Grilled BBQ Tempeh Skewers

Bring on the BBQ tempeh skewers! You’ll love this plant-based grilling recipe where nutty tempeh is coated in homemade BBQ sauce and grilled to perfection with zucchini, summer squash and red onion. 

I don’t know about you but I LIVE for summer food — big salads, fresh berries, mountains of zucchini and literally everything grilled. Have you tried grilled avocado yet? It’s soo good!

Throughout the summer months (and into the fall) we grill out at least once or twice a week. Sometimes we even end up eating dinner outside on the patio, which is such a nice treat considering most nights we gobble up dinner while plopped on the couch watching T.V. Horrible, but true.

This grilled BBQ tempeh recipe is one that I’ve had in my back pocket since an Instagram takeover I did with Lightlife last year. I took a few photos of the bbq tempeh skewers to share on Instagram, but somehow never got around to posting the full recipe.

It actually kind of works out because I was able to retest the recipe this year using my healthy homemade BBQ sauce, which made these skewers even better, IMO. My photography skills have improved since last year too so it’s a double win.

As you all know, I am a huge tempeh fan and use it regularly for plant-based meals. Just to recap some of it’s benefits — it’s loaded with protein, less processed than tofu and has beneficial bacteria that makes it easier to digest. Learn more about tempeh here.

I’m pretty excited about this recipe because it gives all my vegetarian/vegan friends something new to try grilling this year. I know back when I was vegetarian and we were grilling out I relied heavily on veggie burgers for protein. Veggie burgers are great, but it’s nice to have some other options.

And these skewers are perfect because you not only get delicious cubes of bbq tempeh but they also have the squash, zucchini and red onion so you get some extra veggies as well. Perfect for a quick and easy grilled dinner or for sharing at a party. I can see these being a big hit for the 4th of July!

These leftover BBQ tempeh skewers make a delicious salad too. No need to reheat — just serve over a bed of greens with a little dressing and extra BBQ sauce.

BBQ Tempeh Skewers

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Preparation 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size	2 skewers
Amount Per Serving	As Served
Calories 285kcal Calories from fat 135
% Daily Value
Total Fat 15g	23%
Saturated Fat 3g	15%
Sodium 499mg	21%
Carbohydrate 20g	7%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Sugars 6g
Protein 24g

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

	Calories	2000
Total Fat	Less than	65g
Sat Fat	Less than	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g
Dietary Fiber		25g

Serves 2     adjust servings

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz package Lightlife Original Tempeh, chopped into 16 cubes
• 1/2 cup homemade BBQ sauce
• 1 summer squash, cut into chunks or rounds
• 1 zucchini, cut into chunks or rounds
• 1/2 red onion, cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon avocado or olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and pepper
• cilantro, for garnish
• 4 wooden or metal skewers

Instructions

1. Add cubed tempeh and BBQ sauce to a medium size bowl and toss to coat. Let tempeh marinate for 20 to 60 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, toss chopped zucchini, squash and red onion with 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Heat grill to medium-high.
4. Thread squash, zucchini, onion and marinated tempeh alternately onto skewers. Be sure to wipe any access BBQ sauce from the tempeh cubes. You want them to be coated, but not dripping with it.
5. Place skewers on grill and cook for 5-10 minutes. Turn and grill 5-10 minutes more or until veggies are tender. Watch the veggies closely as they grill and if they start to dry out, brush them with a little oil. The same goes for the tempeh. If it looks dry simply brush on a little of the leftover BBQ marinade. 
6. Transfer skewers to a platter, sprinkle with cilantro and serve. Serve tempeh cubes with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

by Brittany Mullins

Recipe Notes

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before using.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size	2 skewers
Amount Per Serving	As Served
Calories 285kcal Calories from fat 135
% Daily Value
Total Fat 15g	23%
Saturated Fat 3g	15%
Sodium 499mg	21%
Carbohydrate 20g	7%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Sugars 6g
Protein 24g

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

	Calories	2000
Total Fat	Less than	65g
Sat Fat	Less than	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g
Dietary Fiber		25g