Tofu vegetable kebabs with peanut sauce

I’ll say it and say it proudly: I’m not a huge fan of tofu.  I just don’t love the taste or the texture. However, the other day a recipe for grilled tofu kebabs with peanut sauce caught my eye.  I made it my own with quite a few adjustments, and much to my surprise, I have new summer favorite for the grill. The smoky peanut flavor won me over. Even Tim, my peanut sauce-hating husband, said “YUM.”  (And trust me, he’s not the type to utter that word.) I also found a Super Firm tofu made by Woodstock Farms. Seek out a similar product if you can – the uber-firm texture did make a big difference here, and tofu from the smaller local producers is definitely better than the big supermarket brands. Uh oh, am I becoming a tofu person?

Tofu Vegetable Kebabs with Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup smooth, unsalted peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari, or soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if you are gluten-sensitive)
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine, available in most supermarkets)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium onion, quartered and cut into chunks
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered (or halved if small)

Soak 10 bamboo skewers in water for 20-30 minutes.

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl and stir until the peanut butter is mixed in. Place the cubed tofu in the sauce and marinate for 20 minutes.

Remove the tofu from the sauce, then thread the tofu and vegetables onto the skewers.

Start a fire in your grill. When the coals are nice and hot, grill the skewers for 7-10 minutes, turning several times and brushing liberally with the peanut sauce. Drizzle any additional sauce over the skewers just before serving.

Serves 4