This vegan souvlaki is a total flavor bomb of a main dish, and you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to make! Garlicky, lemony marinated seitan chunks are skewered with veggies and baked or grilled to juicy perfection. Perfect for everything from summer cookouts to easy weeknight dinners!
Traditional souvlaki is made with marinated chunks of meat on skewers. I don't often veganize dishes that are basically all meat, but when I do, seitan is my meat alternative of choice. It's hearty, has just the right texture, and soaks up flavorful marinades like nobody's business. And maybe best of all, it's really easy to work with, which makes this vegan souvlaki surprisingly simple to make.
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My seitan kebabs recipe was the inspiration for this one. It’s also made with marinated seitan, but while that one uses a teriyaki sauce, this one features a zesty mix of lemon juice, olive oil, lots of garlic, and spices. I broke with tradition even more and added some veggies to my skewers (because why not?), and tested both oven and grill methods — both worked great!
So whether you're looking for a busy weeknight main dish or planning a killer cookout, this vegan souvlaki is one that'll have everyone begging for the recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Lemon juice. This is a key flavor in souvlaki, so make sure you're using freshly squeezed (and not bottled).
- Olive oil. Another important flavor, so I don't recommend substituting another type of oil.
- Soy sauce. Tamari and liquid aminos also work.
- Sugar. Use organic sugar to keep the recipe vegan. Conventional sugar is often processed using animal bone char.
- Garlic.
- Spices. You'll need paprika, oregano, thyme, and black pepper — all pantry staples.
- Seitan. You can use store-bought or homemade seitan. If you'd like to use my seitan recipe, I recommend going with the chicken or pork flavor.
- Bell peppers. We're using one red and one green, but really any color will work.
- Red onion.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Prepare. If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water to prevent burning. I like to place them in a baking pan and cover them with water.
Steps 2 and 3: Marinate the seitan. Mix your marinade ingredients — lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and spices. Cut your seitan into bite-sized pieces, place them in a shallow dish, and add the marinade. Let the seitan marinate for at least a half hour.
Tip: You can let the seitan marinate for up to 24 hours if you'd like. Just make sure to cover it and stick it in the fridge if you're planning on going over 2 hours.
Step 4: Preheat. If you're baking your souvlaki, preheat the oven to 425°F. If you'll be grilling, oil the grill and build a medium fire.
Step 5: Skewer. Skewer your seitan chunks, alternating with the veggies. You'll have a lot of marinade left. Brush the seitan and veggies with some of it.
Steps 6 and 7: Cook. You can either bake or grill your souvlaki. To bake, place the skewers on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for about 15 minutes. Alternatively, grill them for about 10 minutes. Either way, you'll want to turn and baste them with the extra marinade halfway through.
Step 8: Serve. Your vegan souvlaki is ready to enjoy! Serve it right away, while it's hot and juicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Possibly, but gluten is the main ingredient in seitan, so you'll need an alternative. Store-bought vegan chicken or Butler Soy Curls could work, but I haven't tested either with this particular recipe. You'll also need to substitute gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.
Souvlaki is great on pita bread with fresh veggies and vegan tzatziki. Alternatively, you can skip the pita and pair it up with sides like vegan Greek salad, turmeric rice, and roasted garlic hummus.
Nope! They just make handling easier. You can skip the skewers and simply arrange the seitan and veggies on a baking sheet, if baking. If grilling, use a grill topper.
Leftover vegan souvlaki will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It's best reheated in the microwave or a covered skillet to keep the seitan from drying out.
More Vegan Greek-Inspired Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Souvlaki
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces seitan, cut into about 1-inch pieces
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into about 1-inch pieces
- 1 small green bell pepper, cut into about 1-inch pieces
- ¼ medium red onion, cut into about 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- If you're using wooden skewers, place them into a large container such as a baking pan and submerge them in water. Let them soak until ready to use.
- Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, paprika, oregano, thyme and black pepper in a small container.
- Place the seitan pieces in a shallow dish, then pour the lemon juice mixture over them. Let the seitan marinate for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat the seitan in the marinade (Note 1).
- Preheat your oven to 425°F or, if grilling, lightly oil your grill and build a medium fire.
- Skewer the seitan pieces, alternating with pieces of the red and green peppers and the red onion. Lightly brush with the marinade.
- If baking: Arrange your skewers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, then bake them for about 15 minutes, turning and generously drizzling with any leftover marinade about halfway through, until the seitan and veggies are tender and darkened around the edges.
- If grilling: Grill until the seitan and veggies are tender and lightly charred, about 10 minutes, turning halfway and generously basting with leftover marinade.
- Serve.
Notes
- You can let the seitan marinate for up to 24 hours, but be sure to cover the dish and place it in the fridge by the two-hour mark. Bring the dish out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
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This was awesome!