Ugly Vegan Kitchen

Vegan Whole Wheat Biscuits

For the most part, I try to avoid making baked goods. I find that processed versions work just fine. Whether its to cut costs or have more control over the ingredients, I find myself making more and more from scratch. With those two things guiding me, I put together this easy vegan whole wheat biscuits…
Snap Pea Salad with Radishes, Carrots and Vegan Honey Mustard Dressing

Perfectly suited for spring, this is a super easy snap pea salad recipe with radishes, carrots, arugula, red onions and a homemade vegan honey mustard dressing. This salad is flavorful, fresh and makes an excellent side dish. This recipe makes ~4-6 servings. Two things… Delicious plant based flavor can be easy to accomplish! Discover other…
Tempeh Steak, Baby Potatoes and Broccoli Skillet

This is an easy vegan tempeh steak, baby potatoes and broccoli skillet recipe with an absolutely delicious marinade packed with plant based Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, rosemary and all the good stuff. It’s savory, hearty and a relative snap to pull off in the kitchen. This recipe makes ~4 servings. Two things… I hope this…
Farro Salad with Radicchio, Mandarin Orange, Pear, and Fennel

This vegan recipe for farro salad with radicchio, mandarin orange, pear and fennel has wintry, Italian vibes. Basically, I wanted to make a salad where radicchio would play a starring role, and this is where we landed. It’s flavorful, hearty, makes an outstanding side dish, packed lunch, or potluck salad to share. This recipe makes…
Vegan Pickle Soup

Traditional preparations of Polish zupa ogórkowa are brothy, and include ingredients like potatoes, brine, or grated fermented pickles. Variations can include sour cream. Because I love creamy-sour flavors, this is a rich vegan pickle soup recipe with cashew cream, carrots, celery and all the good stuff. It’s absolutely delicious and perfect for the dead of…
Lentil Salad with Shiitake Mushrooms, Spinach and Miso Mustard Dressing

This is a super simple, flavorful vegan lentil salad recipe with shiitake mushrooms, spinach, and a homemade miso mustard dressing. Like most UVK recipes, it involves opening some cans (or boiling lentils), rinsing off the lentils, sautéing a few ingredients and then, mixing everything in a bowl. And BOOM, you’ve got an amazing side dish.…
Vegan Cheesy Soy Curls Noodle Casserole

For a few months, I was working on an entirely different dish for this time of year. It failed repeatedly. And I finally decided I needed to take a break from trying to improve it. Enter this vegan cheesy soy curls noodle casserole recipe–a bit like chicken, but absolutely not, loaded with savory goodness, and…
Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce

I first developed a version of this vegan cashew cheese sauce recipe for this cheesy tator tot casserole. Since that time, I have leaned on some version of it for other recipes, like this queso or this broccoli cheese soup. When you find a winning combination, why change course?! After awhile, I thought it was…
Roasted Cabbage Soup

Perhaps, you also love cabbage in all it’s many forms–sautéed, braised, raw, steamed, and more. I love how it can quietly compliment a dish or be the entire focus. And in this vegan roasted cabbage soup recipe, it’s definitely the star. Teed up by ingredients that bring out the best in it (apple cider vinegar,…
Vegan Mocha Rye Pancakes with Chocolate Chips and Raspberries

In my household, I breakout this vegan mocha rye pancakes recipe with chocolate chips and fresh raspberries when it’s time to entertain guests for breakfast or brunch. They’re a little fancy with the ingredients, but not complicated to execute. I hope you find they hit the spot! This recipe makes ~6-8 pancakes. A few things……
Collard Green Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Raisins and Pumpkin Seeds

This vegan collard green salad recipe with roasted sweet potatoes, raisins and pumpkin seeds almost didn’t make it to the table. Why? Because after tasting it, I was busy shoveling in my mouth. The generous explanation would be that it was late in the day and I was really hungry, but the truth is, it’s…
Vegan Pumpkin Pot Pie

With the holidays swiftly approaching, it seemed like the right time to come up with a main entree that tastes like Thanksgiving, but could be easy enough to enjoy throughout the fall and winter season. And thus, I was inspired to create this savory vegan pumpkin pot pie recipe with soy curls (or cannellini beans),…
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Muesli

At the beginning of the 20th century, Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner, a Swiss physician, unwittingly created the OG overnight breakfast oats, muesli. He was trying to conceive of a healthy appetizer to have at the start of every meal. While his vision of replacing bread and butter did not come to pass, millions of people around…
Wild Rice Pilaf with Toasted Pecans, Dried Cherries and Mushrooms

I love wild rice. It’s loaded with fiber, protein and zinc. It’s got a nice earthy and nutty flavor. And I’ll look for any excuse to use it, like this easy vegan wild rice pilaf recipe with toasted pecans, dried cherries, mushrooms and more. It’s great as a fall side dish, as a part of…
Vegan Sauerkraut Apple Pierogi

Over the summer, I was obsessed with the vegetable section of Olia Hercules’ cookbook, Summer Kitchens: Recipes and Reminiscences from Every Corner of Ukraine. Because I am a sucker for all things sauerkraut, I found myself making one of her offerings (apple, celery and sauerkraut salad) over and over again. As I thought about the…
Vegan Pumpkin Bread

This is an easy vegan pumpkin bread recipe with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and more. It also has less sugar than many traditional recipes, but is still flavorful and delicious. It takes one bowl and around an hour of baking time. It’s moist, loaded with spice, and perfect for fall, snacking and breakfast.…
Beet Apple Salad

This is an easy vegan beet apple salad recipe with ground coriander, fresh (or dried) tarragon, sherry vinegar, a bit of minced red onion, and lacinato kale. The kale is 100% optional, but adds texture and bitter contrast to the predominately sweet flavors of the dish. I liked it with or without the kale, so…
Sweet Potato Sushi Rolls with Maitake Mushrooms, Spinach and Sesame Ginger Garlic Sauce

This is a vegan sweet potato sushi roll recipe with maitake mushrooms, fresh spinach, and a ginger garlic sesame sauce. Roasting the sweet potato caramelizes the external sugar, which adds flavor and texture. The maitake mushrooms bring a rich umami earthy, nutty quality that pairs beautifully with the ginger garlic sesame sauce. And the spinach brings freshness, bitterness…
Vegan Slow Cooker Okra, Sweet Corn and Tomato Stew

When the late summer hits, it’s okra time! I try to get my hands on it at the market, but it often sells out fast. Other times, I score! And when I do, I feel so lucky, because it means a delicious dish is on it’s way. And this easy vegan slow cooker okra, sweet…
Vegan Cold Cucumber Soup

Tarator can refer to a soup, appetizer or sauce, depending on where you are or who’s making it. In Bulgaria, it’s a refreshing cold summer soup that’s served in a bowl or a glass. Inspired by Bulgarian tarator, this is an easy vegan cold cucumber soup recipe with fresh dill, walnuts, garlic and more. Traditionally, Bulgarians use whole…
Green Bean and Tomato Salad

Every summer, I plant a robust garden, which can result in a bounty of fresh produce. This vegan Italian-inspired green bean and tomato salad recipe was a great way to use some of that delicious harvest. All you have to do is infuse the olive oil with garlic, steam the green beans and mix it all in…
Grilled Seitan with Italian Salsa Verde

Salsa verde is a classic herby Italian condiment from the Piedmont region that’s often paired with grilled meats or veggies. While there seem to be as many versions as there are cooks, anchovies, hard boiled eggs, and other non-vegan ingredients can sometimes be a part of the sauce. To keep this a totally vegan recipe, I…
Vegan Creamy Italian Dressing

Like many Americans, I have a love affair with condiments. I put ranch on pizza and copious amounts of ketchup on fries. I wouldn’t dream of eating a veggie burger without some variety of sauces, pickles, and more. And any excuse is a good one to make this homemade vegan creamy Italian recipe with cashews,…
Vegan Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

This is a tasty vegan creamy Italian pasta salad recipe with homemade croutons, fresh basil, juicy tomatoes, pickled red onion, and a dynamite cashew-based dressing. It answers the question, “What if panzanella was a rich plant based pasta salad?” And I hope you’ll also come to the conclusion that it’s a nice blend of Italian…