How to host the best veggie BBQ

From flavour-packed French summer classics, seasonal stars and fire-blistered favourites - try these top five vegetarian BBQ recipes and make veg the star of the show.

To plan a BBQ during a typical British summer you need to have a dash of optimism and good waterproofs. However, this year has been an exception. Although the hot weather is a challenge in the fields, the evenings are long, warm and ideal for gathering with friends and family to share an alfresco feast.

Sweetcorn is a sign of late summer; an iconic seasonal star. It’s also great vegan option if you are looking for something a bit different to put on the grill. We deliver it with the leaves intact to keep it fresh – natural packaging at its best.

With an abundance of summer veg, it’s great to have some new takes on old favourites: everyone loves potato salad, so we’ve done a fresh version of a vegetarian salad niçoise featuring sweet, rich roasted cherry tomatoes as a wonderful accompaniment.

We’re also enjoying the heat of the Padron pepper season (pimientos de padrón). They originally hail from Galicia but we’ve discovered they also like growing on our farm in France. Some are hot and some are not – it’s impossible to tell which is which. Always great fun to eat and easy to make, serve them alongside your BBQ feast or as a starter.

BBQ Sweetcorn with Chipotle & Charred Limes

BBQ Sweetcorn with Chipotle & Charred Limes

Smoky corn, spicy mayonnaise and zesty-sweet caramelised limes make a delectable trio that’s even better washed down with a cool beer. If it rains on your parade and you need to take your BBQ inside, this recipe also works well roasted in an oven.

See full barbecued sweetcorn with chipotle and charred limes recipe.

Padron Peppers

Padron peppers

Play Russian roulette with Padron peppers grown by Guy’s team on our farm in France. These small green peppers are all the rage in tapas bars – fry or grill until blistering and serve with sea salt. Most are mild, some have moderate heat – and watch out for the occasional lurker with a real kick.

See our simple Padron peppers recipe or watch the new Veg Hack video here.

Courgette & Halloumi Kebabs with Green Tahini Dressing

Courgette & Halloumi Kebabs

A great vegetarian option for a BBQ or a simple summery lunch. Try with zephyr courgettes, grown on our co-op farmer Antony Coker’s farm, to add a dash of yellow to the table. It’s worth making extra of the nutty, creamy tahini dressing; it goes well with most roasted veg.

See full courgette and halloumi kebabs with green tahini dressing recipe.

Broad Bean, Saffron & New Potato Salad

Broad Bean, Saffron & New Potato Salad

This warm salad combines two of the best veg Britain has to offer at this time of year. The bright red saffron threads add a wonderful colour and subtle flavour but use it sparingly, or the flavour can be cloying. Try using a small handful of chervil for a slightly different flavour to parsley, or alternatively some chopped chives.

See full broad bean, saffron and new potato salad recipe.

Roasted Tomato Niçoise Salad

Roasted Tomato Niçoise Salad

This is a substantial, flavour-packed French summer classic, with the roasted cherry tomatoes add extra intensity. At this time of year our tomatoes come from our polytunnels; you can’t beat them on taste. Each season we trial and test new varieties to be sure we are always growing the most flavoursome ones.

See the full roasted tomato niçoise salad recipe.

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