Gardein & Tofu Skewers
Being vegan does not mean you have to miss out on any of the classic bbq dishes.
These skewers are really simple to make and take less work than cooking with real meat. I cooked up a few different options— two of which require store bought (pre made) meat and one with tofu just in case you don't have access to the faux meat brands.
There are no measurements for these; they are simple quick and easy! Feel free to mix and match the veggies or opt out any.
Ingredients needed:
Skewer Sticks (you can find at almost any grocery)
Sweet & Sour Pork-less Skewers:
Pineapple
Red Bell Pepper
Gardein frozen Sweet & Sour Pork-less Bites
Beef Skewers:
Green Onion
Red Onion
Red Bell Pepper
A1 or Worcestershire sauce (A1 steak sauce is accidentally vegan and be sure to check Worcestershire sauces to confirm its vegan as some aren’t)
Olive Oil
Tofu Skewers:
Extra Firm Tofu
Red and Green Bell Pepper
Red Onion
Zucchini
Garlic
Soy Sauce
Siracha
Maple Syrup (optional as it just creates a glaze over the tofu)
Black Sesame seeds (for topping and optional)
First things first, for both Gardein meatless packs- you will want to defrost them (which does not take long since its fake meat). My skewer sticks are made out of bamboo and I soaked them for 30 minutes in water, prior to cooking (important to not set a fire). If you’re like me and don't have a BBQ you can use your oven and broil them. If you decide to do the same, you can broil your skewers for about 25 minutes or until crispy; keep an eye on them since the time will likely depend on our strong your broiler is.
The Sweet & Sour Pork-less skewers were by far my favorite; taste wise and conveniency. The pack comes with 3 servings and i was able to make 5 skewers with them.
Step 1
Soak wood or bamboo sticks in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking
Step 2
Chop red bell pepper, red onion and pineapple into squares.
Step 3
The Gardein pack will come with pre-marinated sweet and sour sauce. Rub half of the sauce on the pork-less bites in a bowl.
Step 4
Assemble your skewer with the vegetables and pork bites. Place the skewers on a pan and drizzle the remaining sauce over top.
Step 5
Hit the broil button on your oven and let them cook until you see crisp edges.
Beef-less Steak Skewers
For the Beef-less Steak Skewers: The package comes with 2.5 servings (no sauce packs) and I was able to make about 7 skewers with the whole bag. This package says its only 2.5 servings but I was able to make more than the Sweet & Sour Pork-less pack.
Step 1:
Soak wood or bamboo sticks in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Step 2:
Chop green onion in 2 inch pieces and chop the red bell pepper/red onion in square pieces.
Step 3:
Pour some A1 sauce or Worcestershire sauce (or a little of both) in a bowl and toss it onto the beef-less tips (save some for the finished product).
Step 4:
Assemble your Skewer and drizzle some olive oil on top.
Step 5:
Hit the broil button on your oven and let them cook until you see some crisp edges.
Step 6:
Once finished, use the same A1 Worcestershire sauce bowl to drizzle over the top of skewers.
Note: if you cannot find the Gardein beef-less tips the Gardein Sizzling Szechuan Beef-less strips are amazing and they actually come with a pre made sauce. I Prefer them over the Beef-less tips and they would also be perfect for skewers.
For the Asian Tofu Skewers I marinated tofu the night before which made the steps easier in the morning; but feel free to do it the night before or the day of. I did not use any measurements for the marinade as i just poured enough of each ingredient to nicely coat them. For the sauce I used Soy Sauce, Garlic, Siracha and Maple Syrup.
Step 1:
Soak bamboo or wood sticks in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Step 2:
Press your extra firm tofu to get most of the moisture out and dice it into squares.
Step 3:
In a large bowl mix soy sauce and siracha (enough to coat the tofu evenly), a spoon of garlic and a spoon of maple syrup (maple syrup is optional but it is what creates the nice glaze).
Step 4:
Toss the tofu into the bowl, shake it if you can or just use a spoon to mix.
Step 5:
Dice Red bell pepper, green bell pepper, Zucchini and red onion into squares.
Step 6:
Assemble your skewers and pour some of the remaining marinade over the top.
Step 7:
Turn your oven on to broil and broil skewers until you see a nice glaze on the top.
Step 8:
Flip the skewers while pouring more marinade on the opposite side and let them cook following step 7.
Step 9:
Top them with black sesame seeds (honestly this does not make a huge difference in the taste but it does make the appearance nicer for guests- optional)
Please note that every broiler has different heat levels, for me I did 10 minutes on each side but this can vary, keep your eye on them so they don't burn.
There we have it! Three different types of easy skewers. These are so simple and easy to make, especially if you have guests over. If you decide to make these please tag me @Lovebyplants. Id love to you your results :)
