Vegetarian recipes for cold weather

August 8, 2008 3:59 AM

Has anyone got any good vegetarian recipes for winter? I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm teaching myself to cook more meat-free meals for environmental reasons. I did ok during summer, but now that the weather's turned cold, I'm finding it harder. Tell me your favourites!

I've already got a bunch of great soup recipes, but would love to hear more if you've got a tried and true favourite. My husband does great curries too.

My usual winter standbys are casseroles, stews, roasts, and bakes, so anything similar only minus the meat would be good. But as long as it's hearty and filling, I'll give it a try.

We haven't got any other dietary restrictions. I'm not an experienced cook, but I'm willing to give anything a try :)

posted by harriet vane to food & drink (24 comments total)

one nice trick is to substitute mushrooms for meat in a lot of dishes--lasagna, beef bourgignon, stir fries, etc.

alternatively, substitute a appropriate bean or lentil. curries can easily be made vegetarian--just substitute chickpeas for for the meat.
posted by thinkingwoman at 4:31 AM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Stew is pretty easy, just leave out the meat and use veggie broth instead of beef broth. Also add some barley and maybe some beans to make it more filling.
posted by All.star at 4:53 AM on August 8, 2008

Vegetarian Times Magazine has thousands of recipes, most of them good. Personal winter fav: african peanut soup/stew. Pretty close to what I make.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 5:18 AM on August 8, 2008

Leek and chickpea soup is nice and simple, but very satisfying. Slice leeks, soften in olive oil, add a couple of cans of drained chickpeas, cover with vegetable stock, simmer til it's all warmed through, stir through a handful of chopped parsley.

You can make a great curry with pumpkin, red lentils, spinach and chickpeas. Fry off a couple of tablespoons of your favourite curry paste, add diced pumpkin, a couple of handfuls of red lentils and a couple of cans of chickpeas. Add a large can of diced tomatoes, top up with water, cover and simmer. Stir through the spinach just before serving. You can take this recipe anywhere - add coconut cream, use Thai curry paste instead of Indian, use Moroccan seasonings and add nuts and dried fruit then serve over couscous, whatever.

Have you made kitchiri? It's an amazingly fragrant lentil and rice dish. Google for a recipe, and google for 'bengali red lentil dal' while you're at it.

Finally, you can't beat pasta in winter. Spaghetti dressed with olive oil, garlic and chilli is a great warmer - add freshly grated pecorino cheese if it fits your restrictions (or even butter!). For some reason, pasta and chickpeas work really well together dressed the same way - use a ridged rigatoni instead.

Baked potatoes with red bean chile and guacamole (optional sour cream)? Turkish bread filled with roasted vegetables (red peppers, eggplant, courgette), plenty of pesto (optional cheese) then toasted in a sandwich press? A bowl of noodles, Asian greens, silken tofu and savoury broth?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:20 AM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

This ultimate winter couscous is fab:

Ultimate Winter Couscous. I had it at least once a week last winter, really it is fantastic and a very forgiving recipe if you fancy playing around with it.

An old Engish cheese+potato+onion dish which is surprisingly delicious is Homity Pie

And as others have said, chilis with veggies and if you want soya mince; lasagne can be similarly altered; vegetable and bean stews can be delicious (fry lots of mushrooms and onions till properly browned then add stock and partially cooked beans to get a decent depth to the flavour).
posted by handee at 5:21 AM on August 8, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

seconding that couscous with veggies is awesome.

have you tried lentils? they're quicker to cook than beans, and you end up with a tasty, filling "stew". just soak, then boil with some kind of seasoning (i'm lazy and use a random "cube", but you could fry some onions and add some salt, or use left over stock). if you're not vegetarian than cut up one or two rashers of bacon (no more!), fry them, and add them in (what's the environmental impact of one bacon rasher? one teeny weeny rasher between friends? :o). some garlic wouldn't go amiss either.
posted by not sure this is a good idea at 5:56 AM on August 8, 2008

Curried Lentils With Sweet Potatoes and Swiss Chard
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 jalapeño pepper, minced (seeded if you want less hot)
4 to 5 cups vegetable broth as needed
2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dried lentils (any color, smaller ones need less cook time)
1 bay leaf
1 pound Swiss chard, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced (can substitute most dark leafy greens)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lime

1. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2. Stir in 4 cups broth, sweet potatoes and bay leaf. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in chard, lentils and salt and pepper, and more broth if needed. Continue cooking until lentils are tender and chard is cooked, about 10-25 more minutes or 30 to 45 minutes total cook time. (I *hate* mushy lentils, so if you like your lentils very soft, you might want to add them sooner than the last 10 minutes)

3. Just before serving, stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice. Spoon into a large, shallow serving dish.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:09 AM on August 8, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Oven roasted root vegetables:
Root vegetables are winter vegetables, and open pan roasting yams, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, potatoes and shallots/leeks/onions is a nice side dish. I usually make a light maple syrup glaze with olive oil and minced garlic. Roast at 425 until they are deliciously soft.
posted by palindromic at 6:16 AM on August 8, 2008

I just made my first pot pie, which I think of as a perfect winter dish -- surprisingly easy, and great because you can put anything in it, and it will taste delicious.

Although I didn't follow it very closely at all, my barebones instructions came from this recipe. Um, yeah, that would be the first google result for "vegan pot pie."

Also, chili is always satisfying in the winter, and is another dish that will absorb leftovers and randomness really well.
posted by obliquicity at 6:32 AM on August 8, 2008

Sweet potato and spinach stew:
4 sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
large bag spinach, washed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Large packet of mushrooms, sliced
3/4 pint vegetable stock
1 carton passata
1 tablespoon curry paste
1/2 tsp paprika
1" piece of ginger, peeled & grated
1 tablespoon curry paste
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Fry the onion, garlic & ginger in a little olive oil for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms, curry paste, paprika and sweet potato cubes, and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the passata and stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add spinach and re-cover. When the spinach has wilted, stir it into the stew. Add peanut butter and coriander and stir. Goes nicely with rice or naan bread, and it works with normal potatoes as well as sweet ones.
posted by penguinliz at 6:34 AM on August 8, 2008

This is one of my favorite stew recipes because it's so very healthy while at the same time delicious! You can also use sweet potatoes in place of the butternut and it works well.

Adzuki Bean and Butternut Squash Stew
Serves about 4 to 6 people as a main dish

Serve this recipe with brown or wild rice.

• ½ to ¾ cup vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small chunks
• 2 15 ounce cans (or 1 cup dried beans) adzuki beans, drained (soak and cook dried
beans until tender)
• 1 tbsp. red miso (or barley miso)
• to taste salt and pepper, freshly ground
Directions
1. In a large pot or saucepan, bring the stock, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil to a
simmer.
2. Add the squash and cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
3. Add the beans and mix well, continuing to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the miso and season with salt and pepper, if it's needed. Add additional stock
if the stew becomes too dry.
Source: From The Bold Vegetarian Chef by Ken Charney


East African Groundnut Stew

3 cups chopped onions
3 celery stalks, diced
1 Tablespoon oil
2 bell peppers (any color), diced
1 dash cayenne (more for hotter)
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 cup brown rice
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
6 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
Juice of one lime

Chopped cilantro, chopped scallions, and/or ground peanuts for toppings (optional).

In a large pot, saute the onions and celery ~10 minutes on medium heat. Add the bell peppers and saute ~5 minutes more. Add the cayenne and curry powder. Add the rice, water, tomatoes and salt. Stir well. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook ~40 minutes, until rice is tender. Whisk in the peanut butter, lime juice, and sugar. Add water if soup is too thick. Taste it, and add more salt or sugar as needed. Serve topped with chopped scallions, cilantro, ground peanuts, lime wedges, etc. This recipe makes approximately 12 servings.
Source: Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special (which is the best collection of soup/stew recipes ever!)
posted by hecho de la basura at 6:38 AM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

As a vegetarian and a lazy bachelor, I love the recipes and reviews over at Veg Web. Highly recommend when you're looking for ideas.
posted by willmize at 7:35 AM on August 8, 2008

Potato and Endive Chowder
Over gruyere cheese toast

2-4 tablespoons butter
3 plump white Belgian endives, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 large leeks, white part only, finely chopped and rinsed (about 3 cups)
1 pound boiling or Yellow Finn potatoes, scrubbed well and chunked into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, grated
Aromatics: 1 bay leaf, 4 thyme sprigs, 4 parsley branches
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ to ½ cup light cream
4-6 slices country bread
Thinly sliced Gruyere cheese to cover the bread
Minced parsley and/or thyme


1. Melt the butter in a wide, heavy soup pot and add the endives and leeks. Cook briskly over medium-high heat for several minutes, then add the potatoes, carrots, and aromatics. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons salt, lower the heat to medium, and cook the vegetables, turning them occasionally until they smell very aromatic and are browned in places, about 10 minutes.
2. Add 7 cups of water and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Press a few potatoes against the side of the pan to break them up and give the soup body. Add the cream, taste for salt and season with pepper.
3. Toast the bread, lay the cheese over it, then set the toasts in soup bowls. Ladle the chowder over the bread, sprinkle with parsley and/or thyme, and serve.

Source: Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
posted by jrc at 8:27 AM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Fantastic Foods' Vegetarian Chili is awesome, and very easy to make. You pretty much add water, canned tomatoes, and beans to the mix (I go with kidney but I think you could use black or pinto) and cook it on the stove. I recommend baking some cornbread to go with it.
posted by radioamy at 8:44 AM on August 8, 2008

Shepard's Pie with either Fantastic Foods Chili or lentils and tomato soup as a base, I make mine with green beans on top of that, topped with mashed potatoes (home made or instant depending on time constraints) and cheese on top. Lots of room to work with on this one, sometimes I use peppers in various layers, pepper-jack cheese. Sometimes I add other veggies on the bottom layer. No matter what it's very hardy, and as a vegetarian bachelor it provides at least 4 big meals when I make it.
posted by piedmont at 10:08 AM on August 8, 2008

The Winter Vegetarian by Darra Goldstein (originally published in hardcover as The Vegetarian Hearth) is full of good recipes.
posted by expialidocious at 11:05 AM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Beets.
They store well, can be used in stews, soups, or roasted, pair well with sweet or savory companions, are filling and good for you, and best of all for winter are BRIGHT.

One of the best and easiest winter veg meals is roasted vegetables: cut any combination of root vegetables (beets, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, carrots, parsnips) and winter squash into chunks, coat them with olive oil and spices, and roast in the oven til tender. You can use whatever flavorings and starch pairings you want for variety. I like rosemary vegs over wild rice, or hot/sweet/curry combinations with couscous.

For some reason the NYTimes food section is on a beets kick: 1, 2, 3.

I riffed on that rosti recipe recently, adding grated potato and apple and substituting cardamom, cloves, and ginger for the rosemary. It was delicious and filling, but the beets were a lot of work to grate. I'd also consider doing smaller latke-like pancakes rather than the huge pan-size one the recipe suggests--even with two people it was hard to flip and we ended up with beet all over the counter.
posted by hippugeek at 11:07 AM on August 8, 2008

Suprised nobody has mentioned risotto. Endless combinations are possible if you know the basic risotto recipe (plenty can be found via google), and it's very easy to cook. Try hazelnut, sage and butternut squash: roast the squash, add half of it 5 minutes into cooking along with half the sage, the rest towards the end (along with the rest of the sage). Add the hazelnuts (chopped roughly in half) mid way through and that's it really. I stole this recipe from the restaurant Ooze in Googe Street, London.
Or something like mushroom is easy (if using dried mushrooms, use the liquid you soaked them in for the stock.
posted by chill at 1:42 AM on August 9, 2008

Thanks so much everyone! These all sound great, just what I was looking for.

I got pretty good at lentils during summer, I can't believe I forgot about them just because the weather got cold. And yeah, I wouldn't mind a bit of bacon or proscuitto as a garnish when appropriate :)

The baked potatoes seem like a great idea for nights when I'm too lazy to cook but am still trying to avoid takeaway.

I've printed this page out so I can take it to the shops with me - thanks again for the inspiration!
posted by harriet vane at 5:09 AM on August 9, 2008

What a delightful thread.

Like you, I'm not a vegetarian but want to reduce the amount of meat (especially red meat) that I eat every week. Three to four serves is plenty, rather than the twelve or more most of us eat. Not only is it bad for the environment, it's bad for your health.

Anyway, one of my favourites is a Pumpkin & Mushroom Pasta dish I once saw on the Australian cooking show The Cook & The Chef (a wonderfully entertaining show that matches a professional cook with a "traditional" housewife-like cook - you can download VODcasts at the link offered).

This dish is very very simple.

All you need is:

- Mushrooms (original recipe called for shitake, but I just use regular button mushrooms)
- Pumpkin
- Cherry tomoatoes
- Pasta
- Pesto
- Olive oil
- English spinach leaves
- Basil (I just use the dried basil you can buy as a herb in any shop)
- Pitted black olives


Step 1
Dice the pumpkin into roughly dice sized squares (about 3/4") and put into a roasting tin. Sprinkly sparingly with olive oil and with a fair amount of basil. Bake at about 160 degrees celsius for about 10 to 15 mins (until soft).

Step 2
Slice mushrooms & saute. I sprinke a little garlic salt over them whilst doing this, as it adds a lovely subtle flavour.

Step 3
Cook pasta al dente- I use spaghetti, but almost anything would work. Make sure to salt the water.

Step 4
Halve the cherry tomatoes and olives and add them to the pumpkin for the last 4 to 5 minutes. You just really want them to heat up and the tomatoes to soften slightly.

Step 5
Drain pasta, put in a large bowl and add the English Spinach whilst the pasta is still hot. This will wilt the leaves just right. Add the pumpkin, halved cherry tomatoes & olives and mix through.

Step 6
Add a few teaspoons of pesto (to taste) and work through.

Step 7
Eat and enjoy. You can use some grated parmesan or Romano cheese, and of course salt & pepper, to taste.


This is not only a very tasty meal, but also very filling and very healthy. And quick and easy to prepare too!


Mmmm... I think I know what I'm going to have for dinner tonight.
posted by Mephisto at 10:15 PM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Oh that sounds great - I've enjoyed watching The Cook and the Chef before, but hadn't seen that one, thanks!
posted by harriet vane at 6:45 AM on August 11, 2008

I just came across this recipe for vegetarian tortilla soup, and can't wait to try it.
posted by hot soup girl at 9:24 AM on August 13, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

hot soup girl, that's a great website with the tortilla soup - i've added it to my feed-list.
posted by harriet vane at 7:38 AM on August 14, 2008

late to this thread but would recommend:

- ratatouille (stew of zucchini, eggplant, onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers)

- eggplant parmigiana (baked eggplants in tomato sauce with mozarella and parmesan on top)
posted by barrakuda at 7:33 AM on August 17, 2008