What are some vegetarian meals or dishes you think people should know about?
I’m pretty guilty of using meat as a crutch in most of my cooking. I’d love to hear about some good meals for inspiration. Ideally things that aren’t made to imitate/replace meat but exist well on their own.
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https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pot-golden-curry-lentil-soup/#wprm-recipe-container-37902
No oil needed. Easy to make and tastes amazing.
https://cookieandkate.com/peanut-soba-noodle-slaw-recipe/#tasty-recipes-23512-jump-target
I throw some edamame in and give it a good squeeze of fresh lime to garnish.
Good vegetarian/vegan protein sources to substitute in your favorite recipes:
Seitan - pretty easy to make, use in place of chicken or steak. Great in fajitas, gyros, stir fry, etc.
TVP - super cheap and healthy substitute for ground beef. Use in pasta sauces, sloppy joes, chili, etc. Toss it in with some extra water in place of meat.
Tofu - recommended you freeze then thaw the tofu, dry it out good and pan fry until crispy. Excellent in stir fry, curry, noodles, etc.
Couple favorites from my wife and I - paneer curries (especially paneer makhani), bean and cheese enchiladas, tofu tacos (shallow fry small cubes of tofu to get some texture), and a salad topped with fried chickpeas/tomato/avocado along with anything else that sounds yummy. Sometimes just a huge bowl of pasta hits too, with some simple veg added.
Lentil dahl. It’s… perfect.
Fried shiitake mushrooms with garlic, a splash of soy sauce, and lemon juice. I usually use garlic powder for convenience.
If you’re ok with lacto-ovo vegetarian dishes, it goes good with a fried egg and rice as a quick and tasty meal. Sometimes I’ll have some kimchi with it too if I’m in the mood and have some on hand. (Note: a lot of kimchi is not vegetarian – it often includes fish/seafood ingredients. The store near me sells both a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian version though and despite not being a vegetarian I prefer the taste of the vegetarian one slightly more, so I usually get that if they have it. Check the ingredients/labels if you’re unsure.)
The mushrooms are also a fantastic accompaniment to steak when you’re doing non-vegetarian cooking. Fry them in the same pan after making a steak on the stove and you can get something that can, frankly, eclipse the steak…
Another vegetarian dish I make sometimes (particularly in the summer) is basically just a chickpea salad. I usually use canned chickpeas for that with raw sliced vegetables like tomato, cucumber, red bell pepper, etc. I add salt, lemon juice, and olive oil and eat it with some toasted pita bread. Sometimes I will add avocado, chopped shallots, chunks of cheese, and/or a hard boiled egg if I have them handy and am in the mood – but it’s pretty good even without any of those extras. With canned chickpeas, I’ve found that I don’t like the version with firming agents added (usually calcium chloride, IIRC), so I always check the labels at the store and get ones without it.
A third vegetarian dish I like is a variant on spaghetti puttanesca. While I boil pasta, I prepare a sauce in a pan using canned tomatoes, olive oil, capers, kalamata-style black olives, salt, a pinch of msg, and cayenne pepper. Finish the pasta in the sauce. One of the things I really like about this dish is that all the ingredients are shelf-stable so you can keep them on hand and just make it whenever. (My version notably leaves out the anchovies from more common variants of the dish.)
If you are doing a meatless version of another dish, try to consider what roles the meat is doing in the dish, and if they’re necessary. My partner is veggie, and cooking for us isn’t any harder than just cooking for me.
Often one role is texture. You don’t need to go looking for an exact replacement of the fibrous texture of meat, but you do want something that contrasts nicely. If you’re using cauliflower or similar, make sure to not overcook it otherwise you’ll lose the bite.
In terms of flavor, look for a mix of umami-rich and complexity. Consider using things like soy sauce, marmite, MSG, olives, onions, garlic, mustard, miso paste, tomato paste, hard cheese, fish sauce, anchovies, anchovy paste, or complex layers of spices (like in curry or chili). You may have to use some combination of these.
Simply reducing the meat you use can also be a route to eating less meat. Just replace the weight of meat with an equivalent weight of veggie. For example: 2 lbs chicken = 1 lb chicken + 1 lb cauliflower, or 2 lbs ground beef = 1lb ground beef + 1 lb red lentils. If going this route, go for fattier cuts and definitely don’t drain the fat.
I am basic and a lot of people probably already know about it, but I think my absolute favorite is chana masala. I also like things like Thai peanut noodles, and a noodle recipe I don’t know the name of.
That recipe uses wheat noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, gochujang hot pepper paste, ginger, MSG, sesame oil, and green onion. I forgot the exact amount of everything, so I use whatever feels right for each ingredient, but you fix your noodles and while they’re going, grate your ginger and chop green onions. Then mix everything but the noodles. After the noodles are done, mix them in and enjoy.
I would say tofu stuff, but my diet prevents me from having it often for health reasons. I don’t recommend being on blood thinners if you like tofu.
Edit:
Looks like the fish sauce I use uses anchovy, so you’d need an alternative to Squid Brand.
Lentil curry (daal) is one of my staples. Indian vegetarian food in general is just fantastic.
I’ve long said that if a doctor told me my next bite of meat would kill me, Indian and Thai food would be the only things keeping me alive
A good Dahl over some rice is heaven itself. Add on a side of Chana/Aloo chatt and we’re talking some serious food satisfaction.
I’ve got a few delicious veggie dishes that make the rounds on my house, check them out and give one or two a try:
Creamy Cherry Tomato and Squash pasta
French Lasagna (sorry for the FB link)
Pennoni with Caramelized Pear and Cavolo Nero
Grilled Nectarine Caprese Salad (great for summer)
Black Bean and Corn Salad (hella versatile, I like to make this with Dijon vinaigrette)
Sweet and Spicy Stewed Chickpeas
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
psst, that peanut soup isn’t vegetarian, but it does look good
Ah, should have clarified, you can make it with or without the chicken (which I usually do) and it’ll still be great.
A lot of South Asian food is naturally vegetarian or vegan. I make chana masala and lentil dahl a fair amount. Lots of flavour from the spices—there’s no need for meat.
I also like scrambled tofu, which you can season any way you like. I tend to put curry seasoning on it.
Avocado toast too, but that’s infrequent because avocados are expensive.
If you’ve never made creamy harissa butter beans I highly recommend it. One of the nicest vegan recipes I’ve made. If you’re not keen on spice, make sure to get mild harissa, as the spicy harissa gets quite spicy, speaking as someone who enjoys spice.
Generally I like any tofu dish. Tofu is often meant to accompany meats (traditionally at least) but I find that a lot of tofu dishes that traditionally have meat, work very well without the meat. My go-to lazy lunch is boiling some water with stock cubes and chucking in noodles, medium-firm tofu, a vegetable of my choice, and chilli crisp.
Avocado toast? In this economy? I’d like to afford a house some day…
Another with the Dahl. Guess I can’t avoid trying it, then.
Sadly I got this idea from chipotle: I like to make a bowl of black beans, rice, caramelized onions and peppers and sprinkle on some shredded cheese. Adding a bit of guacamole is a nice touch too.
Why sadly?
Fast food is based on real dishes. If you can make it yourself with better ingredients, then that’s a great thing to do.
If I put a soft tortilla around a hard tortilla and make a taco, I can’t deny that it’s an idea from Taco Bell. But it’ll taste a lot better and be healthier.
I love a good black bean burger. It has such a nice flavor profile that’s clearly not trying to be a beef substitute. Load it up with lettuce, tomato, pickles, cheese, hot sauce, any condiments or toppings you like on a sandwich.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is always a winner during the colder months.
Can’t go wrong with a big tray of roasted veggies. Chop up some potatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, etc. Drizzle of olive oil, lightly salt and pepper, throw it in the oven, bon appétit.
A PB&J or a PB & Banana is a solid go-to.
A basic quiche is mainly eggs, spinach, and cheese.
Ramen and other pasta dishes that don’t require meat. Some pasta, tomato sauce, cheese, and seasonings can go a long way. Fettuccine alfredo is another good one.
Ramen almost always uses fish in the stock.
You can make a good ramen stock with vegetable broth, miso paste, soy sauce, and seaweed. Its takes like 5 mins to make too, just heat and mix.
Chana masala
Not a full meal per se, but my mother would sometimes saute spinach and mushrooms in butter and red wine (plus probably garlic), if I remember correctly. It was pretty fucking good.
That sounds like great late night food.
My go-to are couscous salad with sun-dried tomato and feta because it’s really quick and you can make a lot, and peanut sauce noodle salad.
Summer time, this is one of my faves: bibim guksu (spicy Korean noodles)
Recently I’ve been going hard on the lentils, beans, and pulses. Curry soup with chickpeas and potatoes (I add lentils) Any curry, really. Chickpeas and lentils.
Winter is coming. I love this creamy vegetable soup because it is super low Calories and loaded with veg and no lactose if you prefer not. Still so creamy. It’s great when you need to clear out the dying veg in the fridge.
Don’t think I’ve ever had a cold noodle salad. Will try, thanks!
