Vegan polenta served with white beans, a mélange of vegetables + herby oil

Polenta hits the spot any time of year because it is so flexible — and it’s tasty with whatever vegetables are in your fridge. Use 1 part polenta to 3 parts liquid. If you have the time, broil some crispy cubed tofu to top each bowl.

Ingredients

• homemade vegetable broth, store-bought broth, or water
• medium- or coarse-ground polenta
• salt
• red pepper flakes
• dried or fresh rosemary, chopped
• dried or fresh basil, slivered
• parsley, chopped
• nutritional yeast
• vegan butter (optional)
• olive oil
• onion, chopped
• mushrooms, thickly sliced or quartered
• sun-dried tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, chopped
• greens (Swiss chard, spinach, kale, and/or beet greens), slivered
• fresh lemon juice
• garlic, minced
• cooked white beans
• freshly ground pepper
• almond slices or slivers

Method

1. In a saucepan, add the broth. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta continuously for about 30 seconds to avoid lumps. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is completely cooked, at least 30 minutes. When done, stir in some red pepper flakes, rosemary, some of the basil, half of the parsley, nutritional yeast, and vegan butter or olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium heat, warm some olive oil. Add onion and mushrooms and cook until browned. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook about 5 minutes. Add greens, half of the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and continue to cook until greens are cooked the way you like. Stir in garlic, white beans, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for a minute, remove from the heat, and cover to keep warm.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining parsley and basil, some red pepper flakes, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper until smooth.
4. Serve the polenta topped with the vegetable-bean mixture, some almonds, and a drizzle of the herby oil.

Vegan Italian-inspired soup with beans + greens served over toasted bread

Here’s a one-bowl meal that ticks all the boxes: tasty, healthy, and satisfying! See for yourself.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• onion, diced
• mushrooms, thickly sliced or quartered
• carrot, cut into chunks
• garlic, minced
• tomato paste, chopped tomato, or pasta sauce
• dry sherry
• fresh or dried thyme leaves
• fresh rosemary
• super-firm tofu or seasoned tofu, cubed
• cooked white beans or beans of choice
• red pepper flakes
• homemade vegetable broth, store-bought broth, or water
• nutritional yeast
• greens (such as kale, chard, collards, spinach, or beet greens), slivered
• parsley, chopped
• balsamic vinegar
• salty options: olives, soy sauce, prepared mustard, liquid aminos, miso, sauerkraut, capers, kosher salt
• bread of choice, toasted and cubed

Method

1. In a large saucepan or pot over medium heat, warm some olive oil. Add the onion, mushrooms, and carrot and cook until they begin to soften. Add half of the garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Stir in a little tomato paste and cook, stirring, 30 seconds longer. Stir in some sherry, thyme, rosemary, and tofu. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and simmer about 5 minutes. Add beans, red pepper flakes, and  broth to cover and simmer about 20 minutes. Stir in some nutritional yeast, the greens, parsley, and remaining garlic and cook until the greens are cooked the way you like. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with vinegar and/or a salty option.
2. Put toasted bread cubes in each bowl, ladle some soup on top, and serve.

Vegan cabbage salad with beans, fresh herbs + lemon vinaigrette

A main-course salad with refreshing herbs and lemon — a true flavor journey. 

Ingredients

• cooked or canned beans of choice
• red onion, diced
• red radishes, sliced, or daikon, diced
• carrot, diced
• cabbage, shredded
• super-firm tofu, cubed 
• fresh parsley, minced
• fresh dill, minced
• sunflower seeds or seeds of choice
• extra-virgin olive oil
• fresh lemon juice (Meyer lemon, if possible)
• garlic, minced
• nutritional yeast
• hot sauce (optional)
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine beans, onion, radishes, carrot, cabbage, tofu, parsley, dill, and sunflower seeds.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, and hot sauce until emulsified. Pour dressing over the salad and toss until well-combined.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and/or other seasonings and serve.

Vegan winter taco salad with spicy tofu

There’s something so comforting about a warm taco salad with spicy-saucy tofu and crunchy tortillas or chips. To make the salad even more satisfying, add cooked brown rice to each bowl.

Ingredients

• super-firm tofu, cut into cubes or fingers
• sriracha, jarred salsa, or hot sauce
• tomato paste
• dark balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
• dried oregano
• ground cumin
• ground coriander
• kosher salt
• homemade vegetable broth, store-bought broth, or water
• olive oil
• white or yellow onion, diced
• mushrooms, sliced
• greens of choice (such as kale, chard, collards, or beet greens), sliced
• garlic, minced
• lettuce, ripped into pieces, and/or cabbage, shredded
• red onion, sliced into thin quarter-moons
• cooked or canned beans of choice
• frozen corn kernels
• cilantro, chopped 
• toasted corn tortillas or tortilla chips

Method

1. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the tofu in one layer on the baking sheet. Broil until firm, about 30 minutes. Flip and broil 3 minutes longer.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together sriracha, tomato paste, vinegar, oregano, cumin, coriander, a pinch of salt, and a splash of broth until well-combined. 
3. Transfer the tofu to a bowl. Pour over the sauce and toss to combine. Set aside.
4. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm some olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add mushrooms and cook until starting to brown. Deglaze with a splash of broth, add the greens, cover, and cook until the greens are cooked the way you like. Add the garlic, cover, and turn off the heat.
5. To each individual bowl, add some lettuce and/or cabbage, red onion, warmed beans, and corn kernels. Spoon on the warm vegetable mixture. Top with the spicy tofu, some cilantro, and toasted tortillas or chips, and serve.

Vegan Instant Pot smoky bean, tempeh + vegetable chili

Here’s a hearty, warming vegetable chili perfect wherever you might be experiencing winter — with a complexity well worth the longer ingredient list. Great served over your grain of choice.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• tempeh, crumbled
• onion, cut into half-moons
• carrot, cut into chunks
• mushrooms, diced
• potato, cubed
• sun-dried tomatoes
• light or dark beer of choice
• spices: coriander powder; cumin powderl turmeric; chile powder; and smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or liquid smoke
• herbs: dried or fresh sage, dried or fresh rosemary
• garlic, minced
• beans of choice, soaked and drained
• homemade vegetable broth or store-bought broth
• cauliflower, chopped
• cabbage, shredded
• greens (such as kale, chard, beet greens, collards), chopped
• miso
• nutritional yeast
• vinegar (such as balsamic vinegar and/or apple cider vinegar)

Method

1. Set to Sauté and warm the oil in the Instant Pot. Add the tempeh and cook until starting to brown. Add the onion and carrot and cook until the onion is soft. Stir in the mushrooms, potato, and sun-dried tomatoes. Deglaze the pan with the beer and cook a couple of minutes. Stir in the spices, herbs, and half of the garlic. Add the beans with vegetable broth to cover by 1 inch.
2. Cancel and set to Beans/Chili for 20 minutes on high pressure. Let the pressure release manually (usually takes about 25 minutes).
3. Remove the lid. Set to Sauté. Check that the beans are soft. If not, cook until done. If cooked, add the cauliflower and cabbage and cook until soft. Add the remaining garlic and the greens and stir until wilted. Press Cancel. Stir in some miso and nutritional yeast. Taste and adjust the seasoning with vinegar, more herbs/spices, or whatever is needed and serve.

Vegan summer white bean stew with corn, squash + green beans (gluten-free)

Some people love traditional succotash (at a minimum, green lima beans and corn), and some people hate it. Here’s an updated version to please everyone! Lots of ingredients, but as usual, include only what you like or what you have on hand. Great served over brown rice or your pasta of choice.

Ingredients

• uncooked white beans of choice, soaked in water for a few hours or overnight, or canned white beans, rinsed and drained
• olive oil
• onion, diced, or spring onion, white part diced and green tops sliced
• mushrooms, sliced
• potatoes, cubed
• green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• summer squash (such as zucchini, patty pan, crookneck, or opo), cut into quarter-moons
• jalapeño chile, minced
• super-firm tofu, cubed
• vegetable broth or water
• corn kernels
• garlic, minced
• turmeric powder
• freshly ground pepper
• fresh or dried basil
• fresh or dried thyme
• a spoonful of miso

Method

1. If using uncooked white beans, cook the beans in a saucepan, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot with some olive oil, onion, and dried thyme until completely soft. Set aside. If using canned white beans, add them to the stew when directed in step 2.
2. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm some olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and barely golden. Add the mushrooms and potatoes and cook until the mushrooms start to brown. Stir in the green beans, summer squash, jalapeño, and tofu and cook until the green beans begin to turn bright green, adding some broth or water so the mixture doesn’t stick. Stir in the white beans, corn, garlic, and turmeric. Cook until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes longer. 
3. Turn off the heat. Scoop a ladle of some of the hot stew liquid and dissolve the miso into the liquid. Pour back into the stew and stir to combine. Stir in basil and thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more miso and herbs and serve.

Vegan bean + vegetable casserole with crispy cornbread topping

This satisfying combo of beans, veggies, and cornbread is a total winner with great taste and texture. The recipe calls for cooked or canned beans and cooked winter squash, so if you have those leftovers in your fridge, feel free to use them — or cook up the beans and roast or microwave the winter squash first. Inspired by a post on veggieinspired.com.

Ingredients: Casserole

• olive oil
• onion, diced
• mushrooms, chopped
• veggies of choice (such as sweet pepper, potato, golden beet, zucchini, fennel bulb, etc.), diced
• cooked dried beans or canned beans of choice (two or more varieties, if you like)
• super-firm tofu, cubed
• tomato sauce or pasta sauce and/or chopped fresh tomatoes
• winter squash (such as butternut, honeynut, delicata, etc.), microwaved or roasted and flesh scooped out
• tamari, soy sauce, or Bragg aminos
• sriracha
• balsamic vinegar or vinegar of choice
• prepared mustard of choice
• liquid smoke or smoked paprika
• turmeric
• freshly ground pepper
• greens (such as kale, chard, collards, or beet greens), slivered
• dried or fresh oregano
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• garlic, minced
• green onion, thinly sliced

Ingredients: Cornbread topping

• 1¼ cups cornmeal or polenta
• ¾ cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups unsweetened plant milk of choice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. For the casserole: In a large dutch oven, ovenproof frying pan, or regular frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, without stirring, until starting to brown. Add the mushrooms and veggies of choice and cook until softened. Add the cooked beans, tofu, tomato sauce, winter squash, tamari, sriracha, vinegar, mustard, liquid smoke, turmeric, and pepper. Stir well and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding water if the mixture starts to stick, 15 minutes. Add the kale, oregano, cilantro, garlic, and green onion and stir to combine.
2. Preheat the oven to 400º. If not using a dutch oven or ovenproof pan, pour the bean mixture into a casserole dish.
3. For the cornbread topping: In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the milk and olive oil. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Gently pour the cornbread topping over the top of the bean mixture and lightly smooth into an even layer so the cornbread stays on top of the bean mixture as much as possible.
4. Bake, covered with a lid or aluminum foil, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cornbread topping comes out clean, about 25 minutes. If desired, broil uncovered to crisp up the topping. Let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan mushroom quinoa sauté with fresh herbs + garlic

Here, quinoa gets a flavor lift from fresh mushrooms, herbs, and garlic. And if you have some leftover cooked chickpeas, lentils, or beans, feel free to add them to the mix. Use 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid. What’s not to like?

Ingredients

• olive oil
• mushrooms of choice (such as button, cremini, and shiitake), thickly sliced
• onion, diced
• quinoa (about ½ cup), rinsed and drained
• miso paste, dissolved in hot water (about 1 cup)
• cooked beans or legumes of choice (optional)
• green onions, thinly sliced
• mixed fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley, and/or cilantro), chopped
• garlic, minced
• freshly ground pepper

Method

1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the mushrooms in one layer and cook, without stirring, so they can brown a bit. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Stir in the miso water. Turn down the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid. Stir in the cooked beans or legumes, green onions, herbs, garlic, and pepper. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve.

Vegan pasta salad with artichoke hearts + roasted red peppers (gluten-free)

This tangy antipasto salad is a real winner. The salad ingredient list looks long, but feel free to pick what to include. Either make the recipe’s Italian-type dressing from scratch or use the marinade from the jarred marinated artichoke hearts. If you have the time, consider marinating the red onion slices in your favorite vinegar for at least 15 minutes in the fridge, then drain — saving the vinegar for another use, like in this salad’s dressing!

Dressing (optional; see headnote)

• extra-virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• red wine vinegar
• garlic cloves, minced
• dried sage
• dried oregano
• olive tapenade, chopped olives, or kosher salt

Salad

• whole-wheat or brown rice pasta of choice (such as fusilli, penne, or shells)
• cooked white beans
• pitted Kalamata olives, whole or sliced, or olive tapenade
• marinated artichoke hearts, or canned or frozen artichoke hearts, rinsed and halved
• store-bought roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
• red onion, cut into quarter-moons (see headnote for how to marinate)
• lettuce leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
• radishes, sliced
• green onions, thinly sliced
• pine nuts
• chopped fresh parsley
• chopped fresh basil
• dried oregano, or fresh oregano, chopped

Method

1. If making the dressing: Whisk together all of the ingredients until emulsified.
2. Cook the pasta until al dente, following the package instructions. Drain and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the white beans, olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, red onion, lettuce, radishes, and green onions. Stir in the pasta, then the pine nuts, parsley, basil, and oregano. Toss until well-combined and serve.

 

 

Vegan smoky red cabbage and white bean stew (gluten-free)

What makes this stew smoky? A few drops of liquid smoke, some smoked paprika, and chipotle chile powder. If you plan to include chipotle and you have dried chipotles in your pantry, cut them into small pieces using kitchen shears, soak them in hot water in a a glass measuring cup, and add it all when you add the broth. Inspired by a recipe from Rancho Gordo (consider getting your dried beans from them, and, if you’re a bean addict, join their bean club!).

Ingredients

• dried large white beans, soaked and drained, or canned white beans, rinsed and drained
• homemade vegetable broth, store-bought broth, or water
• olive oil
• onion, chopped
• poblano chile, chopped, or celery, sliced
• red cabbage, shredded
• red wine or dry sherry
• liquid smoke
• canned diced tomatoes
• smoked paprika
• chipotle chile powder (see note; optional)
• minced garlic
• sprigs of fresh rosemary or dried rosemary
• fresh sage leaves, sliced, or dried sage
• miso or kosher salt

Method

1. Using an Instant Pot, pressure cooker, large covered saucepan, or however you cook dried beans, cook the soaked beans in broth or water to cover until completely soft. Drain, reserving the bean cooking liquid.
2. In the same pot or a large soup pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and poblano or celery, stir, and cook until softened. Stir in the cabbage and cook until it starts to soften. Add a few splashes of wine or sherry, a few drops of liquid smoke, the tomatoes, paprika, and chipotle chile powder or soaked chipotles with soaking water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat a bit, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are completely soft. Add the cooked beans with the reserved bean broth or the canned beans, plus more vegetable broth or water to reach your consistency of choice. Add the garlic, rosemary, and sage and bring to a simmer.
3. Remove from the heat. If using miso, fill a glass measuring cup with some of the stew broth, add the miso, and whisk until completely dissolved, and stir into the stew. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.