The Best Vegetarian Recipes For Summer

Forget about baseball—firing up the barbeque for a cookout is the one true American pastime. There’s nothing quite like a great neighborhood potluck or block party, but vegetarians are all too frequently left out in the proverbial culinary cold. Burgers, hot dogs, and ribs might always enjoy their place as the go-to cookout foods, but when will home cooks across the country realize that grilling a semi-frozen veggie patty on the barbecue just doesn’t cut it anymore? It’s 2017, and that’s so ‘90s. Whether you can stand to eat it or not, there’s really no need for Tofurkey—or any other meat substitutes, for that matter—when so many classic summer dishes also happen to be meat-free.

The coincidental absence of meat shouldn’t come as a surprise when you consider how many dishes are perfect for the warm weather. After all, summer is the best season to eat. You don’t need fancy chef techniques or a million “artisanal” ingredients found only at those really nice (and expensive) grocery stores to make something delicious. With seasonal fruits and vegetables this fresh, the best thing to do is cut out the fuss and let the ingredients speak for themselves. Food publications have long been speaking this language, whispering the secrets of everything from revved up classics like hot honey corn on the cob to spicy grilled vegetables to totally unique sides you may not have tried to prepare before, like grilled watermelon salad. (It’s truly delicious, by the way).

So, what are you still doing reading this article? Grab a six pack of your favorite beer, text your favorite neighbors, and fire up the grill. There’s nothing quite like eating in the summer sunshine. From meatless takes on all-time BBQ classics to modern dishes that just happen to be vegetarian, here are the vegetarian recipes that on the menu this summer.

Beer can chicken is a mythic part of the pantheon of BBQ foods, and this vegetarian version lives up to its meaty compatriot. A whole cabbage gets steamed with beer and coated with barbeque sauce, which caramelizes as it cooks on the grill. The resulting dish is beautifully charred, a little boozy, and perfect for piling on thick-cut bread to make totally memorable veggie sliders.

Butter, honey, and heat are the culinary holy trinity. The proof is in this recipe, which features ears of sweet summer corn slathered in butter and sticky sweet honey—and finished off with a healthy sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Grilling corn in the husk gives all those flavors a chance to get to know each other and really blend, making something truly special.

It’s no secret that the best part of going to town on a plate of buffalo wings is all that delicious sauce. This take on buffalo sauce has plenty of Frank’s RedHot and crumbly blue cheese in every bite, creating a meat-free coleslaw that’s guaranteed to satisfy a wings craving.

Grilling fruit may sound like an unusual choice in theory. In practice, eating slightly smokey, totally sweet seasonal fruit straight off the grill is one of summer’s true food pleasures. This grilled pineapple is super adaptable; fold in jalapenos for an excellent salsa or spoon it over vanilla ice cream.

Pasta salad is a cookout classic, and this version is infinitely riffable. Stir in fresh mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, and a hell of a lot of fresh herbs—or go off-recipe and add whatever’s hanging out in your pantry. It’s pasta, so you know it’ll be good.

This is the ultimate summer salad, with no spinach required. Thick slabs of juicy seedless watermelon are brushed with olive oil, grilled over high heat and layered with crumbly feta for a salad that’ll make you forget about leafy greens.

Consider this the ultimate side dish. These blistered red bell peppers, marinated with garlic and wild oregano, are the perfect addition to any sandwich.

After a day of grill action, it’s only appropriate to close out the meal with something surprising and totally in theme: grilled cake. This grilled pound cake is topped in basil and plums—sauteed in dessert wine, ‘natch—for the ultimate summer dessert.