Some years ago, I had vegan sushi in San Francisco at Cha-Ya, a vegan sushi restaurant. Being raised vegetarian and spending most of my adult life as a vegan, I had never had sushi. Needless to say, it was so good! Since that time, I’ve become a big fan of veggie sushi rolls. And thus, […]
Paella is a rice dish that originated in Valencia, Spain. Saffron, a spice derived from crocus flowers, is one of the main seasonings. In addition to making the rice yellow, it has a distinct flavor that’s a bit like honey. It’s very expensive, but it doesn’t take much of it to flavor a dish. This […]
When my family went vegetarian in the 1980’s, my sister had to say goodbye to her favorite condiment, Worcestershire sauce. Sadly, it traditionally has anchovies in it, so that was that. Years later, The Wizard’s Organic Vegan Worcestershire Sauce would come out. And while a bit costly to buy a bottle at the store, it […]
Who doesn’t love a good vegan casserole dish? They are the very definition of “ugly food” (generally visually unattractive, but oh so comforting), and usually pretty easy to make. And if the flavor is done well, they’re a fast, family favorite. This Southwestern-inspired vegan chicken casserole recipe delivers on all these fronts. The soy curls […]
Is sun-dried tomato pesto vegan? Pesto usually has a hard cheese in it, like parmesan or pecorino. When in doubt, read the label, ask questions or better yet, make your own! This vegan sun-dried tomato pesto recipe is super simple. It uses fresh basil, walnuts, shallots, loads of garlic, a touch of balsamic vinegar, nutritional […]
As the holidays approach, I find that I want to do nothing but eat comfort food. To me, that’s vegan cabbage rolls, mounds of mashed potatoes, sauerkraut soups, cabbage and noodles, beet soup and yes, lots and lots of vegan pierogi! While the origin of pierogi is up for debate, it’s place in Central and […]
UVK has no shortage of excellent farro salad recipes, but this vegan farro dish is one of the best! It’s delicious warm or cold, makes a nice holiday or winter side dish, and packs a flavorful punch. The dressing has it all–olive oil infused with red onion, orange juice, orange zest, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard […]
Man, I love lentils. I love them in soups, burgers, and so many other vegan dishes. Maybe you love them too? This simple, delicious, super savory vegan mushroom lentil pot pie recipe is the perfect comfort food for cold nights, holiday celebrations and more. There’s major flavor synergy with the combination of tahini, soy sauce, […]
Cabbage soup is very common in Slavic cuisine. The “cabbage” in cabbage soup can refer to fresh cabbage or sauerkraut. And Russians, Poles, Slovaks and Ukrainians eat it a lot. Inspired by preparations of the Polish soup, kapuśniak, this vegan sauerkraut soup recipe shares many of the common ingredients, but does detour from tradition. I’m […]
When I started this blog in 2017, I had no idea that it would become what it is today. I want to thank you for supporting Ugly Vegan Kitchen (UVK) along the way! It means so much that you stop by, try recipes, tell other people about the blog, subscribe, share it on socials, and […]
This vegan Brussels sprout slaw recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, the holidays, or as a delicious winter salad. It’s easy. You blend the walnut dressing, chop some ingredients, and mix it all up in a large bowl. Simple! The real showstopper here is the creamy vegan walnut dressing. It’s oil free, gluten free and has […]
This vegan stuffed shells recipe has tofu ricotta, spinach and fennel bulb. It’s garlicky, savory and totally nut free. And best of all, it’s super delicious and easy to make. A few things… ・It takes awhile for the water to boil for the pasta shells. Use this time to make the filling for the stuffed […]
Many vegan green bean casserole recipes use cashews. Other recipes use coconut milk. In the spirit of making this dish accessible to those with nut allergies and also not reliant on coconut milk, UVK brings you this vegan green bean casserole recipe made with white beans! While it might seem daunting to make vegan green […]
Have you ever tried to make pumpkin soup with pumpkin puree? Maybe you’ve also discovered that canned pumpkin puree is pretty bland. If you want it to really shine in a soup, it requires the right spices, a good bouillon or stock, and pairing it with a roasted vegetable to bring out the best in […]
This is a delicious, easy sriracha tofu salad recipe. For a protein-packed meal, enjoy it solo. Or fill a tortilla with it with additional cucumber slices and fresh cilantro to make a tasty sriracha tofu wrap. Maybe add some cold orzo? And enjoy a Thai-inspired tofu orzo salad. It’s so versatile! A few things… ・Don’t […]
This recipe goes out to the hermetically sealed silken tofu that’s been living in my pantry for a year. It’s dutifully sat on the shelf ready for action. There’s a number of vegan silken tofu recipes that this bad boy could have been used in (creamy polenta, cheesy grits, Greek spinach pie, etc), but it […]
Smashed potatoes are steamed whole potatoes that you smash with a large spoon and then, you stir in some delicious seasonings, herbs, etc. They’re rustic and easy. This vegan smashed potatoes recipe uses Yukon Gold potatoes, but I have also used red potatoes with success in the past. Then, the steamed smashed potatoes are dressed […]
This vegan red bean soup recipe is inspired by preparations of Slovak Fazul’ová Polievka (or “bean soup”). There are many versions using different varieties of beans (like white beans, cranberry beans, red beans), meats (smoked bacon, sausage, etc), and add-ins (sour cream, vinegar, etc). However, most involve potatoes, carrots, and paprika in some way. Inspired, […]
This seitan steak sandwich recipe is delicious. It’s the perfect vegan sandwich for crushing hunger, because it’s just that hearty. And it’s really easy to make! A few things… ・You can use store bought or homemade seitan in this recipe. If you’re making your own seitan, it takes over an hour to prepare. Plan ahead. […]
This cold beet potato salad recipe is inspired by vinegret, a popular Russian and Ukranian salad. Beets, potatoes, carrots, onions and sauerkraut or diced pickles are staples in traditional preparations. It is also often dressed in additional brine from the sauerkraut or pickles, and sunflower oil. Positively delicious. While this recipe uses many of the […]
This Italian-inspired vegan eggplant pasta bake recipe is easy to make and a substantial meal. It’s filling and hearty. You don’t wonder later whether you ate dinner or not. You’ll know you did! And hopefully, it was a hit 🙂 Think of this baked vegan Italian eggplant dish as a bit like eggplant lasagna. It […]
This is a simple, homemade vegan baked beans recipe. As they slow simmer in the crock pot, the smell is positively heavenly–punctuated by maple syrup, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, and savory notes of onions and garlic. They are hard to resist. Native Americans first made the dish using beans, animal fat, and maple syrup that […]
This vegan avocado sushi recipe is the perfect summer meal. It’s flavorful, refreshing, crunchy and loaded with a sweet garlicky chili sauce. Yum! It uses one of my favorite condiments, Mae Ploy Sweet Chilli Sauce, which you can find all over the U.S. at major grocery stores. A few things… ・This recipe takes time. You’ll […]
Since the 80’s, my family has been making lasagna with tofu. Back then, we smashed up the tofu with our hands, and then, used it instead of ricotta. Easy peasy. As the years have gone by, I’ve stepped up my vegan ricotta game. This tofu ricotta recipe is still really easy to do, but packs […]
Is gazpacho vegan? Usually. Traditionally, the Spanish cold soup is vegan, but sometimes, it’s garnished with meat. And other times, the preparation uses ingredients that are not vegan. When in doubt, find out. This vegan gazpacho recipe couldn’t be easier. Like many modern gazpacho recipes, you add the ingredients to a blender, and blend. Simple. […]
This vegan pesto pasta salad recipe is quick, easy and tasty! By the time the fusilli pasta is done boiling, the rest of the ingredients are ready to go. If I had known vegan pesto with sunflower seeds was going to be this good, I would have done it sooner. Sunflower basil pesto doesn’t need […]
In the summer, my cousins and I would play outside all day. Periodically, we’d sneak into the refrigerator in the garage and eat icebox dill pickles. It’s one of my fondest childhood memories. And I still love dill pickles. For years, I wasted my money buying them at the store. But these days, I like […]
