When it comes to summer cookouts and barbecues you may not think of Vegan food right off the bat, but let me tell you, there are SO MANY great options to prepare!

Vegan Memorial Day Recipes
Need a little help with Vegan Memorial Day Recipes this year? Fear not! I have some great ideas for you that are extremely delicious and easy to make.
Salads of All Kinds!
I feel like a cookout or summer BBQ is not 100% until you bust out the macaroni salad, so here are a few side salads - and some greenery - for your weekend.
A super tasty side that comes together in minutes! Summer corn + basil pesto aioli is a dreamy combination.
This Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad is perfect for bringing to gatherings! Full of flavor, and very allergy-friendly thanks to GoGo Quinoa pasta!
Creamy, spicy, cool, and downright delicious, you'll never regret making this sriracha sesame potato salad for your potluck or cookout needs!
A refreshing Jicama Avocado and Radish Salad with Lime Vinaigrette with great texture and flavor, that comes together quickly and easily. Vegan
Pair the salty, herbed tofu-cheese with ripe tomatoes, peppery baby arugula and a squeeze of fresh lemon together and you have yourself a simple, seasonal salad that makes a great side dish.
One of my favorite summer-time sides is a creamy Macaroni Salad, just slightly sweet and definitely tangy. For this recipe, I give you an oil-free mayo to make at home!
This combination of sweet and savory is simply summer in a bowl. This watermelon blackberry feta salad is deceptively fancy, and takes just minutes to make!
This Creamy Greek Summer Salad makes for a delectably simple side dish, filled with fresh ingredients, that is great for summer parties!
Summer Main Dishes
Main dishes sounds fancy but we're talking burgers, hot dogs, grill packs and more for this section.
Apple Fennel Seitan Sausages topped with arugula, grilled onions and fennel. Yum!
"Bringing BBQ to your table the nontraditional way. No animals were harmed in this hearty meal, but all of your taste buds will party at the first bite. Slather on as much BBQ sauce as you want and grab a napkin—it’s going to get messy. Hope you aren’t wearing white!" Reprinted with permission from Vegan Burgers and Burritos by Sophia DeSantis, Page Street Publishing Co. 2017.
This recipe is so delicious and SUPER popular. Probably because it's an easy way of getting a veggie fix at the next BBQ that you attend!
Sometimes you just want an old school veggie burger, am I right? But, really, this white bean walnut burger slathered in buffalo sauce is made with whole foods and great on the grill!
Healthy and flavorful veggie skewers with protein-rich, marinated tempeh, make for the perfect summer, cookout meal!
These Grilled Eggplant Burgers, while slightly unconventional, are great for enjoying any summer evening. And the burger patties are packed with wonderful umami flavor that is unlike any other plant-based homemade patty I’ve had before!
Summer might be over, but it doesn't mean that you can't keep grillin'! Tailgating season has just begun and these Grilled Plant-Based Beer Sausages are the perfect thing for it.
These Curry Cauliflower Grill Packets will blow your mind with how easy-to-make, delicious and healthy they are.
This vegan dog is loaded up with basically all of my favorite cookout sides, and a lil’ extra! Trust me when I say this comes together quickly and deliciously, especially since I’m partnering with Upton’s Naturals and using their new Updogs!
A savory BBQ sauce with a hint of sweetness from ripe strawberries that you can use for all of your grilling needs.
This Supreme Nacho Burger has a chip-crusted black bean patty, rich cashew queso, guacamole, crunchy romaine and spicy peppers! A super bowl crowd-pleaser!
Vegan Side Dishes for Cookouts
We already covered our salads, so this section is for all of your other sides! Fried foods, nachos, and allllll of the grilled eats!
These onion rings may not be deep-friend, but OH do they satiate an onion ring craving! Perfect for eating straight out of the air fryer or on top of a BBQ burger.
Today is a holiday, why not break out the foods you wouldn’t normally indulge in. It’s paired with an amazing raw ranch dressing, that evens it out, right? 😉
Pepper jack shreds, seasoned soyrizo and jalapeño peppers kick this dip up a few notches! It’s a perfectly flavorful and crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Grilled summer produce coated in BBQ sauce and stacked together with Smoky Almond cream make for an impressive and delicious summer appetizer.
Summer in New York City means weekend street fairs. The fairs have no rides or games. Instead, avenues are closed to traffic for several blocks, where dozens of vendors sell food. One of the most popular foods is Mexican Street Corn—freshly grilled sweet corn coated in a mixture of cheese and spiced mayonnaise. We created a vegan version of this dish that tastes even better than the original. (From NYC Vegan, copyright © 2017 by Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment. Used by permission. Photo by Jackie Sobon.)
Tasty twice baked potatoes with a queso sauce, coconut bacon and fresh pico de gallo!
If I told you this quick blender queso was nut-free, oil-free, and dairy-free would you believe me? Well you should! This speedy sauce is made from oats, and couldn't be easier.
Drinks and Desserts
Here are all the recipes you need to cool down, and also to satiate your sweet tooth!
A refreshing, homemade boozy mint strawberry lemonade with pops of flavor, and the fun addition of gin!
Get through warmer weather with these delectable Strawberry Oat Milk Popsicles. Made from whole ingredients, that you most likely have on hand, already!
This peach cherry cobbler is quintessentially summer, and will end up being a dessert that you make again and again.
Ultra-creamy, plant-based popsicles made with avocados, lemon, and tart raspberries! These Avocado Raspberry Pops take only 7 ingredients, and are gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and vegan.
This sherbet recipe is the epitome of refreshing! The combination of watermelon, strawberry, lime, mint, and coconut milk is simple, but so, so good.
If you’re in need of a weekend adult beverage, this is the perfect one for warmer weather!💐 Easy to put together, and the flavors are *chef’s kiss*. The hint of lavender is perfect with the berries and citrus!
No need to heat up your kitchen with the oven this summer, make this Grilled Blackberry Cobbler. A fluffy biscuit topping, fresh berries, and super delicious; plus, vegan!
A refreshing lemonade with a spicy kick from jalapeño, taken up a notch with vodka!
This allergy-friendly banana cream pie is an absolute delight and while perfect for summer, can be enjoyed any time of year!
This cucumber-melon juice will be calling your name all summer long to cool you down in the most delicious way!
I hope that you all have a great Memorial Day, and stay safe out there! 🙂
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[…] the booze thing, just leave the vodka out for a virgin drink with pizzazz. Also, I’ll have a Memorial Recipe round-up for you later this week, with plenty of awesome […]
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luminousvegans
Thursday 31st of May 2012
Oooh, that greek summer salad looks delicious!
Amy @ Elephant Eats
Tuesday 29th of May 2012
Oh my gosh, I LOVE the idea of using eggplant as your taco holder! Such a great idea. Can't wait to try this!!!