It is now barbecue season and being vegan doesn’t mean that you have to stay home and sulk while everyone else enjoys their time together. Yes, it might be bothersome to be around the BBQ while people are cooking up dead animal carcasses, but unfortunately we live in a very unvegan world. I think the best way to help influence and change the world is to actually be part of the community and actually interact with people. So yes, go to barbecues! Show people that vegan food is still normal and delicious food!

I decided to make a cold creamy pasta salad and some grillable gochujang burgers. You guys know my obsession with gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) so I just had to make some burgers with that lovely flavour.

Check out the video for the recipe instructions and see below for the ingredients and written instructions!

 

Vegan BBQ Recipes 

Creamy Vegan Pasta Salad (4-5 servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked pasta, rinsed in cold water and drained
• 1/2 cup soaked cashews (if not soaked, see instructions below)
• 2-3 stalks green onion, chopped
• 1/2 package silken tofu
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1-2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1-2 cups fresh veggies of choice

Instructions:

1. If cashews are not pre-soaked, boil them with some water for about 15-20 minutes until softened enough to blend. Drain.
2. Add cashews, dairy-free milk, silken tofu, olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
3. Add pasta, sauce and veggies into a large mixing bowl and mix until well-combined.
4. Serve cold.

 

Vegan Spicy Gochujang Burgers (For the grill) 

Ingredients (around 4-5 burgers):

• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water)
• 2 cups cooked/canned black beans (use any beans you prefer)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tbsp – 1 tbsp soy sauce or soy sauce substitute
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1/3 cup oat flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Prepare flax egg mixture by mixing ground flax seeds with water in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge.
3. Sautee onions on a frying pan with water or oil until softened and slightly browned.
4. Add onions and beans into a food processor or blender and blend together until well-combined and beans are nicely mashed.
5. In a small bowl, add garlic powder, gochujang, ketchup, maple syrup, soy sauce and flax egg mixture and mix until well-combined.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add the bean/onion mixture, the sauce, rice and oat flour and combine well.
7. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and place formed patties.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes on each side at 300 degrees F until the burger patties have come together well and are not breaking apart or wet.
9. Throw these on the grill for a few minutes on each side and enjoy them in a burger with whatever toppings of choice! woohoo! Happy BBQ-ing 🙂