Believe it or not, eating vegetarian (or even vegan) doesn’t mean you have to stick to boring salads and crudité platters for every meal. To prove it, we’ve rounded up inventive sandwiches, pastas and other mains that show you don’t need to invite meat to the dinner table to indulge. Read on for seven of our favorite plant-based comfort foods of all time, from kung pao cauliflower to Kentucky fried “chicken.”
Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (February 28 – March 6)
Shopping List
Produce
1 spaghetti squash
1 pint cremini mushrooms
14 garlic cloves
2 medium heads cauliflower
2 pounds butternut squash
1 large sweet potato
2 large sweet onions
1 lemon
One 1-inch piece ginger
2 medium carrots
3 Persian cucumbers
2 jalapeño peppers
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
2 bunches thyme
1 bunch rosemary
1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 bunches scallions
2 bunches cilantro
1 bunch radishes
1 bunch basil
Meat
1 large egg
Dairy
1 stick salted butter
2 ounces goat cheese
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
Whole milk
Grains
6 slices sourdough bread
4 mini baguettes
1 pound elbow macaroni
Canned and Packaged Goods
16 ounces marinara sauce
Nutritional yeast
12 ounces French green lentils
Two 32-ounce cartons vegetable broth
Tahini
Miso paste
9 ounces cashews
12 ounces panko breadcrumbs
3 ounces pine nuts
Hoisin sauce
Chile garlic sauce
Sesame seeds
2 ounces roasted salted peanuts
1½ pounds firm tofu
4 ounces soy milk
10 ounces seitan
5 ounces chickpea flour
Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, balsamic vinegar, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, agave, cornstarch, sesame oil, crushed red pepper flakes, vegetable oil, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, flaky salt, mayonnaise, sriracha, smoked paprika, dried rosemary, dried tarragon, dried sage, onion powder, sugar, cayenne pepper, dried chile flakes, dried oregano, ground allspice
Monday: Vegan Spaghetti Squash With Mushroom Marinara Sauce
Tuesday: Triple-decker Grilled Cheese
Wednesday: Creamy Vegan Lentil And Roasted Vegetable Bake
Get in on the tail-end of butternut squash season while you still can. Feel free to skip the breadcrumbs in the pine nut topping to make this baked beauty gluten-free.
Thursday: Kung Pao Cauliflower
This Insta-worthy dish is only 15 minutes away. The zingy, nutty glaze is damn near sticky, thanks to agave nectar and hoisin sauce.
Friday: Crispy Tofu Bánh Mì
Spicy mayo, pickled veggies and pork belly might be a match made in sandwich heaven, but we’re betting you’ll be just as wowed by this vegetarian alternative that stars crunchy, sesame-encrusted tofu instead of meat.
Saturday: Vegan Butternut Mac And ‘cheese’ With Smoky Shiitake ‘bacon’
Sunday: Vegan Kentucky Fried Chick’n
The seitan-based masterpiece calls for mashed potatoes, biscuits and all the vegan dressings you can find. If you’re running short on time, feel free to substitute cauliflower florets.
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.