Ugly Vegan Kitchen

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…
Grilled Zucchini Spread

Across Russia, Ukraine and more, zucchini ikra is a cold vegetable spread that is popularly enjoyed on bread. Inspired by the tasty squash-centric ikra, I bring you this vegan grilled zucchini spread recipe with carrots, onions, tomatoes, dill and more. This recipe uses many of the common ingredients found in traditional recipes, so not much…
Thai Style Tofu Tacos

If you love Thai flavors, this is the vegan tofu tacos recipe for you! After marinating the tofu in Thai red curry, soy sauce and garlic, you either bake or grill it. Then, you add to a tortilla, and top with cucumber cabbage slaw, Thai basil, crushed roasted cashews (or peanuts) and serrano peppers. It’s…
Thai Red Curry Tofu or Tempeh Marinade

Originally, I was just going to fold this Southeast Asian inspired vegan Thai red curry tofu or tempeh marinade into this recipe. And while it’s excellent in those tacos, it can also be incorporated into your favorite salads, sandwiches, or even as a stand alone main. It’s great for any season. You can cook it…
Cucumber Cabbage Slaw with Thai Basil, Sriracha and Lime

Popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, Thai basil is sweet, and smells and tastes a bit like licorice. When I added it to this Thai-inspired vegan cucumber cabbage slaw recipe, the flavors suddenly jumped from “nice” to “on point”. Overall, the salad is a perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour and heat. And the Thai basil…
Vegan Pistachio Pesto

According to National Geographic, “Sicily is the only place in Italy that pistachios are grown” and “pistachio pesto is wonderful on pasta, bruschette, risotto and much more.” How delicious does that sound? Especially, if you, like me, positively love pistachios and Italian food. You can read the brief article here. As a long time lover…
Green Pea Soup with Spinach and Vegan Pistachio Pesto

Recipes really evolve over time. Sometimes, I have an idea for something, but the way it shows up in it’s final form is quite different. And this easy green pea soup recipe with spinach and vegan pistachio pesto is exactly that. If I told you how it started out on my notebook page, you might…
Quinoa Salad with Basil, Berries and Butternut Squash

Recently, I finished reading Finding Ultra by Rich Roll. The book focuses on how he became dependent on alcohol, found his way to sober, and turned to whole foods veganism and ultra endurance sports to change his life. At the very end, Rich provides some of his favorite recipes. This recipe for vegan quinoa salad…
Baked Barley with Chickpeas, Spinach and Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Inspired by Italian flavors, this is a hearty vegan baked barley recipe with chickpeas, spinach, homemade sun-dried tomato pesto, and a crispy garlic bread crumb topping. It answers the question, “What if I used barley instead of pasta in a casserole?” And I’ll tell you… the barley lends such a lovely chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor…
Smoky Lentil Sauerkraut Buns

While I put this vegan smoky lentil sauerkraut buns recipe together, I had a few things on my mind–kapustníky, pirozhki, and bierocks (or runzas). All are somewhat similar. And yet, they possess distinct differences, whether it’s their shapes, preparation (baked or fried), fillings, or even their size. Each proved to be quite inspirational. In the…
Vegan Potato Rolls

This is an easy vegan potato rolls recipe with all-purpose flour, turbinado sugar, dry active yeast, vegetable shortening and more. They’re moist, slightly sweet, and buttery. The smell as they bake in the oven… wow. And they’d make a great edition to your dinner table or holiday spread (Easter, Thanksgiving and more). This recipe makes…
Tempeh Sandwich with Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions and Artichokes

This is an easy vegan recipe for a grilled tempeh sandwich with mushrooms, caramelized onions and artichokes. It’s savory, gooey, toasted, and basically a showstopper. No shade on reubens (I love them too! I mean, sauerkraut!!), but this is yet another way to enjoy tempeh on a hot sandwich. And honestly, it shouldn’t be missed!…
Root Vegetable Soup with Fresh Herbs and Chickpeas

I’d like to think this recipe for vegan root vegetable soup with fresh herbs and chickpeas transitions nicely from winter to spring. It’s loaded with celeriac, parsnips, carrots and potatoes, but then, finished with copious amounts of fresh parsley, dill and chives. It’s light and brothy, but still satisfying. And that little bit of allspice?…
Chickpea Pizza Salad with Marinated Mushrooms and Black Olives

This vegan chickpea pizza salad recipe has it all—marinated mushrooms, black olives, pepperoncini, chopped tomatoes, herbs and spices. It’s everything I love about a good veggie slice, but sans crust. You can enjoy it any time of year. It holds up well, which makes it a terrific candidate for packed lunches and picnics. And it…
Marinated Mushrooms with Garlic, Fennel Seed, and Hungarian Paprika

This is an easy vegan marinated mushrooms recipe with red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Hungarian sweet paprika, fennel seed, mustard powder and more. It’s savory, pickled shroom deliciousness. And it takes less than 20 minutes to put together. They’re terrific in salads, enjoyed on a charcuterie board, or eaten alone (or even one at…
Almond Apricot Muffins

This is an easy vegan almond apricot muffins recipe with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, quick oats and more. I like that it uses dried fruit, because it transcends seasonality. You can enjoy them any time 💚 This recipe makes ~12 muffins. A few things… Discover other UVK recipes, like Vegan California Benedict with Portobello Mushroom, Lemon…
Wintry Three Bean Salad

After the holidays, I find myself on the prowl for something less rich to eat. I just know that I’ve eaten a lot of X, so now, I’m in the mood for Y. And that’s where this wintry vegan recipe for three bean salad with green beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, fennel seed, thyme, citrus juice,…
Vegan Biscuits and Gravy

This is an easy vegan biscuits and gravy recipe with TVP “sausage”, blanched slivered almonds, raw cashews and more that’s perfect for breakfast or any time. The vegan breakfast gravy is oil and gluten free. And while I used store bought plant based biscuits, you could certainly use your favorite recipe. It’s everything I love…
Vegan Cheese Ball with Pecans and Cranberries

Inspired by Miyoko’s Creamery Roadhouse Cheddar Spread, I put together this vegan cheese ball recipe with cashews, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, miso, and covered it in chopped pecans and dried cranberries. Some of the ingredients are similar to the store bought variety, but I’ve also taken some liberties to infuse flavor and dress it up…
Tempeh Marinade with Garlic, Thyme, and Hungarian Paprika

This easy savory garlic thyme tempeh marinade recipe has reduced sodium soy sauce, stone ground mustard, Hungarian sweet paprika, and more. The first time I cooked up it up, we just ate it right out of the skillet. It never made it to our plates. But if you have more restraint that we did, this…
Carrot Kasha Pierogi

Recently, I came across an article about Zuza Zak, the author of the cookbook, Pierogi. In it, she discusses a Lublin pierogi filled with twaróg cheese, roasted buckwheat and sugar. It wasn’t the first time I’ve read about a kasha pierogi, but I was certainly intrigued! So, I did some thinking about what I would…