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Vegetarian Skewers Five Ways

2009_06_04-vegskewers.jpgWhile grilling is traditionally considered a meat-oriented pursuit, there's no need for vegetarians or veg-friendly omnivores to miss out on the pleasures of grill-cooked food. Here are five ideas for building flavorful and filling vegetarian skewers or kabobs, along with some recipes for inspiration.

 
 

Cheese: On their own or paired with vegetables, cheeses that stand up well to heat include halloumi, paneer, and feta. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike might be fighting over these!
Basil Halloumi Skewers, from Delicious Magazine
Paneer Kebabs, from Olive Magazine
Toasty Feta Kebabs, from Good Food Magazine

Seitan: We've never grilled seitan before, but these recipes sound mouthwatering, and much more satisfying than throwing a prepackaged veggie burger on the grill.
Chimichurri Seitan Skewers, from Whole Foods Market
Tamarind Seitan Kabobs, from VeganYumYum

Tempeh: Grilling enhances tempeh's unique nutty flavor. The key to preventing tempeh from being too dry or bland is to infuse it with a good marinade or sauce.
Grilled Tempeh Kabobs, from Whole Foods Market
Grilled Tempeh Satay, from Vegetarian Times

Tofu: Tofu is an old standby, but it doesn't have to be boring. Again, marinade is essential. Be sure to use extra firm tofu and to press out the excess liquid (directions here) before grilling.
Savory Tofu-on-a-Stick, from YumSugar
Thai Tofu on Lemongrass Skewers, from Coconut & Lime

Vegetables: Vegetables are a no-brainer, but how many times have you had skewers of crunchy, unappetizing zucchini chunks? Try these tips and recipes.
How to Skewer Vegetable Kebabs, from About.com
Great Grilled Vegetables, from Cook's Illustrated
Vegetable Kebabs, from Gourmet
Vegetables on Rosemary Skewers with White-Bean Hummus, from SELF

Share your own ideas and recipes with us in the comments!

Related: Good Food with Evan Kleiman: Vegetarian Grilling and Roasting from America's Test Kitchen

(Image: Rachel Rappaport/Coconut & Lime, used by permission)

Tags

Tips & Techniques, Vegetarianism, Veganism, Recipe Roundup, Grilling, vegetables, vegetarian, tofu, halloumi, kabobs, paneer, tempeh, seitan, skewers, kebabs

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Comments (2)

I have grilled seitan before, and it is fantastic, especially for newer vegetarians who haven't learned to like tofu yet. On one occasion I made some for a funeral luncheon, and to my surprise even the most die-hard meat lovers tried them and liked them.

Marinade isn't always as important with seitan as it is with tofu or tempeh, but a good one can take seitan skewers from good to incredible. I've had great results with Soy Vay Island Teriyaki sauce.

posted by Stiletto on June 4th 2009 at 5:47pm
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Being a vegetarian, my favorite skewers are with bell peppers, fried tofu chunks, and pineapple!

posted by poweredbytofu on June 4th 2009 at 5:54pm
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