Seeking vegetarian recipes that get better with age

January 14, 2015 5:54 AM

What are your favorite vegetarian recipes that get better after sitting for a time?

The obvious ones are chills and soups, but I'm hoping for something a little more interesting to take to work for lunch or eat for a quick dinner throughout the week. Dairy and eggs are ok, fish is not. Other than that, there are no real ingredient restrictions and I have access to most basic cooking equipment.

posted by youcancallmeal to Food & Drink (24 answers total)

I often make the following:

Fry up some imitation chicken (or other protein of your choice) with onions, garlic and any vegetables you want to add (last time I did scallions, leeks and shredded zucchini, plus roasted broccoli and cauliflower). At the same time, put 1lb of bulgar wheat into a big pan and coat it with oil, then add twice the volume of the bulgar wheat in hot vegetable stock/bouillon (I can't figure out how to un-metric the amount I used into sensible-for-the-US cooking quantities, but I used about a litre of stock).

The bulgar wheat can either be gently heated or just left on the counter to absorb the stock for 20 minutes or so. When it's cooked as soft as you like it, stir in all the fried vegetables/protein, a couple of jars of pesto and a pack of cubed feta cheese or similar.

This makes enough food to feed two adults for about five meals, but it lasts really well and tastes better on the last couple of days - the chicken and vegetables have absorbed a lot of flavour at that point.

You could customise it pretty much any way - red pesto/tomato-based sauce/any other vegetables/cheeses/proteins - and you end up with a big pot of tasty grains that lasts for a week or so and improves from sitting there. We generally eat it reheated with parmesan on top, but I imagine it would make a good cold salad too.
posted by terretu at 6:30 AM on January 14, 2015 [2 favorites]

ratatouille! (pretty much any recipe, but here's a good one)

Also, any veggie stew with garbanzo beans (say, this one!).
posted by correcaminos at 6:50 AM on January 14, 2015 [3 favorites]

Lentil salads I find better the longer the lentils have to sit in the dressing. Alton Brown's is a good starting point (ignore the pig, but add a little more salt).
posted by General Malaise at 6:53 AM on January 14, 2015 [2 favorites]

I think grain salads tend to taste better after sitting for a bit. Here's a few recipes from EatingWell; Not all of them are vegetarian, but it's easy to sub something else for the meat. For instance, I used smoked tofu in this recipe and it turned out well.
posted by amarynth at 7:01 AM on January 14, 2015

Eggplant parmesan.
posted by Poldo at 7:03 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Lasagna and Boston baked beans.
posted by mskyle at 7:04 AM on January 14, 2015

Split pea soup, definitely. Most chilis get better after a bit.
posted by Gneisskate at 7:06 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Fritata. I like making a dense, cheesy fritata (heavy cream is a must). It's filling, packs well, and I like eating it cold with a good hot sauce. It's also an excellent refrigerator magnet.
posted by X-Himy at 7:06 AM on January 14, 2015

Response by poster: Actual recipes would be awesome.... there are hundreds of recipes for eggplant parmesan. What are your favorites?
posted by youcancallmeal at 7:19 AM on January 14, 2015

Much of the spicy Indian food I cook seems to improve when reheated after a day in the fridge. Something about the spices mellowing and blending, I don't know.
posted by RedOrGreen at 7:30 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Snobby Joes from Post Punk Kitchen/Veganomicon.

This is a great recipe to double or triple and eat all week. I like it best with sauteed garlicky kale and a whole wheat roll, but it's super versatile.

Also good:
Chana Masala
lentil salad (use veggie broth instead of chicken)
posted by carrioncomfort at 7:34 AM on January 14, 2015

Ah! This one is definitely better the next day (and very yummy):

http://www.oneingredientchef.com/sweet-potato-stew/
posted by hz37 at 8:17 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Stuffed grape leaves are perfect for making in a large batch, and they get better for several days as the flavors blend. There are bunch of vegetarian grape leaf recipes online with all kinds of different ingredients, but this one comes very close to the amazing ones they make at my favorite Lebanese place.
posted by gimli at 8:27 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

I really like tabbouleh made with quinoa--it keeps well and the flavors settle in nicely the next day. You can throw some tofu on top for extra protein.
posted by n. moon at 8:33 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Quinoa prepared like fried rice holds well and is even good at room temp for lunch. I like this recipe for it (but add the herbs at the very end, not in the middle of cooking like the recipe suggests!).
posted by snaw at 8:44 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Definitely borscht. I use a recipe like this but substitute cider vinegar for lemon, and add 1TB honey & 1TB dill.
posted by oxisos at 10:00 AM on January 14, 2015

Kimchi.
posted by dilaudid at 11:22 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Just made this polenta pie over the weekend, and had the leftovers last night. As a bonus, it's good either hot or at room temp.

(I always leave out the mushrooms, because ew, and add about a cup of shredded cheese blend, because cheese.)
posted by JoanArkham at 11:35 AM on January 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

My eggplant parm is pretty simple, but takes a long time to make. I've never actually written it down, I learned it from my mother and do it from memory each time. This recipe from the food network appears to be somewhat similar except I bake the eggplant instead of fry it.
posted by Poldo at 2:20 PM on January 14, 2015

If you haven't tried your hand at making cultured vegan cheeses, this is an awesome answer to your question. Before you grab her recipe book, try out one of Miyoko Schinner's recipes (the sharp cheddar is a great beginner starting point). These recipes are wonderfully simple, and really the only complicated ingredient is time and patience. Many of these rely on the use of rejuvelac (the culture liquid that's left over from sprouting grain, which you can make yourself or buy at a health food store), or other cultured product (soy yogurt in some recipes), to impart that essential tang that in many cases gets so much better with time.

I made a truffled brie a couple weeks before Thanksgiving that was one of the most decadent things I've ever eaten. Folks at our T-giving dinner all loved it. Test the waters!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:48 PM on January 14, 2015

Most eggplant recipes, especially oily Chinese/Thai ones. Fish fragrant (yu xiang) eggplant comes to mind.
posted by WasabiFlux at 6:44 PM on January 14, 2015

Hoppin' John - I take the topping in a separate ziplock bag if it is for work. The black-eyed peas really soak up the liquid and become plump and juicy after a day.
posted by unliteral at 7:46 PM on January 14, 2015

This Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup isn't very photogenic, but it's amazingly delicious in the winter. It's not like most soups - very simple, thick, more like stewed cabbage than cabbage soup. Soft, savory cabbage is paired with the creaminess of arborio rice. The broth has depth and umami, and the parmesan on top is luscious. It's even better the second day when the flavors have melded.
posted by barnone at 8:10 AM on January 15, 2015

Meera Sodha's daily dal. I made it one morning (after hearing her make it on the BBC4 Cook the Perfect… podcast) and had some for lunch and was under-impressed — it was fine but nothing special. Put it in the fridge for the afternoon, reheated it for dinner, and WOW. So good.
posted by Lexica at 8:38 PM on January 16, 2015