Vegan Lasagne
My boyfriend said this was one of the best lasagnes he’s ever tried. This recipe is really easy and will definitely become a regular in our household!
For this recipe I used Birdseye Au plant-based mince, but you can use any of your favourite vegan mince or swap it out for 2 x cans of lentils.
Ingredients:
Bolognese
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pack plant based mince
1 plant based “beef” stock cube
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
Bechamel
3 tbsp vegan butter/margarine
2 tbsp flour
2 cups plant based milk
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
Salt & pepper to taste
Other Ingredients
Lasagne Sheets
Optional: grated vegan cheese
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Heat a large fry pan with some olive oil and fry onion and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add plant based mince and fry for 5-10 minutes (depending on if frozen or not). Add the vegan beef stock cube and mix into he mince. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar to the fry pan and mix to combine. Then season to taste with salt & pepper. Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Taste and season again if necessary.
Meanwhile, make the béchamel by melting the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk into the butter. Add plant milk and continue whisking until it begins to thicken. Add nutritional yeast, onion powder and salt & pepper then keep whisking until everything is combined and its nice and thick.
Assemble the lasagne like below:
Thin layer of béchamel on the base
Lasagne sheets
1/3 bolognese mixture
Lasagne sheets
1/3 bechamel mixture
Lasagne sheets
1/3 bolognese mixture
Lasagne sheets
1/3 bechamel mixture
Lasagne sheets
1/3 bolognese mixture
Lasagne sheets
1/3 bechamel mixture
Grated vegan cheese
Cover with tin foil and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove tin foil and cook for another 20 minutes.
Leave to cool for 5 minutes then slice and enjoy!!!
Spicy Chorizo Pasta
This spicy chorizo pasta uses no expensive ingredients but instead the chorizo is made out of, you guessed it, tofu!
Ingredients (Tofu Chorizo)
300g tofu
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
A good pinch of salt & pepper
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
Ingredients (Chorizo Pasta)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 batch of tofu chorizo
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 cups passata sauce or 1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsp chilli flakes
Salt & pepper
3-4 portions of pasta, cooked
Method
For the tofu chorizo, pat the tofu dry, pressing out most of the liquid. Crumble into a bowl and add all the other ingredients to the tofu. Mix thoroughly with your hands until the tofu is fully coated. Line a baking tray or air fryer with baking paper and press the tofu lightly into a thin layer covering the tray. Bake at 200 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Take out after 10 minutes to mix around the tofu then every 5 minutes after that to ensure all the tofu gets cooked evenly.
For the chorizo pasta, fry off onion & garlic then add tofu chorizo and parsley. Add passata, tomato paste, nutritional yeast, balsamic, chilli flakes and simmer for 10 minutes on low to reduce and thicken. Season with salt & pepper. Add cooked pasta to sauce and mix through.
Top with vegan parmesan and parsley if you like and enjoy!!
Sticky Gochujang Tempeh
Turn anyone into a tempeh lover with this ultra tasty recipe!
Ingredients (Serves 4-5)
Tempeh
2 blocks tempeh, broken into chunks
Marinade
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup Gochujang paste
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup water
Method
Air fry, bake, or fry tempeh chunks for 10-15 minutes until golden brown (bake/airfry at 180 degrees Celsius).
Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by combining all the other ingredients. Add the baked tempeh chunks and marinate overnight or for at least a couple of hours (the longer, the better).
Fry the marinated tempeh in a pan on high for 5 minutes, then simmer for ten minutes.
Serve with rice and your choice of veggies.
Enjoy your flavourful tempeh dish!
Sticky ‘Honey’ & Sesame Tofu
If you want takeaways for dinner but don’t want to spend any money, you have to try this recipe! Serve with veggies and rice or noodles.
Ingredients
2 blocks firm tofu
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
Sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup agave
1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup water
pinch salt
2 tsp cornflour
spring onions & sesame seeds to top
Method
Press the tofu dry with a paper towel and then break it into bite-sized chunks. In a bowl, coat the tofu chunks with cornflour, garlic powder, and salt. Bake in the oven or air fryer for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
While the tofu is baking, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until the cornflour is dissolved.
In a large fry pan, heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil and add the baked tofu chunks. Coat the tofu in the oil, then add the prepared sauce. Stir the sauce until thickened, ensuring all the tofu is well-coated. Simmer for a few more minutes, then serve topped with spring onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Zesty Zucchini Pappardelle in a Creamy Butterbean Sauce
A delicious, zesty summery dish made with a creamy butterbean sauce so you have some protein hidden right in the sauce!
Ingredients
4 portions of pappardelle
4-5 zucchini, sliced
salt & pepper
juice 1/2 lemon
Creamy Butterbean Sauce
2 cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
4 cloves garlic
juice 1 and 1/2 lemons
2 tsp tamari
1 and 1/2 - 2 cups pasta water (depending on your desired texture)
salt & pepper to taste
Method
Heat some olive oil in a large frypan and fry zucchini with salt & pepper.
Cook pasta according to pack.
Add sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Remember to taste and season if necessary.
Remove zucchini from pan and add to a bowl. Toss in lemon juice (1/2 lemon).
Pour creamy sauce into frypan used for the zucchini (no need to wash it). Simmer for 2-3 minutes then add pappardelle. Stir through lemony zucchini and serve.
Top with parsley and/or cashew parmesan.
Teriyaki Chickpeas
Take chickpeas to the next level with this insane Teriyaki recipe.
Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Marinade
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp cornflour (mixed with 2tbsp water)
Method
Combine the marinade ingredients, ensuring they blend seamlessly, then toss in the chickpeas, coating them thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a sizzling fry pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky. This versatile dish pairs wonderfully with various accompaniments—I personally love it with rice and veggies for a wholesome meal, but I've also experimented by incorporating it into pasta, resulting in an irresistibly flavourful dish.
Satay Tofu Skewers
Impress your friends and family with these tasty tofu skewers!
Ingredients
Tofu Skewers
1 block firm tofu, water pressed out and cut into thick sticks
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp water
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp sriracha
Satay Sauce
1/3 cup peanut butter
Left over tofu marinade
Juice 1/2 lime
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sweet chilli
Water to thin
Method
Mix together tofu marinade ingredients in a container and add tofu sticks. Place lid on container and shake to coat the tofu well. You can leave this overnight for better marinating or use straight away. Bake tofu in the oven or air fryer for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
Add the left over tofu marinade to a bowl and add the rest of the satay sauce ingredients. Thin with water (only add a little at a time until your desired texture and taste).
When the tofu is cooked, poke with skewers and enjoy with the satay sauce!
Vegan Ramen
Everybody loves a ramen bowl right? Try this plant-based version!
Serves 4
Ingredients
Tofu
1 block firm tofu, cut into cubes
1 tbsp soy sauce
Maple & Soy Shiitake Mushrooms
40g dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Ramen Broth
6 cloves garlic, crushed
4 spring onions, chopped
1 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp maple syrup
6 cups vegetable stock
Extra
Chopped spring onions
1 cup kale, rubbed with a bit of oil & salt
1 carrot, cut into small sticks
Sesame seeds
Chilli oil (optional)
4 packs of single serve vegan ramen noodles, cook according to pack
Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius (skip this step if you want to use an airfryer). Marinate the soaked shiitake mushrooms by mixing together oil, maple syrup, soy sauce, paprika and garlic in a bowl then mixing through the mushrooms. Set aside.
Heat some oil in a pot and add the garlic and spring onions. Fry until fragrant. Add the miso, soy sauce and maple syrup and mix through. Then add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile bake the marinated mushrooms in the oven or air fryer for 20 minutes.
For the tofu, heat a large frypan with a drizzle of olive oil and add tofu cubes. Fry until each side of the tofu is golden. Add soy sauce, mix through and fry for 1-2 minutes longer.
Cook ramen noodles according to pack. Divide noodles into 4 bowls and spoon over ramen broth. Top with tofu, mushrooms, kale, carrot, spring onions and sesame seeds. Drizzle over chilli oil if you want a kick and enjoy!