Vegetarian Burger and Grilling Recipes

Enjoy a fantastic vegetarian cookout with smoky grilled vegetables; hearty burgers made from beans, grains, and portobello mushrooms; grilled pizzas; tofu kebabs; and lots more.

Scallions, cumin, ginger, and peanuts add lively flavor to these chickpea patties. Serve the grilled burgers on whole-wheat English muffins with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard.

Marinate tofu cubes and scallions in a zesty puree of cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, and lime juice before threading onto skewers. Grill alongside summer squash kebabs and serve with the leftover marinade for dipping.

Make a tangy tzatziki-inspired sauce for grilled eggplant by combining plain yogurt, grated cucumber, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Serve as a side dish or layer the eggplant and yogurt sauce on veggie burgers.

Grill rounds of homemade pizza dough until lightly charred before adding the toppings. Use the accompanying recipe for tomato sauce or grab your favorite store-bought variety, then scatter fresh mozzarella and basil leaves over the top.

Bulgur wheat and pinto beans make a hearty veggie burger. Pan-fry the patties in olive oil and serve on buns with avocado and sliced tomatoes.

Tuck Monterey Jack cheese, yellow summer squash, and orange bell pepper between flour tortillas and toast them on the grill. Serve the quesadillas with fresh corn and scallion relish.

Mix nutty quinoa with great northern beans, scallions, carrot, and cumin to make these pan-fried veggie burgers. Serve in pita bread with lemony yogurt sauce and sliced cucumber.

This Mexican-style grilled corn on the cob is slathered with reduced-fat mayonnaise and then sprinkled with finely grated feta cheese and chili powder. If you like, serve lime wedges on the side.

The portobello mushrooms for these burgers are roasted, but they would be great on the grill, too. Mix spicy brown mustard, horseradish, lime juice, and minced jalapeno into mashed avocado to make the sumptuously spicy sauce.

The secret to perfect grilled eggplant is to first salt the slices to draw out moisture. Serve with a Sicilian-style relish of raisins, capers, olives, sherry vinegar, and red-pepper flakes.

Kidney beans and rice are blended with ginger, garlic, carrot, broccoli, and cilantro to make these mini burgers inspired by Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. Serve the pan-fried patties on whole-wheat rolls with chili mayonnaise, red onion, and sliced mango.

Store-bought pizza dough is grilled and then topped with tomatoes, scallions, and goat cheese. Dress fresh spinach and diced avocado with red-wine vinegar and olive oil, and pile onto the pizzas just before serving. These colorful pizzas are ready in just 25 minutes.

Grill zucchini, portobello mushrooms, and scallions to top these colorful tostadas. Brush flour tortillas with olive oil and brown them on the grill before topping with the grilled vegetables, feta cheese, and fresh salsa.

Puree canned black beans with scallions, jalapeno, and cumin, then mix with cooked brown rice to make these hearty patties. Serve them as vegetarian burgers or as appetizers, accompanied by cilantro-lime yogurt sauce.

Stack grilled eggplant between layers of red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers, then garnish with marjoram and feta cheese. This colorful vegetarian entree is from "Emeril at the Grill" by Emeril Lagasse.

Never thought of grilling sweet potatoes before? Grilled and seasoned slices of sweet potato become an easy, smoky-sweet side dish when tossed with thyme, butter, and scallions.

Lightly char rounds of homemade pizza dough, and then top with creamy ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and grilled asparagus. Simmer garlic and rosemary in extra-virgin olive oil to make the fragrant, infused oil for brushing the dough.

Canned lentils are the secret to these easy, delicious mint-flecked veggie burgers. Top the pan-fried burgers with yogurt sauce and serve with a lemony carrot salad.

Fresh mozzarella melts beautifully in these mini grilled cheese-and-tomato sandwiches. For a festive touch, use different-shaped cookie cutters on the bread -- circles, stars, hearts, or flowers.

Cumin, coriander, jalapeno, garlic, and toasted walnuts make these lentil burgers rich and spicy. Serve the pan-fried patties in pita bread with avocado, tomatoes, and yogurt-cilantro sauce.

Season halved plum tomatoes with thyme and olive oil, then grill over high heat to make the topping for these mini pizzas. Grill thin rounds of purchased pizza dough, top with Fontina cheese and the grilled tomatoes, and cook until the cheese melts. Garnish the finished pizzas with fresh basil.

Pomegranate molasses, made from concentrated pomegranate juice, gives this dressing its distinctive sweet-tart flavor. Mix it with lemon juice, minced garlic, shredded mint, and extra-virgin olive oil, and toss with wedges of warm grilled eggplant.

Black beans, chopped tomato, corn, scallions, goat cheese, and oregano fill these colorful quesadillas. Serve these as a quick appetizer at your next cookout.

Portobello mushrooms, a favorite vegetarian burger stand-in, are marinated along with red bell peppers in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and minced garlic. Serve the grilled portobellos and peppers on buns with fresh goat cheese and lettuce leaves.

Season asparagus and scallions with the oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, and grill until they are caramelized and tender. Grill ovals of purchased pizza dough before topping each one with ricotta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and the grilled vegetables.

Give grilled bread fresh flavor by rubbing a ripe tomato over the surface. Pile on grilled red onion, garlic, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and yellow and red bell pepper and serve as an open-faced sandwich.

These flavorful burgers, made with sweet potato, millet, and chickpeas, are seasoned with coriander, cumin, and fennel. Pan-fry the patties in sesame oil and serve on toasted buns with sprouts and tahini sauce.

Rich, salty-sweet hoisin sauce makes grilled baby eggplant irresistible. Serve as a side dish with veggie burgers or dice the eggplant and add to a cold noodle salad.

Pinto beans, bulgur wheat, and grated carrot make these veggie burgers hearty and satisfying. Mix tahini and lemon juice into light mayonnaise to make a condiment with Middle Eastern flair.

Purchased pizza dough is a great shortcut for making this easy, sophisticated grilled pizza. Grill the pizza until the fontina cheese melts, then scatter baby arugula over the top and drizzle with olive oil just before serving.

Bitter purple radicchio, baby pattypan and yellow squash, zucchini, and scallions become tender and deliciously smoky on the grill. Season the grilled vegetables with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon before serving.