Vegan
3104 recipes found
Marinated Green Beans
This snappy, tangy and super easy recipe for Italian marinated beans makes a perfect side dish, salad or addition to an appetizer spread. The green beans are cooked briefly in salty boiling water just to turn them bright green, then tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, grated garlic and fresh herbs and left to marinate. Gently cooking the beans and marinating them while they are still warm allows them to soak up more flavor from the dressing. They are delicious served cold or at room temperature, and you can add a little kick to them with crushed red pepper, if you like. Green beans are available year round, which means this side dish is ready to become a staple in your kitchen.
Lemon-Miso Tofu With Broccoli
Inspired by Cantonese-style lemon chicken, this vegetarian version features crispy tofu and broccoli coated in a citrusy sweet and savory sauce. This lemon sauce is neither overly sweet nor tart, but has a soft umami hum thanks to the addition of miso paste. The simple technique of dusting the tofu with cornstarch before pan-frying delivers crispy tofu that is light yet robust enough to carry the sauce. (The tofu and broccoli can also be cooked in an air-fryer with comparable results; see Tip for instructions.) Once the crusted tofu hits the sauce, it will soften and become velvety, though if you prefer more crunch, you can serve the lemon sauce on the side for dipping.
Light Soup With Mushrooms
Impossibly rich but never heavy or thick, light soup is a Ghanaian favorite, made by gently simmering dried fish or meat in a pot, then briefly adding onion, tomato, ginger and chiles to the broth. This version replaces the protein with mushrooms and is endlessly adaptable. You can add any summer vegetable of your choice, such as baby potatoes, spinach, squash or zucchini. If you prefer to add fish, toss in some chunks of a simple white fish at the end of the cooking process. The choice is really yours.
Chilled Tofu with Peanut Sauce
This no-cook recipe loosely follows the Chinese traditions of liangban tofu and bang bang sauce by topping cold, silken tofu with a fiery, tangy peanut sauce and raw celery. Eaten together, it is creamy and crunchy, hot and cold, intense and mild all at once. (The combination of peanut butter and celery might happily remind you of ants on a log, the childhood snack.) Eat with hot, steamed rice alongside, if you like.
Curried Red Bean Soup With Kale
This riff on classic Italian minestrone draws inspiration from rajma and maharage nu shaak, two red kidney bean curries with spiced, aromatic gravies, typically made with tomatoes (rajma is Hindi for kidney beans, and maharage is Swahili for beans). This version offers a perfect use case for black mustard seeds, which bloom in the oil to add a sharp, earthy flavor before the onions and garlic are added. This, along with a few other warming spices, helps create an aromatic tomato base for the kidney beans, pasta and greens. Using whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano) is key to achieving a brothy soup that still has body, but crushed tomatoes will work in a pinch.
Tepache (Fizzy Fermented Pineapple Drink)
Refreshing, earthy and lightly sweetened, tepache is a popular fermented drink from Mexico. Traditionally, the main ingredients are piloncillo (a Mexican variety of raw cane sugar), pineapple peels (and sometimes the core) and water. For best results, use a very ripe pineapple. You can also add spices like cinnamon, cloves or fresh ginger. Fermentation time depends on the environment: In warm weather (75 to 85 degrees), it could be ready in 2 to 3 days; in cooler weather, it can take 5 to 7 days. Taste the tepache regularly; when ready, it will be frothy on the surface and slightly fizzy on the tongue, and will taste and smell pleasantly fermented. (Be mindful that if the tepache ferments for too long, it will turn into vinegar.) You can serve tepache on ice as is, or dilute and sweeten it to taste by adding water and sugar.
Easy Chickpea Salad
A bright zesty salad with crisp cucumbers and tender chickpeas inspired by the Levant, where chickpeas have been cultivated for millennia. Ready in a flash, this salad combines lemon and fresh aromatic herbs with a crunch and flavor that improves over time in the refrigerator, making it a great salad to bring to a picnic or potluck. Serve with warm pita bread, or spoon over rice. Instead of discarding the chickpea liquid (aquafaba), try making homemade vegan mayonnaise or even meringues. Leftovers keep beautifully for up to a week, and try this: mix in a touch of that homemade mayo for a delicious chickpea salad sandwich the next day.
Jian Dui (Fried Sesame Balls)
Popular in bakeries and dim sum parlors in Chinatowns around the world, these sweet bean-stuffed fried sesame balls are a pleasure to snack on, their texture a cross between a warm donut and a gummy bear. But during Lunar New Year, jian dui take on a special significance. Some believe the golden roundness of sesame balls portends money and good fortune “rolling” into your household. Non-believers, fret not: These are easy to make and their crisp chewiness makes them a delight to bite.
Herby Pearl Couscous and Sugar Snap Pea Salad
The earthy and tangy flavors of tabbouleh serve as the loose inspiration for this lemony and herbaceous salad. Fresh parsley and mint are bright and grassy, offering a lovely textural contrast to the silky pearl couscous; dried mint adds depth. Juicy and sweet sugar snap peas supply a fresh crunch, with just a rough chop needed to release the inner peas. Allspice brings a moment of intrigue, both warm and complex, but you could substitute with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or a little of each. This salad can be prepared up to several hours in advance (kept at room temperature); the flavors will meld and improve over time.
Baked Tofu
This recipe delivers crispy baked tofu that's perfect for salads, stir-fries, curries or rice bowls topped with sauce. Both firm and extra-firm tofu work well, though extra-firm has more bite. Since tofu quality varies significantly between brands, try a few to find your favorite. While you can press tofu between towels and weights, a tofu press makes the process easier if you cook tofu often. Skip lining the sheet pan here: Direct contact with the metal pan creates more crispiness. For a shortcut, freeze your tofu first to skip the pressing step entirely.
Sotol Pepino
This refreshing drink doubles down on the earthy herbal complexity of sotol, a traditional spirit from Northern Mexico. When making this cocktail, be sure to muddle the cucumber and mint well. This ensures the final drink is infused with plenty of their bright, vegetal and herbal flavors — as well as a pretty green hue. A pour of blanc vermouth adds a touch of floral sweetness.
Sotol Cítrico
The bright, citrus-forward combination of sotol, grapefruit, lime and orange bitters adds a sweetly acidic punch that balances the herbal, earthy undertones of sotol, a traditional spirit from Northern Mexico. A few dashes of orange bitters underscore those citrus notes even further (and should you have another citrus-based bitter on hand, such as grapefruit or lemon, feel free to swap it in). Serve it up in a chilled glass just as written, or add a salt or Tajín rim for a welcome layer of texture and spice (see Tip).
Tanghulu (Candied Fresh Fruit Skewers)
This popular Chinese street food snack turns fresh fruit into a glossy, colorful candied treat. Tanghulu was originally made with hawthorn berries, a fruit popular in traditional Chinese cuisine and medicine. These days, more widely available fruit like strawberries, grapes and tangerines are the stars, skewered and coated in a syrup mixture that sets into a crackly shell. Be sure to dry the cleaned fruit well to help the syrup adhere. A candy thermometer is crucial for this recipe, as the sugar mixture must reach 300 degrees in order to form the hard candy shell (otherwise the coating will turn chewy and sticky). To clean the pot of any remaining caramelized sugar, add some water to the pot, bring it to a simmer and stir until the hardened sugar melts.
Mujadara (Lentils and Rice With Fried Onions)
Comforting, nourishing and budget-friendly, mujadara (which has a variety of spellings) is a humble lentil and rice dish beloved across Levantine cuisines. This version uses rice, but it can also be prepared with bulgur. Either way, deeply browned onions are the star and foundation of the dish, so make sure to cook them until they are a rich golden brown. Be sure to save the cooking water from the lentils, as it provides a flavorful broth to cook the rice. This version of mujadara is spiced with cumin, but feel free to add other spices, such as coriander. The crunchy fried-onion topping is optional, but highly recommended for a joyful party of flavors and textures. Serve mujadara with a side of plain yogurt and a simple green salad, cucumber and tomato salad, fattoush salad or fresh herbs like mint.
Asparagus Gomaae With Chilled Tofu
The classic Japanese side dish gomaae typically features blanched spinach coated in a sesame dressing, but here, the nutty sauce pairs beautifully with earthy asparagus. The asparagus is seared just briefly to unlock its buttery sweetness and juiciness; make sure the pan is hot when the asparagus makes contact to ensure the outside chars, even with a short cook time. The asparagus goma-ae is served atop chilled tofu, which serves as a creamy, refreshing backdrop for the bold umami of the sesame sauce. Eat this as a light meal, or partner it with rice or noodles.
Fried Green Tomatoes and Tangy Basil Mayo by Mehreen Karim
Making a plant-based version of the classic dish substitutes for the usual eggy coating by dipping the slices in a chickpea flour batter. Some of summer’s finest produce—they’re flavorful yet uniquely sturdy, making them a great contender for frying.
Grilled Mushroom Tacos by Andrea Aliseda
Easy plant-based tacos. While it’s typically made with thin cuts of steak, this recipe calls for meaty oyster mushrooms. Their tender flesh gets pressed to expel any extra moisture and render a savory sear.
Spiced, Dry-Brined Mushrooms
Dry brining is a technique typically used to tenderize and flavor meat by harnessing two simple but powerful culinary tools: salt and time. This vegan recipe applies the process to mushrooms, along with a fragrant spice blend and olive oil to aid in flavor, color and texture. Just thirty passive minutes can produce a meaningful metamorphosis for these mushrooms, releasing excess moisture and allowing the mushrooms to brown deeply. Once pulled from the oven, the mushrooms can be stuffed into a roti with pickled onions and cucumbers, served on a mezze platter next to muhammara and hummus, or enjoyed however you please! Oyster mushrooms are a fantastic choice, but maitake, baby bella, portobello or a blend of each will work well, too.
Kale, Couscous and Tofu Salad With Carrot-Ginger Dressing
This satisfying no-cook salad demonstrates that taking cooking shortcuts need not come with any compromise when it comes to taste. Shortcut number one: You can skip massaging the kale; tearing it vigorously softens the leaves sufficiently. Shortcut number two: Save time with store-bought baked tofu, as it has been pre-cooked, which results in a firmer texture that stands up well in salads. And, lastly, shortcut three: Rather than actively monitoring couscous on the stovetop, you can simply season it and rehydrate in boiling water (or even hot vegetable stock, for even more flavor). The punchy, golden-hued carrot and ginger dressing takes cues from the simple salads served at Japanese American restaurants. This version adds miso, which softens the heat of the ginger.
Pure Jalapeño Salsa
This fiery, minimalist salsa proves that even humble kitchen staples — like garlic powder and fresh jalapeños — can surprise you. Simmered until tender, then mashed by hand or blended to a coarse purée, the chiles become the perfect backdrop for garlic powder, which deepens as it sits, taking on a warm, almost toasty edge you’d never get from raw garlic. A short fermentation (if you let it) softens the salsa’s heat and introduces a subtle, tangy complexity (see Tip). It’s a salsa that evolves — bold on Day 1, balanced by Day 3 — making it perfect to spoon over pizza, tacos or anywhere you’d reach for a pickled chile.
Aguacate Ahumado (Spicy Avocado Salsa)
Many salsas are fresh, raw and bright. But this pico de gallo turns a corner. A smoky corner. Finely chopped chipotles in adobo end up glazing the soft pieces of avocado, and it tastes deep and charred, even though it takes all of five minutes to make. It shouldn’t taste this good. But it does. Serve on sandwiches or tostadas, or with a bowl of plantain chips.
Spicy Miso Lentil Soup
This soup is simultaneously comforting, fresh and nasal-clearing — as good for sick days as for those crisp days of spring. The key is a spicy bright-green slurry made by blending a bunch of raw spinach, miso, lime juice, fresh chiles and ginger. Because it’s poured into the soup pot of tender lentils and rice right at the end, its color and flavor stays vibrant. For pops of savory nuttiness, top your bowls with slivers of shiitake mushrooms that have been browned in sesame oil. They make this soup especially satisfying, but you could also top bowls with stir-fried or roasted vegetables like asparagus and winter squash.
Chickpea Noodle Soup
With a golden broth, creamy chickpeas and bouncy angel hair noodles, this quick vegan soup will remind you of chicken noodle soup. To create a savory broth, sizzle carrots, celery and onion with nutritional yeast, turmeric and herbs in oil. A generous amount of oil adds silkiness to the broth and helps carry the flavor of the aromatics, while nutritional yeast gives the broth the soul-satisfying properties of chicken bouillon. While you can use broken pieces of any long noodle, angel hair is especially wonderful; delicate, soft and highly slurpable, they mimic the fine egg noodles found in many delis’ chicken noodle soup.
Tofu Rendang
Rendang is an Indonesian and Malaysian curry associated with the long and gentle cooking of protein, most often beef. This vegan version, however, evokes rendang’s signature deep and intoxicating flavors in a fraction of the time thanks to tofu, which absorbs flavor readily without requiring lengthy cooking. The spice paste of ginger (or galangal), shallots, lemongrass and garlic brings potent flavor, and clings to the tofu as it cooks down with the coconut milk. Classic rendang will often feature a buttery, toasted coconut paste, but this recipe uses toasted shredded coconut to impart texture and nuttiness. If you are meal prepping, cook this on the weekend to eat during the week, as the curry increases in flavor over time.