Omnivores, what are your favorite vegan dishes?

[Mjx]

I'm helping to prepare food for a party, and several of the guests are vegan, and, because I grew up in a vegetarian household, and a lot of the food we ate would have been suitable for vegans, too, I've been asked to come up with several suitable dishes.

 

The thing is, I'd like to make some dishes that are really appealing, rather than just 'pretty decent for a vegan dish'. I can think of several possibilities, but I'd love to hear other omnivores' experiences of vegan dishes that they really enjoyed, things they'd make themselves/again, or look forward to eating if they knew it was going to be served to them.

 

Thanks!

M.

[suzilightning]

Right now my favorite is a tomato fennel soup.

Love roasted cauliflower steaks.

I do a vegan pad thai that I just add sautéed shrimp or chicken to for Johnnybird.

[Tri2Cook]

I was going to say to pull some corn off the stalk, shuck it. toss it hot water for a short amount of time and have vegan perfection... then I realized I couldn't roll it  in butter. Then I thought about the Thai cucumber salad I like to have when I make Thai food... and realized it contains fish sauce. Even a nice tomato sandwich isn't the same without mayo. So I suppose I don't actually have a favorite vegan dish. Maybe hope the lawn needs to be mowed that day and send 'em out to graze?  

[Anna N]

Roasted cauliflower with kimchi cream

[nickrey]

By a long margin, Nasu Dengaku – Miso Glazed Eggplant.

[kayb]

Shredded Brussels sprouts with farro. Toast the farro in olive oil, add water, cook, spread on a plate to cool. Shred sprouts coarsely; saute in hot skillet. Mix with farro. Season to taste with balsamic vinegar and a tiny bit of honey, salt and pepper.

 

[nasi goreng]

Hummous and egg plant dip made out of roasted eggplant with olive oil and basil

 

And vegetable stir fry.

 

@Tri2Cook: How about a thai cucumber salad with soy sauce instead of fish sauce

Corn on the cob sounds good to me. I don't like butter on it.

[liuzhou]

麻辣豆腐, mala doufu the vegan version of mapo doufu.

[nasi goreng]

I forgot.....

The mention of tofu brings it up:

Tempeh (or timpeh).

Deep fried and with sweet soy and chili's (tempeh goreng).

I will choose it over a meat dish anytime

[gulfporter]

Eggplant seems to be popular with us omnivores.  For parties, caponata is always a winner. 

[suzilightning]

5 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:

I was going to say to pull some corn off the stalk, shuck it. toss it hot water for a short amount of time and have vegan perfection... then I realized I couldn't roll it  in butter. Then I thought about the Thai cucumber salad I like to have when I make Thai food... and realized it contains fish sauce. Even a nice tomato sandwich isn't the same without mayo. So I suppose I don't actually have a favorite vegan dish. Maybe hope the lawn needs to be mowed that day and send 'em out to graze?  

Can't do much about the butter with the corn BUT...

there are things you can use besides fish sauce and there are vegan mayos.......

[pastrygirl]

dark chocolate, french fries ...

 

Is this a sit-down dinner (plated or family style), buffet, finger-food? 

[cdh]

Just saw a friend on FB mention this article, which sort of fits in with the discussion and is a worthwhile read:  https://www.tastecooking.com/buddhist-mock-meats-paradox/

[Tri2Cook]

2 hours ago, suzilightning said:

Can't do much about the butter with the corn BUT...

there are things you can use besides fish sauce and there are vegan mayos.......

I'm sure there are. And honestly, I'm glad there are. People should have choices no matter how they choose or are required to eat. My comment was mostly meant to be funny, with maybe a touch of taking a shot across the vegan bow in the mix. Probably should have refrained. 

[oofencocotte]

I made this dish called Chickpea Egusi that was vegan and very good. Uses a lot of sunflower seeds as a thickener for the sauce. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/nov/04/chickpea-chard-sunflower-seed-stew-egusi-ghanaian-vegan-recipe-meera-sodha

[Chimayo Joe]

8 hours ago, kayb said:

and a tiny bit of honey

 

 

Honey isn't vegan.  I know, it seems extreme, but some vegans are sticklers.

[Tri2Cook]

24 minutes ago, Chimayo Joe said:

 

Honey isn't vegan.  I know, it seems extreme, but some vegans are sticklers.

Are yeasts and other living microorganisms used in breads and fermented foods vegan? Not instigating anything here, genuinely curious.

[kayb]

30 minutes ago, Chimayo Joe said:

 

Honey isn't vegan.  I know, it seems extreme, but some vegans are sticklers.

 

You know, I've read that some vegans are OK with honey, and some are not. I suspect one could use agave nectar, if one eschewed honey.

[Chimayo Joe]

22 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

Are yeasts and other living microorganisms used in breads and fermented foods vegan? Not instigating anything here, genuinely curious.

 

I'm not sure where vegans draw the line.

 

Yeast and bacteria are okay.  

 

Are there any protozoan foods?  If there are, I think vegans would probably rule them out, but it seems like that would be a strange distinction to make.

[suzilightning]

4 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:

I'm sure there are. And honestly, I'm glad there are. People should have choices no matter how they choose or are required to eat. My comment was mostly meant to be funny, with maybe a touch of taking a shot across the vegan bow in the mix. Probably should have refrained. 

Nah.......

how do we learn if we don't share info..........

and I DID laugh when I read it.
 

 

[Kerry Beal]

13 hours ago, Anna N said:

Roasted cauliflower with kimchi cream

Was thinking exactly the same thing!

[chefmd]

6 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:

I'm sure there are. And honestly, I'm glad there are. People should have choices no matter how they choose or are required to eat. My comment was mostly meant to be funny, with maybe a touch of taking a shot across the vegan bow in the mix. Probably should have refrained. 

I am refraining.  Although if anyone wants to make fun of my omnivore eating, I will laugh with you. 

 

How about roasted potatoes?  Topped with multitudes of herbs?  Grilled or broiled portobello mushroom caps filled with roasted cherry tomatoes?

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Assorted vegetable pakoras or bhajis are always popular.

[cookingofjoy]

These are all kind of oddball, but they're ones that I crave.  They're not necessarily vegan, but I think they could be adapted pretty easily.   

 

Mushroom barley soup - I love the seared mushrooms

http://www.bemindfulbehuman.com/index.php/warm-winter-soups-week-2016-mushroom-barley-soup/

 

Butternut squash turnover (the blogger adapted it to filo) - need a vegan pastry and a sub for the saltiness of the parmesan - little turnovers could be fun.

http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/marta/archives/006420.html

 

Beets with lime butter - though this may be because of the butter....I've never tried it with oil.

http://melissacooksgourmet.blogspot.com/2008/09/beets-with-lime-butter-mashed-potatoes.html 

 

And I really like the Cooks Illustrated black bean, tomato, corn salad (that's more of a summer thing, though). 

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/fresh-corn-black-beans-and-tomato-salad-387887

[DocDougherty]

Cashew cheese is the vegan standard and it lends itself to lots of uses.  It might be a substitute for either butter or mayo though there are good coconut-based spreads for corn.  It would go well on cauliflower as well.

Edited April 26, 2018 by DocDougherty (log)