Delicious Ways to Go Vegan

Photo: Daniel Agee; Styling: Blakeslee Giles and Audrey Davis

A plant-based diet is rich in healthy ingredients like whole grains, produce, nuts, legumes and soy. A vegan diet excludes all animals and animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy, honey and gelatin. It's easy to go vegan when the recipes taste as good as these do. It's entirely possible to enjoy a vegan diet and also reap the benefits of some absolutely exceptional flavor. If you're planning to go vegan, stock up on versatile ingredients like jackfruit, avocados, coconut oil, and nut milks.

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Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos

Photo: Caitlin Bensel, Styling: Blakeslee Giles, Audrey Davis

Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos Recipe

This flavorful fiesta-on-a-plate involves an unlikely main ingredient: fruit! Jackfruit is an extremely versatile ingredient because it absorbs and takes on the flavors of spices and other ingredients incredibly well, which helps lend these tacos their authentic flair. The fruit itself is pale in color and has a flaky, meaty texture, which makes it the perfect meat substitute for a vegetarian or vegan dinner option so everyone can enjoy it.

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Butternut-Cauliflower-Coconut Curry

Photo: Jennifer Causey

Butternut-Cauliflower-Coconut Curry Recipe

A range of textures--crunchy peas, tender vegetables, and silky coconut broth--makes this cool-weather main incredibly satisfying. The chickpea mixture can also be a delicious gluten-free snack: After baking, toss with a little kosher salt, ground cumin, and ground red pepper.

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Millet Amaranth Buddha Bowls

Photo: Erin Kunkel; Styling: Christine Wolheim

Millet Amaranth Buddha Bowls Recipe
Imagine a classic Asian-style rice bowl, but with a risotto-like blend of millet and amaranth as the base. At Vital Root in Denver, chef-owner Justin Cucci tops the grains with loads of vegetables and tofu, then drizzles on a silky tahini sauce.

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White Bean and Jackfruit Chili

Photo: Daniel Agee, Styling: Blakeslee Giles and Audrey Davis

White Bean and Jackfruit Chili Recipe

The jackfruit brings a great texture while the supporting flavors lend an unforgettable quality that simply proves that a meatless chili can be very satisfying.

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Tahiree Vegetable and Rice Casserole

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Tahiree Vegetable and Rice Casserole Recipe

This ancient dish traces its roots to India's Kayastha community, who developed it as a unique variation of biryani. In tahiree, rice and other elements cook together, while biryani rice is cooked separately and then layered with meat and vegetables. Saran uses Royal Chef's Secret basmati--available at Asian markets--because it has the longest grain. He fluffs gently with a carving fork to keep grains intact.

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Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Pecans Recipe

Featuring cranberries, wild rice, toasted pecans, and scallions, this salad is full of fall flavor.

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Indian Chopped Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Indian Chopped Salad Recipe

Combining chopped vegetables with lime juice, ground cumin, and other seasonings give this Indian-style salad a unique flavor.

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Quinoa Salad with Apples, Almonds and Dried Cranberries

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Quinoa Salad with Apples, Almonds and Dried Cranberries Recipe

Toss quinoa with diced apples, toasted almonds, and dried cranberries and serve with a large lettuce leaf.

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Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe

Coat acorn squash slices with a mixture of chili powder, cumin, and paprika before roasting them until tender.

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Cashew-Lime Cilantro Hummus

Photo: Thomas J. Story

Cashew-Lime Cilantro Hummus Recipe
"Invited to a party at the last minute, I invented this hummus from what I had on hand," says reader Maria August, of Boulder. "To my surprise, I liked it better than the traditional tahini version." Serve with fresh-cut vegetables, such as jicama, carrot, red pepper, and celery sticks.

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Grits with Creamed Cashews

Photo: Thomas J. Story

Grits with Creamed Cashews Recipe
"I tell people to use true grits, rather than polenta," says Oakland cookbook writer Bryant Terry, author of The Inspired Vegan, because he likes the grits' coarser texture. "I also prefer yellow grits for both color and flavor."

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Barbecue Slawpy Jacks

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Styling: Blakeslee Giles, Audrey Davis

Barbecue Slawpy Jacks Recipe

This hearty vegan entrée is essentially a cross between a sloppy Joe and a barbecue sandwich and a creative way for vegans this traditional classic.

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Eggplant Involtini with Grilled Ratatouille

Photo: Con Poulos

Eggplant Involtini with Grilled Ratatouille Recipe
Faux cheeses made with nuts are key to vegan cooking. To stuff these involtini, chef Sean Baker of Gather in Berkeley re-creates the flavor of ricotta by combining pureed raw cashews with nutritional yeast, which has a very savory, almost cheese-like flavor and is available at well-stocked specialty and natural food stores.

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Can't-Believe-It's-Vegan Chili

Photo: Jason Varney

Can't-Believe-It's-Vegan Chili Recipe
This dish is sure to make it into your regular rotation: completely satisfying chili that cooks in a fraction of the time it takes to make traditional meat chili. This recipe makes plenty; freeze leftovers for up to three months. Vegan sausage varies widely in taste and texture; we liked the meatiness and mild heat of the Field Roast brand, Mexican Chipotle flavor.

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Farfalle with Artichokes, Peppers, and Almonds

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Food Styling: Robyn Valarik

Farfalle with Artichokes, Peppers, and Almonds Recipe
Ground almonds take the place of pasta's usual parmesan, making this a good vegan choice. Trim raw artichokes down to the very tender hearts and slice them quite thin, so they're crisp but not chewy.

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Vegan Corndogs

Photo: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Vegan Corndogs Recipe

You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy these corndogs. They taste like traditional corndogs, but with a unique and meatless twist—think that firm texture you recognize and love, paired with umami flavor, with a corn batter breading that’s both sweet and crunchy. When everything comes together, it’s a true treat and fun alternative for a meal with kids.

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The Best "Beefy" Vegan Burgers

Photo: Daniel Agee; Styling: Rishon Hanners and Audrey Davis

The Best "Beefy" Vegan Burgers Recipe

This umami-rich burger unabashedly attempts to imitate a beef burger in flavor, texture, and appearance.

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Vegan French Toast

photo by caroline lange

Vegan French Toast Recipe
Hey, eggs and milk? Y'all can take the morning off.

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Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing

Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing Recipe
Cube the bread a day or two ahead and leave it out on the counter to dry, so it will fully absorb the flavors of the dressing. (If you forget, you can dry it in a 375° oven for a few minutes.) For a moister dressing, use the larger amount of broth. This makes a good main dish for vegans (use kosher rye, which excludes dairy).

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Portobello Frites

Photo: Jason Varney

Portobello Frites Recipe
This spin on the bistro staple steak frites offers plenty of umami satisfaction in the form of juicy, meaty portobello mushrooms and a savory wine sauce. Finishing the sauce with a touch of vegan butter gives it luxurious and velvety consistency.

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Quinoa and Brown Rice Bowl with Vegetables and Tahini

Quentin Bacon

Quinoa and Brown Rice Bowl with Vegetables and Tahini Recipe
"While in Los Angeles filming the second season of Top Chef Just Desserts last year, I discovered Café Gratitude, a vegan café with a cult following," Gail Simmons says. "For me, its fresh, simple food was the perfect antidote to all that sugar. I became addicted to aptly named dishes like I Am Fortified—a bowl of whole grains with lots of cooked vegetables. When I got back to New York, I developed my own version."

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Grilled Polenta and Radicchio with Balsamic Drizzle

Photo: Con Poulos

Grilled Polenta and Radicchio with Balsamic Drizzle Recipe
Chef Ryan Poli of the soon-to-open Tavernita in Chicago became interested in vegan cooking because his girlfriend follows a mostly vegan diet. "It was difficult to cook for her at home," he says. "I couldn't just open the fridge and make something. I had to really think." This relatively simple dish of grilled polenta and radicchio proves it's possible to create something deeply delicious, substantial and vegan with just a handful of ingredients.

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Grilled Baby Eggplants with Green Onion Salsa

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Grilled Baby Eggplants with Green Onion Salsa Recipe
If you can't find the type of eggplant we used, go for small, slender Japanese eggplants instead.

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Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

Time Inc. Video Studio

Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

This hearty, veggie-forward take on classic pasta Bolognese is a dish that everyone at the table will enjoy, regardless of their relationship status with meat.

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Vegan Chickpea Omelet

Photo by Kelsey Hansen

Vegan Chickpea Omelet Recipe
Have an omelet and be a vegan too

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Vegan Huevos Rancheros

photo by Jennifer Causey

Vegan Huevos Rancheros Recipe
Plant power, y'all

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5-Minute Vegan Breakfast Burritos

Photo by Alex Tepper

5-Minute Vegan Breakfast Burritos Recipe
Can’t believe it’s not egg

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Vegan Coconut Cream Tart with White Peaches and Blueberries

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Styling: Rishon Hanners

Vegan Coconut Cream Tart with White Peaches and Blueberries Recipe

This nutrient-rich twist on coconut cream pie is lusciously smooth and decadent… it’s also vegan, paleo, gluten-fee, and raw. In other words, you’re looking at a tart with a stacked resume. Perfect for a special occasion, especially if you’re looking to clean up your diet a bit, this show-stopping vegan dessert offers rich, toasty flavor and sweet tooth satisfaction—without adding refined sugar. And since there’s no need to crank up the oven to make it, this treat especially ideal for summer. Keep in mind, whipping coconut cream can sometimes be tricky. If you forget to refrigerate your cans overnight or if too much of the liquid gets mixed in, it will most likely separate. But not to worry—mixing in a bit of tapioca flour (arrowroot would also work) can bring the mixture back together in a snap. To save yourself time, go ahead and place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge to chill as soon as you are ready to start prepping your tart.

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Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Chocolate Pecan Muffins

Photo by Allison Wonderland

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Chocolate Pecan Muffins Recipe
Make Minimalist Baker Dana Shultz’s healthy muffins the night before and wake up happy

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Vegetarian West African Soup

Photo: Karry Hosford

Vegetarian West African Soup Recipe
A long-time staple in the Middle East, the chickpea, also known as the garbanzo bean, is a great source of protein and is easy on your budget. Peanuts and sweet potatoes pack this dish with fiber and Vitamin E creating a nutritious and flavorful meal.

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Coconut Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds

Photo: Aya Brackett; Styling: Amy Wilson

Coconut Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds Recipe
Virgin coconut oil is unrefined and cold-pressed, like extra-virgin olive oil, and isn't hydrogenated. It has a clean, slightly nutty taste that's delicious in this dish. Deborah Madison, who adapted this recipe from one in a new revision of her book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997), likes to use a mix of sweet potatoes, but it's fine to go with just one kind. Paler sweet potatoes tend to be drier, so if you use them, add more oil.

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Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili

Jennifer Davick; Buffy Hargett; Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili Recipe
This comforting classic warms you up and curbs your hunger with fiber-and protein-rich beans. Instead of using 4 cans of the same beans, mix and match pinto, red kidney, great Northern, and black beans to give this chili even more variety. Finish with fresh chopped green onions and a dash of hot sauce for a flavor boost.

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Vegan Buffalo Tofu Tot Skillet

Photo: Hayley Sugg

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Tot Skillet Recipe

This fantastic tater tot dish is slathered in some delicious meatless toppings making this one vegan dish that packs a powerful flavor punch.

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Carrot "Tabbouleh"

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Carrot "Tabbouleh" Recipe
Fresh carrots stand in for bulgur in this no-cook, gluten-free side dish. You can use white wine vinegar in place of lemon juice.

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Spicy Asparagus-Tempeh Stir-Fry

Photo: Oxmoor House

Spicy Asparagus-Tempeh Stir-Fry Recipe
A heart-healthy and protein-rich alternative to meat, tempeh is a soy cake that's made by fermenting and pressing cooked soybeans. Its chewy consistency is complemented by the crunchy asparagus while red pepper flakes add heat.

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Hummus and Grilled-Zucchini Pizzas

Con Poulos

Hummus and Grilled-Zucchini Pizzas Recipe
Prepared hummus that comes with a scoop of chopped garlic on top (like the kind sold by Sabra) is the secret here: The garlic gets mixed with oil to marinate the zucchini, while the remaining garlic and hummus flavor the whole pizza.

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Quick Vegetarian Paella

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Quick Vegetarian Paella Recipe
This Spanish classic is simple to prepare and easily doubled to serve a crowd. Artichokes, bell peppers, mushrooms and olives cooked with nutty brown rice make this a hearty one dish meal. The blend of exotic spices including saffron and tumeric give an extra special flavor.

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Lentil-Edamame Stew

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Lentil-Edamame Stew Recipe
Double the protein and get more bang for your buck by combining two types of legumes, lentils and soy beans. Both are inexpensive sources of protein that are commonly used in many exotic cuisines. A variety of fresh herbs and spices adds a deep, rich flavor.

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Two-Tone Potato Salad

Photo: Kana Okada

Two-Tone Potato Salad Recipe
Pickled onions and cucumber relish add a tangy kick to Emilee Gettle's blue-and-gold potato salad. Because she and Jere Gettle don't eat eggs, they opt for vegan mayonnaise.

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Billy's Vegan Egg Rolls

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Billy's Vegan Egg Rolls Recipe
Billy Ngo, now chef at Kru, a Japanese restaurant in Sacramento, shared this dish inspired by his previous restaurant, Red Lotus. He deep-fries these, but at home it's easier to brush them with oil and bake them until they're crisp. If you're short on time, you could buy plum sauce instead of making the vinegar-pink peppercorn sauce.

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Spiced Lemon Quinoa

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Robyn Valarik

Spiced Lemon Quinoa Recipe
Back home in South India, Sunset reader Kavita Aiyar's mom made traditional lemon rice scattered with channa dal (a yellow, lentil-like legume). At her home in Silicon Valley, Kavita cooks quinoa instead of rice and adds spinach or other greens, "basically California-izing it," she says. She suggests split peas instead of the dal because they're easier to find. You can serve the recipe as a side dish or a vegan entrée.

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Delicious Ways to Go Vegan

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Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos

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Butternut-Cauliflower-Coconut Curry

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Millet Amaranth Buddha Bowls

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White Bean and Jackfruit Chili

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Tahiree Vegetable and Rice Casserole

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Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

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Indian Chopped Salad

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Quinoa Salad with Apples, Almonds and Dried Cranberries

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Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash

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Cashew-Lime Cilantro Hummus

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Grits with Creamed Cashews

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Barbecue Slawpy Jacks

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Eggplant Involtini with Grilled Ratatouille

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Can't-Believe-It's-Vegan Chili

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Farfalle with Artichokes, Peppers, and Almonds

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Vegan Corndogs

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The Best "Beefy" Vegan Burgers

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Vegan French Toast

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Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing

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Portobello Frites

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Quinoa and Brown Rice Bowl with Vegetables and Tahini

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Grilled Polenta and Radicchio with Balsamic Drizzle

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Grilled Baby Eggplants with Green Onion Salsa

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Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

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Vegan Chickpea Omelet

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Vegan Huevos Rancheros

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