For anyone else that is used to beef stew and a Sunday roast to warm them during the winter, it can be hard to think of vegan recipes that leave you with the same feeling. However, you just haven't found the right recipes yet.
Not only are these recipes made from some of the cheapest ingredients available in supermarkets and easy to make but they leave my non-vegan family asking for seconds. These warming vegan meals are perfect to relax with after a long day of study at uni or a cold winter walk. So jot down an ingredients list and try these out next time you're craving some hot home-cooked grub.
All of these recipes serve 3 so are great to keep in the fridge for another day, to take to uni for lunch, or to give to your friends.
Courgette and Chickpea Curry
This vegan courgette and chickpea curry is great made with whatever veg you fancy and easily adaptable to any style of curry. Try spinach, mushrooms or a vegan chicken alternative and try serving with a chapati or pitta for a more filling meal.
The added spices on top of the curry paste in this recipe give the sauce a deep, rich flavour and the coconut milk adds a creaminess that reflects a tasty tikka masala. This recipe is great as a warming winter meal and can be adapted to have as much spice as you want. Make it for yourself, friends at uni or family that are a bit more reluctant to try vegan recipes.
Full credit for this recipe goes to my old co-worker and chef Isaac. When I first tried this I had to get the recipe from him. It's delicious!
Ingredients:
1 tin of chickpeas
1 courgette
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of coconut milk
5 garlic cloves
1 medium onion
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder (or add more if you can handle the spice).
2 heaped tsp curry paste (I use Sharwood’s Rogan Josh paste, but you can use any).
1 veg stock cube
Brown or white rice
Toasted almond flakes (optional)
Fresh coriander (optional)
Serves 3
Method:
Finely chop the onion and garlic cloves. Sauté with a drizzle of olive oil in a pan and shake over some salt and pepper.
When the onions are translucent, add the cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and curry paste.
Tip in the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and drained chickpeas and stir.
Add and stir in the vegetable stock cube.
Chop the courgette into circles and then in halves and stir them into the mix.
Turn down the heat to let the sauce simmer whilst cooking the rice. Later, when the water has largely reduced and the chickpeas are visible, turn the heat right down to keep the curry warm before serving.
Wash the rice beforehand in a sieve (using 3 parts water for 1 part brown rice, or 2 parts water for 1 part white rice. I measure mine using a small mug).
Add the cold water and rice together in a saucepan on a low heat, let simmer until all of the water has evaporated.
Add the cooked rice and curry into a bowl and garnish with roughly chopped coriander leaves and toasted almond flakes.
Potato and Carrot Stew
This vegan winter stew, that is packed with protein and fibre, is perfect with some warm, crusty bread freshly heated in the oven. This recipe tastes like a home cooked roast dinner in a bowl, thanks to the root vegetables, slowly cooked with rosemary and thyme. Feel free to swap the potatoes for sweet potatoes or butter nut squash if you'd prefer, or add celery, parsnips or any other veg you want.
Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes
2 large carrots
100g peas
100g lentils
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
A splash of soy sauce
2 heaped tsp French mustard
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp brown sugar
1 veg stock cube
Serves 3
Method:
Finely chop the onions and garlic and sauté with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Chop the potatoes into cubes and add to the pan.
Chop the carrots into circles and add to the pan.
Add the lentils, soy sauce, french mustard, dried thyme, rosemary and brown sugar.
Stir a vegetable stock cube into boiling water in a jug or large mug until dissolved and pour into the pan.
Pour in some more water until the potatoes and carrots are covered. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 mins.
Make sure that the potatoes and carrots are soft and then add the peas. Cook for another 5 mins. If the stew starts to look dry when cooking add some more water.
Serve hot, in a bowl, with some bread and butter on the side.
Lentil Linguini
(aka spag bol)
This linguini recipe is a 'veganised' version of an old favourite: spag bol! Not only is this recipe full of cheap ingredients but it is so tasty. A healthier, more nutritious and ethical twist on a beef spag bol, this recipe uses mushrooms, peppers, carrots and lentils, but you could use any veg that you want to.
To make this extra quick and easy you could use a jarred bolognese sauce (almost all are vegan), but I prefer to make this from scratch when I have the time. When I'm craving something meaty, I also love this made with a beef mince alternative instead of the wholefoods. For those on a budget, Sainsbury's own Plant Pioneers Meat Free Mince is amazing and replicates perfectly the texture of beef mince (only £1.75 for 500g!).
Ingredients:
100g cooked/tinned lentils
1/2 pack of mushrooms
1 red pepper
1 carrot
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tsp mixed herbs
1 veg stock cube
1 tsp sugar (or a small cube of dark chocolate, Cadbury's Bourneville is my fave).
A splash of red wine (optional).
2/3 pack linguini
Vegan cheese (optional, I use Violife: Extra Mature).
Fresh basil (optional)
Serves 3
Method:
Dice the onion and garlic and sauté in a pan with a shake of salt and pepper.
Chop the pepper, mushrooms and carrot into small pieces, add to the pan and stir.
Add the tomato purée, mixed herbs, lentils, sugar or chocolate and stir.
Pour in the tinned tomatoes and splash of red wine and stir.
Add a vegetable stock cube and stir.
Simmer the sauce until the water in the sauce has reduced by about half while you cook the pasta. When the sauce is finished, add some ripped fresh basil leaves and stir, or top the finished dish with them whole.
Add roughly a handful of linguini per person into a pan of boiling water and cook out for approx 10 minutes.
Add both the drained linguini and sauce into a dish, grate over your favourite vegan cheese and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy these recipes next time you fancy some comfort food away from home. Easily adaptable to include any vegetables you like, these recipes are great foundations to work off when cooking vegan food on a budget.
Also, don't let anyone tell you that a vegan diet is expensive! As these recipes show, the staple foods (vegetables, grains and spices) are the cheapest foods that supermarkets offer and can make delicious and nutritious meals that will leave you feeling satisfied. And even meat alternatives don't have to be pricey if you know where to look!
I really enjoyed putting these recipes together and would like to create a similar post in the future. Let me know if there are any recipes you would like to see me 'veganise'!