6 Great Ways to Grill Vegetarian

Once the vegetables are ready to cook, quickly sear them on a higher heat to give them grill marks and flavor, but then move them away from the intense heat to finish cooking. You can also use a grill basket to prevent vegetables from slipping through the grill grates. ​​

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Keep in mind that different vegetables require different cooking times. Root vegetables — sweet potatoes, for instance — often take the longest. To speed up the process, parboil vegetables with longer cook times in advance.​

2. Cauliflower steaks​​

It’s not news that cauliflower is an incredibly versatile vegetable — you see it riced and mashed — but have you tried it grilled as a steak? Chef Noah Zamler from the Press Room in Chicago says the best way to prep a cauliflower steak is to start with an entire head and cut it into 2-inch-thick steaks and then brine or marinate. 

​​“I always use a simple 3:2:1 brine, with some additional herbs and spices, that is 3 gallons water, 2 pounds of salt and 1 pound of sugar,” he says. “For cauliflower, I also like to add allspice, ginger and garlic.” ​​

Let your steaks brine for 12 to 24 hours and then do a hard sear on the grill. If you prefer a marinade, Zamler creates one from equal parts miso, soy, water and honey, which should result in a paste-like consistency. He spreads it on the cauliflower and lets it sit for four to six hours. ​​

Throw it on the grill for three minutes on each side, and you’ll have a delicious vegetable steak with some chew in the center.​

​3. Mushrooms many ways​​

You often see mushrooms used as a substitute for meat, and for good reason: The hearty texture and earthy flavor give them an almost meat-like taste. And with so many kinds of mushrooms, you can pick and choose your favorites or offer a medley. 

​​Large portobello caps are great for grilling as a burger replacement or grilled and sliced lengthwise to use as the base in tacos. Drew Turnipseed, culinary director at Grilla Grills in Holland, Michigan, serves them in an open-faced sandwich made from grilled country bread and grilled portobellos, topped with a simple parsley pesto and quick pickled shallots.​​

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Smaller and medium-sized mushrooms work well too. Simply marinate (balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and minced garlic is a good combination), thread them on a skewer and voila — mushroom kebabs.

​4. Plant-based meat alternatives​​

Still craving a hot dog, bacon burger or grilled sausage? Many plant-based alternatives deliver the hearty satisfaction of animal proteins. Impossible Foods, featured in many restaurants, sells its “meat” ground or shaped into patties ready to throw on the grill. Beyond Meat sells three varieties of sausage (spicy and sweet Italian and original bratwurst) made for grilling. Hooray Foods makes plant-based bacon, which is best cooked in a pan but perfect for topping your burger.​​

5. Entire eggplant​​

Eggplant can be a daunting vegetable to work with because it may require a lot of prep work — but not when you follow personal chef Aaron Clayton’s method of grilling. He takes the whole eggplant, puts it on the grill and lets it burn until it turns ash white. Then pull it off the grill, allow it to cool and slice it open. The insides will have turned into a tender, smoky spread that you can scoop into a bowl and mix with a little lemon juice, olive oil and salt and serve on crusty bread.​​

6. Tofu

​​Tofu is terrific on the grill because its dense consistency means it won’t fall apart and its spongy texture makes it a natural for soaking up marinades or sauces. Just make sure to choose firm or extra-firm, non-silken varieties. And when you marinate, be careful not to oversaturate (nobody wants soggy tofu); just lightly coat for a few hours. A jerk marinade, which might feature allspice, onions, garlic, Scotch bonnet peppers, brown sugar and more, works well if you like things spicy, and a blend containing a bit of sugar or honey will lend the tofu some crispness.