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15 minute caramelised onion curry

02/12/2023 by Amber Leave a Comment

This 15 minute caramelised onion curry is one of my favourite quick meals. It’s perfect for when you want lots of flavour and nutrition but can’t be bothered to spend lots of time in the kitchen. The very best if you dip bread and eat it straight from the pan.

Jump to Recipe

caramelised onion top view in pan with slice of bread

caramelised onions

When you cook onions down until they soften and start to release their sugars, they become sweet and so delicious. You’re getting a bite of soft, sweetened, tasty onions every spoonful with this curry.

caramelising onions with spices in pan with wooden spoon

sweet caramelising onions & lots and lots spices.

butter bean caramelised onion curry

My favourite legume ever is the butter bean. Butter beans are also known to some as a lima bean. They are amazingly delicious and pack a punch of not only fibre but also protein. They are also a source of iron, magnesium, and B vitamins! What a delicious way to pack in nutrition into a quick meal. I have almost completely switched to using butter beans in my curries and stews. Chickpeas just don’t always hit that same spot. (Although I will forever love the humble chickpea too!).

coconut milk and onions and spices in pan seen from top view

lots of delicious flavours blending together.

spices

The spices in a curry are really down to your own preference. I like to switch it up a lot as I do make a lot of very well seasoned dishes. In this one I decided to go heavy on the fenugreek. If you don’t have any fenugreek in your pantry, not to worry you can simply omit or sub your spice of choice. I do recommend getting fenugreek the next time you’re out shopping for spices, it’s delicious! Additionally, don’t be too shy with the spices. You really want this to pack a punch. And of course, feel free to add chilli flakes too to make this more spicy!

caramelised onion curry with piece of bread seen from top view

quick & delicious; the best combo.

If you liked this 15 minute caramelised onion curry, I’m sure you’d also love my plant-based butter chicken.

caramelised onion curry with piece of bread seen from top view

15 minute caramelised onion curry

This quick curry packs not only heaps of flavour but also nutrition. Sweet delicious caramelised onions and butter beans with lots of fragrant spices
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes mins
Cook Time 13 minutes mins
Course Curry, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine indian inspired
Servings 4 portions

Equipment

  • sauce pan or pot

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 tbsp plant-based butter
  • 2 large onions diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or with microplane
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tsp fenugreek
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 750 ml coconut milk
  • 400 grams butter beans, cooked
  • 1/2 tsp kala namak black salt
  • 1 handful fresh basil

Instructions
 

  • on medium to high heat, add oil and then plant-based butter.
  • once melted, add in the onions and add a pinch of salt.
  • sweat down the onions and let them cook. you want them to start browning.
  • add the spices except for the kala namak. once the onions are soft. toast the spices for a few minutes.
  • deglaze the pan with the coconut milk.
  • add in the butter beans and let bubble for a few minutes.
  • add the kala namak.
  • remove from the heat and add the basil leaves.
  • eat with a slice bread, a naan, a flatbread or with rice or potatoes.
Keyword 15 minute meal, butter bean, caramelised onions, Curry, quick meal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

the best vegan brioche buns

27/11/2023 by Amber Leave a Comment

This recipe is aptly titled “the best vegan brioche buns”. I’ve been working on my brioche dough recipe for a long time, and I’m ready to share it with you. It’s pretty straightforward, you just need to get yourself around a little bit of dough-making technique. The very best thing about this plant-based brioche recipe is that it uses simple ingredients. No faffing around with egg replacements, no hard-to-find ingredients. So let’s get into it.

Jump to Recipe

top view of brioche buns on a baking tray

the airiest, most delicious buns!

Tangzhong: it makes for the best (brioche) dough

The base for our dough is called the tangzhong. Tangzongh is a Chinese tradition in dough making, later used in the recipe for Japanese milk bread dough. Basically, it means taking portions of the water and flour in the dough and heating them up into a paste. This makes for a softer dough and a dough that keeps fresh for longer. I LOVE using this technique for my brioche dough.

Making this might sound intimidating when you’ve never done it before. But it’s honestly easy peasy! Don’t leave your mixture on the stove unattended. Mix the flour and water together with a whisk and keep whisking until you can draw a line in the mixture with your whisk and it leaves a mark. Take it off the heat immediately when it’s done! Just like you can see here in the photo.

close up of tangzhong

the texture that you’re aiming for in your tangzhong

What’s in these brioche buns?

A brioche dough is an enriched dough. This means it has one or more ingredients with a high fat percentage. In our vegan brioche bun recipe we’ll be using vegan butter (margarine). It’s important to make sure you’re getting a vegan butter or margarine with similar fat percentages to butter. Look for at least 55% fat. This because if you get a margarine that’s a lower percentage, the higher the percentage of water will be, which will have an impact on the dough.

top view of dough on wooden table with dough scraper

soft, bubbly dough for buns

You might be surprised to read that I use water in this recipe, not milk. You can opt for using your favourite plant milk, I sometimes do too. But it’s not necessary. This dough turns out so incredibly soft and smooth and buttery, water does just fine. When I do use milk I like using soy, as it’s higher in protein (which is similar to cow’s milk).

For this recipe, we’ll be making burger buns with our vegan brioche dough, but you can use this dough for a variety of recipes! I will be sharing more soon. For now, let’s make buns.

If you loved this recipe, I’m sure you’d also love to dip them in these curried butter beans.

close up of one brioche bun in hand

ready to serve!

top view of brioche buns on a baking tray

best brioche buns (vegan!)

this is the best recipe for hamburger buns out there, it's all vegan, and using regular, easy-to-find ingredients! make these today!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course bread, Dinner, Lunch
Servings 6 buns

Equipment

  • oven
  • mixer optional, helps with the dough making but can do with your hands!

Ingredients
  

tangzhong

  • 60 grams flour
  • 300 grams water

dough

  • 540 grams flour
  • 125 grams water
  • 145 grams plant-based butter room temp, softened
  • 42 grams fresh yeast can use dried yeast too
  • 6 grams salt

no-egg wash

  • 2 tbsp soy milk
  • 1 tsp agave
  • 1 tsp neutral oil

Instructions
 

tangzhong

  • mix flour and water together in the pan, over a medium-high heat. keep stirring, not leaving it unattended. once you can draw a shape in the mixture with your whisk, take off the heat. transfer to a plate or tray, cover with plastic film, and let cool in the fridge or freezer whilst you get the rest of your dough together. it shouldn't be hot to the touch when using to make the dough.

the dough

  • mix the water with the yeast. add in the tangzhong. whisk together. add in the flour and salt. scrape together before using your mixer with the dough hook attached. you can also use your hands. knead together, let rest for 15-ish minutes. then knead until smooth.
  • once your dough has come together, add half of the butter and mix until fully absorbed into the dough.
  • once absorbed, add in the other half of the dough and mix until the dough looks very smooth and elastic. you should be able to do the windowpane test. (taking part of the dough and stretching it until you can see through it).
  • leave the dough to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
  • once doubled in size, knock the air out of the dough and divide into 6 to 8 equal balls. you can do this by eyeballing, i like to weigh them out. i make mine approx. 130/140 grams per ball, depending on my mood.
  • shape into buns by creating tension on the surface of the bun, basically tucking the dough into itself. place them onto a baking sheet with baking paper.
  • cover with a damp cloth of another baking sheet (making sure not to squish the dough), until once again doubled in size. they're ready when the buns look nice and jiggly when you wiggle the baking sheet.
  • pre-heat the oven to 180°C
  • brush the buns with the no-egg brush and top with sesame seeds.
  • bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. to know if they're cooked in the middle you can do the tapping test. take a bun (careful, hot!) and tap the bottom. if it sounds hollow, they're done!
  • let cool at least slightly before slicing into these.
  • enjoy!!

Notes

for the no-egg brush i like using soy milk as it has protein similar to an egg wash. the oil and agave are to mimic other properties of eggs. i've found this is the best way to get that golden colour on your bakes.
Keyword Bread, brioche, plant-based, Vegan, veganbrioche
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

spiced choc chip cookies

18/11/2023 by Amber Leave a Comment

These spiced choc chip cookies are just perfect! Especially for the holiday season. Not only are they friggin’ delicious, they’re also really easy to make! Either using a stand mixer or just your plain old hands will do. Read on to see how to make these, and waste no time before getting your hands on these seasonal, spiced cookies.

Jump to Recipe

spiced choc chip cookies on baking tray

these cookies are pretty irresistible.

cookie tips

Here’s a few things that are just my personal preference. Things that I think really elevate this cookie to something more special than just a plain choc chip cookie.

First off: rolled oats. I prefer to use rolled oats because I like the chunky big oats. But you can also use steel cut oats if that’s what you’ve got in the cupboard.

Then: dark chocolate. I like taking a square of dark chocolate to press into the top of the cookie before cooling. This helps the shape of the cookie, it looks nice, and you get more chocolate! 🙂

zoomed in photo of cookie dough before baking

before the oven.

Another couple of good cookie-baking tips:

  • whip your butter with your sugar before adding the dry ingredients.
  • place the shaped cookies in the freezer or fridge before baking. this helps them keep a nice shape and flatten less.
  • leave the cookies to cool. i know it’s hard but just do it. part of the baking process is actually the cooling down, they’re still cooking on the inside.
cookie dough in mixing bowl

gorgeous cookie dough.

spiced choc chip cookies

I used the spices that I associate most with the holiday season. They’re all warming, lovely spices that give this recipe a beautiful infusion of fragrance. If, however, there’s a spice that you don’t like you can simply just leave it out! I know that star anise isn’t necessary everyone’s favourite, it’s a very strong flavour. If that’s the case for you, just omit! Alternatively, if you LOVE cinnamon, by all means make these more cinnamon-y. Fill your boots.

I hope you like this recipe for spiced choc chip cookies! If you’re in the market for more seasonal recipes, be sure to check out our vegan bourguignon.

zoomed in photo of cookies on baking tray

golden, fragrant, beautiful cookies!

spiced choc chip cookies

These spiced choc chip cookies are perfect for the holiday season. They're like christmas in a cookie. Warming spices, dark chocolate, and they come together so easily. And another bonus: if you make a big batch of dough and freeze, you can always pop one in the oven when you fancy one!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 27 minutes mins
Course cookies, Dessert, Snack
Servings 8 cookies

Equipment

  • stand mixer (not necessary, can also use hands and a whisk!)
  • oven
  • freezer (or fridge will do)

Ingredients
  

  • 120 grams butter (plant-based)
  • 100 grams brown sugar
  • 50 grams molasses (in spain i used miel de caña)
  • 1 tbsp oil of your choice, to bind the mixture
  • 140 grams spelt flour or another whole grain flour of choice
  • 90 grams rolled oats
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp star anise
  • 100 gram dark chocolate chips
  • 20 grams dark chocolate

Instructions
 

  • Whip up the butter with the brown sugar and molasses.
  • Add in the dry ingredients: oats, flour, spices, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips. Work into a cohesive cookie dough. No need to over-knead ;).
  • Shape into balls. You can eyeball it or weigh them out. I like to weigh them to ensure even cooking. Around 75/80 grams per cookie.
  • Place the cookies in the freezer whilst you preheat the oven to 180°C.
  • Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool before taking them from the baking tray. They need to cool to set. You can eat these whilst warm, but wait a little bit before you try to pick them up!

Notes

My top tip for cookies is to make a batch of dough and leave some frozen dough balls in the freezer for when the mood for a cookie strikes! 
Keyword cookies, Dessert, Holidays, Seasonal, spiced
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Spicy Curried Butter Beans

09/01/2023 by Amber 1 Comment

These spicy curried butter beans are my current FAVOURITE dish. They are the perfect quick dinner to have with some rice, you can have these on toast, I’ve even made them as a dip! And these *actually* come together in less than 15 minutes.

Jump to Recipe

cast iron skillet seen from top down with spicy curried butter beans against white tablecloth backdrop

This is the only butter bean recipe you’ll need. Ever.

Butter Beans

I personally love butter beans, they’re by far my favourite bean. Creamy, full of flavour, versatile. In these spicy curried butter beans their creaminess perfectly balances the spiciness.

If for some reason you don’t like butter beans, you can simply swap for any other bean you’d like. I’ve also made this recipe with chickpeas and that also came out delicious.

Spicy Beans in Curry Sauce

The level of spiciness is a very personal preference. You can adjust how spicy you want to make these very easily, simply add less curry paste and add more of the coconut milk. Did you make them a bit too spicy for your taste? Just add some more coconut milk and a little spritz of lemon or lime juice!

For this one I’ve used massaman curry paste, it’s one of my favourites. You can choose any curry paste you fancy. Of course, normally I make my own curry base/paste but for the purposes of making a truly quick, simple recipe, we’re using a curry paste from the shop.

cast iron skillet seen from top down with spicy curried butter beans against white tablecloth backdrop

Choose your favourite toppings.

Toppings

As far as the toppings go, you can take complete artistic liberty. I like adding some thinly sliced red onion and fresh basil. Pro tip: quickly rinse the red onion in ice cold water to take that edge off the onion flavour. Or, if you have it: a bit of pickled red onion would be lovely too. If you’ve got fresh cilantro, that would work fabulously too. A dollop of vegan yoghurt too!

Liked this recipe? Leave a review, share with friends & family!

Give my butter chicken recipe a go too!

cast iron skillet seen from top down with spicy curried butter beans against white tablecloth backdrop

Fresh, zesty, spicy, creamy. Dig in.

cast iron skillet seen from top down with spicy curried butter beans against white tablecloth backdrop

Spicy Curried Butter Beans

Packed full of flavour, creamy butter beans. These are perfect served with rice and/or naan, or on a piece of sourdough toast!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Course Beans, Curry, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp curry paste, i used massaman add more for a spicier result.
  • 200 ml coconut milk add more if you want the beans less spicy
  • 400 g cooked butter beans
  • ¼ red onion, finely sliced
  • 1 handful fresh basil, chiffoned

Instructions
 

  • Start by heating up vegetable oil of choice on a medium high heat.
  • Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Let cook down. We want a little bit of browning on the onion.
  • Now add the curry paste to the onion and stir into the onion.
  • Add the coconut milk and stir well.
  • Add the butter beans and adjust flavours, see if you need more salt/more spice (add more curry paste), or less spice (add more coconut milk.
  • Top with the finely chopped red onion (rinse in ice cold water if you like) and freshly chopped basil or coriander.
  • Serve with a freshly toasted slice of sourdough or with a bowl of rice.
Keyword 15 minute meal, Brunch, Curried, Quick & Easy, Spicy
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

the best vegan butter chicken

16/09/2022 by Amber 2 Comments

Once you’ve tried this recipe for butter chicken curry you will never need another recipe. This one has it all: the chicken-like chunks made with roasted tofu. The fragrant, fresh, and deep flavours of the spices. The creaminess of the coconut milk combined with the tanginess of the tomato. Serve up a bowl of this with a portion of long grain rice and perhaps a roti and Bob will be your uncle. Not to toot my own horn but TOOT TOOT this is the best vegan butter chicken curry out there.

vegan butter chicken curry seen from above against a white back drop with silver vintage cutlery

Vegan Murgh Makhani

Aromatics

Now, the basics of this recipe, called murgh makhani are well established and very common in many similar dishes throughout south east Asia. Many a ‘curry’ (I say so reluctantly, aware that many people in the EU and the U.S. have a tendency to call nearly everything a ‘curry’), but many of these dishes are packed with the potent flavours found in this dish too. Garlic, ginger, chili, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and more.

Making a base

Now that you’ve got your aromatics and spices going, we can get our dish started. It’s really not necessary nor authentic to make a silky smooth curry. It’s very common to cook with whole spices and simply let them cook along with the dish so they’re perfectly edible once serving. But don’t take it from me, more on this here. If you like yours a bit more smooth, which I often do too, you can do the following. Get your onion, garlic, and spices cooking. Add the coconut milk and tomato. Then take your hand mixer or blender and give this a blitz. You’ll have a lovely smooth base to add the tofu to later on. If you’re looking to go for an even more fine dining experience, you can run the blended mix through a sieve. I’ve done this a few times and it makes for a fancy meal for sure. But again, not necessary at all.

hand holding piece of butter chicken tofu

butter chicken tofu.

Butter Chicken Tofu

In my opinion, to get a chicken-like tofu you simply tear the tofu into chunks, pop them onto a baking sheet with some salt and oil, and bake for at least 30 minutes. You don’t even need to touch the tofu once it’s in the oven. Just wait for it to go lovely and golden brown. Once it’s done, pop into your sauce, stir through, and VOILA! It’s that easy.

Enough chatting, time to get started on your best vegan butter chicken curry!

Looking for more dinner inspiration? Why not try my lasagne recipe for a change.

vegan butter chicken curry seen from above against a white back drop with silver vintage cutlery

Vegan Butter Chicken

This vegan butter chicken or murgh makhani is a flavour sensation of a dish. Tomato, ginger, coconut milk, spices, with roasted tofu chunks served with fragrant fluffy rice. Yum
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • oven
  • Blender/Hand mixer
  • Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 300 grams long grain rice
  • 350 grams traditional tofu torn into chunks
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 knob ginger, minced
  • 1 small red chilli, minced
  • 1 tsp fenugreek
  • 1 tsp madras spices
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 800 grams puréed tomatoes
  • 500 ml coconut milk
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 4 rotis optional

Instructions
 

  • Start by sautéing onion, garlic, ginger. Once translucent, add the spices. Let them toast for a few minutes. Add tomato and coconut milk. Optional: blend.
  • Pre-heat oven to 200C (390F). Tear tofu into chicken-like chunks. Distribute on a baking sheet, drizzle generously with oil, sprinkle salt, and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Cook your rice according instructions. (ALWAYS wash rice, let soak for 15-30 minutes, cover with enough water to place hand flat on rice and water will ust cover hand, cook for about 12 mins, and fluff up rice).
  • Put tofu into the curry, stir through.
  • Serve with rice, fresh coriander, some black sesame seeds, and a roti or naan.
Keyword Asian, Curry, South Asian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: dinner, recipes

Vegan Sicilian Bean Salad

12/02/2022 by Amber Leave a Comment

This Vegan Sicilian Bean Salad is perfect in so many ways.

vegan sicilian bean salad on white plate with silver fork and knife to the right side photographed from above

The perfect combo of flavours.

More than a salad. More than a vegan salad.

To call this vegan Sicilian bean salad a salad might be misleading. At least for those people who still think salads are sad, drab meals that are dry and never have enough dressing on them. This dish has it all: potatoes, butter beans, green beans, olives and capers, red onion. And enough dressing, bless.

I don’t tend to focus too much on nutrition specifically as I like my food to be about enjoyment and freedom. But of course I also enjoy making sure I get a lot of nutritious meals in my body. This one has great carbs, vegan protein, minerals and vitamins, and fats. What’s not to like?

a cast iron skillet of vegan sicilian bean salad against a dark backdrop with mustard, parsley, and a lemon in the background

A perfect meal to bring to a picnic too!

Sicilian Bean Salad

Let me also preface this recipe by saying that I’ve always known this recipe to be Sicilian, but if you’re Sicilian and are like “what the hell”, then apologies.

My mum used to make this recipe for years when I was younger. It was a slightly altered version, with no chimichurri aioli and the potatoes were simply boiled. Now, I love a potato in every way they come but when I can choose for roasted potato, I will. I recommend making sure you chop the potatoes into relatively small cubes if you want them to cook quickly. The larger the cube, the longer the wait.

The recipe for my aioli you can find here. A chimichurri spice blend should be available at your supermarket. If not, usually it’s a mix of oregano, parsley, basil, thyme, paprika, salt, garlic, pepper, and crushed chillies.

the skillet with vegan sicilian bean salad seen up close being held by a hand with parsley, a lemon, in the background

Buon appetito.

Did you enjoy this vegan Sicilian bean salad? Leave me a comment or message, I love reading them! And if you’re into Italian style meals, you’ll love this easy pasta recipe.

Make sure you also check out my YouTube video on this recipe.

vegan sicilian bean salad on white plate with silver fork and knife to the right side photographed from above

Vegan Sicilian Bean Salad

This vegan Sicilian bean salad has it all! Potatoes, butter beans, veggies, olives, and not 1 but 2 delicious dressings. Check out the recipe below!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • oven
  • Medium sized pot

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium/large potatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 200 grams mixed lettuce
  • 150 grams green beans haricot verts
  • 250 grams butter beans cooked
  • 75 grams green olives, pitted and in slices
  • 75 grams black olives, pitted and in slices
  • 50 grams capers
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 50 grams flat leaf parsley (small handful)
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp vinegar, i used balsamic
  • 1 tbsp agave or brown sugar
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp vegan aioli (with chimichurri spices) check out my aioli recipe linked in the text!

Instructions
 

  • Start by preheating the oven to 200 °C (400 °F).
  • Cube the potatoes, rinse in cold water and dry, spread out on a baking sheet, drizzle in olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Pop potatoes into the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and tender when you stick a fork in them.
  • Rinse the green beans, add to a pot of cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Cook al dente.
  • Slice the olives. Rinse the butter beans. Cut the red onion. Prepare the parsley.
  • In a bowl, combine the mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and give a good whisk. Then add in the oil whilst stirring and incorporate well. Give it a taste and adjust accordingly.
  • In a large salad bowl, mix the greens, add in the olives, capers, red onion, butter beans, green beans.
  • Get your vegan aioli ready with the chimichurri spices.
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven, add to the salad.
  • Dress with the vinaigrette and drizzle over the aioli.
  • Top with parsley and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe is gluten free.
When kept in the fridge, will keep for up to several days. 
Keyword Dinner, italian, Lunch, Make Ahead, Mealprep, Salads
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: dinner, italian, lunch, potato, recipes

Pasta with Creamy Vegan Basil Sauce

09/02/2022 by Amber 1 Comment

This pasta with creamy basil sauce is 100% vegan and 100% delicious. Full of flavour and full of nutrition too!

a cream white bowl of the creamy basil pasta seen from front view with a spoon and fork in the back

Packed with FLAVOUR!

The Creamy Vegan Basil Sauce

I love combining soaked cashews and on-the-softer-side tofu as a base for a cream. It’s also the base for my sour cream. I find it leaves the final result less gritty. Plus, you don’t need to be in possession of a top of the line blender or food processor.  Lemon juice is a must. My best advice is to make sure you taste test in between blending. Lemons can differ in taste and they differ in size so you might like it more or less tangy.

Orecchiette are a Fab Pasta

If you can, try experimenting with different shapes of pasta. They really do make a difference in the end result. (Ask any Italian). For this dish I love using orecchiette (little ears in Italian). The little indentations keep little pockets of the sauce so when you’re eating you get extra little bursts of flavour. So good. But if you can’t find orecchiette any other pasta will do. Keep reading to see more detailed instructions for this pasta with creamy vegan basil sauce recipe.

a plate of fried shallots with a silver spoon seen from above

I could have fried shallots on top of everything.

Fried Shallots & Roasted Chickpeas

The fried shallots add an extra layer of flavour and texture to this dish. And the best part? You will have a whole jar of shallot infused oil that you can drizzle on EVERYTHING!

The roasted chickpeas are optional if you don’t feel like making them. I like adding them for crunch and extra protein. Roasting chickpeas brings out a lovely nutty flavour in them. They’re also a fabulous snack.

an oven dish lined with paper with roasted chickpeas and a silver spoon seen from above

Roasted chickpeas add crunch and protein.

Loved this pasta recipe? I’m sure you’d also LOVE my vegan mac and cheese recipe.

Want to see more in depth instructions? Check out my YouTube vids! I upload new videos every Sunday. Including one for this pasta with creamy vegan basil sauce.

a cream white bowl of the creamy basil pasta seen from front view with a spoon and fork in the back

Pasta with Creamy Basil Sauce (Vegan!)

This pasta with creamy vegan basil sauce is so creamy and packs a tonne of flavour! Served with your favourite pasta. (Mine is orecchiette).
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • oven
  • Big pot for pasta
  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 75 grams cashews, soaked
  • 250 grams tofu, soft/traditional
  • 1 lemon
  • 250 grams water
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 50 grams basil
  • 200 grams kale
  • 200 grams cooked chickpeas
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 500 grams orecchiette or pasta of choice
  • 6 shallots, finely chopped
  • 300 ml olive oil

Instructions
 

The Creamy Basil Sauce

  • First you have to soak your cashews. If you're in a pinch or you forgot, you can also boil the cashews for about an hour or until they're soft enough to blend.
  • Pop the soaked cashews in the blender with the tofu, a pinch of salt, water, lemon juice, and garlic. Blitz until blended.
  • Add the basil and kale and blend again. Taste test and adjust flavours accordingly. Set the sauce aside for later.

Shallots

  • Thinly slice the shallots. Add to the cold oil that you've added to a medium sized pot.
  • On low to medium heat, heat the oil with the shallots.
  • Occasionally stir, letting the shallots get a golden brown colour for about 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Drain and place onto kitchen paper with a pinch of salt.
  • Filter the oil into a jar and use to drizzle on literally everything.

Chickpeas

  • Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F).
  • Add the rinsed and dried chickpeas to a baking sheet with olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Pasta

  • Whilst the chickpeas are in the oven, boil water with generous amount of salt and cook the pasta al dente.
  • Serve with the sauce, top with chickpeas and shallots and more basil.

Notes

This recipe can be gluten free if you use GF pasta.
The sauce will keep for up to a week in the fridge in an air tight container. 
Keyword Basil, Chickpeas, Creamy, Pasta, Proteinas
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: dinner, italian, pasta, recipes, sauces, veganuary

The Ultimate Vegan Lasagne

30/01/2022 by Amber 1 Comment

This is the only vegan lasagne recipe you’ll ever need. Otherwise known as the ultimate vegan lasagne.

front view of a blue and white plate with a portion of the ultimate vegan lasagne and a little side salad against a dark backdrop

Well hello.

The Ragú for a Vegan Lasagne

This tomato ragú stays close to the original for the ultimate vegan lasagne. As always with these types of sauces, soups, and stews, it’s recommended to make the night before or in the morning. Allowing for the sauce to cool down gives the flavours a chance to deepen.

I am a huge fan of the combination of minced mushrooms and walnuts as vegan mince. The flavours and textures come so close to the original! You can mince them with a knife or, if you want to make your life a tad easier, add them to a food processor and blitz.

the ultimate vegan lasagne from top view in a black baking dish with a hand in the left top corner with a spoon against a dark backdrop

Garfield would approve.

Vegan Béchamel

A classic roux serves as the base of this béchamel. Once you master this you can make all types of white sauces. It’s one of the French mother sauces. Never skip the nutmeg in this, it truly elevates the flavour. The key to making a roux is to firstly make sure to cook the flour once you add it to the melted butter and oil. This is to get rid of any taste of flour. Then, bit by bit adding the milk whilst stirring. Once the splash of milk that you have added has incorporated into the sauce, add the next splash. This way, no lumps and you’ll get the right consistency! Make sure you leave enough for the top layer of the lasagne. You could even mix in some vegan cheese to top it off! Check out the instructions for detailed step by step on the ultimate vegan lasagne recipe.

a pot of vegan béchamel seen from top view with a hand in the top right corner sprinkling in fresh herbs

Feel like experimenting with flavours? Try adding some thyme!

Did you make this stellar plant based lasagne? Leave a comment, a rating, find me on Insta and connect with me there! I love to hear from you.

Check out the YouTube video for this recipe too! Check out my channel here!

Love vegan Italian recipes? I also have this yummy tomato mushroom ragú recipe that’s delicious on top of a bowl of penne.

the ultimate vegan lasagne from top view in a black baking dish with a hand in the left top corner with a spoon against a dark backdrop

The Ultimate Vegan Lasagne

This vegan lasagne will knock your socks off! The mince is a combination of walnuts and mushrooms and does a pretty good job of tasting just like its non-vegan counterpart.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • oven
  • 1 medium sized sauce pan
  • 1 small sauce pan
  • 1 baking dish

Ingredients
  

Ragú

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp vegan butter
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 small white onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 200 grams mushrooms, finely diced
  • 75 grams walnuts, finely diced
  • 800 grams tinned tomatoes
  • 200 ml water
  • 1 tbsp oregano

Béchamel

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter/margarine
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 500 ml soy milk (or whatever milk you prefer)
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Pasta

  • 1 packet lasagne sheets of choice

Optional

  • 250 grams tofu, crumbled

Instructions
 

The Ragú

  • On a medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt until translucent. Remove from the pan.
  • Add the walnuts and lightly brown. Remove from the pan.
  • Add the mushrooms, with salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the walnuts and onion and garlic back in.
  • Add the tinned tomato and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and let simmer for at least an hour. If possible, let cool down completely before using in the lasagne. You can also use it right away.

Béchamel

  • Start on a medium heat and melt the vegan butter, add in the oil.
  • Add the flour and stir well to incorporate. Reduce the heat if necessary to not burn the flour. Cook for a minute or three.
  • Add in the milk, bit by bit. Stir well to incorporate and keep stirring. Once you've added all the milk and the sauce isn't too runny and not too thick. Add in the seasoning; salt, pepper, nutmeg.

The Lasagne

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Lightly oil the baking dish.
  • Start with a layer of tomato sauce. Then a layer of pasta. Then a layer of béchamel.
  • If you want to add more protein, this is where you can use the tofu. Simply crumble the tofu in as a layer with the béchamel.
  • Then add another layer of tomato, pasta, béchamel, until you've used up all the sauce.
  • Once finished, drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
  • Cover with tin foil, cook for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil and cook for 25 more minutes.
  • Serve right away. Enjoy!

Notes

The lasagne will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. Slowly heat up in the oven at a low heat (150 C/300F).
Make this recipe gluten free by using GF pasta and replacing the flour in the béchamel with a GF flour like rice flour. You might need to use more flour as rice flour doesn't bind as much as regular flour does. 
Keyword italian, lasagne, Mushrooms, Pasta
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: dinner, italian, pasta, recipes

Vegan Apple Crumble with Oats

22/01/2021 by Amber Leave a Comment

This vegan apple crumble with oats is the perfect, easy dessert. Read on for the recipe!

large skillet with apple crumble seen from above with a silver serving spoon and a bowl with apple crumble served.

Apple crumble, delicious.

Apple Crumble with Oats

This apple crumble is made with oats and pecans. You can make this recipe totally gluten free if you use GF oats. I love the combination of cinnamon, apple, and pecans. So delicious and so cosy. The oats go nice and crunchy on top, and warm and soft where they mix with the apple. All around the sides you’ll have lovely caramelised bits. I also like using a tablespoon of corn starch for the apples, it thickens them up.

As for which receptacle to use; I recently bought this lovely cast iron skillet so I opted for that one. But any other oven dish would work. Use whatever is easiest (to clean) ha.

I would also advise to make sure you let the top crisp up! I’d go as far as saying you’d almost rather have this overcooked than undercooked. Okay well not overcooked but you get what I’m trying to say.

a bowl of vegan apple crumble seen up close help up with my right hand

Serve warm with a good serving of cream.

Vegan Cream

To take your apple crumble to the next level, you really need something creamy. It can be anything you fancy. I just added some vegan whipping cream that I had in the fridge. But if you have some vanilla ice cream or maybe some custard, that would be lovely as well. Funnily enough, one of my favourite vegan ice creams is the Madagascan vanilla by Alpro .

This is a lovely dish just to enjoy after a weeknight dinner, to have in the house over the weekend. Or to serve to guests, as it’s minimal effort, maximum deliciousness. Or you could have this crumble for a fancy breakfast too!

a skillet with vegan apple crumble and two bowls seen from a front view against a dark backdrop

Comin’ in hot.

Grab the recipe for this vegan apple crumble with oats below!

Looking for more sweet inspiration? Check out this no bake lime cheesecake!

large skillet with apple crumble seen from above with a silver serving spoon and a bowl with apple crumble served.

Vegan Apple Crumble with Oats

An easy peasy delicious vegan dessert: apple crumble made with ingredients that you probably have in the pantry! Serve with your favourite vegan cream or ice cream.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Dessert
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • oven

Ingredients
  

  • 6 apples
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 220 grams oats 2 cups
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 50 grams pecans ½ cup
  • 80 grams brown sugar 4 tbsp
  • 85 grams vegan butter/margarine 3 tbsp
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • vegan cream or custard

Instructions
 

  • preheat oven 180 °C/350 °F.
  • peel and cut the apples, add lemon juice, corn starch, cinnamon, brown sugar and mix. add to skillet or lined oven dish.
  • in a bowl, mix the oats, a pinch of salt, chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and margarine and mix well.
  • add to the apples, make sure the apples are covered and bake for 45 minutes or until nicely golden brown.
  • serve with some coconut cream or other vegan cream or custard of choice. best served warm.

Notes

Keeps in the fridge up to a week. Make sure to reheat before serving. 
Keyword Apple, Dessert, Vegan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Filed Under: dessert, holidays, recipes, veganuary

Vegan Mushroom Tomato Ragú

22/01/2021 by Amber 1 Comment

This vegan mushroom tomato ragú is a delicious, cosy meal for any day of the week.

a bowl of penne with mushroom tomato ragú seen up close held up by two hands. in the background is another bowl and a pan with more ragú.

Cosy & delicious

Mushroom & Tomato Ragú

Mushrooms and tomatoes go very well together. One thing I will say about mushrooms is that you need to cook out the liquid. They hold up to 92% water and if you leave that in, you’ll have squishy mushrooms. Which I personally am not a fan of. So make sure you give them the time to release the water and get a nice brown colour. If you’ve ever seen any of Derek Sarno’s videos about mushrooms, you’ll know he’s a big proponent of pressing mushrooms. Now, for this recipe you don’t necessarily need to press them. But it’s definitely a good technique to know about! Be sure to check out some of his recipes on Youtube.

a pan of vegan mushroom taomto ragú seen from above with a bit of rosemary in the middle. two silver spoons in the bottom left corner

A decadent, rich sauce.

I love using red wine in a tomato sauce. It makes it so much more rich, decadent almost. The wine you use for cooking really doesn’t have to be anything fancy. If you don’t drink, you can use any red wine really since you won’t maybe be having a glass while cooking. If you do enjoy a glass of red wine, pick one you don’t feel bad about cooking with. It’s definitely delicious to have a glass of red alongside this vegan mushroom tomato ragú.

Pasta

Behind which sauce to serve with which pasta there is a science. If you have a chunky sauce, it should go with a chunky pasta. If you have a smooth sauce, it should go with smooth pasta so it coats all the pasta in the sauce. This is why a simple, smooth tomato sauce is served with spaghetti or tagliatelle. And it’s why I recommend having this ragú with penne or maybe fusilli. That way, you get bites of mushroom, tomato, and pasta.

two bowls of vegan mushroom tomato ragú seen from the front with a dark background. a bag of onions and a pan with ragú seen in the background.

Bon appétit!

Looking for more dinner inspiration? How about vegan gyros for dinner?

a bowl of penne with mushroom tomato ragú seen up close held up by two hands. in the background is another bowl and a pan with more ragú.

Vegan Mushroom Tomato Ragú

This vegan mushroom and tomato ragú has three different types of mushrooms, red wine, and plum tomatoes. Delicious with your favourite type of pasta.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp vegan butter/margarine
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • black pepper
  • 250 grams portobello mushrooms, quartered 8.8 oz.
  • 200 grams regular mushrooms, quartered 7 oz.
  • 5 dried and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, minced
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1 tbsp basil
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 180 ml red wine ¾ cup
  • 800 grams tinned tomatoes 28 oz.
  • 500 grams penne rigate 17.6 oz.

Instructions
 

  • Mince the onion and garlic, sauté in a pan on a medium high heat. add a pinch of salt.
  • chop the mushrooms.
  • remove the onion and garlic from the pan once translucent. add in the mushrooms, turn up the heat and cook out all the liquid. if you can find a second pan to stack on top and weigh it down as to press the mushrooms, do so. if not, simply cook until the mushrooms have released their liquids.
  • add the onion and garlic back in and add the shiitakes and the spices; oregano thyme, basil, thyme.
  • add the red wine, stir. add the tinned tomatoes and reduce the heat.
  • let simmer for an hour or so.
  • cook pasta according to instructions and serve.
  • enjoy!

Notes

This recipe is gluten free if using GF pasta! 
Keeps in the fridge up to a week. Also can be frozen up to a month. 
Keyword Mushrooms, Pasta, Tomato, Vegan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: dinner, holidays, lunch, pasta, recipes, sauces, veganuary

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