From portobello burgers to carrot dogs, Brown’s guide for plant-based grilling won’t have you missing meat.
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Andrew Eccles
Since she first went viral on TikTok in 2017 for taste testing a vegan BLT (of all things), the internet has followed and loved Tabitha Brown for her comforting big sister energy, bright smile, and plant-based lifestyle. The self-described entertainer has been vegan for seven years now, so it only makes sense that she’s mastered the art of grilling—minus the meat.
When you think of a typical cookout, you probably picture an assortment of hotdogs, burgers, BBQ chicken—veggies aren’t the main event. But Brown is here to argue that they should be, and year after year, chefs and home cooks are getting more creative with their preparation.
“I think it’s just going to improve more and more, and the more people are open to it, and they don’t really look at that like, ‘Oh, you’re taking something away from me, but rather, you’re adding something new to my experience in eating,’” she tells Better Homes & Gardens. “But I also think it’s gotten better, and because we also have more access to seeing recipes on social media, people are so much more inclined to try things. They’re like, ‘Oh, that looks good. Let me try it.’ That’s what happens when I do videos. And so I think as long as you keep making it fun and accessible and delicious, it’ll just continue to grow and be bigger and better.”
Related: Tabitha Brown Is on a Journey to Be Her True Self and You Can Follow Her Lead
“And so I think as long as you keep making it fun and accessible and delicious, it’ll just continue to grow and be bigger and better.”
Tabitha Brown
If you’re new to eating plant-based, you might be hesitant to start with one of Brown’s famous carrot dogs—but she has plenty of tips for getting into vegan grilling. Whether you’re making an effort to live more sustainably or have a family member who doesn’t eat meat coming to your Fourth of July celebration, try adding portobello burgers or glazed kebabs to your menu this year. (You may be pleasantly surprised by how quickly they get snapped up.)
Plus, making sure there’s something for everyone fosters that connection that comes from sharing a meal—Brown’s favorite part of throwing a cookout.
“I’m like an old lady in my spirit,” she says. “I just remember my granny would be so excited to watch people eat her food, because it just feels so happy to know that she may be something that they like. And now I understand that, because I love to cook, but I love to watch people enjoy their food, right? Food brings us all together. It’s something we all have in common, no matter how we eat.”
Related: Tabitha Brown’s House Rules—Avoid Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
Tabitha Brown’s Favorite Thing to Grill This Summer: Kebabs
“Pineapple, bell peppers—especially in the summer I like the red and yellow for the color—then red onions, which I also call purple onions,” she says. “But when you have it all together and you mix that glaze up, and when you grill it slowly, it’s so delicious. And then I get a whole lot of things I love on one stick.”
For her glaze: “Get a little bowl and put a little bit of lemon juice, a little bit of agave, Like Sweet Like Smoky seasoning, coconut aminos, and you mix it all up together. Then you just take it and glaze it on as you’re grilling. Turn it a little bit, put more on there so it just gets it all evenly throughout. And if you like a little heat you can add a little chili or garlic paste or you can do a little Sriracha.”
Related: 16 Grilled Vegetable Recipes to Make This Summer
Serving Up Her Favorite Grilled Veggie: Portobello Mushrooms
“You can do so much with them on the grill,” Brown says. “Some people use it as a steak substitute or as a burger. So you could do that or you can even slice it or mix it in with other veggies or have it as a side dish.
“I do different things, but because I’m mostly plant based, I eat a lot of whole foods—I don’t eat as much processed food anymore. So a portobello mushroom [burger] for me is perfect. And then I have my own burger seasoning pack that I marinate it in. Sometimes I do it overnight and let it soak up all the seasonings, and put a little bit of coconut aminos so it’s all seasoned throughout. And then the next day, you put it on the grill, and it is delicious. You have that little char on it, and in your mind, you’re like, ‘Oh, this is a burger.’ And then you do the same toppings that you would normally do. Sometimes I’ll peel a pineapple and put that on there with a little barbecue sauce, so it gives me that Hawaiian burger feel.”
On Her Perfect Barbecue Sauce
“I’m gonna have to say how my mama used to do it when I was a kid, and how I still do it now. So you have whatever your favorite barbecue sauce is, right? But add a little bit of ketchup, a little bit of mustard. This is so simple, but I’m telling you, it’s delicious,” she says. “And add brown sugar. It heightens the taste, and it just gives it that depth and a sweetness. It just amplifies the barbecue that you would normally have. So I can’t just have, like, regular barbecue sauce out of a bottle.
“You also can make your own—you can do tomato paste, a little bit of coconut aminos, some agave, your ketchup, your mustard, a little bit of lemon juice. Mix it all up. Add the Like Sweet Like Smoky to give it a smoky hint of flavor. I’m getting hungry now just thinking about it.”
Related: 13 BBQ Rub Recipes that Add Big Flavor to Meat Without Much Effort
On Her Famous Carrot Dogs
“It’s so funny; if you’ve never tried it—most people hear it and they’re like, ‘Oh no, I’m not trying that.’ But there’s a science to it, I think,” Brown says. “So you get a regular bag of carrots, and then you shave off the outer skin and cut off each end, so that it kind of looks like a hot dog. I usually try to do eight of them, kind of the same you would do for hot dogs, right? And so you put them in a seasoning or sauce, so I use a little bit of coconut aminos and either A1 or Worcestershire sauce. Then you add a pinch of liquid smoke, but not too much, because you don’t want to overpower it. And because the Like Sweet Like Smoky has all the seasonings in it, you can just add that to it.
@iamtabithabrown Carrot dog for the win! #vegan #tabithabrown
“Then you stir that up and soak the carrots in it. And whether you want to do it overnight—the longer you soak it, the more flavor the carrot is going to have. And then you boil it to get the texture—but you don’t want to over boil it. When you take it out, I put it on the grill, get the grill marks, and then you can baste it with your favorite barbecue sauce for the marinade so that you still have that flavor there. And then you add your favorite toppings that you would for a regular hot dog.”
Related: Should You Be Marinating Your Hot Dogs? My Family Had Opinions
On Her Favorite Grilling Trends She’s Seen This Summer
“It’s not a new one, but something that I do a lot is corn on the cob,” Brown says. “It’s so good for you. And you can do it even full on, still in the shell and everything before you even peel it back. You can clean it on [the grill], and then pull it back in the hole, as they say. But I love Mexican street corn. You top it with all your favorite things. Mayo is one of them, and then your cheese and Tajín or paprika. It’s so, so good.
“And okra—okra on the grill is one of my new favorite things. I went to this African restaurant—Ubuntu is the name of it—for Mother’s Day, and they had grilled okra. And I was like, ‘Oh my Lord, this is the best thing I’ve ever had.’”
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