If you’re a vegetarian sometimes finding interesting things to cook on a BBQ, that is not just a load of veg rammed onto a skewer, can be quite challenging. Today is the start of national vegetarian week and it is followed by national BBQ week so we thought we would think about our favourite veggie BBQ recipes to make sure the carnivores don’t completely take over.

Carrot and sesame burgers

It’s really not a BBQ unless you’re eating a burger, but if you’re a veggie you’re often left with a bun full of mush that has fallen apart while cooking. Our top tip is to put a hot plate on the grill and to cook the veggie burgers on that, unless you have a fancy BBQ with a hot plate already built into it. This carrot and sesame burger (which we found and tested from the BBC good food site) is a little bit different and is super easy to make, so get ready to enjoy this tasty treat around the dining table.

Ingredients
750g carrots peeled and grated
410g can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 small onion roughly chopped
2 tbsp tahini paste plus 1 tsp to serve
1 tsp ground cumin
1 egg
3 tbsp olive oil
100g wholemeal breadcrumbs
zest 1 lemon plus 1 tsp juice
150ml pot natural yogurt
6 buns
rocket leaves
sliced red onion
sliced avocado
chilli sauce to serve
3 tbsp sesame seeds

Put a third of the grated carrot in a food processor with the chickpeas, onion, 2 tbsp tahini, cumin and egg. Whizz to a thick paste, then scrape into a large bowl. Heat 1 tbsp oil in your largest frying pan, tip in the remaining carrot and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring until the carrot is softened - it will become more golden as it is cooked. Add this cooked carrot to the whizzed paste with the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and sesame seeds. Add seasoning, then mix together well with your hands.

Divide the mixture into 6, then using wet hands shape into burgers. Cover and chill until serving. Mix the yogurt with the remaining tahini and lemon juice, then chill.

Fire up the BBQ, or heat a non-stick frying pan and brush the burgers with the remaining oil. Cook the burgers for 5 mins on each side, until golden and crisp. Meanwhile warm or toast the buns (or sit them on the BBQ alongside the burgers). When the burgers are ready, spread each bun with some of the lemony sesame yogurt, add the avocado, top with the burger, onion and rocket. Finish with a drizzle of chilli sauce.

Foil Wrapped Veggie Delights

If you’ve got foil there’s all sorts of things you can do on a BBQ.... Another very simple, but super tasty, veggie BBQ idea is to cut up some potatoes into wedges, part boil them, cover them in some spicy seasoning, wrap them up in a foil parcel and then place the parcel into the coals of the BBQ.

Corn on the cob, covered in butter, salt and pepper, wrapped in foil and chucked on the barbie is also delicious.

Or get some bananas, leave the skin on, stick a few twigs of rosemary through the side, wrap in foil and onto the BBQ. You’ll have to trust us that the rosemary really works but if you’re not keen you can always cut open the bananas, and still with the skin on stuff them with chocolate, wrap up in foil and onto the BBQ

BBQ Pizza’s

You can actually make proper pizza dough and put this on your BBQ but it can be a bit fiddly, but it is well worth it if you can be bothered to put in the effort. A far easier, and quicker, recipe is to make pita bread pizzas. You can put on whatever topping you like (although don’t overload it or the pitas will go soggy) but here is our favourite...

Ingredients
4 pita breads
4 tomatoes seeded and diced
a handfiul of olives pitted and chooped
1 small red onion diced
150g feta cheese crumbled
4 tablespoons olive oil
a bunch of fresh mint finely chopped

In medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, onion, mint, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Brush the pitas with a little bit of oil on both sides, place them on the grill of the BBQ. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes and then flip, top the pita with the tomato- herb mixture and the cheese and cook for another 2-3 minutes and then serve, easy.

So there you have it, some really easy vegetarian BBQ recipes for you to try out this summer. Of course we do need to have some sunshine first, but if you can't wait to try out these recipes, get the whole family together and enjoy these fantastic recipes on your sofa...