MOAR decadent vegan recipes, please!
April 4, 2018 9:40 AM Subscribe
I'm set for meals of the healthy/quick weeknight variety, but I want to put together a roster of rich, luxurious, splurge-for-a-celebration vegan meals. Difficulty level: no soy.
Soy *sauce* is okay, but soy milk / soy cheese / tofu / edamame are all off-limits for GI reasons.
I'm finding this tricky, partly because I know a lot of people who are vegan aren't necessarily into 'meaty' tastes or textures, but mostly because of the no-soy caveat, which not only makes stuff like Field Roasts and Tofurkeys a problem, but also sadly rules out lots of interesting Chinese mock-meat dishes. Awesome techniques like using yuba are out, because bean curd is a problem. I'd love to find things which are similarly rich and decadent in texture, though. 'Meaty' dishes preferred, but I'm also open to creamy textures. This question is a great start, but I'm looking particularly for show-stopper main courses to satisfy the desire for something 'special' like chops or steaks or crispy sea bass would be for omni-eaters. Any ideas?
Soy *sauce* is okay, but soy milk / soy cheese / tofu / edamame are all off-limits for GI reasons.
I'm finding this tricky, partly because I know a lot of people who are vegan aren't necessarily into 'meaty' tastes or textures, but mostly because of the no-soy caveat, which not only makes stuff like Field Roasts and Tofurkeys a problem, but also sadly rules out lots of interesting Chinese mock-meat dishes. Awesome techniques like using yuba are out, because bean curd is a problem. I'd love to find things which are similarly rich and decadent in texture, though. 'Meaty' dishes preferred, but I'm also open to creamy textures. This question is a great start, but I'm looking particularly for show-stopper main courses to satisfy the desire for something 'special' like chops or steaks or crispy sea bass would be for omni-eaters. Any ideas?
Best answer: Are soybean oils okay? (Not sure if it's a protein issue or some other soy component). Pepperidge Farm puff pastry appears to be vegan, although it has soybean oil in it, and that's the starting point for some nice decadent centerpiece. Maybe stuffed with roasted mushrooms and caramelized onions folded over like an apple turnover--I've made this before and it's yummy.
In a more fake-meat direction, I've been hearing a ton about using jackfruit as a pulled-pork fake lately. I've been meaning to try it but haven't gotten to it yet. And it sounds like you have a world of seitan-based dishes that you can play with as well. (Seitan can be made at home, too. I did it once, it's a bit of a pain, but an interesting process.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 10:02 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
In a more fake-meat direction, I've been hearing a ton about using jackfruit as a pulled-pork fake lately. I've been meaning to try it but haven't gotten to it yet. And it sounds like you have a world of seitan-based dishes that you can play with as well. (Seitan can be made at home, too. I did it once, it's a bit of a pain, but an interesting process.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 10:02 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Adding/substituting copious amounts of coconut oil makes most of my favorite vegan recipes more deliciously decadent.
Homemade seitan gives a very meaty mouthfeel. I'm partial to kneading it up and braising it in stock for about an hour. From there it can be roasted or fried, used in many Chinese mock-meat dishes.
Seitan fried in plenty of coconut oil and paired with greens (kale, collard, mustard) and squash is a pretty good luxurious vegan meal imo.
posted by SaltySalticid at 10:03 AM on April 4, 2018
Homemade seitan gives a very meaty mouthfeel. I'm partial to kneading it up and braising it in stock for about an hour. From there it can be roasted or fried, used in many Chinese mock-meat dishes.
Seitan fried in plenty of coconut oil and paired with greens (kale, collard, mustard) and squash is a pretty good luxurious vegan meal imo.
posted by SaltySalticid at 10:03 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: We’ve been eating Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom Bourguignon and it’s SO GOOD. < href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/">https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/
Maybe too comfort food-ish but I think it feels fancy.
posted by brilliantine at 10:05 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Maybe too comfort food-ish but I think it feels fancy.
posted by brilliantine at 10:05 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I haven't made this vegan bacon (using rice paper!) but it's on my list. Obviously not gonna be a main course, but could be a great garnish for one.
Eggplant often offers that unctuous fatty texture. Perhaps something like this Roasted Eggplant with Cashew Cream and Pommegranate?
I just made this mushroom bourguignon again and it was fantastic. You'd have to swap out the butter though.
Had a killer fire roasted maiitake / hen-of-the-woods mushroom dish once, very showy due to the beautiful frilly mushrooms. This recipe looks similarly delicious, though again you'd have to swap the butter.
You already have a ton of cauliflower recipes in that other thread, but I had an entire head of roasted charred cauliflower with fresh tahini sauce in Tel Aviv and god it was beautiful to look at and amazing (I say this as a beef loving lady).
posted by miss_kitty_fantastico at 10:06 AM on April 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Eggplant often offers that unctuous fatty texture. Perhaps something like this Roasted Eggplant with Cashew Cream and Pommegranate?
I just made this mushroom bourguignon again and it was fantastic. You'd have to swap out the butter though.
Had a killer fire roasted maiitake / hen-of-the-woods mushroom dish once, very showy due to the beautiful frilly mushrooms. This recipe looks similarly delicious, though again you'd have to swap the butter.
You already have a ton of cauliflower recipes in that other thread, but I had an entire head of roasted charred cauliflower with fresh tahini sauce in Tel Aviv and god it was beautiful to look at and amazing (I say this as a beef loving lady).
posted by miss_kitty_fantastico at 10:06 AM on April 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Best answer: To special-up the puff pastry suggestion above, I recently had a meal kit recipe that had me work with two 4x4 squares of puff pastry. I cut a circle out of one of the squares with a glass, and then stacked the square-with-a-hole on top of the other square. After baking it created a pretty “bowl” to fill with sautéed veg. This would be great for a special occasion.
posted by OrangeVelour at 10:07 AM on April 4, 2018
posted by OrangeVelour at 10:07 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: Take a spin through the recipes at loveandlemons.com. Not everything is vegan and she doesn't do a lot of meat textures, but I did find these mushroom meatball subs.
posted by CiaoMela at 10:08 AM on April 4, 2018
posted by CiaoMela at 10:08 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: This is not a recipe, but the Beyond Burger is beyond delicious. Soy free. I can't stop buying and eating it even though it's insanely expensive.
posted by whistle pig at 10:09 AM on April 4, 2018
posted by whistle pig at 10:09 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: I made oven roasted whole celeriac root for Christmas and will be making it again. The recipe I used isn't in English, but it involves roasting a peeled root covered in vegan butter/margarine and a bunch of spices for an hour to an hour and a half and then covering the thing in a mustard mixture and breadcrumbs and roasting it some more. It doesn't look like a showstopper, especially since it isn't served hot, but I found it satisfying and main course-y, if that makes sense.
I've also served vegan wellington with some success - find a good, say, lentil loaf recipe (again, not in English) and plait it into pastry. I like it with caramelized or beer braised onions. Make sure the beer is vegan!
On preview: seconding "pulled" jackfruit! I've never had pulled pork, but I liked the jackfruit version a lot.
posted by hannala at 10:11 AM on April 4, 2018
I've also served vegan wellington with some success - find a good, say, lentil loaf recipe (again, not in English) and plait it into pastry. I like it with caramelized or beer braised onions. Make sure the beer is vegan!
On preview: seconding "pulled" jackfruit! I've never had pulled pork, but I liked the jackfruit version a lot.
posted by hannala at 10:11 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: Serious Eat's vegan wellington is a classic that uses soy sauce but no other soy.
Vegan Richa's recipes are often extremely delicious and she's very conscientious about making them adaptable to dietary restrictions. I'm very fond of her cauliflower alfredo (but I cook the flour and make a roux with the milk for food safety and improved texture). Here's the recipe - as part of a great-looking soy-free artichoke lasagna! She also has a ton of excellent Indian recipes on her site and in her cookbooks.
You could also explore the world of bean & gluten based fake meats. The Veganomicon chickpea cutlets are a classic of that genre, but there are lots of recipes for sausages and other fake meats that use that combo.
Miyoko Schinner's seitan pepperoni is also exceptionally good and could be the star of a fancy pizza night. Her book Homemade Vegan Pantry has a lot of really good fake meat recipes. I think about half of them use tofu or yuba, but I believe the rest don't use soy (beyond soy sauce). It might be worth borrowing a copy before purchasing to be sure I'm right about that ratio since that's from memory. She has ribs in that book that look amazing, but I haven't made them. And a lot of people love the pulled pork.
posted by snaw at 10:24 AM on April 4, 2018 [4 favorites]
Vegan Richa's recipes are often extremely delicious and she's very conscientious about making them adaptable to dietary restrictions. I'm very fond of her cauliflower alfredo (but I cook the flour and make a roux with the milk for food safety and improved texture). Here's the recipe - as part of a great-looking soy-free artichoke lasagna! She also has a ton of excellent Indian recipes on her site and in her cookbooks.
You could also explore the world of bean & gluten based fake meats. The Veganomicon chickpea cutlets are a classic of that genre, but there are lots of recipes for sausages and other fake meats that use that combo.
Miyoko Schinner's seitan pepperoni is also exceptionally good and could be the star of a fancy pizza night. Her book Homemade Vegan Pantry has a lot of really good fake meat recipes. I think about half of them use tofu or yuba, but I believe the rest don't use soy (beyond soy sauce). It might be worth borrowing a copy before purchasing to be sure I'm right about that ratio since that's from memory. She has ribs in that book that look amazing, but I haven't made them. And a lot of people love the pulled pork.
posted by snaw at 10:24 AM on April 4, 2018 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I admit to not necessarily having everything that must be avoided in a vegan diet top of mind, but Yotam Ottolenghi does a lot of fancier vegetarian dishes, so perhaps some of his might be suitable for you? Those are newspaper versions of recipes, so more simple than average; you could also take a peek at his cookbooks Plenty and Plenty More.
posted by praemunire at 10:25 AM on April 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 10:25 AM on April 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Have you tried Quorn products? They're soy-free and have a nice texture. They have a store locator on their site to see if you can find their products nearby. Something like this Shepherd's Pie would be a nice special occasion food.
Maybe browse their recipe section for some other ideas too.
posted by hydra77 at 10:27 AM on April 4, 2018
Maybe browse their recipe section for some other ideas too.
posted by hydra77 at 10:27 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: I really love this vegan stuffing.
Also, if you can get a copy of Vegan with a Vengeance, the spanakopita is wonderful.
posted by FencingGal at 10:29 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also, if you can get a copy of Vegan with a Vengeance, the spanakopita is wonderful.
posted by FencingGal at 10:29 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Almost all the Field Roast fake meats are seitan, not soy, I don't know if that still doesn't work for you? They're amazing!
This chickpea picatta used to be my go-to for situations like that, with the added plus that it's not actually that hard to make. She has lots of similar special-feeling dishes on her website and everything I've made by her is good.
Pot pie, made with no particular recipe and a vegan puff pastry or toasted mashed potato topping. Could be made with either normal chicken pot pie vegetables and a white gravy made with milk substitute and veggie broth, or a Thai coconut curry version.
I think the Better than Bouillon veggie and fake chicken stock concentrates are good for adding a meat-like depth of flavor to recipes... many other veggie broths are so disappointing. They do have some soy in them, but if soy sauce is ok they'd probably be ok too.
Another potential option is Socca/Farinata, the Italian frittata-like chickpea cake. The texture is sort of custardy, and many people have never tried it or heard of it, which makes it seem like more of a special occasion thing. I have seen these with various in-season vegetables as the vegetarian option at a lot of fancy restaurants.
posted by sometamegazelle at 10:44 AM on April 4, 2018
This chickpea picatta used to be my go-to for situations like that, with the added plus that it's not actually that hard to make. She has lots of similar special-feeling dishes on her website and everything I've made by her is good.
Pot pie, made with no particular recipe and a vegan puff pastry or toasted mashed potato topping. Could be made with either normal chicken pot pie vegetables and a white gravy made with milk substitute and veggie broth, or a Thai coconut curry version.
I think the Better than Bouillon veggie and fake chicken stock concentrates are good for adding a meat-like depth of flavor to recipes... many other veggie broths are so disappointing. They do have some soy in them, but if soy sauce is ok they'd probably be ok too.
Another potential option is Socca/Farinata, the Italian frittata-like chickpea cake. The texture is sort of custardy, and many people have never tried it or heard of it, which makes it seem like more of a special occasion thing. I have seen these with various in-season vegetables as the vegetarian option at a lot of fancy restaurants.
posted by sometamegazelle at 10:44 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: I had some leftover endives that needed eating; I split them in half lengthwise and brushed the formerly inside face with 1) aged balsamic vinegar or 2) a soy/miso/mirin paste, tossed on the grill.
Wonderful textures.
The miso paste lends great umame flavouring, the balsamic was slightly sweet and caramel-ey reminiscent of a nice maillard browning of meats.
posted by porpoise at 10:51 AM on April 4, 2018
Wonderful textures.
The miso paste lends great umame flavouring, the balsamic was slightly sweet and caramel-ey reminiscent of a nice maillard browning of meats.
posted by porpoise at 10:51 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: On my phone so sorry for no links but if you, like me, think of savory pies and tarts as vaguely exotic and special, I would suggest a knock-out white-bean, collard and rosemary pot pie-- originally got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen I think-- made with Earth Balance and Oat Cream. I also made a very good cabbage and Seitan and butternut squash purée tart at one point. I don't eat walnuts but they would be great in there. Ottolenghi's Potato Tarte Tatin. You get the idea.
Also I have made deep-seared cauliflower steaks over cauliflower purée for a vegan Christmas (idea from Dan Barber via Genius Recipes) and then transitioned it to Sunday night supper I love it so much.
But if this is about showstopping rather than producing Anglo holiday vibes, a South Indian thali on a banana leaf with homemade condiments is totally soy free and hard to beat for taste-totally-not-trying-to-replicate-meats-look how much I love you factor. Even we used to throw idli sambar brunches with coconut chutney and mango mimosas it was like a Big Event in our friend circle despite being a totally basic breakfast food for probably half a billion people.
posted by athirstforsalt at 11:00 AM on April 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Also I have made deep-seared cauliflower steaks over cauliflower purée for a vegan Christmas (idea from Dan Barber via Genius Recipes) and then transitioned it to Sunday night supper I love it so much.
But if this is about showstopping rather than producing Anglo holiday vibes, a South Indian thali on a banana leaf with homemade condiments is totally soy free and hard to beat for taste-totally-not-trying-to-replicate-meats-look how much I love you factor. Even we used to throw idli sambar brunches with coconut chutney and mango mimosas it was like a Big Event in our friend circle despite being a totally basic breakfast food for probably half a billion people.
posted by athirstforsalt at 11:00 AM on April 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Isa Chandra's malai kofta recipe is amaaaaaazing.
posted by Jellybean_Slybun at 11:15 AM on April 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Jellybean_Slybun at 11:15 AM on April 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Following on the eggplant suggestion, this dish is fantastic and feels fancy because of the pomegranate seeds and fresh mint.
posted by phlox at 11:24 AM on April 4, 2018
posted by phlox at 11:24 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: Seconding Ottolenghi as a source, apart from his cookbooks, Plenty and Plenty More, you can find his recipes at both The Guardian and NYTImes.
The Vegetarian Option by Simon Hopkinson is a very fancy cookbook. Since it's not vegan you might have to do some substitutions now and then, but in general it is great for fancy vegetable food. About substitutions, I saw a TV show where they taught a vegan to make her own oat-milk, making it dirt cheap, and she claimed it was tasty and good for her purposes. Maybe you can find a demo video in English? (the show I saw was not in English). I prefer oat milk, because I worry about the water-use of almonds, but since I am not vegan, I don't use enough to go into an actual production.
Because my daughter doesn't like mushrooms much (except wild), I mostly use aubergines/egg plants as my meaty element, and I find most people love that. I'm thinking about making a vegan lasagna based on aubergine for a dinner party with vegan guests next week if I can make oat-milk into a béchamel. If it doesn't work for me, I'll probably make Imam Bayildi, a decadent vegan classic if there ever was one. (The recipe uses yogurt for finishing but you don't need to).
About the mushrooms, since my daughter isn't too keen on them, I don't use them much, but what I do is chop up dried wild mushrooms, pour boiling water over them, let it rest and then use the resulting "stock" as a lovely base for sauces and soups.
Also, look at Indian vegan food. There are tons of delicious dishes. We love samosas, and if the kids could decide, I'd be folding filo-dough all the time. They are actually quite easy to make but feel luxurious as a starter, or a cocktail-bite if they are mini. But we also make feasts with rice and curries and salads. I use my mum's old worn Madhur Jaffrey: Indian Cooking for this, but I think you can find a lot of her recipes online.
posted by mumimor at 11:39 AM on April 4, 2018
The Vegetarian Option by Simon Hopkinson is a very fancy cookbook. Since it's not vegan you might have to do some substitutions now and then, but in general it is great for fancy vegetable food. About substitutions, I saw a TV show where they taught a vegan to make her own oat-milk, making it dirt cheap, and she claimed it was tasty and good for her purposes. Maybe you can find a demo video in English? (the show I saw was not in English). I prefer oat milk, because I worry about the water-use of almonds, but since I am not vegan, I don't use enough to go into an actual production.
Because my daughter doesn't like mushrooms much (except wild), I mostly use aubergines/egg plants as my meaty element, and I find most people love that. I'm thinking about making a vegan lasagna based on aubergine for a dinner party with vegan guests next week if I can make oat-milk into a béchamel. If it doesn't work for me, I'll probably make Imam Bayildi, a decadent vegan classic if there ever was one. (The recipe uses yogurt for finishing but you don't need to).
About the mushrooms, since my daughter isn't too keen on them, I don't use them much, but what I do is chop up dried wild mushrooms, pour boiling water over them, let it rest and then use the resulting "stock" as a lovely base for sauces and soups.
Also, look at Indian vegan food. There are tons of delicious dishes. We love samosas, and if the kids could decide, I'd be folding filo-dough all the time. They are actually quite easy to make but feel luxurious as a starter, or a cocktail-bite if they are mini. But we also make feasts with rice and curries and salads. I use my mum's old worn Madhur Jaffrey: Indian Cooking for this, but I think you can find a lot of her recipes online.
posted by mumimor at 11:39 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: Another cottage/shepherd's pie suggestion, but with lentils instead of quorn. This recipe is vegetarian, but the only non-vegan stuff is the butter and cheese in the mashed potato, which can easily be substituted. Really tasty. Even better than the one I used to make with meat!
Also, mushroom and walnut bolognese has a kind of meaty texture.
posted by Kris10_b at 11:42 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also, mushroom and walnut bolognese has a kind of meaty texture.
posted by Kris10_b at 11:42 AM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: These chickpea cutlets are amazing and have no soy. Gluten flour is the magic ingredient.
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:47 AM on April 4, 2018
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:47 AM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: Serious Eats' vegan ramen!!!
posted by saladin at 12:04 PM on April 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by saladin at 12:04 PM on April 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: This recipe for Panisse (fried chickpea-flour fritters) has always felt decadent and special. (Mark Bittman has a similar recipe in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. I think he calls them Chickpea Fries.)
posted by platitudipus at 12:16 PM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by platitudipus at 12:16 PM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: What about a nice fancy homemade [vegan] pizza? There are plenty of cool cheese alternatives you can do, especially if you disregard meltiness, but also you can do lots with fancy oils and sauces and beautiful vegetables and the crust and all that.
posted by mosst at 1:56 PM on April 4, 2018
posted by mosst at 1:56 PM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: A better alternative to vegan pizza is vegan calzones, because the lack of cheese doesn't matter in terms of holding everything together. There's also no visual issue where you're expecting pepperoni and instead getting spiced eggplant or whatever that doesn't look like what you have come to expect from pizza.
posted by blnkfrnk at 2:02 PM on April 4, 2018
posted by blnkfrnk at 2:02 PM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: Tal Ronan's book is great for really fancy vegan meals that require a lot of prep and specific ingredients. Requires a medium-high confidence level in the kitchen.
Some friends and I once made his artichoke oysters. It took three of us three hours to make, and three minutes to eat, and it was the best.
posted by Jellybean_Slybun at 4:09 PM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Some friends and I once made his artichoke oysters. It took three of us three hours to make, and three minutes to eat, and it was the best.
posted by Jellybean_Slybun at 4:09 PM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I don't have specific recipe suggestions, but roasted garlic is vegan, non-soy, decadent, and creamy.
posted by inexorably_forward at 5:22 PM on April 4, 2018
posted by inexorably_forward at 5:22 PM on April 4, 2018
Best answer: I am a HUGE fan of Kenji Lopez-Alt's recipe for vegan ramen. Absolutely amazing, decadent. Satisfyingly time-consuming and challenging, especially if you make the ramen from scratch. I made this once and stored the components in separate containers; it kept well over 3 days.
https://www.seriouseats.com/amp/recipes/2015/02/vegan-ramen-miso-creamy-vegan-vegetarian-food-lab-recipe.html
For an indulgent meal, you might consider an Ethiopian platter with injera. Teff Love is a great vegan Ethiopian cookbook for this.
Korean food is also a great way to go - maybe do vegan bibimbap (can you use seitan in place of bulgogi?) with lots of banchan.
posted by aquamvidam at 8:18 PM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
https://www.seriouseats.com/amp/recipes/2015/02/vegan-ramen-miso-creamy-vegan-vegetarian-food-lab-recipe.html
For an indulgent meal, you might consider an Ethiopian platter with injera. Teff Love is a great vegan Ethiopian cookbook for this.
Korean food is also a great way to go - maybe do vegan bibimbap (can you use seitan in place of bulgogi?) with lots of banchan.
posted by aquamvidam at 8:18 PM on April 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Peanut sauce is so good because it's so fatty. Saute some minced garlic and ginger in sesame oil, toast some chilis with some peanuts or sesame seeds for a bit, add coconut milk, soy sauce, and (I swear) peanut butter to taste. If you have a vegan fish sauce, that can add some depth and cut the unctuousness Stir fry your favorite veggies and proteins, serve over noodles--even italian semolina pasta works, but rice or wheat noodles are great, too.
posted by pykrete jungle at 5:43 PM on April 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by pykrete jungle at 5:43 PM on April 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: oh my god literally all of the answers are the best answers and now i'm so hungry
posted by halation at 5:47 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by halation at 5:47 AM on April 6, 2018 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DSime at 9:56 AM on April 4, 2018 [2 favorites]