A vegan kebab made from soy protein with onion, parsley and oats. Grill it on skewers or shape it without skewers, whichever you prefer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fine-textured soy protein
- Vegetable broth or plain water for boiling the soy protein and as needed for the mixture
- 1 large onion
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 tbsp kebab seasoning or seven-spice blend
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp vegan Maggi-style vegetable seasoning, if available, preferably without MSG
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- A pinch of chili
- Salt as needed
- 2 tbsp oats
- 1 tbsp white flour if needed
- Olive oil for greasing the pan
Method
- Boil the soy protein in vegetable broth for 15 minutes, then squeeze it very well.
- Grate the onion and finely chop the parsley.
- Knead the soy protein thoroughly with the soy sauce and spices.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of oats, then the onion and parsley, and continue kneading.
- If the kebab does not hold together, add the tablespoon of flour. If needed, add a little water and adjust the salt.
- Stop kneading once the mixture holds together and can be shaped.
- Leave the kebab mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so it is easier to shape.
- Shape it around wooden skewers after soaking the skewers briefly in water, or shape it however you like without skewers.
- Return the shaped kebab to the refrigerator for 15 minutes so it can rest and firm up.
- Brush a non-stick pan or grill plate with olive oil. Once hot, add the kebab and brown it on every side.
Serve with roasted potatoes, eggplant dip, hummus with tahini, vegan garlic sauce, salad or tabbouleh. Enjoy 🙂
Why soy-protein kebab works nutritionally
Soy protein provides all the essential amino acids, and there is no evidence-based rule saying soy must be avoided as a daily food simply because it contains isoflavones.
In fact, pooled randomized trials found that soy protein modestly lowers LDL and total cholesterol. That matters even more when soy replaces some animal protein rather than when we compare protein grams in isolation. Source.
As for the fear of “soy estrogen,” a meta-analysis of 41 clinical studies found no effect on testosterone or estrogen in men, while a review of 40 randomized trials found no significant effect on the estrogen markers studied in postmenopausal women. Men, women.
The parsley adds vegetables and plant compounds, while the oats add fiber. The useful comparison is the whole package, not just grams of protein.
For more detail, read our guide to soy foods.
Try our grilled soy protein or soy-protein shawarma with garlic sauce.
