Vegan
3054 recipes found
Roasted Kabocha Squash
Naturally sweet kabocha squash takes on a caramelized richness when brushed with maple syrup and coconut oil and roasted. The flavorful dish is equally at home alongside a holiday roast, on a bed of whipped ricotta or atop a grain bowl. Coconut oil works exceptionally well here, adding a subtle nuttiness and sweetness that other oils lack, though vegetable oil will work too. Best of all, the kabocha skin is edible so no peeling required. Don’t forget to save those seeds for roasting.
Creamy Cauliflower-Cashew Soup
Creamy and comforting, this cauliflower soup happens to be vegan, and takes its silky texture from being simmered and thickened with roasted cashews. The nuttiness of the cauliflower and the cashews is balanced by the addition of a tart apple. The preferred thickness of creamed soups varies, so if the soup feels too thick, just adjust it to your ideal level of creaminess, adding more stock or water — and an additional sprinkle of salt — as needed.
Vegan Queso
Thanks to a hefty dose of funky nutritional yeast and smoky heat from paprika and chipotle, this cashew-based dip has enough nacho-cheesy vibes to please all kinds of eaters. Unlike traditional queso, this recipe, adapted from my cookbook “Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook” (Knopf, 2023), stays smooth and creamy even at room temperature, ideal for snacking on all party long. Don’t be shy with the salt, which is critical to bringing out that cheesy flavor. Serve this with tortilla chips, steamed broccoli or French fries, or toss with boiled elbow macaroni for a vegan mac and cheese.
Easy Cooked Grains
If you can boil pasta, you can cook most any grain. While grains come in all shapes, sizes, hues and textures, they can all be cooked using the same straightforward method. For evenly cooked grains, just let them tumble in a saucepan of simmering, salted water until tender, then drain them of excess water. For a warm side, rest them in a covered pot. For separated grains to add to salads or bowls or refrigerate for the future, cool and dry them on a sheet pan before using. With such a simple, multipurpose method, the bouncy chew of barley, the springy pouf of quinoa, the bitter edge of buckwheat and the sour tang of rye berries can all easily be incorporated into your cooking routine.
Roasted Broccoli and Whipped Tofu With Chile Crisp Crunch
The concept here is simple, but the results are truly spectacular: Broccoli florets are tossed with olive oil and soy sauce, steamed in the oven until softened, then crowned with crunchy chile crisp bread crumbs. The broccoli is bundled up in aluminum foil, then cooked, so that it tenderizes swiftly and retains moisture. Meanwhile, chile crisp, panko, cashews and olive oil are toasted in a skillet until seasoned and crunchy. (This mix would also be stellar over peanut noodles, roasted vegetables or salad greens.) The optional base of two-ingredient cashew cream (tofu and cashew butter) adds lusciousness and protein. This dish has got heat, but it’s more about texture.
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
A member of the brassica family, gai lan (also known as Chinese broccoli) tastes like a cross between broccoli and broccoli rabe, with a nice balance of slightly sweet and bitter. Gai lan is typically boiled or steamed with aromatics, then enjoyed plain or drizzled with oyster sauce. Here, it’s simply pan-steamed with garlic, ginger and toasted sesame oil. White pepper, common in Chinese cookery, offers milder heat that pairs well with the gai lan, but black pepper is also fine. This quick side is wonderful with roasted chicken and fish; leftovers can be chopped and added to fried rice or pasta the next day.
Gok Jai (Vegetable Crystal Dumplings)
A regional specialty of Zhongshan in China’s Guangdong Province, this dumpling illustrates the diversity of these tasty morsels across China. With its translucent skin, this crystal dumpling is a vegetarian version of Zhongshan gok jai, which traditionally includes dried shrimp and pork. The skin, made from wheat, tapioca and potato starches, is chewy, with a notable bounce, and the tofu-and-vegetable filling is savory and textural. A long knead is crucial to achieving an elastic dough that doesn’t crack when steamed and will deliver its distinctive texture when cooked through. The unconventional use of a tortilla press makes short work of flattening the dough into disks, but a small rolling pin works as well.
Broccoli-Quinoa Soup With Turmeric and Ginger
Turmeric and ginger are generous ingredients: You need only a little of each to deliver plenty of complex, comforting flavors. They work together in this recipe to bring warmth, earthiness, smokiness and spice to this hearty soup. Often a salad ingredient, quinoa proves its versatility here, providing a substantial and protein-packed foundation. The quinoa will continue to absorb the broth once the cooking is complete, so serve immediately for the ideal broth-to-quinoa ratio. (However, if you plan to prepare this soup ahead of time, you can simply thin it out with a little water or stock once you’ve reheated it.) There’s a lovely finishing touch: The chile oil cuts through the richness of the coconut milk and adds to the vibrant colors of this dish.
Matcha Overnight Oats
Oats and a matcha latte make a wonderful breakfast pairing, but this recipe goes one step further to combine them into matcha overnight oats, an effortless breakfast that will delight lovers of efficiency and morning matcha. For vibrantly colored oats and a strong matcha flavor, whisk the oat mixture with a full teaspoon of matcha powder, but feel free to decrease that amount for a more delicate flavor or lower caffeine level. Refrigerate the oat base at least 3 hours to thicken (or overnight), then adjust the desired thickness to taste, adding more milk to thin as desired. To serve, top with thick, creamy Greek yogurt and vibrant fruits of choice, like raspberries, mangoes and blueberries.
Sheet-Pan Coconut Curry With Squash and Tofu
In this warming sheet-pan dinner, winter squash receives the royal treatment, as it roasts in a (shallow!) coconut curry. Choosing a thin-skinned winter squash such as red kuri, kabocha, delicata or butternut means that no peeling is necessary. (In fact, the skin helps the squash keep its structure while cooking.) The whole curry is cooked on one sheet pan: The squash is roasted first, then the tofu, greens and coconut milk are added for an easy, hands-off approach. All curry pastes will vary in saltiness and heat, so add according to your taste preference. If you wanted a bigger flavor punch, you could add some grated ginger and garlic to the coconut milk. The leafy greens will crisp up around the edges, bringing a lovely textural contrast.
Lemony Hummus Pasta
Hummus, with its nutty and garlicky flavor, makes a fantastic dip, spread or even a salad dressing, but it can also be a great base for a pasta sauce. A little garlic and shallot sizzled in olive oil, along with fresh lemon juice and zest, help amp up premade hummus. With a little water, the hummus thins out enough to become a creamy sauce to fully coat noodles. You can add chickpeas, fresh herbs, za’atar or almost any roasted or fresh vegetable to this pasta and it will feel like your own.
Roasted Eggplant With Crispy Chickpeas and Cashew Sauce
This vegan main dish, both simple and delicious, is a guide to the art of slow-roasting eggplant to a tender, custardy texture and creating a flavorful, protein-rich sauce. Eggplant halves are gently scored, coated in oil, and slowly cooked at a high heat with chickpeas that become crispy and super nutty. Roasted cashews are pureéd with lemon, orange and a little garlic, transforming them into a super flavorful, buttery spread that pairs really well with delicate eggplant. While roasting, keep in mind that the eggplant will brown quickly, so be keen to check in on it.
Beet Salad With Celery and Pomegranate
It’s nice to make this beet salad in winter when pomegranates are available. For the best result, cook your own beets — simply boil or roast them any time you have a free moment, even a day or two ahead. Then, slip off the skins while the beets are still slightly warm. Slice them just before you make the salad. Sumac, available in Middle Eastern grocery shops, adds tartness, as would a spoonful of pomegranate molasses. To serve, toss with chopped celery and mint, then garnish with pomegranate seeds. It’s a feast for the eyes.
One-Pot Beans, Greens and Grains
Many filling, flavorful and flexible meals are within reach with this technique: It produces fluffy grains, just-soft-enough greens and creamy and garlicky beans all in one pot. Customize your mix based on your cravings and your pantry: Use any dark leafy greens and any cooked legumes. Use quinoa, rice or a mix of the two for a variety of textures; for other grains, refer to the cooking instructions on their package and add the greens in the last 5 to 7 minutes. You can infuse the grains with flavor by stirring ground spices or other seasonings into the pot. Add brightness with lemon and garnish wildly — or not at all. This meal can be eaten warm or cold, which means lunchtime grain bowls are now easier to pull off.
Yamitsuki (Addictive Cabbage)
In Japanese, “yamitsuki” means addictive — a precise description of this seemingly humble side dish of cabbage, gently torn and simply anointed with sesame oil and seeds, garlic, black pepper and a fingerprint’s worth of salt. So few ingredients, so little time required, and you can’t stop eating it. Often served at izakayas, the Japanese equivalent of pubs, the cabbage is especially good for refreshing the palate and easing the stomach between bites of richer, fattier foods. Aiko Cascio, an instructor for the New York-based League of Kitchens cooking school, prefers tearing the leaves by hand rather than using a knife because the rougher edges absorb more of the sesame oil. This recipe, from “The League of Kitchens Cookbook” (Harvest, 2024) by Lisa Kyung Gross, Rachel Wharton and the women of the League of Kitchens cooking school, calls for flathead cabbage, also known as Taiwanese cabbage, which is soft and tender, with space between the ribs. If you can find only green, Ms. Cascio advises cutting it into smaller pieces and letting it rest a little longer in salt, for greater pliancy.
Vegan Latkes
You don’t need to use an egg substitute like flax seeds or aquafaba to make excellent vegan latkes. The key is to use flour to bind the potato strands together, then leave the latkes alone in the pan as they cook thoroughly on the first side before flipping them. (Too much flipping can cause them to fall apart.) Once the latkes form a golden-brown crust on the first side, carefully turn them over to finish cooking. For the crispiest result, you can add the potato starch lost in squeezing back into the batter (see the Tip for details). It does add an extra step and 15 minutes to the process, but it’s easy and worth it for latkes lovers who live for the crunch.
Pineapple Chow Chow
This piquant pickled relish is widely believed to be descendent from English piccalilli. In Trinidad and Tobago, chow chow is a staple during the holiday season, and is often served with baked ham and hops bread on Christmas morning. Typically Trinidadian chow chow is made by soaking a bevy of fruits and vegetables like Chinese long beans and green papaya overnight in a salty-sweet brine. This quicker stovetop adaptation nixes the need for a night-long soak, and incorporates canned pineapple to add both sweetness and heft to its bright and assertive mustard base.
Ginger Sesame Granola
Anchored by earthy tahini, oats and almonds, this just-sweet-enough mixture pops with each bite of vibrant candied ginger. A touch of zippy ground cardamom and floral vanilla and a generous dose of flaky salt further enhance the complex aromas. The addition of egg whites helps to bind the ingredients together and provide an extra boost of morning protein, although they are easily omitted to accommodate dietary restrictions. Make a big batch in the evening to warm and perfume your home, then enjoy it sprinkled over yogurt for an easy breakfast.
Simple Boiled Greens
Greens, boiled in properly salted water, make an ideal companion to almost any dish. Served with spiced duck, or a similar saucy braise, they provide soft, nourishing relief to every eater and gallantly soak up what’s on the plate. Dinosaur kale (also known as lacinato or Tuscan kale), Savoy cabbage and brussels sprouts are particularly suitable during winter. Let the greens drain and steam dry fully before drizzling with olive oil or topping with a knob of butter.
Leafy Winter Salad
Bitter winter chicories are balanced with some endive and cress, and sweetened with a honey-spiked dressing. It makes a refreshing side to any rich wintry dish. As vinegar and honey can vary wildly in flavor, dip a leaf into your dressing jar to check it for seasoning and balance, adjusting as needed before tossing it through the salad.
Shorbat Adas bil Hamod (Lentil Soup With Greens)
This traditional Lebanese soup is as simple as it is special. “Hamod” means sour in Arabic and, in this case, refers to the generous amount of lemon juice that brightens the lentil soup at the end. This acidity, paired with the flavorful garlic and cilantro oil that's poured all over the top, is what makes this otherwise humble soup stand out. If you don’t have brown lentils, then green ones will do. You can also swap out the chard for another leafy green like spinach, and play around with the spices. If you prefer a thinner soup, add in a splash more stock or water to your desired consistency.
White Bean Dip With Cumin-Chile Oil
This silky white bean dip has a crowd-pleasing, hummus-like appeal, but it’s seasoned with toasted cumin, lemon zest and chile flakes instead of tahini. Drizzling warm cumin oil over the top brings out the earthy flavor of the beans and adds a richness that makes the dip even more velvety. You can make the dip up to five days ahead (store it in the fridge), but don’t add the cumin oil until right before serving for the most pronounced contrast of flavors and textures.
Hobakjuk (Korean Squash Porridge)
Traditionally made with kabocha squash, this soothing porridge showcases the natural velvety texture of winter squash. Make this when squash is in season, as the flavor of the porridge will be best when the gourds are at their peak, both nutty and sweet; use kabocha, butternut or any orange-fleshed squash or pumpkin. Sweet white rice, also known as glutinous rice, becomes sticky and thickens the mixture naturally as it cooks. Typically topped with slivered Korean dates and pine nuts, a more modern, crunchier nut-and-seed topping contrasts this creamy, bisque-like soup. Leftovers freeze very well.
Spicy Black Bean Soup
There are a lot of things to love about this soup: It comes together in 20 minutes in just one pot with fewer than 10 ingredients. But most importantly, minimal effort results in a velvety yet bright soup. The cocoa powder accentuates the fudginess of the black beans, while the salsa verde adds surprising tartness. The tomatillos in the salsa also contain pectin which, along with the starchy bean liquid, quickly thickens the soup. While the soup’s cooking, ready your garnishes as you’ll want plenty to top the bowls. Leftover soup keeps for up to three days, but will stiffen as it sits, so thin with water as needed or turn it into refried beans.