Vegetarian barbecuing – a delicious alternative to meat and fish
Whether you prefer classic corn on the cob, tasty barbecue cheese or grilled avocado, vegetables are the stars of vegetarian barbecues. We have summarised how you can serve delicious grilled vegetables and creamy cheese to your guests quickly and easily, and what you need to bear in mind.
The key points
- Almost any type of vegetable can be barbecued – firm vegetables should be blanched or cooked beforehand.
- Barbecue cheese such as halloumi or sheep’s cheese can be barbecued directly on the grill, while soft cheese is best barbecued in aluminium foil or in a barbecue tray.
- A good marinade is crucial for the taste, while refined oils, herbs and a dash of lemon provide the perfect flavour.
- You should barbecue vegetables indirectly so that they cook gently and retain their valuable nutrients.
Which vegetables are suitable for barbecuing?
You can choose almost any type of vegetable for vegetarian barbecuing. Whatever you choose – broccoli, cauliflower, aubergine, avocado, sweetcorn, courgette or fennel – when prepared correctly, nothing stands in the way of your summertime enjoyment!
Most veggies get sliced before they hit the grill; either to be cooked that way or on a skewer. But vegetables cut into bite sized pieces are often not great for the barbecue. Often the grates on the grill are too far apart and the required turning is not really easy. Barbecuing vegetable skewers is extremely easy if you thread the vegetables onto (square) bamboo skewers that have been well soaked beforehand. Just remember that pieces that are cut roughly the same size work best so that they all cook through at the same time. You should also boil or blanch firmer vegetables such as potatoes, carrots or pumpkin beforehand to minimise the cooking time on the grill.
Even previously frozen vegetables are ideal for vegetarian barbecuing. What is important is that you defrost the vegetables completely before barbecuing and pat them dry well to avoid excess moisture. Liebherr freezers use technologies such as NoFrost to prevent freezer burn and SuperFrost to freeze food very quickly. This keeps the vegetables fresh and full of flavour. Freezing allows seasonal products to be enjoyed all year round. It reduces food waste and is ideal for a flexible and sustainable approach to nutrition!
Barbecuing without meat: barbecue cheese
When barbecuing vegetarian dishes, you can put sheep’s cheese or halloumi directly on the barbecue grate, as both types have a naturally firm consistency. Soft cheese is also great for barbecuing. If you like creamy camembert, for example, you can combine it perfectly with your grilled vegetables. Thanks to its creamy consistency, it melts easily when barbecued and combines well with other ingredients. When using soft cheese, make sure you don’t put it directly onto the barbecue grate. It is best to use aluminium foil or a barbecue tray for this. This prevents the cheese from dripping into the embers. Whether it’s hard or soft cheese, mild or spicy, on its own or combined with other ingredients: there are no limits to your imagination when it comes to vegetarian barbecuing!
Vegetables for barbecuing – the marinade is important
Once everything for the vegetarian barbecue has been chopped up and pre-cooked if needed, it’s time to make the marinade. Here it is important to understand that not all oils are equally suitable for preparing grilled vegetables, as with some oils smoke can form at high temperatures. We therefore recommend refined oils such as sunflower, rapeseed, olive oil or special frying oils. For a tasty marinade, olive oil can serve as a base, for example, and be refined with chopped herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. This particular marinade is an all-rounder and suits almost any vegetable. Add a dash of lemon or lime juice for an even more intense flavour. The acid accents the individual flavours of the vegetables and just makes them taste nicer.
The next question is, where is the best place on the grill for vegetables? Not all places on the grill are suitable. If placed directly over the burning coals, most vegetables burn quickly and lose valuable vitamins and nutrients. For this reason, always cook them indirectly at the edge of the grill. This will guarantee that your vegetarian barbecue is a success!
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