35 Vegan Recipes for Summertime Cookouts, Picnics, and Potlucks

I’m going to have to admit that summer isn’t my favorite season. I get hot and sweaty very easily, which makes me cranky and uncomfortable. What I do like about the season, though, is the food! I love having potlucks and cookouts in my backyard, and I also love to go on picnics. Sometimes Dennis and I will make sandwiches and take them to a park just up the street from us that overlooks the New York City skyline. Other times we’ll get more “formal” about our picnics, and we’ll pack a big basket with sandwiches and salads and head out to one of the many historical parks in our area. Summertime may actually make the heat a little more bearable for me.

Since it’s that time of the year, I’ve put together a list of my favorite vegan recipes summertime cookouts, picnics, and potlucks.

 

Picnic-Worthy Sandwiches

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches are my go-to for picnics.

 

Spabettie’s Roasted Garlic Chickpea Salad Sandwich is similiar to my recipe, but it’s full of extra garlicky goodness!

 

Juicy chunks of portobello mushrooms replace the traditional oysters in this flavorful Portobello Po’Boy from Robin Roberton’s 100 Best Vegan Recipes. Photo by Lucy Schaeffer.

 

Spabettie’s Apricot, Pear and Brie Sandwich with Vegan Brie is a perfect picnic portable!

 

I’d gladly go on any picnic that includes Kathy Hester’s Cajun French Fry Po’ Boy with Vegan Mushroom Gravy!

There are so many ways to veganize po’boys, and these Spicy (or not) Cauliflower Po’ Boys from  The Easy Vegan Cookbook by Kathy Hester is one of my favorite ways to eat them! Photo by Annie Oliverio

 

My Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad was inspired by an apple-picking adventure, and it’s perfect for picnics in the park!

 

For the Grill

Seitan Skewers with Chimichurri and Jalapeno Lime Aioli are a great grilled appetizer!

 

These adorable Mini Macs from Cadry’s Kitchen are the vegan version of the Big Mac in slider form.

 

Grilled Portobello Peach Sandwiches have become my all-time favorite summer meal.

 

I will acknowledge that not everyone likes mushrooms. If that’s the case with you, give these tasty Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches a try instead of the Portobello Peach. (But seriously, you don’t know what you’re missing!)

 

Betty’s Wartime Walnut Burger from Mastering the Art of Vegan Cooking by Annie and Dan Shannon are perfect for weekend cookouts!

 

Grilled Veggie Pitas with Cilantro Lime Sauce from Pure and Beautiful Vegan Cooking by Kathleen Henry come together quickly and are super versatile.

 

 

Ricki Heller’s Grilled Romaine with Sweet and Smoky Dressing is a perfect first course or side dish to summer Barbecues.

 

You probably haven’t thought to make tacos on the grill, but you really should. These Vampire Tacos from Vegan Tacos by Jason Wyrick get their name from the way the tortillas curl up like bat wings when grilled.

 

Once you’ve cooked tacos on the barbecue, give these Grilled Mushroom & Asparagus Fajitas from Cadry’s Kitchen a go, too.

 

We moved into our house 3 years ago, and we were happy to find an old grill in new condition hiding in out the garage. We had come from a rental townhouse that didn’t have backyard, so grilling was a new and wonderful thing for us. I skewered just about everything I could get my hands on and played around with various marinades. These Tofu and Pineapple Kebabs were a favorite.

 

Laura Theodore’s Mushroom-Nut Burgers will delight vegan and omnivores alike.

 

These spicy Chipotle Lentil Burgers are always crowd-pleasers.

 

Potluck Worthy-Salads

This Summertime Avocado-Chickpea Salad is one of my favorite salads to take on picnics.

 

Mild curry spices add just a little bit of heat to this Curried Potato Salad from Glue and Glitter and make it extra special.

 

This Potluck-Worthy Rice Salad was one of those happy accidents that come from throwing some ingredients together. I took this to a potluck and everyone wanted the recipe. Fortunately, I remembered what I did, so I was able to type out the recipe to share.

 

Laura Theodore’s Kale and Tomato Salad will impress your most discerning potluck guests.

This Raw Kale Slaw is kind of like a grown-up, healthy version of the coleslaw we all grew up eating.

 

Curried Tofu Salad from Cadry’s Kitchen fits easily into a sandwich, tortilla, spread onto crackers, stuffed into a tomato, eaten in a lettuce leaf, or just plain right out of the bowl alongside of a green salad.

 

Ricki Heller’s Confetti Quinoa and Wild Rice Salad with Cilantro is a great salad for a gathering or a light dinner at home.

 

Spabettie’s Perfect Picnic Pasta Salad with Lemony Avocado Sesame Dressing is a fresh, flavorful mix of summer vegetables and curly pasta, taking a tumble in a bright avocado dressing.

 

I’ll turn pretty much any veggie into a slaw, and Broccoli Slaw is one of my favorites!

 

Glue and Glitter’s Ginger Apple Coleslaw is another fun twist on traditional coleslaw.

 

You can’t have a cookout without potato salad! Ricki Heller’s Roasted Potato Salad with Avocado Pesto is a healthy, vegan version of the classic dish.

 

No picnic would be complete without macaroni salad, and this vegan Creamy Macaroni Salad from Everyday Vegan Eats by Zsu Dever doesn’t disappoint.

 

Cadry’s Kitchen’s Chickpea Salad Stuffed Tomatoes are fun for picnics and potlucks.

 

Ricki Heller’s Platonically Romantic Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad is easy to throw together and perfect for a picnic in the park.

 

Even Kale haters will love this Rawkin’ Rainbow Kale Salad from The Abundance Diet by Somer McCowan! Photo by Annie Oliverio.

 

I love that there are so many ways to make kale salad! Only-Kale-Can-Save-Us-Now-Salad from Eat Like You Give a Damn by Michelle Schwegmann & Josh Hooten is one of my favorites.

 

What are your favorite dishes to make for cookouts, picnics, and potlucks?