When I was growing up, my family used to grill beef and vegetable kabobs nearly every weekend in the summer. The best part of the skewers was my dad's delicious homemade marinade; I don't know the recipe by heart, but it had lots of black pepper, oregano, and paprika.
Now that I live on my own and no longer eat meat, I wanted to put my own vegan spin on this beloved summer meal. In addition to my dad's favorite spices, I decided to throw in a touch of freshly ground coffee, which ended up adding a nice depth of flavor to the mixture.
As you can see below, I used a combination of seitan, onion, tomato, and zucchini for my skewers, but you should feel free to use whatever veggies or vegan protein you have on hand. This recipe is flexible! If you want to use tofu or tempeh in place of the seitan, you may need to adjust the marinade time. Other than that, fire up your grill and have fun!
YIELDS
8-10 kabobs
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 8 ounces seitan, cut into 1
- 1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1
- 1 small white onion, cut into 1/2 pieces
- 15 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground coffee
- 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 8-10 wood or metal skewers
- Cooked brown rice, for serving (optional)
Directions
1. In a large container or plastic bag (preferably reusable!), combine seitan, vegetables, and spices. Using your hands, rub the oil and spices into the seitan pieces, making sure everything is evenly coated. Let the marinate sit for at least 2 hours.
2. When it's time to prepare your skewers, use the sharp end of each skewer to pierce the center of each vegetable, alternating as you go. Repeat until all the vegetables and seitan have been used up.
3. Grill the skewers on a grill, rotating every few minutes until all sides are browned and beginning to caramelize. If you don't have a grill, you can do this on a grill pan or regular skillet with a drizzle of olive oil to cook. Serve warm over brown rice, if desired.
Also by Molly: Grilled Vegan French Toast
Related: Grilled Sweet Potatoes W/ Avocado Chimichurri Sauce
How To Host A Vegan-Friendly Grill Party
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Photos: Molly Lansdowne
