This vegetarian and vegan-friendly BBQ recipe is a crowd-pleaser, and meat-eaters will happily tuck in too. Sweet potato skewers, dusted with warming paprika and finished with a creamy tahini-lemon sauce, make an excellent addition to any summer grill spread or a tasty side alongside fish, meat or cheese.
Yawn.
It’s been a hectic few weeks, and I’m grateful to have come through them. Sometimes life just happens around you — you respond to what’s immediately in front of you and don’t have time to plan too far ahead or look back. That’s been true for me lately.
In the last three weeks and two days I’ve moved house, decorated the lounge the day I arrived, launched and taught the first Blogger Skills Academy class, enrolled for a master’s in Food Policy, and organised upcoming building work for the kitchen, bathroom and garden. I’ve bought blinds, curtains, wardrobes, desks, light fittings, lampshades, shelves, a kettle and a toaster, and I unpacked every single cardboard box I brought with me. No lingering removals boxes here.
I’ve also done freelance work and managed to post on this blog almost every week, even during the move. Between that I’ve been walking, playing with, and feeding my dog three times a day, trying to make sure he doesn’t feel like an afterthought during this whirlwind.
And stretch.
Thankfully the sun has been generous over this period — bright days and a gentle warmth that belies the shortening evenings. To celebrate that summery feeling one last time, here’s a simple, glorious vegetarian BBQ recipe you can throw together for the final weekend on the grill before autumn takes over.
Sweet Potato Skewers.
This is a straightforward, satisfying vegetarian kebab built from chunky vegetable pieces, some warming spice, and a bright, creamy sauce. I chose sweet potato because it caramelises beautifully on the grill and needs very little else. Tomatoes are another grill favourite — toss a handful of cherry tomatoes on the heat toward the end of cooking and let them split and sweeten. The same happens with sweet potato: heat brings out its natural sweetness, giving a great contrast to the smoky char.
The coating here is minimal: groundnut oil and paprika. I prefer groundnut oil to olive oil with sweet potato because it lets the flavours sit together more cleanly. After grilling, drizzle the skewers with the tahini-lemon sauce and scatter with chopped coriander for an impressive platter to bring to the table.
Paprika Sweet Potato Skewers with Tahini Lemon Sauce
By Gavin Wren
Serves 4 (makes 8 skewers)
Uses skewers and a BBQ
Ingredients
Approx 500g sweet potatoes
3 red onions
1 tablespoon paprika
3 tablespoons groundnut oil
Salt and pepper
8 kebab skewers
3 tablespoons tahini
Juice of half a lemon
1 clove garlic, crushed
50ml water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Small bunch of coriander, chopped
Directions
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before using.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in half lengthways. Slice into semi-circular pieces about 1cm thick. For very large potatoes, quarter lengthways first; for very small ones you may not need to halve them at all. Aim for pieces similar in size to the onion wedges.
Peel the onions and slice each into eight wedges. Place the sweet potato pieces and onion wedges in a bowl, sprinkle over the paprika, season with salt and pepper, add the groundnut oil and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Assemble the skewers, alternating potato and onion pieces (potato, onion, potato, onion, etc.) until all skewers are built. Set aside until the BBQ is ready.
Place the skewers over the heat and grill for 10–15 minutes per side, allowing them to develop colour and char. After charring, move the skewers to a cooler part of the grill for another 20 minutes, or transfer them to the oven at gas mark 5 / 375ºF / 191ºC (180ºC fan) for 20 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a sharp knife into a larger potato piece — it should slide through easily when cooked.
To make the sauce, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, crushed garlic, water, cinnamon and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add more water a teaspoon at a time if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Transfer the cooked skewers to a serving platter, drizzle with the tahini-lemon sauce and scatter with chopped coriander before serving.
