It’s BBQ season here in New Zealand. That time of year when the sun is out, the days are long and it’s the perfect reason to catch up with friends over food in the form of a BBQ and a few drinks. But sometimes being vegan at a BBQ can be difficult. Traditionally BBQs are for cooking meat. There’s rarely vegetarian or vegan options unless it’s a salad. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good salad but it’s nice to have something a bit more substantial and to also be able to be involved in the actual BBQ part. 

Yes, you can always buy some vegan or vegetarian burger patties or sausages, those are a great option but if you want something a bit different, a bit less carby and more nutritious I recommend giving my BBQ Veggie and Tempeh Skewers a try! They’re easy to make, they look pretty and they’re super tasty! Plus there’s less there’s 2g of carbohydrates per skewer (based on this recipe making about 10 skewers).

What ingredients will I need for BBQ Veggie and Tempeh Skewers?

You will need a mix of vegetables. I’ve used eggplant, beetroot and cherry tomatoes. This provides a really nice mix of both colour and vitamins. Courgette also works really well. It’s worth noting that if you do use beetroot it’s a much firmer vegetable than the others so will take longer to cook. You can either cut it the same size as the other veggies which will give it a bit of crunch, or cut it smaller so it cooks more and is softer. 

You will also need tempeh, about 250g, I used Tonzu Tempeh. It might seem like you have a lot less tempeh than vegetables but once everything is on the skewers you’ll realise it would be hard to fit more on. Tempeh is also very high in protein so it’s nice and filling, meaning you don’t need a huge amount. Tempeh is pretty easy to find these days however if you are unable to find tempeh you can use firm tofu instead. Just keep in mind it will still be a much softer texture than tempeh so be careful not to break it. 

Lastly you’ll need to make a rub. A rub is basically oil mixed with herbs and spices. This one uses either olive oil or grapeseed oil. Both have a high smoke point meaning they aren’t going to burn easily – perfect for using on the BBQ. To the oil I’ve added smoked paprika which gives the skewers a really nice smokey BBQ flavour, as well as garlic, dried thyme and some salt and pepper.

How do I make BBQ Veggie and Tempeh Skewers?

Easy! First if you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers you’ll need to soak them in water. This is to prevent them from burning when you put them onto the BBQ. If you’re using metal skewers, no need to soak, but be careful handling them as the metal will get very hot. 

Next you will need to cut up your veggies and tempeh. You don’t need to cut the cherry tomatoes as they’re already bite sized. If you are using beetroot, peel before cutting. The veggies and tempeh should be cut into similar sized cubes so they cook evenly, I recommend about 3cm. As mentioned above, beetroot is a lot firmer than the other vegetables and therefore will take longer to cook. You can either cut it the same size as the other veggies for a crunchy texture, or cut it smaller for a softer texture. 

Once you’ve cut all the veggies and tempeh into pieces, it’s time to prepare the skewers. You can thread the veggies on however you want to, but I like to thread them in a way so there’s a mix of colours and they look pretty. This is how I thread the veggies and tempeh: eggplant, beetroot/courgette (depending which you’re using), cherry tomato,tempeh, then another cherry tomato, beetroot/courgette and eggplant. Each half of one skewer will be a mirror of the other half. Set all the skewers aside on a large plate or platter.

Once you have the veggies and tempeh on your skewers, make the rub by mixing all the ingredients (oil, smoked paprika, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper) together in a small bowl. Then use a pastry brush to spread the rub evenly over all of the skewers, ensuring you don’t miss any of the veggies.

Now it’s ready to turn on your BBQ and cook the skewers. Turn your BBQ to a medium – high heat and cook the skewers on the grill for around 10mins until they’re cooked and starting to char. Eat while they are still warm.

NOTE: to keep them warm, you can turn your oven onto a low heat and put the skewers onto a heat-proof plate then into the oven until you’re ready to eat.

What should I serve these with?

You can serve these with anything you would normally have at a BBQ. I recommend a couple of good salads such as my Summer Medley Salad, a classic potato salad or coleslaw. You could also have these on the side of some ready-made vegan sausages or burger patties, there’s really no rules! 

Can I make them in advance?

Yes! These are totally fine to prepare up to a day in advance. Actually they can work even better prepared in advance as the veggies have a lot more time to soak up all the flavours in the rub. I suggest following all the steps up until the cooking part. Put them on the BBQ when you are actually ready to eat them if possible. They are best warm and fresh. 

However if you have leftovers (which I doubt you will!), these can be reheated in the oven.