I attended college in the Rochester, NY area, so while I probably wouldn’t eat one now, I do have a soft spot in my heart for the “Garbage Plate” as a concept. What is a “Garbage Plate,” you ask? Well, it’s a conglomeration backyard BBQ dishes that typically go well together all piled into one giant mound. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t eaten a couple in my younger years, but now, I like to eat a bit discriminately… So, I decided to build my own, healthier version of the iconic dish…but in purely vegetarian style. Therefore, I felt the name should change from “Garbage Plate” to “Recycle Plate!”
All that said, this is a completely customizable meal based on your preference and your ingredient availability. As such, this recipe post will be a little different, in that it will also be a conglomeration of various recipe ideas we’ve made in the past to represent each distinct part of a “Garbage Plate,” so you can mix and match as you like! The asterisks denote what went into our recycle heap.
Time: Variable depending on your components
Veggie Burger/Hot Dog Ideas:
- BBQ Mushroom and Green Bean Veggie Burgers
- Beet “Hot Dogs”
- Beet and Quinoa Burgers
- Curried Chickpea Veggie Burgers
- Habanero Tofu Veggie Burgers
- Mushroom and Onion Black Bean Burgers*
- Spicy Southwest Black Bean Burgers
- Succotash Burgers
- Turnip and Carrot Veggie Burger
Carb Component Ideas:
- Curried French Fries
- Delicata Squash Fries
- Golden Fennel and Feta Home Fries
- Home Fries*
- Rösti (Swiss Hash Browns)
- Smoked Goat Gouda Grits
- Sweet Potato Wedge Fries
Veggie Ideas:
- Avocado Fries
- Blue Cheese Coleslaw
- Broccoli Slaw Salad
- Corn and Okra Medley*
- Crispy Fried Okra
- Easy Coleslaw*
- Fiesta Corn Salad
- Garlic Snow Peas
- Hearty Cauliflower Mac n’ Cheese
- Pumpkin Tots
- Sauteed Peas and Peppers
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts
- Spicy Cilantro Cucumber Salad
- Yellow Bean “French Fries”
- Zucchini Tots