The Best Vegan Kabob
Finally, a vegan meat kabob recipe that is indistinguishable from the Middle Eastern favorite! This recipe makes the best vegan kabob using only 4 simple ingredients and no egg replacer.
When you go vegan, there’s a running list of foods that most people think can never be veganized in a satisfactory way. I would assume for a lot of people, meat kebabs are up there.
Kabob (or kebab) koobideh is a classic Persian and Middle Eastern food that’s typically made with ground beef or lamb (or both) and grilled on skewers. While prominent in almost every Middle Eastern culture, variations of the kebab can also be found among Southeast Asian, Chinese, Indian, and African cultures. It’s really a universal favorite!
Because kabobs are such a staple in so many cultures, it’s important for me to come up with a kabob recipe that allows vegans to experience this crowd favorite in a plant-based version that even non-vegans would love.
This is yet another instance where the Impossible Burger literally does the “impossible” in allowing us to veganize our favorite foods in a way that is indistinguishable from the real thing.
We did this before with the Impossible Vegan Lumpia recipe and now, Impossible comes in handy yet again for this Middle Eastern classic.
You’ll notice that this recipe is simpler than most, with just 4 ingredients and no egg replacer, and the result would fool even the heaviest meat eater and kabob connoisseur (seriously!). That just speaks to how well the Impossible Burger holds up to real meat in terms of taste, texture, and performance, which is why it’s the perfect meat substitute in this recipe.
While kebabs are a staple in almost every Middle Eastern culture and countless others, this recipe is specifically based on the Iranian style of kabob (or kabob koobideh).
Even if you’ve never had them before, this vegan kabob recipe will be your new go-to for any barbeque, family get-together, game night, or party. Everyone will be begging you to make them again!
How to Make The Best Vegan Kabob
Ingredients:
- 24 oz Impossible Burger or vegan ground meat
- 1 large white onion grated and strained
- ½ tbsp ground sumac
- 2 tsp salt
Grate and strain the onion. First, finely grate a large white onion using either a cheese grater or food processor, then transfer the onion to a large mesh strainer. Use a spoon to press and drain out all the onion juice from the onion. You can also use a cheesecloth to squeeze out the liquid.
Combine the ingredients. Next, add the onion pulp, Impossible Burger meat, ½ tablespoon of ground sumac, and 2 teaspoons of salt to a large mixing bowl, then use your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients until well combined. Knead the mixture for at least a few minutes.
Chill overnight. Once the ingredients are thoroughly combined, cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the meat mixture into a large container with a lid. Let it chill overnight in the fridge (or for at least 6 hours). This will help the Impossible meat hold together nicely without the use of eggs or egg replacers.
Mold onto skewers. Once the Impossible meat mixture has chilled overnight, take a ball of the meat and press it onto the middle of a flat metal skewer (find correct skewers here). Mold the meat evenly around the skewer and keep adding more until the whole skewer is covered in about a ½ inch thick of meat, leaving a few inches bare on the top and bottom of the skewer.
Press your fingers onto the meat to make indentations about an inch apart across the kabob. This will also help to secure the meat onto the skewer.
Repeat until all the meat is gone. This recipe yields about 8 skewers.
Time to grill. Grill the kabob skewers on a preheated grill, turning them early and frequently (about every 30 seconds) to ensure the Impossible meat sticks to the skewer. Cook well until the meat is brown on the inside and slightly seared on the outside (about 5 minutes total on each side).
Serve! Keep the kabobs warm in between grilling by covering them with flatbread. Serve immediately while still warm with rice, grilled vegetables, and flatbread. Garnish with extra sumac and lemon.
The Best Vegan Kabob
Ingredients
- 24 oz Impossible Burger or vegan ground meat
- 1 large white onion grated and strained
- ½ tbsp ground sumac
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Finely grate a large white onion using either a cheese grater or food processor. Transfer the onion to a large mesh strainer, then use a spoon to press and drain out all the onion juice.
- Add the onion pulp, Impossible Burger meat, ½ tablespoon of ground sumac, and 2 teaspoons of salt to a large mixing bowl, then use your hands to knead and thoroughly mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Cover the mixing bowl or transfer the meat mixture into a large container with a lid, and let it chill overnight in the fridge (or at least 6 hours). This will help the Impossible meat hold together nicely without the use of eggs or egg replacers.
- Once the Impossible meat mixture has chilled overnight, take a ball of the meat and press it onto the middle of a flat metal skewer. Mold the meat evenly around the skewer and keep adding more until the whole skewer is covered in about a ½ inch thick of meat, leaving a few inches bare on the top and bottom of the skewer. Press your fingers onto the meat to make indentations about an inch apart across the kabob to help secure it onto the skewer. Repeat until all the meat is gone. (Yields about 8 skewers)
- Grill the kabob skewers on a preheated grill, turning them frequently (about every 30 seconds) to ensure the Impossible meat sticks to the skewer. Cook well until the meat is brown on the inside and slightly seared on the outside. (About 5 mins total on each side)
- Keep the kabobs warm by covering with flatbread, then serve immediately with rice and grilled vegetables. Garnish with extra sumac and lemon.
Notes
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