amberitas kitchen

Spicy Curried Butter Beans

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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
Cook Time 10 minutes
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!

 

the best vegan butter chicken

by 1 Comment

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
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
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!

Vegan Sicilian Bean Salad

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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!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
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!

Pasta with Creamy Vegan Basil Sauce

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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
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
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!

The Ultimate Vegan Lasagne

by 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
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
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!

Vegan Apple Crumble with Oats

by 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
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
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!

 

Vegan Mushroom Tomato Ragú

by 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
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
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
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Tofu Bowl with Sesame Vinaigrette

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This tofu bowl with sesame vinaigrette is a lovely, filling dish. Read on for the recipe!

two tofu bowls with sesame vinaigrette seen from above with spring onion, avocado, tofu in a skillet against a dark background

Tofu bowl with all the toppings.

Tofu Bowl & Sesame Vinaigrette

This tofu bowl is filled with delicious goodness. Rice, mixed greens, avocado, and roasted vegetables! It’s easy to put together too, once you pop the veggies in the oven you can move onto the other ingredients. As for the rice, you can choose whatever you rice you fancy. I like serving this with brown rice, the nutty flavour goes well with the sesame oil.

As for the vegetables, it’s a simple combination of aubergine, red pepper, onion, mushrooms. A couple of herbs and spices and in to the oven they go!

When it comes to rice I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Wash your rice and use an appropriate amount of water. No pouring out the water after cooking. It’ll leave you with delicious, fluffy rice. Plus, when you add a few nice flavours to the cooking water, they’re actually absorbed by the rice. I like adding a bay leaf and some oil.

a tofu bowl with sesame vinaigrette seen up close help up by two of my hands

Look at all that goodness. Yum.

Sesame Vinaigrette

At first I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to call this a vinaigrette. But, turns out I can. Since a vinaigrette is mixing oil with something acidic. So, sesame vinaigrette it is!

The ingredients for this vinaigrette might not be stuff you have in the cupboard. If you can, I’d say go and buy them from the Asian supermarket. Seriously delicious stuff. If you don’t want to spend much or cannot be bothered to go to the shop, you can use a few subs. It’s not going to taste exactly the same but similar. For the soy bean paste you can sub miso paste. For the ponzu (citrus soy sauce) you can use regular soy sauce and some lemon juice.

two tofu bowls with sesame vinaigrette seen from a front view with half an avocado, a halved lime, spring onion, a skillet with tofu, and a book in the background

Lets get to cooking!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Be sure to tag me in any pictures or use #ohsoplantiful on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy eating.

Looking for more delicious recipes? How about this quinoa bowl with miso glazed sweet potato?

a tofu bowl with sesame vinaigrette seen up close help up by two of my hands

Tofu Bowl with Sesame Vinaigrette

A delicious bowl with crispy seared tofu, brown rice, roasted veggies, and a slightly spicy sesame vinaigrette.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • oven
  • Skillet

Ingredients
  

Roasted Veggies

  • 1 aubergine
  • 1 red pepper
  • 4 large mushrooms use 8 small ones if you have those.
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp salt
  • cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Vinaigrette

  • 1 tsp korean soy bean paste sub miso
  • 1 tsp ponzu sub soy sauce and lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp chili flakes
  • 1 lime
  • 1 knob of ginger, 2 cmx2cm-ish, grated

Other

  • 300 grams rice 1 large cup
  • 1 ½ - 2 x the amount of water to rice ratio
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 300 grams tofu
  • 1 tbsp potato starch
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 avocado
  • 4 handfuls mixed greens
  • 1 spring onion
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • preheat the oven to 180 °C , 350 °F.
  • cut all the vegetables and place in a bowl. add the spices and olive oil, mix well, and place on a lined baking sheet.
  • place in the oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
  • wash your rice and cook according to instructions.
  • coat the tofu in potato starch. sear on both sides in a hot skillet. add a sprinkle of salt.
  • for the vinaigrette, mix all the ingredients well.
  • in a bowl, combine the rice, greens, vegetables, tofu, avocado, spring onion, and top with the vinaigrette and sesame seeds.

Notes

This recipe is gluten free! 
Keeps in the fridge for several days. 
Keyword Nourish Bowls, Plantbased, Salads, Sesame, Vegan Protein
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Vegan Tofu & Shiitake Gyros

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These vegan tofu & shiitake gyros are a fabulous weeknight meal. Read on for the recipe!

three flatbreads with gyros seen from a front view on a serving board with salad in the background

Vegan gyros made with tofu and shiitakes.

Tofu and Shiitake Gyros

For this vegan version we’ll be using both tofu and dried shiitakes. You could use another type of mushroom if you wish. I find the combination of these two particularly delicious. The tofu adds the body and some texture, the shiitakes add a meatiness in both flavour and texture.

I’m glad I can type out this recipe and thereby avoid having to pronounce ‘gyros’. Because I’m sure every single one of my friends from Greece would laugh in my face. Luckily, it seems I’m not the only one who struggles with this.

pan with tofu and shiitake gyros seen from above with wooden spoon

A meaty combination: tofu and shiitakes.

A very important part of the flavours in the gyros comes from the marinade. A tangy, very herby one. Lemon juice, olive oil, lots of oregano.

Tzatziki

The base for this vegan tzatziki is cashews. They are just the best way to get a creamy, rich consistency. To that base we’ll be adding lemon juice for tang. Lots of dill and garlic. And cucumber. Ah I just love tzatziki. I’ve made it so you’ll have leftover if you don’t eat all of it in one sitting! The garlicky, fresh taste goes so nicely with the gyros.

The toppings for gyros are entirely up to you. I’ve added my toppings of choice to the ingredients. I like keeping it fairly simple with a bit of tomato, red onion, maybe some more cucumber, some lettuce. A bit more of the fresh dill. I would have also added some kalamata olives if I had any. Basically, the ingredients that go in a choriatiki. (A very simple Greek salad).

a tofu and shiitake gyro seen up close

This vegan version is legit.

Make these vegan tofu & shiitake gyros today! And be sure to tag me in any photos on Instagram, I love to see it!

In the mood for some more bread based meals? Check out my falafel recipe.

three vegan tofu and shiitake gyros seen from above with a hand grabbing one.

Vegan Tofu & Shiitake Gyros

A delicious vegan version of the Greek classic: gyros. Made with tofu and dried shiitake, plus a homemade vegan tzatziki to add!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Greek
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Pan
  • Blender

Ingredients
  

Gyros

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 250 grams tofu
  • 6 dried and rehydrated shiitakes
  • 1 tsp chicken seasoning optional

Marinade

  • ½ lemon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 tbsp plantbased milk alternative i used oat milk
  • 3 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt

Tzatziki

  • 200 grams soaked cashews (1 ¼ cup)
  • ⅓ cup water
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ lemon
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 handful of dill

Toppings

  • 1 tomato, cubed
  • ½ red onion, minced
  • 1 handful of lettuce

Instructions
 

Tzatziki

  • Let's start with the tzatziki, I like making it and placing it in the fridge whilst I make the rest.
  • Blend all the ingredients except for the cucumber until smooth. The cucumber is peeled, the soft insides taken off and then grated coarsely or chopped fine.
  • Once smooth, add in the cucumber and sprinkle a bit more dill on, and salt to taste.

Gyros

  • First, make the marinade by putting all the ingredients together in a bowl and mixing well.
  • Then, roughly slice the tofu to replicate the look of rotisserie meat. Cut the rehydrated shiitakes and onion.
  • Get a pan hot on a medium high heat. Add the olive oil. Sauté the onion, then add the tofu and get some colour on it. Add the shiitakes. Sauté a few minutes and add the marinade. Cook for a minute or two.
  • Get your flatbread ready, add a generous helping of tzatziki, lettuce, the gyros, and toppings of your choice. I like adding some fresh tomato and cucumber. Some kalamata olives also go nicely.
  • Enjoy!
Keyword Greek, Plantbased, Vegan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Easy Quick Flatbreads

A very easy recipe to whip up some quick homemade flatbreads. It doesn't get easier than this!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
resting time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Servings 8 breads

Equipment

  • Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams flour
  • 10 grams salt
  • 300 grams water

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, first combine the flour and salt.
  • Add in the water, stir and mix until it starts coming together.
  • Knead for about 5 minutes until the dough feels smooth.
  • Let the dough rest covered with foil or a damp towel.
  • Divide the dough in 6 or 8 small balls. On a floured work surface, roll out the balls.
  • In a dry pan on a high heat, cook the flatbreads one by one. They should be done in 30 seconds to a minute per side, depending on how thick they are. Don't be afraid to char them on each side.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

These do not puff up or rise, so make sure you roll these out. If they're very thick, they're going to be quite dense. 
Keyword Bread, Brunch, Vegan
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Vegan Garlic Tear and Share Bread

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This vegan garlic tear and share bread is wonderful to share with others (or not). Hehe.

vegan garlic share and tear bread seen from above on an oven rack

Get it while its hot

Bread baking basics

Baking a bread with conventional yeast (be it fresh or dry) is actually really quite simple. Yes, you need to get your hands a bit dirty. Yes, you need to wait a bit. But all in all, a freshly baked loaf that YOU made is so satisfying. And you’ll feel so proud. The process is mostly passive. Just a bit of waiting and bingo bango bread!

Let’s start with the basics: flour, salt, water, yeast. For this bread you can use bread flour or all purpose flour. Bread flour is just flour with a higher percentage of protein. Because breads with conventional yeast (as opposed to sourdough) take a short amount of time to rise, all purpose flour is fine. The higher protein is necessary for sourdoughs as they rise of long periods of time and the proteins help the dough keep its shape and strength. So, long story short, any flour will do here.

Next up: rising. Rising is a very important step for bread. It develops air pockets, which in turn make a bread nice and fluffy, rather than dense and heavy. The first rise gets a good amount of volume going. You want to see a doubling in size during this first stage. Then you do something called ‘knocking the dough back’. Which just means you get some of the air out or shape it into the shape you want the bread to be. In this case: little balls. Simply take the dough, divide it into even parts, and roll those into little balls. That’s when we do the second rise. To get some air back into the dough, if you skip this, the bread will come out dense.

dough balls for the vegan garlic bread seen from above

Little dough balls all lined up.

Third important aspect of bread making: during the rising process, you need a warm spot free of any airflow. This because the dough needs a quiet, warm place to develop. The yeast does its work in cosy temperatures. Now, you don’t need to whack on the central heating or anything. Just find a good spot that isn’t draughty. If my flat’s cold, I like to put the dough in the oven with the little light on. The light provides enough warmth and it’s closed from any airflow.

Steam

To get bread to rise and form a crusty crust, it helps to have a bit of steam in the oven when the bread first goes in. This might mean you put an oven tray with some hot water in the bottom of your oven, maybe you have some lava rocks for the barbecue, or just a water spray you use for plants. Getting a bit of steam in when you place the bread in helps the bread rise and the crust not to set too early.

I am an advanced baker, so I have my own set up that involves lava rocks, boiling water, covering the oven. All to get that steam going. But, I understand that might not be you, so just spraying a bit of water and then quickly closing the oven will absolutely do.

For this vegan garlic tear and share bread you can decide whether you’d like a more crusty roll or a soft bread roll. If you opt for crusty, use the steaming method and a higher heat: 250C for the first 10 minutes, remove the steam and bake for 10 more at 220C.
If you decide on a softer roll, pop the bread into the oven at 220C for roughly 20 minutes, until golden brown.

a close up of the vegan garlic tear and share bread

Up close and personal.

Enjoy your vegan garlic tear and share bread! Perhaps with some White Bean Garlic Oil Dip?

a close up of the vegan garlic tear and share bread

Vegan Garlic Tear & Share Bread

A delicious, fluffy garlic bread that's vegan and perfect for sharing. (Or just to have by yourself).
4 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
rising 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Snack
Servings 10 servings

Equipment

  • oven
  • Scale

Ingredients
  

  • 800 grams flour bread flour or all purpose
  • 520 grams water
  • 20 grams fresh yeast if using dry yeast: 10 grams
  • 16 grams salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp dried garlic 10 grams
  • 1 tbsp thyme 10 grams
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter o margarine
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, minced 4 small cloves
  • handful fresh sage sub thyme if you don't have sage

Instructions
 

  • In a bow, combine the flour, salt, water, yeast and olive oil.
  • mix all of the ingredients. once it starts coming together knead for 5 to 8 minutes until a smooth dough.
  • oil the bowl, cover with a damp towel and place the bowl in a warm spot in your house. in winter, i like placing it in the oven with the light on.
  • after an hour, or once more or less doubled in size, divide into more or less equally sized balls and place next to each other on a lined baking sheet.
  • leave for another hour.
  • Option A: steaming method for crustier rolls. preheat the oven to 250 C (480 F) degrees. If possible with a tray of hot water in the bottom of the oven.
    place the bread in the oven. after 10 minutes, remove the hot water and reduce the heat to 220 C (440 F). Bake for 10 more minutes until golden brown.
  • Option B: softer rolls (& easier). Bake at 220C (440F) for 20 minutes until golden brown.
  • on a low heat, melt the butter and add the minced garlic. add the sage or thyme.
  • pour over the bread after baking and dig in!
Keyword Bread, Garlic, Holidays, Party, Vegan
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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