Great Ideas for Veggie BBQ Dishes.

Who doesn't love barbecues? They are one of my absolute favorite things about the summer - but I must admit, the first time we had some vegetarians round for an alfresco feast, I did get a bit stuck on what to cook. Fortunately, I soon realized that there are loads of vegetarian dishes that are perfect for barbecuing - a fair few of which I enjoy more than the traditional beef burger and sausage!

Even though there are so many veggie options, I think a lot of meat eaters do struggle when it comes to vegetarian barbecues. Last time we cracked out our Weber BBQ, we managed to cook up a meat-free storm; so, in case you're in need of a few ideas ahead of summer, I've put together my list of favorite veggie BBQ dishes below. Enjoy!

Veggie skewers
Veggie skewers are so easy to make and, considering just how simple they are, they taste fantastic. One thing I would say before you start, though, is to remember to drizzle the veggies you're using with oil or, even better, marinate them for around half an hour - otherwise, it's difficult to get them soft.

Personally, I love simple skewers that combine peppers, courgettes and onion. However, for that little something extra, halloumi is always a sure-fire winner! For a particularly yummy treat, go for a combination of just halloumi and courgette.

The magic here is in the marinade - soak both the cheese and veg in a mix of olive oil, mint and lemon for about 30 minutes, before skewering and barbecuing for about eight minutes (four on each side).

Photo credit: Cookapalooza

Alternative burgers
Even budding chefs that normally take the time to make their own meat burgers usually just grab some shop-bought alternatives for the vegetarians. Making tasty veggie burgers at home though is really simple - especially if you have a food processor.

Put 250 g of grated carrot in a food processor, alongside a can of chickpeas, a chopped onion, a dash of cumin and an egg - and then blitz. When this has turned into a paste, turn it out into a bowl. Next, fry 500 g of grated carrot in a little oil until tender.

You can then add this to the paste with around 100 g of breadcrumbs (preferably wholemeal), the grated zest of one lemon and a few tablespoons of sesame seeds. This should give you enough mix for six burgers. Chill them until you're ready to fire up the Weber BBQ, then cook for around five minutes on each side. Delicious!

Yummy side dishes
No BBQ is complete without a decent selection of side dishes. Technically, the ideas I'm about to give you aren't actually cooked on the BBQ, but since most side dishes usually aren't anyway, I don't feel too guilty!

One of the simplest and tastiest options, I think is cutting either a few sweet potatoes or a butternut squash into cubes (usually around 2 sq cm) and roasting in a hot oven for between 40 minutes and an hour. Sorry about the wide timeframe, but the result can vary so much from oven to oven - particularly if your cubes are different sizes! To check if they're done, poke them with a fork to see if they're soft inside.

I'd also recommend a couscous dish - this is so much more exciting than a standard salad, and there's a lot you can do with it. Personally, I like roasting loads of veg (usually peppers, courgette, red onion and some cherry tomatoes) and adding it to couscous flavoured with vegetable stock, parsley and balsamic vinegar.

By the way, if you're in need of a new BBQ or maybe just some extra accessories, you can find pretty much everything you need here. Happy barbecuing!

Do you know any good veggie BBQ recipes? If so, share them with fellow foodies by leaving a comment below.