Move Over, Meat! These Recipes Prove There's So Much More to Grilling Than Steak & Burgers (2024)

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May 1, 2019 at 12:00pm EDT

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When you enter the stretch of the year when the weather is warmer, the great outdoors naturally beckons. You want to be outside, soaking up the sunshine and basking in the breeze. And you want to be… eating! Not just any food either — there’s something about summer that begs for you to fire up the grill. Can’t you just smell the smoky, delicious aroma of something sizzling on the grill now?

While meat has long maintained the title of king of grilled fare, it’s time for steaks and burgers to move over and make some room. Well, at least steaks and burgers of the carnivorous variety. Fruit, vegetable and otherwise vegetarian-based items have been an afterthought for far too long. And, c’mon, when you see the recipes we’ve pulled together, you’ll wonder what you’ve been doing with your life.

So, whether you’re simply trying to make healthier choices or plan to have a vegetarian friend over for your next back door barbecue, get familiar with the following mouth-watering non-meat recipes for your grill.

BBQ Onion Steaks with Honey Mustard Glaze
Who needs an animal-based steak when you can have Thegoodfoods.net’s BBQ’ed onion steaks?! Skewered and coated in a honey mustard glaze, these bad boys are stick and sweet and totally satisfying. (In full disclosure, they would also be amazing served alongside a strip steak for any meat-eaters in the bunch.)
Blackberry Brie Grilled Cheese
Raise your hand if you love a good grilled cheese sandwich. Here’s the part where literally everyone raises their hands, because you can’t get much more classic comfort food-y than an ooey, gooey grilled cheese. Trial and Eater offers a sophisticated alternative to the original with a blackberry and brie version that’s just as beautiful as it is tasty.
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Bloomin’ Grilled Apples
So, you’ve probably had a bloomin’ onion before. But have you ever had a bloomin’ apple? Let this recipe from The Gunny Sack elevate your grilling to the next level — not to mention impress the heck out of anyone you make it for.
Easy Grilled Zucchini
Hey, non-meat grilling doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be the easiest thing you do all week. Just follow The Stay at Home Chef’s cue and go for this easy grilled zucchini. Your favorite summer garden vegetable, a little olive oil and seasoning and 10 minutes on the grill, and you’ve got a star side dish at your next barbecue.
Easy Mexican Street Corn
If you’ve never tried Mexican street corn, you’re missing out, friend. Food with Feeling recommends popping fresh ears on the grill, then coating them with a dreamy Mexican sauce made with ingredients like cojita cheese, garlic, lime zest and more. Trust us when we say this is the grilling recipe family and friends will ask for again and again — it’s up to you whether you reveal just how easy it really is to make.
Grilled Eggplant Steaks with Miso Maple Tahini Sauce
Thanks to eggplant’s natural “fleshiness,” it makes a great alternative to animal-based products. You’ve probably heard of it used in lasagna or other Italian dishes, right? But we love how Radiant Rachels recipe for grilled eggplant steaks makes eggplant the star. Besides, the miso maple tahini sauce is to-die-for.
Fireball Pineapple
Calling all grown-ups: This grilled treat is not for the kiddos. You may have seen versions of it making the internet rounds recently, but Wide Open Eats will walk you through exactly how to grill Fireball-Cinnamon-Whisky-soaked pineapple. Because, Fireball. And pineapple. And, really, you need this in your life (read: mouth), like, yesterday.
Grilled General Tso’s Cauliflower Kabobs
There are so many things to love about Eatwell 101’s grilled General Tso’s cauliflower recipe. Most obviously, it boasts everyone’s most beloved Chinese food sauce. But also, sticking the cauliflower on skewers is just plain fun. Who knew you could grill this cruciferous veggie like a kabob?
Grilled Avocado and Romaine Caesar Salad
Nope, that’s not a typo. You can, in fact, grill salad — and, spoiler alert, it’s gosh-darn delicious. Blissful Basil’s avocado and romaine Caesar salad recipe will make you wonder why you haven’t been grilling your greens all along.
10-Minute Grilled Banana Boats
If you have kids, you’ll instantly hit best parent ever status when you serve up Country Cleaver’s grilled banana boats — especially since they only take 10 minutes, and we all know how impatient kids can be where food is concerned. But, real talk, even if your gathering is adult-only, this treat will still make you a hero.
Grilled Fennel
File this under “things you’d never think to grill.” It’s fennel, y’all. Fennel! Not only is this nutritious veggie low-calorie, but it’s also a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber and potassium. She Loves Biscotti’s grilled fennel recipe is pretty much failproof, so there’s really no reason not to give this a try.
Grilled Hasselback Potatoes with Chive Butter
For those who crave something a bit more substantial than cauliflower, look no further than the humble potato. Completely Delicious’ recipe sees large spuds sliced Hasselback-style, popped on the grill and topped with a dreamy chive butter. Warning: You’ll never want to eat potatoes any other way again.
Grilled Kiwi with Coconut Whipped Cream
Sure, people talk about grilling peaches or apples — how come everyone leaves out the poor kiwi? If you love this fuzzy little fruit as much as we do, you’d be remiss not to try It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken’s recipe for grilled kiwi with coconut whipped cream. It’ll undoubtedly become your new favorite grilled fruit (how about them apples, apples?).
Grilled Pound Cake Strawberry Shortcake
The grilling gods have clearly smiled favorably upon us all, because there exists such a thing as grilled pound cake strawberry shortcake. This recipe from The Chic Site proves that you can have your cake grilled… and eat it, too.
Harissa Spiced Cauliflower Steaks
If this picture alone doesn’t make you lick your lips, your taste buds might be broken. Evergreen Kitchen’s harissa spiced cauliflower steaks are, as they dub it, “sexy plant food.” And, really, who wouldn’t like the sound of that? Tossing tender, juicy cauliflower florets on the grill under with a sticky harissa glaze until they have a golden brown crust — yep, we’re definitely in the mood (for food, sheesh) now.
Grilled Portobello Steaks with Chimichurri and Onion Strings
Some of the best veggie-based recipes are the ones that could totally pass for meat at first glance. Hot for Food’s grilled portobello steaks certainly pass that test. Bonus? Thanks to the addition of chimichurri and onion strings, all of your favorite flavors are there, too.
Spicy Grilled Okra
If you’ve ever been on the fence about okra because it’s “slimy,” Bunsen Burner Bakery has just the grilling recipe for you. You see, when you cook this veggie quickly and over high heat, it reduces that signature sliminess. Then, a blend of zingy spices (think paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and cumin) kick up the flavor a notch. Perfection!
Sweet and Spicy Grilled Tofu
Many vegetarians look to tofu as a main source of non-meat protein (*me, me!*), but we’d never really think to slap some on the grill. The Fitchen changes all of that with this tantalizingly tender-on-the-inside and crunchy-on-the-outside sweet and spicy grilled tofu.