Vegan Ćevapčići with bell pepper sauce and rice

No date or job interview today? Then it is the perfect day to boldly bite into these delicious, garlicky, and purely plant-based ćevapčići!
Vegan ćevapčići, also called ćevapi. Homemade and at least as delicious as the original: hearty, spicy, aromatic, juicy, simply delicious. My vegan ćevapčići are almost indistinguishable from homemade original ćevapčići.

I serve my vegan ćevapi with a creamy bell pepper yogurt sauce and rice. All in all, a delicious Balkan dish, just like you’d find it on vacation. Cooked at home and vegan.
With this recipe, you’ll have a great, aromatic and filling meal on the table in no time!

What exactly are Ćevapčići?

Ćevapčići – the popular Balkan recipe, here in my vegan version. Ćevapčići are small, spicy minced meat rolls that are considered a national dish in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia. I’ve authentically veganized them in my recipe, serving them with a spicy bell pepper sauce and rice. Just dreamy!

The Best Vegan Ćevapčići Recipe

The best vegan ćevapčići can’t be bought! It’s also advisable to avoid ready-made vegan mince and just easily make the whole thing yourself.
For the best vegan cevapi, I highly recommend making everything from scratch. I’ll show you how in this recipe!

My vegan ćevapčići are juicy, flavorful, and firm in shape, yet soft and delicious. With an ideal aroma and mouthfeel. Nicely garlicky, hearty, simply delicious and good.

Make your own vegan ćevapčići

Vegan ćevapčići are easy to make. In my recipe, I use seitan and soy granules (TVP) as the meat, which helps the vegan meat rolls hold together well and give them the perfect bite and texture.
I fine-tuned the seasoning so that my vegan cevapcici are in no way inferior to the original meat cevapcici.

Authentic Ćevapčići, but purely plant-based

Ćevapčići are spicy, grilled minced meat rolls. Originally made from a mixture of ground beef and lamb. Ćevapčići are particularly popular for their typical seasoning. They are eaten primarily in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, such as Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro, but also in other parts of Southeast Europe.

The sausage-shaped meatballs can be prepared authentically with my recipe, but are completely vegan. You can grill them traditionally on a charcoal grill or simply fry them in a pan.

What side dishes go well with vegan ćevapčići?

The selection of side dishes that go well with cevapi is vast. Of course, side dishes eaten in the Balkans, where ćevapčići originate, are particularly good. But other Mediterranean side dishes are also ideal for vegan ćevapčići.
In this recipe, I make vegan cevapi with paprika sauce and rice.

Here are some more ideas for side dishes for vegan cevapi:

• Pickled eggplants with olive oil and herbs
• Veta – homemade vegan feta
• Piyaz – a Turkish white bean salad
• Baba Ganoush – Arabic eggplant dip
• Karniyarik – stuffed eggplants Turkish style

Looking for more vegan recipes for classic meat dishes?

Take a look at the “V Meat” category here on Daily Vegan. You’ll find plenty of recipes and inspiration there.

Here are some ideas for homemade, vegan meat dishes to try at home:

• Vegan Scotch Eggs – with homemade vegan eggs and meat
• Roasted vegan goose leg recipe – a festive plant based dish
• Vegan rack of lamb – made from seitan – even with bones
• Königsberger Klopse – a traditional German dish
• Stuffed vegan goose or stuffed vegan turkey – a festive meal
• Pulled Oyster Mushroom Sandwich
• Festive stuffed roast with squeezed potatoes on shallot puree with berry and ginger caviar
• Meatball sandwich, with homemade subway bread
• Thüringer Brat – the best German sausage! Vegan!
• Vegan smoked bacon, made from seitan
• Grill flares – a must have at BBQs!
• Seitan steaks in red wine glaze with potato roses and green beans

Show me your vegan ćevapčići

Please follow me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d be thrilled if you made my vegan ćevapčići and posted a photo of them, tagging my account. Because I always find it really fun and exciting to see how my recipes are prepared in other kitchens!

Vegan ćevapčići, preparation in pictures:

In the following photos, I show you step by step how I prepare my vegan cevapi and the bell pepper sauce. Then, I’ll skip straight to the recipe.

Vegan bell pepper sauce, preparation:

Ingredients for 3-4 servings of vegan ćevapčići with bell pepper sauce and rice:

Vegan ćevapčići:

1 l vegetable stock
1 onion, finely chopped
100 g fine soy granules (TVP)
1 slice of toast, briefly soaked in soy milk
1 heaped tbsp chickpea flour (gram flour), mixed with 2 tbsp water
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 heaped tsp hot paprika powder
1 heaped tsp sweet paprika powder
½ tsp pepper
1 heaped tbsp parsley
1 heaped tsp oregano
5 heaped tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 tsp salt

Oil for frying

Bell pepper sauce:

100 g smoked tofu, diced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp tomato paste
500 ml vegetable stock
2 tsp sugar
50 ml vegan cream
100 ml vegan yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 bell peppers: red, yellow, and green, diced
1 tbsp sweet paprika powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Olive oil

Rice:

250 ml rice
500 ml water
1 tsp salt

Preparation:

Vegan ćevapčići:

1. Soak the soy granules in 1 liter of hot stock for 15 minutes.
2. Then press the stock out of the soy granules using a sieve.
3. Combine all ingredients for the vegan cevapcici, except for the vital wheat gluten.
4. Then gradually sprinkle in the vital wheat gluten and mix well.
5. Let it steep for about 15 minutes.
6. Shape the vegan cevapcici into short, round cylinders/sausages.
7. About 10 minutes before the sauce is ready, fry the vegan cevapcici in plenty of oil over medium heat, turning frequently.

Rice:

1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or saucepan with 500 ml of lightly salted water until tender.

Bell pepper Sauce:

1. Sear the smoked tofu in a little vegetable oil with the soy sauce until crispy.
2. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Stir the lemon juice into the yogurt and let it steep.
4. Heat a little olive oil in a pan.
5. Fry the diced onions in the olive oil until translucent.
6. Stir in the tomato paste and smoked tofu and fry briefly.
7. Add the flour, stir in, and fry for 1-2 minutes.
8. Then add the stock and bring to a boil.
9. Stir in the cream and yogurt.
10. Add the bell pepper and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
11. Sprinkle in the spices and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!