This post is all about vegan cooking tips.
Top Vegan Cooking Tips You’ll Wish
You Knew About Sooner
Sometimes it’s the simplest, smallest things that make the biggest difference. Whether you have been eating plant-based for a while now but want to get more into cooking your own meals or are new to the vegan lifestyle, you need to know the hacks and tips I’ll list in this post. They will make your life so much….tastier! No general ideas, but rather concrete, yet simple tips.
“Veganism is not about giving anything up or losing anything; it is about gaining the peace within yourself that comes from embracing nonviolence and refusing to participate in the exploitation of the vulnerable”
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Whether you are new to cooking in general or are new to cooking vegan meals, I want to share with you my favorite vegan cooking tips and hacks that I had to find out through trial and error. Now that I know about them, they are my absolute go-toes and make my vegan cooking so much tastier and easier. Let’s keep it real, short, and simple, so here are my top 6 vegan cooking tips.
Top Vegan Cooking Tips
1. Make The Perfect Crispy Tofu
I have made tofu in so many different ways by now. Tried out dozens of recipes, added different spices, but I must say once I started preparing oven-baked crispy tofu, I never looked back! I’m obsessed and for months now, it’s been the only way I’m preparing tofu. Whether to add to a rice, or a noodle dish, or buddha bowl or to soups.
I found that it turns out great even if you don’t let it marinate for hours and even if you don’t squeeze out the liquid with a paper towel.
Simply slice the tofu block into whatever shapes and sizes you like it to be, triangles are nice! Coat it with olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and some kind of spice mix that has garlic and onion in it. Mix well, yet gently, until evenly coated then add cornstarch and mix again. Spread it across a sheet pan (with baking paper) and bake for around 20 min at 200°C/ 392°F.
I’m all about being present and experimenting while cooking, so just check on your tofu every 10min or so until it gets golden and well…looks crispy.
I guarantee you it will be crispy on the outside, softer on the inside, it just tastes perfect! Like in a restaurant…not your tasteless, soft, regular-ass tofu fried in a pan. That I used to make for years…it was tasty when marinated, yes. However, nothing beats the crunch you get from oven-baked tofu.
So remember, the secrets to perfect, crispy tofu are 1) cornstarch 2) oil + spices containing garlic and onion 3) baking it in an oven.
2. Learn To Make White Sauce (Bechamel)
Learn to make a vegan white sauce as a base for all sorts of sauces. It’s so easy I don’t know I can call it “learn” to make, just google a recipe once, make it, and remember it. Whenever you’re in need of a quick, easy idea for a sauce you know what to do. You can add it on top of your lasagna instead of plant-based cheese, it gets really nice after you bake it, you can make a mushroom sauce of out it, you can add nutritional yeast, and so on and so forth. There are so many options, you just need a good, easy base.
3. Get Some Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast has a cheesy taste to it so a) it’s great to add some extra flavor to your meals and b) it’s super nutritious.
Nutritional yeast is a great source of vitamins and minerals. It also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein like those found in animal products.
Nutrition Information
A 2 tablespoon serving of nutritional yeast contains:
- Calories: 50
- Protein: 8 grams
- Fat: 1 gram
- Carbohydrates: 5 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams
Nutritional yeast is a good source of:
- Thiamine (B1)
- Riboflavin (B2)
- Pyridoxine (B6)
- Potassium
- Zinc
Saurce: www.webmd.com
4. Keep Some Of That Pasta-Cooking Water
When you make pasta, make sure to keep some of the pasta-cooking-water to add to your sauce. It will help you achieve the perfect consistency and keep the flavors.
I love making roasted tomato sauce and to get the right consistency while blending the ingredients I simply add some pasta water.
5. Try Roasting Your Vegetables For Sauces and Soups
I encourage you to try roasting your vegetables in the oven instead of cooking them before blending them into sauces, or soups. It brings out more flavor and adds a special note to your dishes. It’s a great and super simple way to switch things up a little bit.
One of my favorites is roasted tomato and garlic pasta, as well as roasted tomato soup. Yum! Plus, squeezing out the soft garlic is so satisfying, lol! Also, just as an example, cauliflower can taste so different roasted than it does when cooked!
6. Add Rice Vinegar
Try adding rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar plus a pinch of sugar to your dressing, marinade, or sauce. It can really make all the difference. I honestly mostly used it for one specific dish, that also became one of my all-time favorites. Fried noodles with tofu and veggies. I used to try to make the perfect soy-based sauces and yes, they were good, but adding rice vinegar is what made my fried noodle dishes amazing!
“Animals are not products. Life doesn’t have a price.” -Anonymous
“If you think that being vegan is difficult, imagine being a factory farmed animal.” -Davegan Raza
“I don’t see why someone should lose their life just so you can have a snack.” -Russell Brand
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” -Albert Einstein
“If slaughterhouses had glass walls, the whole world would be vegetarian.”
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This post was all about vegan cooking tips to make your life easier and tastier.
