Chill backyard gatherings with fun summer comfort food is what summer is all about. And while the big summer holidays like 4th of July in the US and Swiss Independence Day here in die Schweiz might be behind us, summer is still very much here. Which means any day is a good excuse to have friends over and enjoy more outdoor summer eats!

This chickpea veggie barbecue sandwich delivers on the delicious summer comfort without the lethargic weightiness that traditional barbecue (and their sides) can bring. Prepare each component, then arrange in a sandwich-making station and let everyone assemble their own. Serve with a grilled corn and peach quinoa salad, gazpacho, or pasta salad on the side, and you've got the perfect summer meal for a crowd.

Chickpea Veggie Barbecue Sandwich

Serves 4
Notes: I like topping this with a fresh and tart dill cucumber salad to counter the rich and sweet barbecue sauce. But my Chopped Summer Slaw, minus the dried cherries, would also be a nice topping. And if you have English cheddar or a hard goats cheese in the fridge, it would be a delicious addition to the sandwich as well. Making this for a group? Serve with a few sides such as this grilled corn and peach quinoa salad, gazpacho, or pasta salad.

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
• 1/2 small red cabbage, halved, cored and thinly sliced
• 250 gr. cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• Generous pinches of salt/pepper
• 1 1/2 cups (210 gr) chickpeas, cooked (or 1-15 oz can)
• Sweet Potato Rolls (or other soft rolls)
• Dill Cucumber Salad (recipe below)

Barbecue Sauce

• 5 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. tamari (gluten-free soy)
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup (or muscovado sugar)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. salt + plenty of black pepper

1. Add olive oil to a large, high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Immediately add onions and cabbage. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until starting to soften. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes, or until vegetables have reduced in size by half and softened.
2. In the meantime, combine sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Add sauce and chickpeas to vegetables. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. (While simmering, make cucumber salad.)
3. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding more pepper or salt/tamari if needed. Serve in soft rolls and top with cucumber salad.

Dill Cucumber Salad

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. honey (or maple syrup/sugar)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1 long English cucumber, sliced in half-moon shape (keep skin on if organic)

1. Mix all ingredients, except cucumber, in the bottom of a small mixing bowl. Fold cucumber slices into dressing and serve on top of veggie barbecue sandwiches.