Special Diets Vegan Vegan By Food & Wine Editors Updated on May 8, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Kana Okada These delicious recipes include Top Chef winner Richard Blais's superb veggie burger and brilliant creamless creamed corn. 01 of 34 Baked Sweet Potato and Tempeh Empanadas Tempeh has a long way to go before it becomes as popular as other soy products, but its wonderfully firm texture and versatility make it an excellent protein source. Here, it’s a stand-in for ground meat in a vegan baked empanada. More Hors D'Oeuvres Recipes Go to Recipe 02 of 34 Veggie Burgers with Pomegranate Ketchup JOHN KERNICK Eating vegan for a month led Top Chef All-Star winner Richard Blais to examine his pantry more closely. He discovered that ground porcini mushrooms add a meaty flavor to dishes like his veggie burger. Richard Blais Makes Veggie Burgers Go to Recipe 03 of 34 Tangy Red-Pepper-and-Nut Dip In this take on muhammara, a classic Syrian red pepper-and-nut dip, five kinds of nuts provide rich, toasty flavor and healthful protein and fat. More Healthy Recipes Go to Recipe 04 of 34 Quinoa Salad with Grilled Scallions, Favas and Dates © Con Poulos Most vegans are familiar with quinoa, a grain-like seed that is one of the plant world's best sources of complete protein. It forms the base of this salad, sweet with grilled and mashed dates and flavored with green garlic and scallions. Fava beans add even more protein. Quinoa Recipes Go to Recipe 05 of 34 Crispy Kale-and-Tofu Salad with Coconut © Quentin Bacon Cookbook author Heidi Swanson has already proved she's a master at creating amazingly healthy and tasty vegetarian recipes with very few ingredients. Here, she toasts kale, coconut and tofu until lightly browned and crisp, then tosses them with brown rice. Expert Vegan & Vegetarian Cooking Tips Go to Recipe 06 of 34 Creamless Creamed Corn with Mushrooms and Lemon Frances Janisch “My granny taught me that when corn is very fresh, the juices are naturally creamy,” Kevin Gillespie says. “I took that as the gospel.” He grates half of the corn here to make a luxurious puree that thickens without cream. Tips for Summer Produce Go to Recipe 07 of 34 Crispy Chickpeas © Dave Lauridsen Spicing chickpeas with cumin and coriander and frying them is an unexpected preparation of the versatile vegan-pantry staple. Pantry Staples for Vegetarians Go to Recipe 08 of 34 Spaghetti with Sun-Dried-Tomato-Almond Pesto JOHN KERNICK Salted, roasted almonds and toasty breadcrumbs add a salty richness to this pasta, no cheese necessary. More Pasta Recipes Go to Recipe 09 of 34 Grilled Tofu Steaks with Piquillo Salsa Verde Firm tofu is ideal for the grill, because it holds its shape and gets nicely smoky. It's excellent with this tangy salsa prepared with piquillo peppers, capers and parsley. Grilling Tips from Star Chefs Go to Recipe 10 of 34 Dark Chocolate Bark with Roasted Almonds and Seeds © John Kernick Vegans can enjoy most dark chocolate worry-free; it doesn't contain any of the dairy solids that give milk chocolate its name. Here, it's tempered with almonds and salted seeds to create an irresistable—and and fairly healthful—treat. Chocolate Recipes Go to Recipe 11 of 34 Parsnip Bacon These slivers of parsnip prove that it's all in the way you treat a vegetable that matters. Here, Quinn Hatfield bakes and seasons paper-thin slices of the root vegetable to satisfy salty, smoky and crispy cravings. More Appetizer Recipes Go to Recipe 12 of 34 Fruit-and-Nut Energy Bars The nuts and grain in these bars combine to create a good source of complete protein. Flax seeds provide sought-after omega-3 fatty acids, which are harder to come by for nonseafood-eaters; processing them with the other ingredients makes their benefits more available for absorption by the body. Best Healthy Recipes Ever Go to Recipe 13 of 34 Roasted Cauliflower-and-Sesame Spread © Joseph de Leo Like hummus, this ingenius spread gets its richness from tahini, but is slightly sweet from the roasted caulifower. Outdoor Party Ideas Go to Recipe 14 of 34 Porcini-and-Pecan Pâté © Sabra Krock Proving that vegetables can be as satisfying as meat, chef Sean Baker serves this mushroom pâté on his vegan "charcuterie" plate. Dinner Party Recipes Go to Recipe 15 of 34 Curried Spaghetti-Squash-and-Chickpea Toasts © David Malosh Crostini make for elegant party food, but very often they are cheese- or meat-based. These vegan toasts, with warm curry flavor and filling chickpeas, are perfect for a fall get-together. More Healthy Recipes Go to Recipe 16 of 34 Watermelon Gazpacho © Buff Strickland The watermelon in this tangy, chilled soup is a lightly sweet twist on a classic vegan Spanish dish. Summer Produce Guide Go to Recipe 17 of 34 Spicy Avocado-Cucumber Soup PHOTO © JOHN KERNICK The pureed avocado and coconut milk make this dairy-free soup seem decadantly creamy. To keep it vegan, be sure to buy a green curry paste that isn't made with fish sauce. Soup Recipe Guide Go to Recipe 18 of 34 Mixed Vegetable and Farro Soup © Con Poulos Mario Batali makes dishes that people would never suspect are vegan. One is this thick, hearty main-course soup made with a colorful mix of carrots, peas, leeks and onions with borlotti beans and farro. Vegetable Soup Recipes Go to Recipe 19 of 34 Quick White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes © Quentin Bacon Low in fat but high in protein, beans are among restaurateur Joe Bastianich’s favorite ingredients. He uses white beans here, but he also loves making this recipe with chickpeas and flat gigante beans: “The bigger and creamier the beans, the better.” Light Stew Recipes Go to Recipe 20 of 34 Edamame, Celery and Fennel Salad with Candied Lemon The crunchy mix of ingredients in this salad is unexpected and fun. And the dressing is equally unusual: It's made with chopped candied lemon as well as soy sauce, toasted-sesame oil and Sriracha, so it's both sweet and spicy. Best Vegetarian Recipes Go to Recipe 21 of 34 Pink-Grapefruit-and-Avocado Salad © Quentin Bacon This salad is totally reflective of its creator, the iconic founder of Chez Panisse, Alice Waters. It's beautiful, minimalist and surprising. More Healthy Recipes Go to Recipe 22 of 34 Grilled Broccoli and Bread Salad with Pickled Shallots “Grilling over an open flame is my favorite way of cooking,” says Charlie Parker, who created this impressive, unique salad. “It gives food so much flavor without the need for butter.” Here, he serves lightly charred broccoli and ciabatta cubes in a twist on an Italian bread-and-tomato salad. Summer Grilling Go to Recipe 23 of 34 Bulgur Salad with Lightly Roasted Vegetables © Marie Hennechart Grain salads can make for satisfying, one-bowl vegan meals. The roasted vegetables here are crunchy-tender and slightly sweet, offset by lemony dressing. Bulgur Recipes Go to Recipe 24 of 34 Spinach Fettuccine with Tangy Grilled Summer Squash © Con Poulos Chef Amanda Cohen tosses herb fettuccine with pickled squash blossoms and grilled zucchini. This simplified recipe features squash that’s pickled and then grilled, plus freshly sautéed squash. The Best Vegetable Cooking Techniques Go to Recipe 25 of 34 Dan Dan Noodles © Quentin Bacon It’s worth seeking out vegan chow mein noodles (traditionally made with egg) to make this easy, spicy, peanutty dish. Global Recipe Guide Go to Recipe 26 of 34 Homemade Firm Tofu © Antonis Achilleos Tofu gets a lot of play in the vegan diet because it's packed with protein. For the best-ever version, try making your own. Tofu Recipes Go to Recipe 27 of 34 Stuffed Peppers with Thai Curry Rice and Mushrooms KANA OKADA Using fish sauce-free curry paste and the suggested grapeseed oil instead of butter keeps this main-course vegetable dish vegan. Summer Produce Guide Go to Recipe 28 of 34 Cabbage, Watercress and Pine Nut Dumplings Momofuku's notoriously pork-obsessed chef David Chang breaks type and goes healthful and meat-free with these light dumplings; just be sure to buy vegan wonton or gyoza wrappers. Dumpling, Gyoza and Pot Sticker Recipes 29 of 34 Carrot Osso Buco LUCY SCHAEFFER In Richard Blais's playful vegan take on osso buco (braised veal shanks), he braises very large pieces of carrots in red wine and mushroom broth until tender. Ground dried porcini mushrooms give the dish rich, meaty flavor. Vegetable Recipes Go to Recipe 30 of 34 Korean Sushi Rolls with Walnut-Edamame Crumble © Con Poulos Not all sushi has to be made with seafood. In this unusual vegan roll, edamame and walnuts are glazed with molasses and soy sauce. Video: Outdoor Party Ideas Go to Recipe 31 of 34 Eggplant Involtini with Grilled Ratatouille © Con Poulos Faux cheeses made with nuts are one key to vegan cooking. To stuff these involtini, chef Sean Baker re-creates the flavor of ricotta by combining pureed raw cashews with nutritional yeast, which has a very savory, almost cheese-like flavor and is available at well-stocked specialty and natural food stores. Vegan Grilling Recipes Go to Recipe 32 of 34 Grilled Polenta and Radicchio with Balsamic Drizzle Chef Ryan Poli became interested in vegan cooking because his girlfriend follows a mostly vegan diet. “It was difficult to cook for her at home,” he says. “I couldn’t just open the fridge and make something. I had to really think.” This relatively simple dish of grilled polenta and radicchio proves it's possible to create something deeply delicious, substantial and vegan with just a handful of ingredients. Summer Grilling Recipes Go to Recipe 33 of 34 Citrus Salad with Candied Ginger PHOTO © DAVE LAURIDSEN Fruit salad becomes an elegant dessert with spicy crystallized ginger and salted almonds. More Fast Recipes Go to Recipe 34 of 34 Apple Pie Granita Kana Okada Emeril Lagasse turns the warm sweet-spice flavors into a cold vegan dessert. Guide to Dessert Recipes Go to Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit