Recipes | Lettuce Eat Cake

Saffron Vegan Creamy Pasta

August 22, 2022

This Saffron Creamy Vegan Pasta is an Italian risottata-style pasta cooked in broth and takes just 15 minutes to make! Vegan butter and parmesan, minced onion, vegetable broth and saffron give this dish a floral meets savoury flavour.

Saffron Vegan Creamy Pasta Ingredients

Spaghetti or thin pasta of choice like spaghettini (thick pastas will not enough using the risottata method)
Vegetable stock
Saffron
Vegan butter
Small onion (you can use yellow or red)
Black pepper
Vegan parmesan
Olive oil
Salt to taste

What is a Pasta Risottata

Ever hear of pasta risottata? It’s an Italian method of cooking pasta like a risotto. This means the pasta risottata is cooked directly in the pan by gradually adding broth and continuing to stir until the liquid is absorbed by the starch.

It’s a lovely way to get a flavourful creamy pasta, since the noodles actually fuse better with the sauce. The risottata technique is a great option when the sauce is technically not a sauce, but an emulsion. In our Saffron Vegan Creamy Pasta we rely on a vegan butter emulsion. The starch, butter, and broth mix to create a nice creamy texture.

It’s important to use a thin pasta when making a risotto style pasta. Thick noodles will not cook sufficiently in this method. use spaghetti or spaghettini. Ensure that you boil the pasta in the classic salted water for 2-5 minutes to make the pasta less hard, before completing the pasta risottata in the pan.

What Does Saffron Taste Like?

Saffron is a floral and fragrant with a slightly sweet, luxurious taste. It’s a somewhat pricey spice since each flower produces only three threads of saffron. The plant the flowers grown on blooms for only one week each year. Plus, saffron must be harvested by hand in the mid-morning when the flowers are still closed in order to protect the delicate stigmas inside.

So, it makes sense that saffron will cost about $10 to $13 per gram!

To ensure that your saffron is high quality, make sure it smells of sweet hay and is all red with no yellow stamens. I used quality saffron from Afghanistan that I purchased at a specialty organic food shop in Toronto’s Kensington market! Afghan saffron was rated the best in the world for the third consecutive year by International Taste and Quality Institute based in Brussels.

But you can also find high quality saffron online!

If you’re looking to purchase a quality saffron online I suggest Zaffrus Premium Grade A+ All Red Saffron Threads.

Making Saffron Vegan Creamy Pasta

In a large heat sauté the onion in the vegan butter on medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring until the onion is translucent.

In the meantime cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, just long enough so that it is still a bit too al dente to eat, but you are able to bend the noodles.

Drain spaghetti and add it to the pan with the onion. Stir often to season as much as possible.

Add a ladle or two of vegetable stock and cook over high heat until the stock is absorbed (continually tasting to see if the pasta is cooked to al dente). Add in the saffron and stir.

Once spaghetti is cooked stop adding more stock. Add grated vegan parmesan cheese and stir. Salt to taste.

Serve hot with ground black pepper and more vegan parmesan on top, with a drizzle of fine quality olive oil (optional).

Vegan Saffron Pasta

A risottata-style Saffron Creamy Vegan Pasta cooked in broth, with vegan butter, parmesan, onion and saffron for a floral savoury flavour.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Vegan Saffron Pasta

1 package spaghetti or thin pasta of choice like spaghettini
2-4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp saffron
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 small onion finely chopped
black pepper to taste
3/4 Tbsp vegan parmesan grated
vegan parmesan grated (to seve)
olive oil optional (to serve)
salt to taste

Instructions

Vegan Saffron Pasta

In a large heat sauté the onion in the vegan butter on medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring until the onion is translucent.
In the meantime cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, just long enough so that it is still a bit too al dente to eat, but you are able to bend the noodles.
Drain spaghetti and add it to the pan with the onion. Stir often to season as much as possible.
Add a ladle or two of vegetable stock and cook over high heat until the stock is absorbed (continually tasting to see if the pasta is cooked to al dente). Add in the saffron and stir.
Once spaghetti is cooked stop adding more stock. Add grated vegan parmesan cheese and stir. Salt to taste.
Serve hot with ground black pepper and more vegan parmesan on top, with a drizzle of fine quality olive oil (optional).

Keyword Buttercream, Cream sauce, Fresh Herbs, Pasta, pasta sauce, saffron, Vegan spaghetti

Looking for more elevated vegan pasta dishes? Try my Creamy Vegan Truffle Pasta.

Creamy Vegan Truffle Pasta

Vegan Egyptian Hawawshi

August 19, 2022

A vegan take on an Egyptian staple, this Vegan Hawawshi is a delicious pita sandwich of ground plant-based meat. These popular sandwiches are flavoured with a distinct combination of spices, and a refreshing mixture of jalapeño, parsley, onion and green pepper.

Egyptian cuisine is actually very vegan-friendly, with many dishes like koshary, falafel, ful medames, hummus, dolma and more being vegetable based. While Hawawshi is typically made of ground minced meat, here we stuff it with vegan meat or black beans.

This version of Egyptian Hawawshi is a fast and plant-based version. Authentic Hawawshi is not vegan. Further, In Egypt the popular street food is typically made with a fresh dough then oven-basked. In this version we’re using pita bread and searing the sandwiches on the stovetop. It’s quick, vegan and delicious!

Ingredients in Vegan Egyptian Hawawshi

My plant-based and quick take on Egyptian Hawashi is made with:

Vegan meat of choice (or you can substitute with black beans ore red kdney beans or even tofu)!
Green peppers
Jalepeño
Yellow onion and garlic
tomato paste
parsley
salt & olive oil
vegan cheese (optional)
pitas

A fragrant mix of savoury spices with a hint of sweet

coriander
all spice
paprika
pepper
cumin
cardamon
cinnamon

How to Make Vegan Egyptian Hawawshi

In a small bowl, add the spices and mix to combine.

Place the onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, and parsley in a bowl and pulse a few times with a hand blender until finely chopped. (Or place in food processor only until finely chopped, or use pestle and mortar).

Transfer the onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the vegan beef (or black beans). the spice mixture and a dash of salt. Mix until well combined and spices are evenly distributed within the vegan meat mixture.
Heat a large pan and cook the vegan beef (or black bean) mixture until golden brown ( 5-7 minutes), adding the tomato paste half way through.

Cut the pita loafs into halves to create 6 pita pockets.
Heat another large pan on the stove top with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Stuff each pita pocket with the vegan meat ((or black bean) mixture. Using the back of a spoon, spread the meat mixture inside the pita pockets. (Add cheese if desired).
Arrange the pitas in the prepared frying pan and cook each side on medium low for 6 minutes each until golden brown.

How to Serve Vegan Egyptian Hawawshi

Serve this Vegan Egyptian Hawashi with my Egyptian Ful Mudammas Stewed Beans! It’s an Egyptian dish of stewed beans with fresh lemon, olive oil and spices. Best of all, authentic Egyptian Ful Mudammas is totally vegan!

Make a mini Egyptian feast by adding Dolma, which are rice-stuffed grape leaves. Slice up a small plate of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and jalepeño to complete your spread.

Common Questions

What else can I use as vegan meat in this recipe?

I used Yves veggie ground round for simplicity sake, however you can use any type of plant-based meat. Other great options are black beans, red kidney beans, or crumbled tofu!

How do I store Hawawshi?

My fully cooked Vegan Egyptian Hawawshi sandwiches can be stored in the refridgerator in am air tight container for 3 days or so. Simply warm them up in a medium-heated oven to re-heat.

Can I freeze Hawashi?

Yes, you can freeze fully cooked Hawawshi. For best results wrap up the individual pita sandwiches in freezer bags or containers. Then simply warm them up from frozen.

Vegan Egyptian Hawawshi

A plant-based Egyptian style Hawawshi of soft pita stuffed with tomato and peppers infused spiced vegan meat.

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Prep Time 12

Cook Time 12

Total Time 24

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Egyptian, Plant-Based

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Hawawshi Seasoning

1 tsp coriander
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Hawawshi

1 package vegan ground meat or canned black beans
1 yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 green bell pepper chopped into large chunks
1 small jalapeno halved and seeded (omit seeds if preferred less spicy)
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3 Tbsp tomato paste or strained tomatoes
salt to taste
3 loaves pita bread each loaf cut in 2
olive oil for frying
vegan cheese optional

Instructions

Hawawshi

In a small bowl, add the spices and mix to combine.
Place the onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno, and parsley in a bowl and pulse a few times with a hand blender until finely chopped. (Or place in food processor only until finely chopped, or use pestle and mortar).
Transfer the onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the vegan beef (or black beans). the spice mixture and a dash of salt. Mix until well combined and spices are evenly distributed within the vegan meat mixture.
Heat a large pan and cook the vegan beef (or black bean) mixture until golden brown ( 5-7 minutes), adding the tomato paste half way through.
Cut the pita loafs into halves to create 6 pita pockets.
Heat another large pan on the stove top with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Stuff each pita pocket with the vegan meat mixture. Using the back of a spoon, spread the meat mixture inside the pita pockets.
Arrange the pitas in the prepared frying pan and cook each side on medium low for 6 minutes each until golden brown.

Keyword dairy free bread, pita, vegan beef, Vegan meat

Looking for more healthy vegan recipes? Try my Spicy Cabbage Broad Bean Soup!

Spicy Cabbage Broad Bean Soup

5 Minute Vegan Turkey

August 11, 2022

My quick 5 Minute Vegan Turkey is made of thinly sliced tofu, marinated in a savoury poultry marinade. These deli slices take just 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes of pan frying, making them perfect for weekday lunches.

There’s nothing better than a freshly made turkey sandwich with tomato, lettuce and mustard. Its one of life’s simple comforts.

What This 5 Minute Vegan Turkey Tastes Like

This recipe for 5 Minute Vegan Turkey makes for a quick and wholesome homeade plant-based deli turkey. It has the consistency and texture of tofu because well, it is tofu! But, it has a lovely turkey flavour that works so well in a turkey sandwich.

This recipe is delicious, but it won’t get you the turkey texture of a seitan meat. My 5 Minute Vegan Turkey is meant to be a very quick super satisfying, turkey-flavoured tofu to add to sandwiches and wraps.

It’s a much healthier alternative to store bought over-processed vegan turkey slices. This turkey is also a quick alternative to time and labour intensive seitan turkeys. You can whip up this plant-based tofu turkey for a healthy and wholesome lunchtime sandwich with a mustard and Vegan Mayo or Vegenaise. It’s also great for weekly food prep!

Ingredients in 5 Minute Vegan Turkey

This plant-based turkey is made of simple whole ingredients:

Tofu (use firm or medium firm, sliced thinly)
Dried sage, marjoram, nutmeg and thyme (or use your favourite poultry seasoning)
Salt & pepper
Oil
Water
Liquid Smoke
Soy Sauce

Making a Vegan Turkey Sandwich

Use my tasty and quick tofu-based vegan turkey to make a wholesome turkey sandwich!

I suggest crafting the perfect sandwich by starting out with a quality bakery loaf. I used a white sandwich bread from my local bakery.

Next add a generous amount of organic yellow mustard to one slice of bread, and a thin layer of vegan mayonnaise to another.

Layer on a healthy helping of lettuce, then several slices of the vegan turkey, some slices of tomatoes and top with lovely sprouts. Enjoy!

How to Make 5 Minute Vegan Turkey

Drain tofu and remove excess water (either pat with a paper towel or use a tofu press).
Cut 3/4 of the block of tofu into thin slices length-wise. (store remaining tofu in fridge).

Add all spices to a small bowl.
Add the liquids to bowl and whisk until combined.
Pour the marinade into a shallow bowl or (lipped) plate and coat each slice of tofu in marinade.

Add all slices of tofu to a pan on medium heat high heat until slightly crispy on both sides (approximately 5 minutes).

Serve in a sandwich or wrap!

Common Questions

How should I use the turkey?

Use this turkey as you would a turkey cold cut or deli meat. That is, in sandwiches and wraps.

This turkey is not meant to be used as a turkey breast or a Thanksgiving meal with gravy. You can if you like, but it’s mean as a sandwich meat, rather than a hearty turkey meal.

Can I freeze the turkey?

I don’t recommend freezing, as freezing tofu changes its texture.

How long will they last in the fridge?

These vegan turkey slices will last in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.

5 Minute Vegan Turkey

Quick 5 Minute Vegan Turkey Slices made of thinly sliced marinated tofu. Just 5 minutes prep and 5 minutes pan frying, perfect for weekday lunches.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Course Lunch

Cuisine American, Plant-Based, Vegan

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

Tofu

3/4 block tofu thinly sliced lenght-wise

Poultry Marinade

1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2-3 Tbsp water
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 tsp dried sage
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pepper
dash salt

Instructions

Tofu

Drain tofu and remove excess water (either pat with a paper towel or use a tofu press).
Cut 3/4 of the block of tofu into thin slices length-wise. (store remaining tofu in fridge).

Poultry Marinade

Add all spices to a small bowl.
Add liquids to bowl and whisk until combined.

5 Minute Vegan Turkey

Pour the marinade into a shallow bowl or (lipped) plate and coat each slice of tofu in marinade.
Add all slices of tofu to a pan on medium heat high heat until slightly crispy on both sides (approximately 5 minutes).
Add to sandwich and serve!

Keyword Marinated Tofu, meat, sandwich, tofu, tofu meat, turkey, Vegan meat

Looking for more sandwich recipes? Try my Smoky Maple Tofu Sandwich!

Smoky Maple Tofu Sandwich

Healthy Vegan Meat Pie

August 6, 2022

This Healthy Vegan Meat Pie has an easy and quick press-in-pan pie crust, made of heart-healthy olive oil and whole wheat crust, and filled with a savoury mushroom tofu ‘meat’ filling.

You can make four mini pies with this recipe or two regular sized pies. If you like the look of the adorable ruffled pie pans I used you can grab your own here:

This recipe is the perfect healthy weeknight take on pot pie, filled with a crumbled tofu and mushroom ‘meat’ filling and a mix of tourtière seasonings.

This recipe is great for a hearty and elegant weeknight meal. But no one has time to make a homeade pie crust on the weeknight, right? Wrong!

My Healthy Vegan Meat Pie features a press-in-pan pie crust that is literally the easiest thing in the world to make!

Why This Healthy Vegan Meat Pie is So Easy

A press-in-pan pie crust is a crust that you form directly in the pie plate. This means you don’t have to form a dough, which means you don’t have to knead or roll out anything.

This press-in-pan pie crust take 5 minutes to make, and requires very little effort. You simply pour the dough mixture into the pie pans and press it into the pan. That’s it!

It makes a lovely rustic (bottom only) crust with a delicious nutty flavour. Best yet, the crust for my Healthy Vegan Meat Pie is a healthy version of a pie crust. It’s made of wholesome ingredients, simply olive oil, water, whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt.

To be healthier than a crust-topped tourtiere, this recipe uses only a bottom crust, and instead has a light sprinkle of breadcrumbs on top. So, you’re not just eating a bunch of pie crust in this dish.

The healthy olive oil bottom crust adds just the right amount of flaky goodness to this Healthy Vegan Meat Pie.

Making Your Press-in-Pan Pie Crust

olive oil for Easy Press in Pan Pie Crust

Making this press-in-pan pie crust is super quick and easy. See the 4 photos above (from left to right) with the instructions below.

Add flour and salt together in a medium bowl and mix.
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the water until it becomes light in colour. Right away, pour the entire water/olive oil mixture into the bowl of flour. Stir with a fork until the flour is mixed in with the liquids.
Gather the dough together with your hands until it holds together. If more water is needed carefully add a teaspoon more water at a time.
Dump the dough evenly into 4 mini pie plates (or 2 regular size pie plates) and press gently until it covers the pan evenly.

Making Your Tofu Crumble

To make your tofu crumble component of the pie filling simply coat with the seasoning and bake. See the 4 photos above (from left to right) with the instructions below.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl add nutritional yeast, melted vegan butter, and soy sauce and mix together.
Open and drain the tofu and break up to into crumbles with your hands into the bowl. Stir well ensuring all of the tofu is evenly coated in the seasoning mix.
Spread the tofu mixture evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, stirring the tofu every now and then.
Set aside baked tofu crumble until it is ready to be added to the mushroom filling.

Making Your Mushroom Filling

To make your mushroom pie filling simply sauté the onions, garlic, celery, carrots and mushrooms then mix in with the tofu. See the 4 photos above (from left to right) with the instructions below.

While your tofu crumble bakes, melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown.
Add in the chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms reduce in size, darken in colour, and begin to get juicy, approximately 5 – 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Whisk the cold vegetable broth and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
Pour the vegetable broth mixture over the mushrooms. Stir in the baked tofu crumbles, half the breadcrumbs, and all of the spices.

Assembling your Healthy Vegan Meat Pie

To assembling the pies divide the mixture evenly in your pie plates, top with breadcrumbs, bake, then garnish with parsley and serve! See the instructions below!

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Divide the tofu mushroom mixture evenly into your 4 mini pie plates (or 2 regular pie plates).
Top the pies with the remaining half of the breadcrumbs.
Bake pies for 30 – 35 minutes.
Garnish with finely chopped parsley or herbs of choice and serve!

Common Questions

Can these vegan meat pies be made ahead of time?

Yes, but Do not fill the pie crusts until they are ready to be baked or your pie crusts will be soggy. The components of the pies can be made the day ahead of time and then assembled and baked fresh. Simply make your tofu and mushroom filling and store in the fridge covered. Make your pie crusts and store in the fridge un-filled.

can these vegan meat pies be frozen?

Yes after they are baked they can be frozen (but not before they are baked). Tightly wrap the pies or store in an air-tight container and freeze pies for up to 4 months.

What should I serve these vegan meat pies with?

Traditionally a meat pie is great with ketchup! A great vegan ketchup option is 365 Everyday Value Ketchup.

Additionally, you can serve with a side of steamed green beans or a fresh green side salad.

You can SHOP QUALITY INGREDIENTS USED IN THIS RECIPE below:

Healthy Vegan Meat Pie

Healthy Vegan Meat Pie with an easy no roll olive oil whole wheat crust, and a savoury mushroom tofu 'meat' filling. This recipe makes 4 mini pies or 2 regular size pies.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 20

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Plant-Based, Vegan

Servings 4 mini pies

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Press in Pan Crust

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/5 tsp salt
12 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 Tbsp cold water must be cold water, not room temperature

Tofu Crumbles

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp melted vegan butter or oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 block extra-firm tofu (12 oz)

Mushroom Filling

1 Tbsp vegan butter or oil
1 yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 stock celery finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
16 oz mushrooms (454 grams) chopped
1 cup vegetable broth
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 breadcrumbs in filling
1/2 breadcrumbs to top pies
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground clove

Instructions

Whole Wheat Press in Pan Crust

Add flour and salt together in a medium bowl and mix.
In a smaller bowl, whisk the oil with the water until it becomes light in colour. Right away, pour the entire water/olive oil mixture into the bowl of flour. Stir with a fork until the flour is mixed in with the liquids.
Gather the dough together with your hands until it holds together. If more water is needed carefully add a teaspoon more water at a time. You do not want the dough to be too wet or it won't press together in the pan. (Your dough will be crumbly but it will come together when pressed in the pie pan).
Dump the dough evenly into 4 mini pie plates (or 2 regular size pie plates) and press gently until it covers the pan evenly.
Cover and place in refrigerator while making the pie filling.

Tofu Mushroom Pie Filling

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper,.
In a bowl add nutritional yeast, melted vegan butter, and soy sauce and mix together. Open and drain the tofu and break up to into crumbles with your hands into the bowl. Stir well ensuring all of the tofu is evenly coated in the seasoning mix.
Spread the tofu mixture evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, stirring the tofu every now and then.
Set aside baked tofu crumble until it is ready to be added to the mushroom filling.

Mushroom Filling

While your tofu bakes, melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown.
Add in the chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms reduce in size, darken in colour, and begin to get juicy, approximately 5 – 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Whisk the cold vegetable broth and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
Pour the vegetable broth mixture over the mushrooms. Stir in the baked tofu crumbles, half the breadcrumbs, and all of the spices.

Assemble the Pies

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Divide the tofu mushroom mixture evenly into your 4 mini pie plates (or 2 regular pie plates).
Top the pies with the remaining half of the breadcrumbs.
Bake pies for 30 – 35 minutes.
Garnish with finely chopped parsley or herbs of choice and serve!

Keyword meat, meat pie, mushroom, Pie, pie filling, tofu, tourtiere

If you’d like to just make the crust in this recipe check out my Easy Press in Pie Crust!

Easy Press in Pan Pie Crust

Easy Vegan Egg Salad

August 4, 2022

The best quick and simple recipe for Easy Vegan Egg Salad, made of medium firm tofu, vegan mayonnaise and seasonings.

I’ve tried a lot of plant-based eggless salad recipes, which inspired me to create a no fuss Easy Vegan Egg Salad recipe, with the perfect consistency and balance of seasonings.

Made of tofu cut into small cubes, this mixture has just the right amount of creamy vegan mayonnaise.

My recipe also call for a bit more turmeric than the typical vegan egg salad mixtures I’ve seen out there. This amount of turmeric is needed for that earthy taste to mimic the flavour of egg, and to get that pronounced yellow colour.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients in my quick and Easy Vegan Egg Salad!

Ingredients in Easy Vegan Egg Salad

Medium firm or firm tofu (Your tofu should hold together nicely and not be too soft and not overly hard. Do not use silken tofu here)
Vegan mayonaise (I use Helman’s Vegan Mayo but you can use a homeade variety or any store bought vegan mayonnaise).
Nutritional yeast (It adds a ton of nutrients, colour and a depth of flavour with a slight nuttiness. Any vegan eggs without nutritional yeast is a waste of your time! My favourite brand is Everland Nutritional Yeast. It’s full of nutrients and has the best taste.
Yellow mustard (I prefer a simple yellow mustard rather than a dijon which can be too tangy and overpowering).
Black salt (or kala namak as it’s also called, which by the way is pink in colour, not black is a staple of any vegan pantry. It has an eggy smell and flavour that is perfect for vegan eggless dishes).
Turmeric (For that slightly musky and earth flavour and brilliant yellow hue).
Dried or fresh dill (It adds a bright herby taste and fresh flavour to this egg salad).
Salt & pepper to taste
Romaine lettuce (You can use any lettuce but the crispness of romaine goes nice here. I use 1 large leaf chopped into the mixture and a nice big whole leaf within each sandwich).
Radishes (Optional, sliced breakfast or watermelon radishes give a pretty colour as well as a tanginess to this egg salad).
Sandwich bread (A nice fresh loaf of bread from the local bakery, your bread-maker or oven will do best!)

You can shop the quality ingredients I used for this recipe here:

Add-ins to your Easy Vegan Egg Salad

This recipe calls for sliced radishes to add a lovely colour and crunch in your vegan egg mixture. A breakfast or watermelon variety of radish gives a lovely punch of colour and tangy taste. Adding radishes is totally optional and can be easily omitted for a more simple egg salad.

I use dill in this vegan egg salad, as herbs always up the flavour and give a bright sweet flavour that blends nicely in this mixture. Again, the addition of fresh or dried dill is optional.

Chopped lettuce in the mixture adds interest to the texture and colour, but can also be left out if you want to keep it really simple.

Other optional add in ideas are:

Chopped dill pickles
Capers
Chopped celery
Green onions
Garlic scapes

Storing Your Mixture

You can definitely make this Easy Vegan Egg Salad mixture ahead of time if you like. This is handy to do if you’re having guests over for a simple elegant lunch of tea and sandwiches.

Be sure if you’re making it ahead of time to store the mixture in a bowl in the fridge and then make the sandwiches fresh before consuming. This way the bread doesn’t get soggy!

You can store this mixture in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Do not freeze this vegan egg salad mixture! Freezing tofu changes its consistency. While frozen tofu has its use in many recipes, it won’t work for egg salad.

You can serve this mixture in wraps, toasted bread or in a croissant as well. My favourite is freshly made on a soft quality artisanal bakery sandwich bread!

Easy Vegan Egg Salad

The best quick and simple recipe for Easy Vegan Egg Salad, made of tofu, vegan mayonnaise and seasonings.

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Lunch

Cuisine American, Plant-Based, Vegan

Servings 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

Easy Vegan Egg Salad

1 block medium firm or firm tofu drained and patted dry
6 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp yellow mustard
3/4 tsp black salt (kala namak)
2/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp dried dill
salt & pepper to taste
4 radishes thinly sliced (optional)
1 leaf romaine lettuce chopped (optional)
2 large leaves romaine lettuce
4 slices sandwich bread

Instructions

Easy Vegan Egg Salad

Chop the tofu into small cubes and add to a bowl.
Add in the vegan mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, yellow mustard, black salt, and turmeric. Gently mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add sliced radishes and 1 lettuce leaf chopped, and stir.
Add a generous serving of the vegan egg salad to 2 slices of bread. Add one large leaf of lettuce overtop the 2 slices. Top each slice with another slice of bread and serve.

Keyword egg salad, eggless, sandwich, tofu, turmeric, Vegan eggs

Looking for more vegan sandwich recipes? Try my Smoky Maple Tofu Sandwich!

Smoky Maple Tofu Sandwich

Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice

August 2, 2022

Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice made of vegan black bean meatballs, drizzled with a sweet & sour sauce served on an oven-baked mushroom rice pilaf.

This dish is plant-based comfort food at its best and is vegan as well as gluten-free. It doesn’t have any weird ingredients and is super easy to make!

My Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice are a twist on my The Best Vegan Meatballs recipe (which has a bbq sauce with mint leaves). The meatballs themselves are the same black bean based recipe, but instead this new twist on the recipe has a homeade sweet & sour sauce, and a baked rice dish on which to serve the meatballs.

Ingredients in Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice

This recipe has three parts: vegan meatballs, a sweet & sour sauce, and a mushroom pilaf. Let’s look at the ingredients:

Vegan Meatballs

Rolled oats (Oats are used to bind together the ingredients and as a sort of flour (along with the ground flax).
Black beans (Black beans give a meaty colour and taste to these plant-based meatballs).
Tomato puree and hot sauce (These add juiciness and flavour to the meatballs).
Ground flax (The flax must be ground, as it’s used to keep all the ingredients together).
Salt, pepper, garlic, onion (To bring out the flavours).
Paprika (To add a touch of heat and savoury flavour.)
Olive oil (For cooking your meatballs on the stovetop).

Mushroom Pilaf

White long grain rice (I use white rice and haven’t tested this recipe with brown rice, which takes much longer to cook).
Vegetable broth and water (To flavour and add moisture in order to cook the rice).
Butter and olive oil (For fat and flavour)
Dried thyme, garlic powder, minced garlic (To season the rice).
Salt and pepper (To enhance the flavours).
Fresh mint (Optional to garnish the dish).

Sweet & Sour Sauce

Vegan sugar (I use Wholesome brand vegan and organic sugar).
Apple cider vinegar (You could instead use white vinegar if you prefer).
Ketchup (I use 365 Everyday Value Organic Ketchup which is conveniently marked vegan right on the bottle!)
Soy sauce and water (To flavour and add volume to the sauce).
Garlic and ginger (To season the sauce).
Cornstarch (Used to thicken the sauce).

Shop vegan ingredients:

Making your Baked Mushroom Rice

This rice pilaf takes about 45 minutes to cook in the oven. This leaves you plenty of time to prepare your meatballs and sweet and sour sauce while the rice is baking. Be sure to use white rice in this dish, as brown or wild rice has not been tested (and typically takes longer to cook).

Your Mushroom Rice Pilaf does not need to be covered in the oven. The layer of mushrooms act as a natural lid, to keep the heat in the bottom and cook the rice.

Making your Vegan Meatballs

These vegan meatballs are super quick and easy to whip up while your mushroom rice pilaf is baking in the oven! You can even make up the mixture in the morning if you choose and store it in the fridge until you are ready to make this Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice recipe for dinner. Then you can simply grab the meatball mixture out of the fridge once you’ve placed your rice in the oven.

To get these meatballs a bit firmer, be sure to pan fry them with enough heat that they get golden brown. It’s also a good idea to flip them frequently to try to get an even colour and firmer texture.

Making Your Sweet & Sour Sauce

This sweet and sour sauce is tangy with the right sweetness. It might seem like this recipe doesn’t yield much sauce, but it’s actually more than needed to give your vegan meatballs a generous amount of glaze.

It takes just moments to mix up the sauce and heat it on the stovetop. Its glossy and slightly sticky texture tops the vegan meatballs in this recipe beautifully.

Assembling Your Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice

To assemble your Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice, first scoop out a generous portion of the mushroom rice and add it to a plate or pasta bowl.

The fluffy and savoury mushroom rice can be used as a side, or if you prefer, use it as a bed or base. Next add a few vegan meatballs to the plate.

Next, using a ladle or gravy spoon, pour a generous amount of sweet and sour sauce over the meatballs.

Finally, garnish your plate with a small handful of fresh mint leaves!

Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice

Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Mushroom Rice made of vegan black bean meatballs, drizzled with a sweet & sour sauce served on an oven-baked mushroom rice pilaf.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Plant-Based

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Mushroom Rice Pilaf

1 1/2 cups long grain rice , uncooked
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
650 grams (1.3 lb) mushrooms quartered
4 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic minced
salt & pepper to taste
1.5 Tbsp olive oil

Vegan Meatballs

1 cup rolled oats
1 can black bean (400 ml) drained and rinsed
1 1/2 Tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup white onion chopped
2 Tbsp ground flax to bind the meatballs (must be ground)
1 1/2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp hot sauce
3 Tbsp slivered almonds optional to add texture
extra virgin olive oil for cooking

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/4 cup vegan sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp ketchup
1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp water
1/2 clove garlic minced
1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Instructions

Mushroom Rice Pilaf

Preheat oven to 350F.
Add mushrooms to a large bowl. Pour over hot melted butter, add garlic, salt and pepper. Toss well.
Place remaining ingredients in a large baking dish approximately 9 x 13".
Mix to spread the rice out evenly in the pan.
Spread the mushrooms over the rice to cover the whole surface area (keep them on the top of the rice, rather than mixing into the rice, as this help the rice underneath cook). Drizzle over olive oil.
Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until mushroom is golden. While your rice is cooking, prepare your meatballs and sweet and sour sauce.

Vegan Meatballs

Add the ingredients for your meatballs into a food processor (or use a hand blender) and blend until well combined.
Begin rolling the mixture into meatballs. (You may want to use a small ice cream scoop to grab the mixture portions). Your balls will cook differently depending on the size you roll them. Aim for about 1 1/2 inch round meatballs.
In a large non-stick pan heat your olive oil for 1 minute then add your meatballs and cook for 15 minutes on medium low to brown each side.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

Add apple cider vinegar, vegan sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, cold water, garlic, ginger, and corn starch to a small saucepan.
On medium heat stir frequently until it starts to boil. Allow sauce to boil for about 30 seconds then remove from heat.
Serve vegan meatballs on top of a healthy portion of the mushroom rice, then drizzle the meatballs with sweet and sour sauce. Garnish with fresh mint and serve!

Keyword asian sauce, Black bean, casserole, Meatballs, mushroom, mushroom rice, rice, rice pilaf, sweet and sour sauce, vegan meatballs

Looking for more vegan dinner recipes? Try my Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto on pasta tonight!