8 Healthy BBQ Recipes Perfect for this Season

By Kejal Shah

If you’re new to grilling or feeling a little rusty, check out the BBQ recipes from this list!

Grilled Cauliflower with Mango Slaw and Avocado Crema

Ingredients:

Mango Slaw

• 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced (approximately ½ an onion)
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1red mango, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
• ½ lime, juiced

Avocado Crema

• 1 ½ avocado
• 2 limes, juiced
• ⅔ cup canned coconut milk
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper

Method

1. In a bowl toss together all the ingredients for the mango slaw
2. In a blender, combine all the ingredients for the avocado crema until smooth
3. Toss cauliflower florets in olive oil, minced garlic, chili powder, and cumin, and grill for 20 minutes on the barbecue over medium-high heat.
4. In a bowl place a small amount of mango slaw on the bottom, then a few pieces of grilled cauliflower, and top with a dollop or drizzle of avocado crema.
5. Add a squeeze of extra lime on top if desired.

Barbecue sweet potatoes with garlic and herb dressing

Ingredients

• 6 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled
• Extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle
• 6 fat garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 300g soured cream or natural yogurt
• ½ red onions
• Finely grated zest and juice
• 1 lemon
• A small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
• A small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• A small bunch of fresh mint, chopped, plus extra leaves to serve

Method

1. Put each sweet potato on a large piece of foil. Drizzle over olive oil and season well. Wrap tightly and put in the barbecue embers for 45-60 minutes. Alternatively, roast in an oven heated to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 for 1 hour 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, wrap the garlic cloves in a little foil, drizzle with olive oil, and leave in the embers for 15-20 minutes until soft (or cook in the oven, as above, for 20 minutes). Finely slice the red onion and put it in a non-metallic bowl with most of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
3. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the flesh from the skins into a large bowl and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Mix in the soured cream or yogurt gradually to distribute the garlic evenly.
4. When ready to serve, add the chopped herbs, lemon zest, and the remaining lemon juice, season, and taste. Remove the onions from the lemon juice, squeezing them dry.
5. Open the sweet potato parcels, squash the flesh open a bit, spoon over the garlic and herb dressing, scatter with the onions and extra mint leaves, then serve in the foil.

Tandoori Paneer skewers with yogurt-cucumber salad

Ingredients

• 2 x 225g blocks paneer, cut into 3cm cubes
• 3cm piece ginger, grated
• 3 tbsp tandoori paste
• 6 tbsp natural yogurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
• 2 red peppers cut into 4cm chunks
• 2 red onions cut into 4cm chunks

For the cucumber salad

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• Juice 1 lemon
•  Small garlic clove, crushed
• 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
• Small bunch mint, leaves finely chopped (reserve a few whole leaves to serve, if you like)
• 200g natural yogurt

Method

1. Prepare the barbecue for direct heat (for cooking right over the coals; or see alternative cooking instructions above). For the salad, lightly toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan (about 1 minute). Crush in a pestle and mortar, then mix with the onion, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Set aside for 15 minutes to quick-pickle, then stir in the sliced cucumbers, mint, and yogurt.
2. Meanwhile, mix the paneer, ginger, tandoori paste, yogurt, oil, and peppers in a bowl with a pinch of salt, ensuring the paneer and peppers are well coated. Thread the paneer, peppers, and onions onto skewers, alternating. Drizzle with a little oil, and then cook with the BBQ lid down, turning once or twice until the veg are tender and the paneer is a little charred – about 10 minutes.
3. Serve the skewers with the cucumber salad.

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks

Ingredients

• 2 medium heads of cauliflower
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 tsp. onion flakes
• ½ tsp. red chili pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. dried parsley
• Salt to taste*

Method

1. In a medium bowl combine olive oil, garlic, onion flakes, red chili pepper flakes, and dried parsley.
2. Remove outer green leaves from the cauliflower and then slice into ½-inch slices.
3. Brush both sides with olive oil mixture. Then sprinkle with salt.
4. Place on grill and cook about 10-12 minutes per side.

Grilled Paneer with Pineapple steaks

Ingredients

• 300 grams Paneer (Homemade Cottage Cheese), Homemade Cottage Cheese, cut into cubes, about 1-½ inch in size
• 1 Pineapple, cut into triangles
• 1 Red Bell pepper (Capsicum), cut into triangles
• Oil, for tossing

Marinade

• 1 cup Hung Curd (Greek Yogurt)
• 3 tablespoons Gram flour (besan)
• 3 cloves Garlic, ground to paste
• 1 inch Ginger, ground to paste
• 1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
• 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (Saunf), roasted ground to powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera)
• 1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhania)
• 3/4 teaspoon Black pepper powder
• 3/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
• 2 teaspoon Garam masala powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Salt (Kala Namak)
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. To begin with, in the Recipe, combine the yogurt and gram flour making a smooth paste. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the ginger, garlic, and Kasuri methi leaves to make a coarse paste.

2. Add in the fennel seeds and ajwain and pound until blended. Add this to the yogurt mixture. Add the remaining marinade ingredients into the yogurt mixture and stir to combine well.
3. Place the paneer cubes, pineapple & bell peppers in a large bowl, add in the marinade and allow it to rest for about half an hour to one hour or even overnight.
4. Take a skewer and add paneer cubes, pineapple, and bell peppers, and line it up to the top. Do the same for the rest of the skewers.
5. Heat a grill pan over medium heat, add a little oil and place a few marinated paneer skewers along with a little of the marinade on top.
6. Add a spoon of ghee or oil to the coal. It will begin to smoke a little, reduce the heat to low, and let it sit for about a minute on each side. Keep turning and cook evenly on all the sides till it is charred. Cook the skewer for at least 10 minutes and serve hot. 
7. Serve the Grilled Paneer with Pineapple steaks

Grilled Tofu Steak with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Tamarind Sauce  
• 1 tbsp Cider Vinegar
• 1 tbsp   Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tbsp.    Chopped Garlic
• ½  Tbsp.    Cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp.    Water
• 100g Tofu, Extra Firm
• 5g mushrooms, sliced or quartered
• Dash of Salt
• Dash Freshly Ground Pepper

Method

1. Combine tamarind, vinegar, oil, and garlic in a bowl.

2. Cut tofu into 4 cubes—place in the marinade for 30 minutes.

3. Make sure tofu is at room temperature.  Grill steaks until well-marked.   Reserve to marinade. 4. Sauté mushrooms in oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

5. Bring marinade to simmer.  Mix corn starch and water and whisk in.  Simmer for one minute and remove from heat.

6. Place tofu steak(s) on a plate or platter and top with mushrooms.

Mediterranean Grilled Avocado Stuffed With Chickpeas And Tahini 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Chickpeas 
• Salt + Pepper
• 2 Large avocados
• 1/2 Cup Cucumber diced (about half a large cucumber)
• 1/2 Cup Cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice + additional for servings of about 1 large lemon
• 2 tsp Tahini
• Cilantro for garnish

Method

1. Preheat your grill to medium/high heat. The temperature gauge should read about 400 degrees once heated.
2. Place the rinsed chickpeas onto a paper towel and dry well. Transfer to a small bowl, peeling off any of the papery skins that come loose while you dried the chickpeas. Spray the chickpeas generously with Oil and then toss with salt and pepper.
3. Place the chickpeas into the bottom of the grill basket into an even, flat layer. Place onto the grill and cook for 10 minutes. Then, respray the chickpeas with Oil Spray and stir around. Cook for another 10-12 minutes until lightly charred and crispy. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Cut the avocados in half, removing the pit. Scoop out the center of the avocado so you have a large, deep hole. Spray the avocados with Oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place, flesh-side down, onto the grill and cook until nice grill marks form, about 5 minutes.
5. While the avocados cook, mix the cucumber, tomatoes, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Divide the cucumber mixture between each avocado half, making sure to really stuff it into the center. Top each half with 1 Tbsp. of chickpeas* and drizzle with 1/2 tsp Tahini.

Grilled Mexican Sweet corn

Ingredients

• 4 ears corn
• 1/2 cup hung curd
• 1/4 cup cilantro freshly chopped
• 1 lime juiced
• Red chilli powder to taste
• 2 limes cut into wedges for garnish
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Remove the husks of the corn leaving the core attached.
2. Grill the corn turning once on a hot grill until it starts to get slightly charred.
3. In a small bowl mix the hung curd, salt, and cilantro.
4. Remove the corn from the grill and slather with the hung curd mix.
5. Squeeze the lime juice over the corn.
6.  Sprinkle with chilli powder.