recipes

Vegan Spicy Chipotle Crispy “Chicken” Sandwiches

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This recipe is inspired and modified from an incredible vegan “chicken” Caesar salad sandwich by Rabbit&Wolves. If you want another variation or spice isn’t your thing, I highly recommend you check out the original!

I realize these days the trend is all things ‘Nashville hot’ when it comes to sandwiches, burgers, and even more creative main courses (I saw someone post a photo of their “Nashville hot oysters”!). Supposedly the story is that a Nashville woman tried to murder her husband with the spiciest sandwich possible, thus Nashville hot was born. But as much as I love feeling my tongue on fire, sometimes I want a spice level that’s smokey and mellow, without losing the flavor and intensity. Enter chipotle, my go-to pepper for any smokey spicy meal. And I don’t think there’s a better way to enjoy chipotle peppers than in this crispy, crunchy, savory, creamy (from the avocado and chipotle mayo), sweet (from the caramelized onions) miracle of a sandwich. If you have been looking for a vegan hot sandwich to impress, or just get demolished, this is what you’ve been looking for.

For a version that feels slightly healthier, serve over a very lightly dressed spinach or kale salad instead of on a burger bun.

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Vegan Spicy Chipotle Crispy “Chicken” Sandwiches

Step aside Nashville Hot and enter chipotle and chorizo! These vegan sandwiches are crispy, crunchy, and spicy and will be your go-to when you're craving a chick'n burger.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort, Mexican
Diet: Vegan
Keyword: burger, chickn, comfort, sandwiches, spicy
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients

Chipotle Chick'n Patties

Chipotle Mayonaise

For Serving

  • 4 vegan burger buns
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cup caramelized onions optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and add them to a mixing bowl. Use a fork or a potato masher to mash them. You don't want any whole chickpeas left, but it's ok to still have some bigger pieces.
  • Add the wheat gluten, 1/3 of a cup of panko bread crumbs, 1 tbsp of the chorizo spice blend, and chipotle peppers and mix/mash until fully combined. Then add the olive oil and vegetable stock and stir until everything is fully combined.
  • Either in the bowl or on a cutting board, kneed the dough for 3-5 minutes, until it holds together very well and is getting a bit firm.
  • Divide the dough into 4 large or 8 small patties (or "chicken finger" shapes).
  • Add the remaining 2/3 cup of panko bread crumbs and 1 tbls of chorizo seasoning to a bowl and mix to combine. Then gently press the patties into the spiced bread crumbs, coating each side.
  • Place the coated patties on the baking tray, and bake for 30 minutes, flipping over after 15 minutes.
  • While the chick'n is cooking, prepare your toppings. Combine the vegan mayonnaise and chipotle peppers in a food processor and blend until completely combined. Taste for spice levels and add more pepper or mayo to your liking. Caramelize an onion if using (one yellow onion thinly sliced with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt over medium heat until completely soft and golden brown). Peel and slice the avocado, and toast the burger buns.
  • Once the patties are done, assemble the sandwiches layering the caramelized onions if using on the bottom bun, then the chipotle chick'n patty, then the sliced avocado. Top with a generous portion of the chipotle mayonnaise. Great served with roasted potatoes and a vinegary kale salad.
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recipes

Vegan Herby Polenta with Arugula Pesto and Roast Vegetables

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Whenever I remember polenta exists, I always feel badly I don’t cook with it more. The problem is it’s never as top of mind (or pantry) as rice or pasta, and when I’m thinking of healthy grains my mind goes straight to barely of quinoa so grits are really lost in the middle. But for whatever reason this week I had such a craving for polenta. Maybe because the weather has been so cold or maybe because I had a lot of leftover arugula pesto and a fridge full of tomatoes and herbs and somehow it just all came together.

This recipe is well suited to variations (don’t have boiler onions? Use large red onions very roughly chopped. Swap in mushrooms of your choice. Add winter root vegetables like turnips or parsnips. Swap the arugula for another leafy green. Use the herbs you have on hand.) but I recommend keeping the slow roasted tomatoes as they are the true stars!

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Vegan Herby Polenta with Arugula Pesto and Roast Vegetables

A warming, hearty winter dish that tastes as good as it looks. Vegan, gluten free, soy free, and delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Roast Vegetables

  • 14 oz cherry or grape tomatos
  • 12 oz cipollini or boiler onions
  • 1 lb shitake mushrooms
  • 4-6 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Pesto

  • 2 cup arugula or sub another leafy green of your choice. Spinach and kale work well.
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice from about half a lemon – save the rest for serving
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Herby Polenta

  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk optional – you can replace this with water so you have 4 cups total boiling liquid but it will be less creamy without it.
  • 1 cup polenta also known as corn grits
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp unsalted plant-based butter
  • 1/2 cup plant-based parmesan Violife and Whole Foods both carry a variety that work well
  • 1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 cup roughly chopped herbs Use what you have on hand. I used a combination of cilantro, parsley, and chives.
  • 1/2 lemon zest and juice to serve

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Peel the onions by trimming the top and dropping them in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from the water, rinse to cool, then peel the outer layer of skin. While the onions are cooling, you can wash and slice the mushrooms into thick slices, about the width of your thumb.
  • First, roast the vegetables. Place the tomatoes, whole peeled onions, mushrooms, and whole garlic cloves on a parchment lined baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to evenly coat all the vegetables.
  • Place the vegetables in the oven for one hour. You want the tomatoes to be blistered and wrinkled but still hold some shape.
  • While the vegetables are roasting, make the arugula pesto by combining all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulsing until completely combined. It will still have some texture but you shouldn't have unchopped pieces of greens or nuts.
  • When you have about 15-20 minutes left for the vegetables, you can start the polenta. Bring the water and plant milk to a low boil in a pot for which you have a lid then pour in the cup of polenta, stirring with a whisk as you do to avoid clumping. Add the baking soda and salt, and stir well. Cover the pot, turn the heat to the lowest setting, and let cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 to make sure the polenta doesn't stick.
  • After 15 minutes, add the plant butter, vegan parmesan, and nutritional yeast and stir until completely combined, another minute or two. Then remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the herbs.
  • Serve the dish by spooning a generous helping of polenta, then the pesto, then topped with the roast veggies. Add some lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice of the top to serve!
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recipes

Vegan Jerk Mushrooms with Pineapple Salsa

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I’m so excited to share this recipe for vegan jerk mushrooms with pineapple salsa and coconut rice! This dish brings back fond memories of my honeymoon on the JoCo Cruise in the Caribbean with my husband which, if you haven’t heard of it, is about the nerdiest activity possible. It’s basically Comicon on a boat combined with a floating board game convention headlined by a singer possibly best known for writing the theme song to a video game…. ANYway, the point is, this is all about Caribbean flavors! The combination of the spicy and sweet flavors from the jerk seasoning on the mushrooms paired with the juicy, tangy salsa and the creamy coconut rice is just pure bliss. The best part? You can adjust the spice levels to your liking, making it as mild or as spicy as you’d like. And if pineapple isn’t your thing, feel free to swap it out for mango or another tropical fruit of your choice. So without further ado, let’s get started on this flavor-packed vegan meal!

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Vegan Jerk Mushrooms with Pineapple Salsa and Coconut Rice

Vegan jerk mushrooms with a fresh and flavorful pineapple and bell pepper salsa! Serve with coconut rice for a meal absolutely packed with big bold flavors.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Servings: 2

Equipment

Ingredients

Jerk Mushrooms

  • 1 lb oyster mushrooms
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Pineapple Salsa

  • 2 cups pineapple, diced fresh or canned is fine
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/4 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped optional if you don't like cilantro
  • 1/2 jalapeno, finely diced remove the seeds for less spice, remove entirely for no spice
  • 1 lime
  • salt and pepper to taste

Coconut Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup water you can use coconut water for an extra coconut-y flavor here!

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Wash the mushrooms and pat them dry. Then separate them from the stalk and tear into rough pieces, so that no piece of mushroom is not much longer than your thumb or wider than half your palm. It's fine to have a couple of lager pieces in there – the small ones will crisp up while the bigger ones will have a meatier texture.
  • Take the remaining jerk mushroom ingredients and add them to a stainless steel mixing bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the mushroom pieces to the bowl and using either your hands or a spoon, stir to completely coat the mushrooms in the mixture. You can do this step up to a day in advance, but I recommend letting it sit in the marinade for at least 15 minutes (or while the oven finishes heating up!).
  • Place the mushrooms on a baking tray lined with parchment paper in an even layer, then roast for 25 minutes, tossing once about halfway through the cooking time.
  • Rinse the rice in a mesh colander until the water runs clear then add to a saucepan, for which you have the lid, with the coconut milk and water and place over medium heat. Once the liquid comes to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes are up, turn off the heat but leave the rice covered and on the stove until ready to serve, or at least 10 minutes more.
  • While the mushrooms and rice are cooking, make the salsa. Dice all of your fruits and vegetables, if not already chopped. Combine all ingredients except the lime in a bowl, then cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice from the lime over the salsa. Toss to combine.
  • Once the rice and mushrooms are done, remove the mushrooms from the oven and the rice from the stovetop and serve, with the mushrooms plated on top of the rice and the salsa on top of the mushrooms or on the side. Enjoy!
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recipes

Vegan Takeout-Style Korean Tofu

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Years ago, there was a Korean hole-in-the-wall takeaway restaurant near the University of Washington in Seattle. It was probably the best value for money in the area and a classic lunch would be a spicy Korean tofu, pile of rice, and crisp, fresh salad with a sesame dressing. The tofu was almost bright red from a then (to me) unknown spice of some kind. Since the restaurant is no longer there, I’ve been searching for a replacement for that perfect vegan Korean meal. This is the answer!

That bright red color comes from gochujang, a fermented red pepper pasted used in a lot of Korean cooking and you can swap the salad for whatever greens you have on hand. This meal is delicious with brown or white rice but the main tofu dish comes together in about 20 minutes so if you’re going for speed, white rice it is!

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Vegan Takeout-Style Korean Tofu

This deeply satisfying tofu dish has a bit of crispiness, a bit of spice, and a bit of sweetness, and is 100% vegan. Delicious with brown or white rice and a salad for a variation on a Korean takeaway classic. Plus it can be made in 15-20 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Korean, vegan
Keyword: asian, korean, tofu, vegan
Servings: 2

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 16 oz extra firm tofu
  • 2 tbsp gochujang
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil untoasted, for frying
  • 2 scallions to garnish
  • sesame seeds to garnish

Instructions

  • Remove the tofu from the package and pat dry. If desired, use a tofu press.
  • Whisk the gochujang, ketchup, maple syrup, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and crushed garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Cut the block of tofu into about one inch cubes, then put in a separate bowl from the gochujang mixture and sprinkle with the cornstarch, tossing with a spatula to distribute the cornstarch evenly.
  • Put the sesame oil in a non-stick frying pan large enough for all of the tofu pieces to fit in one layer and put over a medium-high heat. Add the tofu and fry until golden and crispy, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Remove the tofu from the pan (you can just put it back in the bowl it was in originally), then reduce the heat to low and pour in the gochujang sauce. Let it cook for a minute or two, until fragrant and the garlic is just cooked.
  • Add the tofu back to the pan with the warm sauce and stir to combine and fully coat the tofu in the sauce, another minute or two.
  • Serve with white or brown rice, a side salad or veggies, and topped with a generous spoonful of sesame seeds and the chopped scallions.
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recipes

Vegan “Cheater” 15 Minute Tofu Banh Mi Sandwiches

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Vegan "Cheater" 15 Minute Banh Mi
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Vegan “Cheater” 15 Minute Banh Mi Sandwiches

When you're craving a delicious vegan Vietnamese banh mi-style sandwich but are short on time, this "cheater" version of a tofu banh mi is ready in less than 15 minutes and still delicious! Note the instructions for how to avoid any measurements to speed up the process even more.
Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: vegan, Vietnamese
Keyword: lunch, sandwiches, vegan, vietnamese
Servings: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 1/2 block extra firm tofu
  • 1/4 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar or can substitute white vinegar
  • 1 tbls sugar
  • 1 tbls hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbls soy sauce
  • 1 tbls agave
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/8 cup vegan mayonnaise
  • cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced optional
  • 1 French baguette cut in half to make two sandwiches

Instructions

  • While I've provided exact measurements for this recipe, what makes this so quick and easy is that you really don't need to measure anything exactly. If you want to breeze through this from prep to plate as quickly as possible, feel free to note below where I say, 'For measurement-free prep."
  • Combine the shredded carrot and cabbage in a small bowl with the rice vinegar and sugar, toss it together with your hands, and set aside. For measurement-free prep, put your shredded veggies in a bowl and pour the rice vinegar over until just barely covering the veggies, then add a scant spoonful of sugar and toss to combine.
  • Combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, agave, and lime juice and whisk to combine. For measurement-free prep, note that the hoisin, soy sauce, and agave are a 1:1:1 ratio so just fill a large spoon with each sauce to add equal proportions of each, then add a splash of lime juice.
  • Slice the tofu block and place on a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Brush or use a spoon to lightly coat the tofu with the sauce. Flip the tofu slices every minute or so, coating with more sauce each time you flip it. You'll want the tofu to be well-seared, about 6-8 minutes.
  • Once you've coated the tofu a few times, add the mayonnaise to the remaining sauce and stir to combine. If it's completely liquid, add a bit more mayo (this will be spread directly on the bread so it can be runny but you don't want it to just run off).
  • Remove the tofu from the heat and assemble the sandwich. Spread a generous amount of the mayo-sauce mixture on the bread, then place the tofu slices, then some of the quick-pickled shredded veg, squeezing out any excess vinegar. Finally top with chopped cilantro and jalapeno if using. Serve immediately.
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