Grilled BBQ Soy Curls and Cabbage Sandwich

I’m willing to grill just about anything. It didn’t take long on my vegan journey to discover that outdoor cooking is perfect for plant-based foods. I grill romaine lettuce, asparagus, peppers, tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers (natch), and more.

Sunday night I knew I wanted to grill lots of veggies but was stuck on what the “star” of the meal might be. I picked up a couple of grill baskets this season,

in a variety of sizes (flat, round, square). The baskets serve as a starting point for grilled burgers (they can crumble!) and tofu (it can fall through the grill if flipped too early) before I place them directly on the grill for some fabulous grill marks right before serving. I also use the baskets for veggie mixes such as onion, mushrooms and peppers.

I grabbed the longer, flat basket to test out BBQ soy curls on the grill.

I rehydrated half a bag of Butler Foods Soy Curls. After draining them I sprinkled two tablespoons of chik-style seasoning over the curls and let them sit for about 15 minute. Then I got all intuitive and simply starting adding things to the bowl of soy curls:  ketchup, maple syrup, liquid smoke, chipotle powder and onion slices.

I sprayed avocado oil on the grill basket and fired up the grill.

Instantly a sweet barbecue aroma filled the air.  And that’s when I decided I’d make a big ole grilled soy curls sandwich – so I tossed everything on the grill.

I grilled the soy curls for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, the cabbage for about eight minutes (flip at four minutes), and the peppers and bread for just a few minutes (long enough to get grill marks).

Hot off the grill I sliced the cabbage and peppers and assembled them into a sandwich and spread a vegan mayonnaise + chipotle powder mix on the toasted bread.

What a meal!

JL Fields writes the blog JL goes Vegan: Food & Fitness with a side of Kale and is writer/editor of Stop Chasing Skinny.