Before you spend precious time prepping vegetable skewers, consider these 3 vegan options at your next BBQ. They pair quite nicely with Crianza Rioja wine too.
Vegetable skewers are fun to eat, but you can skip the chopping and prep work with these 3 vegan BBQ ideas below.
There always has to be a vegetarian/vegan option for any kind of get together, including a summer BBQ.
Luckily, it’s not very difficult, and vegan options can even taste just as good as “meat” on the fire.
Why not give these 3 dishes a try?
#1 Smoked Shishito Peppers
- Shishito peppers are just large enough not to slip through the grill grates.
- These bite size poppers are the cherries of the vegetable world and usually not too spicy either.
Shishito peppers are a small, thin skinned and shriveled one bite wonder you hold by the stem to pop in to your mouth just like a cherry.
They can be spicy, but more often than not, they are mild.
Easy Appetizer
This appetizer seems to show up in the summertime in countless farm to table restaurants on the West Coast.
It’s really too simple and so easy to make @ home.
Just the standard toss with olive oil and sea salt.
Toss with olive oil and grill for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Season with salt.
That little bit of smokiness from the grill improves the flavor so much more.
They also taste really great with some miso sauce and Japanese whisky.
#2 Vegan Sausages
- These plant based sausages look just like meat and taste like it too.
- Try spreading the vegan sausage love over a corn tortilla for a light Mexican meal.
If you’re an omnivore, frankly, the sound of vegan sausages sounds gross.
But these plant based sausages from Field Roast may make you change your mind.
A Blend of European and Asian Heritage
As the label states, these sausages are “a blend of European and Asian heritage”.
Unlike many vegan “meat” products that are processed from soybeans, the only unusual product used in this one is Vital wheat gluten.
Wheat gluten is used in Chinese cuisine for dishes such as kao-fu and seitan.
Tastes just like meat
I brought these to a sausage party with an assortment of pork and beef sausages on the grill. Everyone was so surprised at how good they tasted and how much they resembled meat in texture and flavor.
The chorizo flavor is a wee bit spicy so beware.
Though once smushed into warmed corn tortillas with a fresh tomato salsa on top, you won’t mind the spicy kick.
#3 BBQ Bellas
- A big portabella mushroom slathered with BBQ sauce on the grill is sweet, savory, and smoky.
- The flavors also pair well with the ever food friendly Rioja wine.
What would an outdoor BBQ get together be without some actual BBQ sauce?
Whether homemade or store bought, the sauce seems to match with everything including giant portabella mushrooms.
Hopefully though the BBQ sauce is not overly sweet.
Oftentimes sugar can be the first ingredient in bottled BBQ sauces.
I usually add a couple dashes of soy sauce to balance out the sugar.
Scrape out the gills and slather on your favorite sauce while it cooks on the grill. It will probably be the juiciest “steak” you’ve ever had.
Wine Pairing: Crianza Rioja
This 2015 Crianza Rioja from Bodegas LAN ($14) show ripe red fruit flavors with some leather and bay leaf that marry well with grilled food. (Disclosure: This wine was provided as a sample. All opinions expressed are unique to this blog.)
While there are many drinks you could pair with an outdoor BBQ feast, consider a Spanish Rioja wine made from tempranillo grapes.
Rioja Shopping Tips
There are 4 styles of Rioja to look for in the store:
- Joven – Young wine with little to no ageing. It almost tastes like grape juice.
- Crianza – Aged a minimum of 1 year in casks and a few months in the bottle. Very approachable wine that shines with fruit and muted oak flavors.
- Reserva – Aged a minimum of 3 years, with at least 1 year in casks. Shows much more complexity than the Crianza which is also reflected in the price.
- Gran Reserva – Aged a minimum of 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in the bottle. Shows structure, fine tannins, and easily quaffable without food.
Joven Riojas can be a bit hard to find. Crianza Riojas are a bit easier to find and very affordable with most bottles under $15.
Pairs with Vegan Food
Rioja is often recommended with BBQ foods and for good reason. It is very food friendly and classically paired with all the wonderful tapas from Spain.
It matches with the vegetal, smoky notes of the shisito peppers, handles the spice in the chorizo “sausages,” and stands up to the sweetness in the BBQ sauced portabella mushrooms without clashing with the tannins too much.
I tried these pairings with the 2015 Crianza Rioja from Bodegas LAN (provided as a sample) and was quite pleased with how well it danced with different partners.
I also tried the wine with herb roasted chicken, grassfed steak haché, and hot smoked salmon. However, I didn’t like it nearly as much as with the vegetable options.
Why is Crianza Rioja best paired with BBQ?
For my money, Crianza works well for a party since it is more affordably priced.
In addition, if you don’t end up liking it, you can turn it into sangria and not feel guilty about spending so much on a bottle of wine you’re diluting with sugar, fruit, and ice.
Helpful Tips
- If there are vegan/vegetarians, remember to reserve a portion of the grill for non-meat items only. Separate tongs/utensils would be best practice too.
- Vegetable skewers are always a default grilling item. Shishito peppers, vegan sausages, and BBQ portabella mushrooms can satiate your vegans/vegetarians and even omnivores.
- Rioja pairs well with BBQ food and a BBQ party. There are 4 styles to consider when shopping that vary according to how long they are aged.
- If you don’t end up liking the wine you purchase, make sangria with it because everyone loves sangria!
For more expert tips on pairing Rioja wines, check out these posts from the #winePW writers:
- Lori at Exploring the Wine Glass shares “A Father’s Passion is Passed Down to Daughter and Expressed in Bottle”
- David from Cooking Chat shares “Grilled Paprika Pork Chops with a Rioja”
- Jane at Always Ravenous shares “Grilled Sausage Feast Paired with Rioja Crianza”
- Lauren at The Swirling Dervish shares “Paella and Bodegas LAN: Perfect for Your Summer BBQ“
- Jill at L’Occasion shares “On the Grill with Rioja Wine“
- Jennifer at Vino Travels Italy shares “Oven Roasted Italian Sausage with Rioja Riserva“
- Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog shares “Grilled Garam Masala Lamb Chops paired with Bodega LAN Reserva“
- Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “Keep your cool with grilled steak salad and Rioja”
- Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Robatayaki and Rioja Wines, the Perfect Summertime Party”
- Pinny at Chinese Food & Wine Pairings shares “Bodegas LAN Rioja Crianza and Thick-Cut Sirloin Steak on the Grill”
- Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Our Favorite BBQ Ribs with LAN Rioja“
- Gwen at Wine Predator shares “An American Summer BBQ with a Red and a Rose from Rioja”
- Nicole at Somm’s Table shares “Cooking to the Wine: Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva with Smoky Seared Octopus”
- Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “Smoking Low & Slow with Rioja Wines”
Other Vegan Recipes
Thai Black Rice Pudding: the Superfood you’re not Eating
Healthy Bell Pepper Recipe with Black Bean Sauce (Vegan)
Vegan Korean Black Bean Noodles: Jia Jiang Myeon (with wine)
Do you love BBQ? Spread the ♥, and please share!
Camilla at Culinary Adventures
Deanna, those dishes look delicious…and a great match for the wine. I can’t wait to grill some bellas. Thanks for the inspiration.
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Thanks so much Camilla!
Jen Martin
I love throwing some skewers on the grill and these vegetarian ones look fantastic! I especially loved portobellas!
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Thanks Jen! I love portabellas too. 🙂
David
I was curious to see what you came up with for vegan BBQ when I saw your title! nice variety. Those peppers definitely must be a West Coast thing, I haven’t seen them in the Boston area.
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
I guess they are just on the west coast. I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled when I’m on the east coast for shishito peppers. Thanks so much for reading!
Wendy Klik
I agree that when entertaining you need to have plenty of options for all of your guests. Great suggestions for vegan/vegetarian/diet meals.
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Thank you so much Wendy!
Linda
Love the go-smoky veggie options for pairing with this fruity Crianza. Will try to track down those peppers next time I’m on the West Coast. Not sure I could fine them in Pennsylvania!
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Hmm, I didn’t realize they weren’t ubiquitous since I’ve seen them so often in CA. Thanks so much for reading!
Lori
Love to see all the vegetarian options! Chorizo spice sounds fantastic to me
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Thanks Lori! They are very tasty if you happen to see them at the market. 🙂
Lauren
I love the idea of doing a vegan bbq and those peppers sound delicious – especially with the miso and Japanese whisky accompaniments! And, based on your recommendation, I will seek out the vegan sausages: trying to cut down on meat across the board and these sound pretty good. Cheers!
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
I hope you are able to find them and enjoy them too! Thank you for the kind comments!
Jeff
Great ideas for keeping our vegetarian / vegan friends in mind from the beginning! Clearly, you know your stuff in this area, as you also advise separate area of the grill and separate utensils. Nice.
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Oh yes must keep the vegans and veggies happy with separate grill space. Thanks so much for reading! 🙂