Tofu Skewers With Vegetables & A Middle Eastern Marinade

Tofu Skewers With Vegetables And A Middle Eastern Marinade.

Vegan, Full Of Flavour, And As Mild Or Spicy As You Like.

Marinate For 30 To 60 Minutes, Then Bake For About 15 Minutes.

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Introduction to tofu skewers

These tofu skewers are chunks of very firm tofu, red onion, capsicum and mushroom, coated in a Middle Eastern marinade of tomato paste, za’atar, cumin, garlic, mint and lemon, then baked in the oven. They’re vegan. You marinate the tofu for 30 to 60 minutes, and the skewers bake in 12 to 15 minutes.

They’re among my favourite tofu recipes. Tofu is one of the highest protein foods a vegan or vegetarian can eat. Sadly, it’s often not cooked or presented well in restaurants, and they rarely use the firmer styles, let alone organic tofu. This quick, easy recipe does it justice.

I make them the centrepiece of a Middle Eastern lunch. My love of vegan eating grew over several Flametree Bali yoga retreats. Before that, Middle Eastern vegetarian restaurants were where I’d met most of the dishes on my lunch plate.

If you have any comments or questions, please contact us. Or chat with me at a Flametree yoga or meditation class via these timetables.

Marinated tofu and vegetable skewers

Marinated tofu skewers with red onion, capsicum and mushroom

My marinated tofu and vegetable skewers. Adjust the spices to make them as mild or as spicy as you like.

Ingredients for tofu skewers

Here are the ingredients for this Flametree Yoga Studio dish.

The tofu and marinade

375 gram block of very firm, plain white tofu
At least 2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of za’atar
Oregano, to sprinkle
Low sugar tomato paste (the Mutti Italian brand is the lowest in sugar)
1 to 2 tablespoons of water, to mix with the tomato paste
Salt, to taste
Black pepper
Half a teaspoon of cumin
A quarter teaspoon of allspice powder
A quarter teaspoon of smoky paprika
A quarter teaspoon of cayenne powder
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Half a teaspoon of partially dried mint
Juice of 1 lemon

The vegetables

1 red onion
1 medium capsicum
3 large flat white mushrooms

To serve

Tahini and lemon juice, or hummus, to serve

I prefer to use organic tofu. It’s available at supermarkets and health food shops. With plain tofu, you may have to try a few brands, as I’ve found some appear to have additives that can cause bloating. The health food shop varieties are the best, and my pick is Earth Source.

Tofu skewers, ready for the oven

Marinated tofu and vegetable skewers on a baking tray, ready for baking or grilling

Tofu and vegetable skewers on a tray, ready for baking or grilling. Notice the marinade.

How to make tofu skewers

Use these steps to make these marinated tofu and vegetable skewers.

Step 1: Marinate the tofu

Cut the tofu into good-sized blocks, as in the picture.
Mix the tomato paste with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
Mix all the marinade ingredients together, including the tomato paste and water.
Mix the tofu through the marinade.
Seal it in a container and put it in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes.

Step 2: Get ready to bake

Soak bamboo skewers for an hour. Metal skewers work too.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Lay baking paper on an oven tray.

Step 3: Make up the skewers

Thread the tofu and vegetables onto the skewers. You can be flexible and add other vegetables too, but keep the pieces a good size.
Coat the skewers with olive oil and any leftover marinade.
Put olive oil around the edges of the baking tray.

Step 4: Bake and serve

Bake the skewers for 7 to 10 minutes, then turn them.
Bake for about another 5 minutes. Watch closely, so they cook through without burning.
Drizzle with tahini and lemon juice, or use hummus as a dressing. Or serve the hummus separately, and let people help themselves.

Tofu skewers, baked and ready to eat

Baked tofu skewers with vegetables, ready to eat

Ready to eat, as part of the lunch you can see below. Adjust the spices for whatever level of spicy you like.

Are tofu skewers vegan and gluten free?

These tofu skewers are vegan. They’re made from tofu, vegetables, spices, olive oil and lemon, with no animal products. Every ingredient is naturally free of gluten, but spice mixes like za’atar can vary, so check the labels if you need to be strictly gluten free.

Can you grill tofu skewers instead of baking them?

Yes. Depending on your cooking set-up, you can use the same marinade for grilled tofu and vegetable skewers. Turn them and watch them closely so they cook through without burning.

There’s plenty of room to play with the marinade and the garnish, too.

Why use firm tofu for skewers?

Firm tofu holds its shape on the skewer and soaks up the marinade without falling apart. I use a very firm, plain white tofu, and I prefer organic.

My Middle Eastern lunch, with tofu skewers in the middle

Tofu vegetable skewers with hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh and flatbread for a Middle Eastern lunch

My tofu skewers with the rest of my Middle Eastern lunch. Top left is red pepper hummus, top centre is the baba ganoush I made as well, and centre right is my tabbouleh. The flatbread is a sweet potato based bread I found (Be Free brand). Top right is an organic cos lettuce, which is great instead of bread for finger food.

Tofu skewers: quick questions answered

How long do tofu skewers take to make?

Marinate the tofu for 30 to 60 minutes, and soak bamboo skewers for an hour. The skewers then bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.

How do I make tofu skewers milder or spicier?

Adjust the cayenne and smoky paprika in the marinade. Use less cayenne for a mild version, or more for a spicy one.

What vegetables can I put on tofu skewers?

I use red onion, capsicum and large flat white mushrooms. You can add other vegetables too, as long as they’re good-sized pieces.

Can I use metal skewers?

Yes. Metal skewers work well too. Only bamboo skewers need soaking first.

What do you serve with tofu skewers?

I drizzle them with tahini and lemon juice, or use hummus as a dressing. They’re the centrepiece of my Middle Eastern lunch, with hummus, baba ganoush and tabbouleh.

More Flametree tofu recipes

Love tofu? Try my black rice noodles stir fry with tofu, my easy tofu vegetable stir fry, or my vegan shish kebabs.

Do you have a vegan recipe or dish you’d like to share?

Please contact me with any dishes you’d like to share with me.

Obviously, I’m especially interested in any dish that is already a great Darwin vegan option.

Alternatively, it may be a potential vegan Darwin recipe that I could adapt, or be inspired by, as I did here.

Experience eating alternatives at a Flametree Yoga Retreat

By the way, there are several upcoming Flametree yoga retreats in Bali in 2027.

Contact us for details of our Darwin yoga retreat packages, or our yoga class packages in the orange lines below.

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Learning to eat mindfully, as a result of yoga and pranayama meditation, is a great way to start more of a vegetarian or vegan journey, or simply mindfully eat whatever you choose.