These delicious vegan kebabs are made with tofu and fresh veggies, marinated in a fabulous sauce and grilled to perfection.
You may think I’ve got my timing completely wrong with this recipe for vegan kebabs. I mean it’s October so weather is cooling down in the Northern Hemisphere and maybe you’re not exactly heading outdoors to do some outdoor grilling.
But over here in the Southern Hemisphere things are heating up! So we are most definitely heading outdoors with our grills. I just couldn’t sit on this recipe and had to share it the moment it was ready, which just turned out to be October!
And they work wonderfully on an indoor stovetop grill (this is how we made them for the photos) or even just in the oven, so really, they work any time of year.
Tofu and crisp fresh veggies are marinated in the most delicious marinade sauce and the flavors complement each other so well and just really pop, creating the best vegetarian kebabs ever.
Serve them with vegan potato salad and a vegan chickpea salad or vegan kale salad for a wonderful well rounded meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make These Kebabs:
Ingredient Notes
- Cremini mushrooms – are also called baby bellas or portobellini mushrooms. You could also use white button mushrooms.
- Bamboo skewers – are soaked in water first. This is super important as it prevents them from catching fire when they cook!
- Veggies – feel free to mix and match your veggies. This recipe also works great as a ‘clean out your fridge’ recipe because you can just use what you have on hand. Other veggies (and fruits) that work well on kebabs are cherry tomatoes, pineapple, eggplant and summer squash.
- Firm tofu – or extra firm tofu will both work great in this recipe. If you don’t want to use tofu then any veggie meats like vegan chicken or vegan steak or vegan sausages, can be cut into pieces and threaded onto your skewers.
- Soy sauce – can be switched for tamari if you’d like this to be entirely gluten-free.
How To Make Vegan Kebabs
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Put your tofu on to press either using a tofu press, or by placing the tofu on a plate, with another plate on top of it, and then placing something heavy on top of that, like a heavy pot. Leave it to press for 30 minutes.
- Place your bamboo skewers in a dish, pour over warm water and leave them to soak for 20 minutes.
- Add all ingredients for your marinade sauce to a measuring jug and whisk together until well combined.
- Chop your veggies and when the tofu is pressed, cut it into cubes.
- Add the chopped veggies and cubed tofu to a large mixing bowl (large enough to easily fit all your veggies and tofu).
- Pour the marinade sauce over the chopped veggies and tofu and toss them gently until the veggies and tofu are well coated in the marinade sauce.
- Start building your kebabs by threading pieces of veggies and tofu onto the skewers.
- We assembled ours starting with bell pepper, then mushroom, tofu, zucchini, red onion, bell pepper, mushroom, tofu, zucchini, red onion and ending with bell pepper.
- Assemble your kebabs and then place them onto a large baking tray.
- When all the kebabs are assembled and on the baking tray, pour the remaining marinade (from the bottom of the mixing bowl) over the top of the kebabs to coat them.
- Refrigerate for one hour.
- Heat a stovetop grill on medium high heat or an outdoor grill for direct, medium-high heat cooking. Lightly brush with a high smoke oil (we used sesame oil).
- When the grill is hot, place four kebabs on the grill (or as many as can comfortably fit).
- Cook 8-10 minutes on one side, then flip and cook them for 8-10 minutes on the other side, until the mushrooms have softened and the veggies are tender.
- It’s okay to have some charred black lines on the veggies and tofu.
- When the kebabs are done, use a brush to scoop some marinade sauce left behind on the baking tray and brush it onto the kebabs.
- Repeat with the next batch.
- If you need to keep the first batch of kebabs warm while you cook up your next batch you can do so by placing them on a baking tray in the oven on low heat.
Oven Roasted Vegan Kebabs
If you’d prefer to bake your vegan kebabs in the oven then you can definitely do it that way instead.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the kebabs onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake them for 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender and cooked.
Storing Tips
If you have any leftover kebabs store them in a covered container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
More Vegan Grilling Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Kebabs
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Firm Tofu (450g) Pressed for 30 minutes
- 5 cups Cremini Mushrooms (480g)
- 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Medium Yellow Bell Pepper
- 6 Small Zucchini
- 1 Medium Red Onion
- 12 Bamboo Skewers Soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
Marinade Sauce:
- ⅓ cup Olive Oil (80ml)
- ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar (60ml)
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 Clove Garlic Crushed
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Minced
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
For Grilling:
- Sesame Oil
Instructions
- Put your tofu on to press either using a tofu press, or by placing the tofu on a plate, with another plate on top of it, and then placing something heavy on top of that, like a heavy pot. Leave it to press for 30 minutes.
- Place your bamboo skewers in a dish, pour over warm water and leave them to soak for 20 minutes.
- Add all ingredients for your marinade sauce to a measuring jug and whisk together until well combined.
- Chop your veggies and when the tofu is pressed, cut it into cubes.
- Add the chopped veggies and cubed tofu to a large mixing bowl (large enough to easily fit all your veggies and tofu).
- Pour the marinade sauce over the chopped veggies and tofu and toss them gently until the veggies and tofu are well coated in the marinade sauce.
- Start building your kebabs by threading pieces of veggies and tofu onto the skewers. We assembled ours starting with bell pepper, then mushroom, tofu, zucchini, red onion, bell pepper, mushroom, tofu, zucchini, red onion and ending with bell pepper.
- Assemble your kebabs and then place them onto a large baking tray.
- When all the kebabs are assembled and on the baking tray, pour the remaining marinade (from the bottom of the mixing bowl) over the top of the kebabs to coat them. Refrigerate for one hour.
- Heat a stovetop grill on medium high heat or an outdoor grill for direct, medium-high heat cooking. Lightly brush with a high smoke oil (we used sesame oil).
- When the grill is hot, place four kebabs on the grill (or as many as can comfortably fit).
- Cook 8-10 minutes on one side, then flip and cook them for 8-10 minutes on the other side, until the mushrooms have softened and the veggies are tender. It's okay to have some charred black lines on the veggies and tofu.
- When the kebabs are done, use a brush to scoop some marinade sauce left behind on the baking tray and brush it onto the kebabs.
- Repeat with the next batch.
Notes
- Firm tofu – or extra firm tofu will both work great in this recipe. If you don’t want to use tofu then any veggie meats like vegan chicken or vegan steak or vegan sausages, can be cut into pieces and threaded onto your skewers.
- Cremini mushrooms – are also called baby bellas or portobellini mushrooms. You could also use white button mushrooms.
- Veggies – feel free to mix and match your veggies. This recipe also works great as a ‘clean out your fridge’ recipe because you can just use what you have on hand. Other veggies (and fruits) that work well on kebabs are cherry tomatoes, pineapple, eggplant and summer squash.
- Bamboo skewers – are soaked in water first. This is super important as it prevents them from catching fire when they cook!
- Soy sauce – can be switched for tamari if you’d like this to be entirely gluten-free.
- Keep them warm – If you need to keep the first batch of kebabs warm while you cook up your next batch you can do so by placing them on a baking tray in the oven on low heat.
- Bake them in the oven: If you’d prefer to bake your vegan kebabs in the oven then you can definitely do it that way instead. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the kebabs onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake them for 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender and cooked.
- Storing: If you have any leftover kebabs store them in a covered container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
ME Dawson says
Dear Alison
My daughter and husband visiting I fretted over a supper menu.
The vegan kebabs (vegan not their first choice of menu!) were
devoured and ‘your recipe’ (served with satay dip) a supper
talking point.Text message two days later and still they are
heaping praise for the delicious and substantial repast that was
served on a wet and windy October night after a two hour + journey
Wales to Bath(UK). All this to say … THANK YOU – I’M SO GRATEFUL.
MED x
Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says
So happy to hear you and your friends enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for sharing and for your wonderful review!
Nancy Vlifford says
The marinade recipe is marvelous!!!!!!
Alison Andrews says
Thank you! So happy you liked it.