Summer BBQ Ideas: Gut-Healthy Grilling Recipes to Nourish Your Microbiome

There’s a simple joy that comes with gathering around the grill: the sun warm on your face, laughter in the air, the scent of good food filling the breeze.

At BiotiQuest, we believe every meal is an opportunity to nourish not just our bodies, but the vibrant inner world of microbes that support us every day.

This summer, let’s bring more color, more life, and more connection to our tables.
These recipes are simple, flavorful, and designed with your microbiome in mind, because a healthy gut is the root of a joyful, resilient life.

Welcome to the table!

– Martha

Table of Contents

1. Grilled Brats with Live Sauerkraut & Mustard Slaw
2. Garden Patch 100% Grass-Fed Burger with Herbed Yogurt Sauce
3. Miso-Glazed Eggplant
4. Charred Corn with Lime and Fermented Chili Butter
5. Rainbow Veggie Skewers
6. Grilled Carrots with Cumin Yogurt Sauce

1. Grilled Brats with Live Sauerkraut & Mustard Slaw

Ingredients:

• 4 high-quality bratwursts (pasture-raised preferred)
• Your favorite live, raw sauerkraut (suggestions: Hawthorne Valley, Farmhouse Culture, Cleveland Kitchen)
• 4 buns (or lettuce wraps)

Mustard Slaw:

• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1–2 tsp whole grain mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Grill brats, turning often, until browned and cooked through (internal temp 160°F).
3. Toss cabbage and carrot with vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, and pepper to create a quick slaw.
4. Lightly toast buns on grill if desired.
5. To serve, place a brat in the bun, top with live sauerkraut and a scoop of mustard slaw.

Gut-Health Tip: Live sauerkraut introduces beneficial probiotics, supporting digestion with every delicious bite.

2. Garden Patch 100% Grass-Fed Burger with Herbed Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb 100% grass-fed ground beef
• 1/2 cup finely chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup grated zucchini (excess moisture squeezed out)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Herbed Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or homemade—see our Culture Starter!)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, mint)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste

Toppings:

• Grilled red onion rings
• Fermented pickles
• Tomato slices
• Butter lettuce

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine beef, spinach, zucchini, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Form into 4 patties.
2. Grill burgers on medium heat, 4–5 minutes per side, until desired doneness.
3. Mix all yogurt sauce ingredients together.
4. Serve burgers in buns or lettuce wraps with toppings and a generous dollop of yogurt sauce.

Gut-Health Tip: Sneaking veggies into your burger and topping it with live-culture yogurt helps fuel and fortify your microbiome.

3. Miso-Glazed Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 2 tbsp white or yellow miso paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

Instructions:

1. Whisk miso, olive oil, honey, and vinegar into a smooth glaze.
2. Brush both sides of eggplant slices generously.
3. Grill over medium heat for 3–4 minutes per side, until tender and caramelized.

Gut-Health Tip: Fermented miso brings savory depth—and beneficial microbial compounds—to every bite.

4. Charred Corn with Lime and Fermented Chili Butter

Ingredients:

• 4 ears sweet corn, husked
• 2 tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee
• 1 tbsp fermented chili paste (like fermented sriracha)
• Juice of 1 lime
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

1. Grill corn over open flame, turning often, until lightly charred.
2. Mix butter with fermented chili paste.
3. Brush hot corn generously with chili butter.
4. Squeeze lime over and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

Gut-Health Tip: Adding fermented chili paste transforms a favorite summer side into a probiotic powerhouse.

5. Rainbow Veggie Skewers

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
• 1 red onion, quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, chunked
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chunked
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 1/4 cup tamari (or coconut aminos)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Thread vegetables onto skewers in colorful patterns.
2. Whisk tamari, olive oil, and garlic together and brush over veggies.
3. Grill skewers for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until veggies are tender and lightly charred.

Gut-Health Tip: Diverse plant fibers feed a diverse microbiome, strengthening immune resilience and gut health.

6. Grilled Carrots with Cumin Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6–8 carrots, peeled
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or homemade—see our Culture Starter!)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Lightly steam carrots for 5–7 minutes until just tender.
2. Toss carrots with olive oil and salt.
3. Grill over medium heat until lightly charred, turning as needed.
4. Whisk together yogurt, cumin, lemon juice, and salt for sauce.
5. Serve grilled carrots drizzled with the sauce.

Gut-Health Tip: Carrots supply prebiotic fibers, while yogurt delivers live probiotics for synergistic gut support.

Thank You for Joining Us at the Table

Every meal is a chance to nourish your body—and the invisible world within.
Thank you for bringing these recipes into your home, your celebrations, and your life.

We’d love to see your creations! Tag us on Instagram @BiotiQuest and share your gut-healthy summer feasts with our community.