American · main

Grilled Veggie and Tofu Skewers

Name: Grilled Veggie and Tofu Skewers
Prep time: 48 min
Total time: 1 h 8 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: extra-firm tofu — 397 g; soy sauce — 44 g; rice wine vinegar — 22 g; vegetable oil — 27 g; dark sesame oil — 14 g; maple syrup — 30 g; garlic — 9 g; ginger — 15 g; cornstarch — 15 g; red bell pepper — 100 g; yellow bell pepper — 100 g; red onion — 110 g; cremini mushrooms — 227 g; zucchini — 100 g; salt — 5 g; black pepper — 3 g; -10 wooden or metal skewers — 800 g

Grilled Veggie and Tofu Skewers reads salinity 4.8, umami 4.3 and sweetness 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 1 hr 8 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 5.5 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.8 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.6 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.5 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Salinity 4.8 · Umami 4.3 · Sweetness 4.3 · Allium 3.8 · Richness 3.5 · Nutty 3.5 · Sourness 3.2 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Earthy 2.4 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Fruity 1.7 · Floral 1.2 · Herbaceous 1.2 · Bitterness 1.0 · Citrus 0.8 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (17)

extra-firm tofu — 397 g
soy sauce — 44 g
rice wine vinegar — 22 g
vegetable oil — 27 g
dark sesame oil — 14 g
maple syrup — 30 g
garlic — 9 g
ginger — 15 g
cornstarch — 15 g
red bell pepper — 100 g
yellow bell pepper — 100 g
red onion — 110 g
cremini mushrooms — 227 g
zucchini — 100 g
salt — 5 g
black pepper — 3 g
-10 wooden or metal skewers — 800 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 8 min (48 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 54.3 kcal, 2.7 g protein, 3.1 g fat, 4.2 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

Wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel, set a heavy skillet or a few cans on top, and let it press for 15-20 minutes to force out excess water; this is what lets the surface take real char later. Blot dry and cut into 1-inch cubes.
While the tofu presses, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl. Set aside 3 tablespoons of this marinade in a small bowl for basting.
Add the pressed tofu cubes to the remaining marinade, turn gently to coat, and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Lift the tofu from the marinade (discard what's left in the bowl) and toss the cubes gently with the cornstarch until lightly and evenly coated; this thin dusting is what crisps into a real seared crust on the grill instead of steaming soft.
In a separate large bowl, toss the bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, and zucchini with the kosher salt and black pepper.
Thread the tofu and vegetables onto skewers, alternating pieces so each skewer has an even mix; if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand so they don't scorch.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 450°F) and brush the grates with oil. Grill the skewers, turning every 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender with light char and the tofu is deeply golden with clear grill marks on at least two sides, 10-12 minutes total, brushing with the reserved marinade during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Transfer the skewers to a platter, let rest 2 minutes so the glaze sets, and season with a final pinch of salt before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Vegetable Lo Mein — Chinese-American
Sloppy Joes on Toasted Buns — American
Kung Pao Cauliflower — Chinese-American
Crispy Sesame Tofu Stir-Fry — Chinese-American
Spicy Sichuan Eggplant — Chinese · Sichuan

Keep reading: what salinity, umami, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.