I'm A Vegan Food Editor At Delish—Here's How I Make Our Most Popular Recipes
I’ve been vegan for over 10 years, and though the world has gotten much better at understanding what that means, I still often struggle to find menus that have more than just a hummus plate and fries for me, or find myself having to explain again how, “no, chicken broth actually means I can’t eat that, so sorry.” Though I’m always happy to answer any questions, I am regularly baffled at how people seem to have no idea what to cook for me. If you can relate, but want to get better at vegan cooking for yourself or someone you love, this list of our top plant-based swaps is for you.
I could wax on forever about how being vegan is, in fact, what taught me to cook (learning to approximate the flavor/texture of old faves is a uniquely rewarding experience), but even more than that, it taught me to appreciate really good food. It’s often just as easy as making a few swaps, and Delish has already done a lot of the work for you. With that in mind, I rounded up some of our top vegan and vegetarian recipes that swapped in alternative ingredients or cooking methods. They’re full of the same flavor and vibe that you love, but no meat!
I’m all about utilizing store-bought vegan versions of existing ingredients, but I'm of the opinion that it's all about balance, so I've included some of those, as well as some perennial vegan favorites like tofu, tempeh, or beans. I’ll die on the hill that vegan mayonnaise is better than the eggy kind, and I’m a big fan of Beyond Beef, Daring Chicken, and other similar products, but you can also make great meatless meals with a can of chickpeas and some cauliflower. Try making these recipes, then use what you’ve learned and experiment with adding them to even more of your favorite recipes. Want some help? Leave me a comment below with any questions!
Sesame Tofu & Broccoli Instead Of Chicken Or Beef & Broccoli
In this vegetarian version of the Chinese-American favorite, oven-baked tofu gets tossed in a savory, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce along with crisp-tender broccoli, then topped with toasty sesame seeds and scallions. If you're the type to turn to a stir-fry for dinner most nights, you've gotta try replacing your meat with tofu. THIS is the recipe that'll convert any (alleged) tofu haters in your household.
Seitan Piccata Instead Of Chicken Piccata
Salmon piccata and chicken piccata are some of the crowning achievement of Italian-American cooking, but they're not the end all of what you should be using that buttery, briny citrus sauce on. We really dig it drizzled over plant-based, high-protein "wheat meat" in our seitan piccata (pictured) or paired with meaty fungi in our mushroom piccata pasta.
Marry Me Chickpeas Instead Of Marry Me Chicken
Our original Marry Me chicken might be an Internet sensation, but you can still enjoy these creamy, Italian-inspired flavors if you don't eat meat. Our Marry Me chickpeas (pictured), Marry Me pasta, and Marry Me tofu are all coming for the crowd of most romantic vegetarian dinner. The developer, food editor Taylor Ann Spencer, even said the beans had her husband considering proposing for a second time—how's that for an endorsement?
BBQ Pulled Mushrooms Instead Of Pulled Pork
There's nothing like pulled pork or chicken piled high onto a bun, and you can achieve it even without the meat. Chewy, sticky, and super satisfying, these BBQ pulled mushrooms is so meaty we believe it could convince even the biggest of mushroom haters that these veggie heroes aren't so bad after all. Plus, they're fab for vegetarian BBQ guests.
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings Instead Of Buffalo Chicken Wings
Classic buffalo wings are a staple at bars and game day parties, but when we're craving something a bit lighter—or need to please plant-based guests—recipes like cauliflower wings (pictured), our buffalo tempeh wings, or our fried Buffalo artichoke hearts are the vegetarian alternatives we turn to again and again....and, again. They've got all the spice you love, without any of the weirdness (gristle, bone, etc.) that can come from chicken wings.
Vegan Crunchwrap Instead Of A Regular Crunchwrap
Taco Bell is well-known for being relatively vegan-friendly, at least as far as fast food options go, and their black bean crunchwrap is a forever fave. That said, you do have to order it without dairy, so no queso or sour cream, and avocado is an upcharge. When you make yours at home, on the other hand, you can customize to your heart's content! Our vegan crunchwrap features a satisfying creamy vegan queso dip and meaty lentils, but feel free to get creative.
Sweet & Sour Tofu Instead Of Sweet & Sour Chicken
Sweet & sour sauce is a staple across Chinese-American restaurant menus—and for good reason. The combination of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors pairs well with virtually every protein, and especially tofu. This sweet & sour tofu truly shines (even the tofu haters in your household will ask for seconds).
Veggie Burgers Instead Of Beef Burgers
Veggie burgers (pictured) might seem like the obligatory vegetarian alternative at a grill-out, but that doesn’t mean they can’t taste glorious in their own right. Lucky for you, we’ve got tons of options for meatless burgers, like our copycat Shake Shake shroom burger, our shroomami burger, or our black bean burger that all go wonderfully with all those summery sides.
Creamy Tuscan Vegan Pasta Instead Of Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Year after year, our creamy Tuscan chicken is at the top of the list of our most-beloved recipes, and I'm here to prove that what's great about it isn't the chicken. Instead, it's all about how fast it comes together and how delectably creamy that sauce is, which holds true even when you skip the meat in lieu of pasta (like we did in our creamy vegan Tuscan pasta, pictured, or our Tuscan butter gnocchi) or beans (like we did in our creamy Tuscan white bean skillet).
Cauliflower Tacos Instead Of Fish Tacos
These air fryer cauliflower tacos are basically the vegan version of our popular fish tacos. The air fryer makes them SO crispy. We add finishing touches in the form of a quick and easy pickled slaw for a bite of freshness and a spicy mayo for a touch of heat.
Mozzarella Schnitzel Instead Of Pork Schnitzel
Like chicken and pork schnitzel before it, mozzarella schnitzel is crispy (thanks to a golden breadcrumb crust), and pairs perfectly with a mustard sauce as a special occasion dinner main. Your guests will FLIP over that cheese pull. Not a huge cheese person? We've got you too. Check out our cabbage schnitzel for a more veggie-forward take.
Nashville Hot Cauliflower Instead Of Nashville Hot Chicken
Nashville hot chicken may be king in the land of regional American food, but Nashville hot cauliflower is close on its heels. Coated in hot sauce-spiked buttermilk batter, fried to golden brown perfection, and drizzled with the iconic spicy oil, this vegetarian dinner is crispy, flavorful, and so delicious. Want even more spice with your meal? Make our copycat Chili's Nashville hot mozzarella sticks as your appetizer.
Tofu Nuggets Instead Of Chicken Nuggets
We thought nothing could beat that like-a-kid-again feeling of eating chicken nuggets for dinner or a snack...until we tried these tofu nuggets. These golden brown, delicious bites have a secret ingredient that keeps them extra crispy, perfect for dunking in ranch dressing or ketchup for an easy, nostalgic vegetarian meal you'll crave again and again.
Vegetarian Chili Instead Of Beef Chili
My hot take? This vegetarian chili is every bit as warm, comforting, and filling as a classic beef chili. Three types of beans do the heavy lifting in this chili, helping to "beef" it up. It's filled with warm spices and as well as some jalapeño for a little extra heat, making it perfectly warm and cozy.
Caramelized Tofu Lettuce Cups Instead Of Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you're a P.F. Chang's connoisseur, we bet you're familiar with their chicken lettuce wraps appetizer. You can also order them vegetarian with tofu, but with reports saying that they've changed them in recent years, I say you're better off making them at home. Best part? When you make your own caramelized tofu lettuce cups, you can eat as many as you want, for a snack, app, or a meal.
Vegan Meatballs Instead Of Beef Meatballs
Few comfort foods satisfy like a hearty bowl of spaghetti and meatballs or a heart meatloaf. Now everyone can enjoy this comfort, sans meat! Our chickpea-based vegan meatballs (pictured) or meatloaf pack tons of flavor, come together quickly, and even provide a good amount of protein and fiber.
Chicken-Fried Mushrooms Instead Of Chicken-Fried Steak
The pinnacle of comfort food, well-made chicken-fried steak is hard to resist...unless you don't eat meat. Don't worry, you can still get in on the Southern classic, thanks to meaty oyster mushrooms. Buttermilk is a must for fried chicken, so we made our own with almond milk and vinegar.
Tofu Burritos Instead Of Well, Any Other Burritos
Burritos are one of our favorite meals, not in the least because you can eat them from morning till night. Though shrimp, beef, and chicken all have a place in them, we've packed these tofu burritos full of smoky, saucy vegan "ground beef" (that could charm even the most die-hard carnivore), fluffy cilantro-lime rice, and flavorful pinto beans, along with some classic burrito accoutrements. They're are a breeze to create (and extremely versatile), so get creative.
Chickpea Salad Instead Of Tuna Or Chicken Salad
Hear me out: I SWEAR that there is something about a chickpea salad that hits all the exact same notes as a tuna or chicken salad. I can't explain it, but if you've got a hankering, this will definitely hit the spot. Like it's meaty counterparts, it's also ripe for improvisation, like we did in our curried chickpea salad, so get creative with your mix-ins.
Tempeh & Broccoli Rabe Orecchiette Instead Of Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe
Our orecchiette pasta with sausage is a classic, straightforward pasta dish that's packed with flavor. This tempeh & broccoli rabe orecchiette is pretty much the vegan version, with one main difference—it has almost 3 times the amount of protein per serving (!), thanks to nutty, earthy tempeh. Raw broccoli rabe can be a little bitter, but a quick blanching in boiling water helps mellow it out—you could also replace it with regular broccoli or any other green veggie.
Cabbage Parmesan Instead Of Chicken Parmesan
Delish practically runs on chicken Parmesan, but we also admit that it's not an every night kind of meal. This cabbage Parmesan, on the other hand? It's the low-carb, vegetarian take you can feel just a little bit better about eating multiple nights in a row.
Paella Verdura Instead Of Classic Paella
Unlike it's seafood and meat-filled paella counterpart, paella verdura comes together in under an hour, and, even better, most of the cooking happens in the oven. And don't worry, the arguably best part of paella (the crispy rice crust) is still present here too. Briefly returning the skillet to the stovetop after baking is the key to achieving that toast on the bottom, often referred to as socarrat (meaning “burnt” in Catalan).
Indian Butter Chickpeas Instead Of Butter Chicken
Looking for your new favorite way to dress up pantry staples? Indian butter chickpeas are for you. Simmered in an aromatic tomato gravy, this vegetarian spin on classic butter chicken will forever change the way you look at a can of beans.
Vegan Scallops Instead Of Regular Scallops
PSA for all the vegans and vegetarians out there: king trumpet mushrooms mirror the sweet, delicate flavor of sea scallops! In this vegan scallops recipe (pictured), we've nestled them into a colorful and crisp corn and snap pea succotash, but the sky's the limit. Try subbing for mushrooms in our seafood spaghetti (skip the shrimp!), our crispy air fryer scallops, or our Tuscan butter scallops and see just how good they are.
Creamy Coconut-Lime Chickpea Skillet Instead Of Our One-Pan Coconut Lime Chicken
Our one-pan coconut-lime chicken is a weeknight dinner that we turn to again and again...but what if you're trying to eat less meat? With a sweet, slightly spicy coconut and tomato sauce that is absolute perfection, and plenty of crisp, nearly creamy chickpeas, this creamy coconut-lime chickpea skillet is the variation on the classic that definitely won't have you missing the meat.
Green Chili White Bean Enchiladas Instead Of Chicken Enchiladas
Step aside, chicken enchiladas–these super flavorful green chili white bean enchiladas are proof that you don't need meat for this cozy classic. Stuffed with creamy green chili white beans and topped with melty cheese, these simple but hearty enchiladas will become your new comfort food favorite.
Vegan White Bean Chili Instead Of White Chicken Chili
Whether you’re full-time vegan or just love a plant-based moment, vegan chili is where it’s at. This flavor-packed white bean version has all the same goodness going on as a more-traditional white chicken chili—including all the crunchy topping options—just without the meat.
Vegan New England Clam Chowder Instead Of Classic Clam Chowder
Whether you call it chowder or “chowda,” we think this rich and warming vegan New England clam chowder does classic clam chowder justice. It’s creamy without the cream, briny without the clams, and has a high ratio of mushrooms to potato chunks for a bit of chew and texture in each bite.
Grilled Zucchini Carbonara Instead Of Spaghetti Carbonara
If you think pancetta's the only thing that could possibly make a spaghetti carbonara special, think again. This creamy, Pecorino-packed grilled zucchini carbonara features a dollop of white miso for an extra umami bomb. Equal parts, light, easy, and flavorful–this dinner is the perfect way to ring in warm weather.
Cashew Cream Alfredo Instead Of Classic Alfredo
You CAN make an ultra-creamy, velvety smooth Alfredo sauce without any dairy, thanks to cashews. Freshly cracked black pepper adds a little burst of heat, but feel free to add some red pepper flakes too. And don't think this vegan Alfredo (pictured) is just for pasta, either. Check out our Alfredo asparagus bundles, our chicken broccoli Alfredo pizza (ditch the chicken!), or our chickpea broccoli Alfredo skillet for even more ideas.
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