores thanks to these vegetarian grilling recipes

By SAVEUR Editors


Published on July 30, 2018

While “meat” and “grill” generally go hand-in-hand, there’s an underrated world of vegetarian ingredients perfectly suited for grilling. If you’re in a burger mood but don’t want to go the beef route, don’t worry. Our meat-free burgers are as good as any hamburger. We’ve got a black bean burger flavored with cumin, paprika, coriander, and both poblano and chipotle chiles; a portobello mushroom burger topped with blue cheese and sautéed red onions; and a quinoa burger with carrot, celery, arugula, and beans topped with a roasted red pepper relish.

Grilled vegetables add an interesting flavor and texture to other salads. In our endive salad, the vegetable is steamed, grilled, and dressed with a bee pollen vinaigrette. Beets, asparagus, eggplant, cauliflower, and fennel come together into a warm, smoky salad when grilled and tossed with lemon juice and zest. And for dessert, try grilling fruit—the heat causes the sugars to caramelize. Try cantaloupe dressed with a peach agrodolce and served with blueberries and basil.

Find all of these dishes and more in our collection great vegetarian grilling recipes.

Pickled Stone Fruit and Burrata Flatbread

A light vegetarian lunch, or even savory summer dessert, the sugary pickling brine in this recipe helps the peaches and plums caramelize on the grill. Get the recipe for Pickled Stone Fruit and Burrata Flatbread »

Grilled Vegetable and Barley Salad

Barley is typically eaten in a pudding for breakfast or dessert in Egypt, but in this recipe from cookbook author Suzanne Zeidy, it's turned into a hearty salad, seasoned with cumin and chiles, and tossed with grilled vegetables, feta, and pistachios. Get the recipe for Grilled Vegetable and Barley Salad »

Grilled Greens and Leek Tops with Chile-Garlic Sauce

When buying leeks for this dish, cookbook author Amy Thielen says to look for ones that have all or most of their dark green tops still attached. If trimmed leeks are all you can find, use the dark and light green parts only. Get the recipe for Grilled Greens and Leek Tops with Chile-Garlic Sauce »

Grilled Shiitake Mushroom with Chile and Thyme

Chef Chris Fischer likes to lay out these charred mushrooms at the start of a meal for snacking—they put cheese plates and crudités to shame. Tossing them with the marinade infuses them with deep flavor. Get the recipe for Grilled Shiitake Mushroom with Chile and Thyme »

Shaved Fennel and Grilled Corn Salad

A base of crunchy, fresh fennel contrasts perfectly with grilled corn kernels and crumbled feta cheese in this summer salad. Get the recipe for Shaved Fennel and Grilled Corn Salad »

Grilled Calçots and Asparagus with Romesco Sauce

Chef José Andrés likes to cook these calçots, here served with asparagus, in the traditional manner: in a newspaper. The newspaper traps in steam from the cooling calçots, making them more tender and soaking up any excess oil. These tender Spanish green onions, always served with Romesco sauce, are a classic springtime treat. Get the recipe for Grilled Calçots and Asparagus with Romesco Sauce »

Grilled Cantaloupe with Peach Agrodolce

In this elegant dessert, cantaloupe is grilled until it caramelizes and is then dressed with agrodolce, a sour-sweet Italian sauce made by reducing vinegar and sugar. Get the recipe for Grilled Cantaloupe with Peach Agrodolce »

Charred Cabbage Slaw

In this offbeat slaw, raw red cabbage adds a textural contrast to the grilled green cabbage, and a zippy, spicy-sweet-salty dressing goes well with the charred bits. Get the recipe for Charred Cabbage Slaw »

Grilled Corn Bhel

In this lively salad, flame-kissed corn kernels are teamed with fresh vegetables, a zesty cumin-lime dressing, and for a surprisingly delicious crunch, unsweetened corn flakes. Get the recipe for Grilled Corn Bhel

Grilled Onion Salad with Sumac and Herbs

Zippy sour pickle juice offsets the sweetness of the pomegranate molasses and charred onions in this vibrant salad. Get the recipe for Grilled Onion Salad with Sumac and Herbs »

Paneer Tikka Kebabs

Charred bell peppers and onions help balance out the richness of the paneer in these colorful vegetarian skewers. Get the recipe for Paneer Tikka Kebabs

Grilled Corn with Herbed Goat Cheese Butter

Sweet corn grilled in its husk is enhanced by an herbal goat cheese compound butter. Get the recipe for Grilled Corn with Herbed Goat Cheese Butter »

Endive Salad with Bee Pollen Vinaigrette

A thick honey vinaigrette pairs with pleasingly bitter endives that are steamed, grilled, and marinated in this recipe from Castle Hill Inn in Newport, Rhode Island. Get the recipe for Endive Salad with Bee Pollen Vinaigrette »

Grilled Shallots with Dill (Schalottenlök i Folie)

Wrap these Swedish-style shallots in foil and let them cook slowly over the fire while you prepare the rest of the meal. Get the recipe for Grilled Shallots with Dill (Schalottenlök i Folie) »

Spinach, Chive, and Yogurt Soup with Grilled Scallions

This tangy chilled soup is topped with charred scallions. Get the recipe for Spinach, Chive, and Yogurt Soup with Grilled Scallions »

Grilled Vegetable Salad (Sallad på Rostade Grönsaker)

Beets, asparagus, eggplant, cauliflower, and fennel are slathered in olive oil and grilled, then tossed with lemon juice and zest to make this warm, smoky grilled salad. Get the recipe for Grilled Vegetable Salad (Sallad på Rostade Grönsaker) »

Warm Red Potato Salad

Tender grilled red-skinned potatoes are doused in herb vinaigrette in this warm salad. Get the recipe for Warm Red Potato Salad »

Grilled Eggplant with Basil Vinaigrette

Sliced, grilled vegetables served in a simple marinade or vinaigrette are a fixture at many Tuscan meals. Get the recipe for Grilled Eggplant with Basil Vinaigrette »

Tadashi’s Grilled Tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes develop umami-rich flavor when grilled with a soy sauce marinade. Mitsuba, a Japanese relative of parsley, lends a mild cilantro-like freshness. Get the recipe for Tadashi's Grilled Tomatoes »

Black Bean Burger with Salsa Fresca and Avocado Crema

Cumin, paprika, coriander, and both poblano and chipotle chiles lend their robust flavor to this earthy black bean burger. Dredged in cornmeal, it's a hearty base for a bright salsa fresca and smooth avocado crema. Get the recipe for Black Bean Burger with Salsa Fresca and Avocado Crema »

Portobello Burgers with Blue Cheese and Sauteed Red Onions

A far cry from the standard grilled-mushroom-cap-as-burger, these ultra-savory portobello patties get a further umami boost from garlic and steak sauce—a perfect match for a flavorful topping of melted blue cheese and tangy caramelized red onions. Get the recipe for Portobello Burgers with Blue Cheese and Sauteed Red Onions »

Quinoa Veggie Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Relish

Our take on a classic meatless burger calls on a slew of vegetables for flavor, color, and texture: carrot, celery, arugula, beans, and quinoa, the high-protein South American grain that has a nutty flavor and toothsome bite. Get the recipe for Quinoa Veggie Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Relish »

Eggplant and Parsley Dip (Melintzanosalata)

Chiles lend heat to this smoky dip from Kea, Greece. Get the recipe for Eggplant and Parsley Dip (Melintzanosalata) »

Parsley and Onion Salad

Fresh onions add cool spice to this simple parsley salad. Get the recipe for Parsley and Onion Salad »

Grilled Polenta

Polenta is a popular dish in Venice and is often served grilled as a side, though you can also eat it without grilling it if you like. Get the recipe for Grilled Polenta »

Four-Hour Pineapple

Slow-cooking pineapple whole on the grill concentrates and enriches its flavors while keeping the fruit tasting bright. "The pineapple must be very ripe," Mallmann says. "If not, it's useless. The slower you do it, the better." Get the recipe for Four-Hour Pineapple »

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