Five veg-centric dinner recipes worth remembering

If you’re keeping it simple, Nikita Richardson’s roundup of her favourite vegetarian recipes is for you

(Getty/iStock)

I like to go all out cooking for friends and family, but, for myself, I keep it simple and, in doing so, I usually end up going vegetarian.

The appeal of eating less meat has only grown. Every week, I’m reminded that we have such a wealth of meatless recipes in the database, and so many of them are well suited for weeknights.

Below are a small but hopefully inspiring selection of vegetable-centric recipes that I think are worth saving for the week ahead.

Brothy Thai curry with silken tofu and herbs

A jarred red curry paste is the central flavour of this wonderfully restorative and nourishing broth. Coconut milk lends a subtle creaminess, and the cherry tomatoes become bright little jammy bursts. You can use fresh tomatoes when in season, but tinned tomatoes do just as well. Ladle the piping hot broth over seasoned tofu pieces and fresh herbs: the delicate silken tofu used here will absorb big flavours from the surrounding liquid.

By: Yewande Komolafe

Serves: 6 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 (400g) packages silken tofu, drained

2 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed

2 shallots, peeled and minced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 (2.5cm) piece ginger, scrubbed and grated

3 tbsp red curry paste

1 (400g) tin cherry tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes

950ml vegetable stock

1 (38g) tin full-fat coconut milk

Salt

60ml soy sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Large handful mixed fresh herbs, such as coriander, basil and dill

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 lime, cut into wedges, for squeezing

Method:

1. Pat the tofu blocks dry with a clean kitchen or paper towel. Cut each block into 3 slices.

2. Heat a medium casserole dish or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Add the oil and shallots, and stir until softened, 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry paste, stir, and cook until fragrant and the paste turns deep red, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the tomato juices thicken slightly, 4 minutes.

3. Pour in the vegetable stock, stir, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer to slightly reduce the liquid, 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, season to taste with salt and remove from the heat.

4. While the broth is simmering, divide the soft tofu into 6 bowls. Break each slice into 4 or 5 pieces. Season each bowl of tofu with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and a few cracks of black pepper, and top with about a tablespoon of the fresh herb mix.

5. Ladle the hot broth and tomatoes over the bowls of silken tofu. Top with sliced spring onions and serve hot, with lime wedges for squeezing.

Crispy tofu with balsamic tomatoes

You don’t need to fry tofu to get it crisp-edged and golden brown. Drizzling it with a mix of cornstarch and oil, then roasting it will deliver a closely crunchy approximation that won’t splatter oil across your countertop. Here, the tofu is roasted alongside balsamic-glazed cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic and red onions, all of which caramelise as they cook. Top everything with a handful of fresh herbs, then serve it over rice, quinoa or another grain for an easy, plant-based meal. Note that the recipe serves only two to three. To double it, use two sheet pans and add a few extra minutes to the cook time.

By: Melissa Clark

Serves: 2 to 3

Total time: 40 minutes, plus at least 15 minutes’ draining

Ingredients:

1 (400-450g) package extra-firm or firm tofu, cut crosswise into 2.5cm-thick slices

1½ tsp salt, plus more as needed

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

1 tsp dried oregano

300g cherry tomatoes, halved if large, kept whole if small

1 large red onion, cut into 0.5cm wedges

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1½ tsp balsamic vinegar, plus more for finishing

Handful fresh coriander or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Arrange tofu slices on a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels. Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels) and place a flat cutting board or baking pan on top. If your cutting board or pan is lightweight, stack a few cans or a frying pan on top to weigh it down. Let tofu drain for at least 15 minutes, and up to 45 minutes.

3. Transfer tofu to a cutting board and cut slabs into 2.5cm cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides of the tofu with ¾ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, cornstarch, garlic powder (if using) and ½ teaspoon of the oregano. Add tofu to cornstarch mixture and gently toss until tofu is evenly coated. Dump tofu onto one side of the prepared baking tray.

5. In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, remaining ½ teaspoon oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil, tossing to combine.

6. Arrange vegetables on other side of the prepared sheet pan. Bake until tofu is crisp and golden brown, and tomatoes are condensed, 25 to 35 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip tofu and toss vegetables while keeping the tofu and veggies separate.

7. To serve, sprinkle coriander on top and drizzle with balsamic and oil, if you’d like.

Quick jambalaya

(Getty/iStock)

This recipe makes quick work out of jambalaya by using leftover rice, and it tastes great with freshly cooked grains, too. To make this meal meatless, use vegan andouille sausage or stick with pork sausage, if you prefer. Either option, along with creole seasoning and the classic trinity of creole cooking – onion, celery and green bell pepper – result in a dish that is unmistakably Louisianan. Though many jambalaya recipes skip tomatoes, this version uses a blend of tomato paste and diced tomatoes to add bulk, and an acidity that helps lighten up the otherwise hearty one-pot meal.

By: Vallery Lomas

Serves: 2 to 4

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 links pork or vegan andouille or chorizo sausage (6 ounces), cut into 1.5cm pieces

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp tomato paste

400g cooked long-grain white rice

1 tbsp creole seasoning

Salt and black pepper

1 (425g) tin chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp hot sauce, plus more for serving

2 tbsp sliced spring onions

Method:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, then add the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked rice. Sprinkle with the creole seasoning and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and hot sauce and cook until warmed through. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the spring onions and serve with more hot sauce.

Tip: This recipe is a great use of leftover cooked rice, but if you are making the rice from scratch, cook the grains in vegetable stock with 2 teaspoons creole or Cajun seasoning for an extra kick of flavour.

Broccoli-walnut pesto pasta

(Getty/iStock)

Pesto becomes more full-bodied with the addition of broccoli that’s blanched in the same pot as the pasta and fresher with the combination of mint and lemon. For a sauce that's light and loose, use only the florets – not the stems. Raw walnuts have a welcome natural sweetness and nice crunch that complement the pesto, but you can leave them out or substitute sunflower seeds if you have a tree-nut allergy.

By: Genevieve Ko

Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Salt

280g broccoli florets

450g cut pasta, such as medium shells

1 large garlic clove, smashed

2 large handfuls fresh mint leaves (about 60g)

Black pepper

120ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Handful walnuts, chopped

Method:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 72g salt, then add the broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer to a food processor; keep the water boiling.

2. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package’s directions for al dente. Reserve 120ml pasta cooking water.

3. Meanwhile, add the garlic to the broccoli and pulse, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add the mint, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pulse until smooth, then add the oil with the machine running.

4. Drain the pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the pesto. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. If the mixture seems thick, fold in the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The mixture will thicken as it cools, so you want it to be saucy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Divide among serving dishes and top with lemon zest, then grate cheese over. Sprinkle with the walnuts, grind more black pepper on top, then drizzle with olive oil. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Tips: The pasta with the pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Garnish with the lemon zest, cheese, walnuts, pepper and oil right before serving. Note that the pesto will oxidise after a day and darken into a khaki green. If packing for lunch, put the pasta in an airtight container and scatter the garnishes on top. If you want to keep the walnuts extra crunchy, you can keep them separate and sprinkling them on right before eating.

Kung pao cauliflower

(Getty/iStock)

While kung pao chicken originated in China’s Sichuan province, it has become an iconic Chinese American dish. The popular stir-fry typically includes chicken, vegetables and peanuts tossed in a dark, salty, sweet and spicy sauce, but in this vegan take, cauliflower steps in for the chicken. Dark soy sauce is more caramel-flavoured and less salty than regular soy sauce, and it adds colour and richness to the dish. If you don’t have dark soy, substitute with regular soy sauce or hoisin sauce. Make sure you have a lid for your frying pan or wok on hand before you start cooking, as covering the cauliflower allows it to cook quicker and more evenly.

By: Hetty McKinnon

Serves: 4

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp black vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

60ml vegetable stock or water

1 tsp cornstarch

3 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola

1 head cauliflower (about 900g), cut into small 5cm-long florets

Salt

1 green or red bell pepper, core, seeds and membrane removed, and cut into 2.5cm pieces

½ to 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly ground in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder or crushed with a rolling pin

5 to 8 whole dried chiles, such as er jing tiao or chiles de arbol

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 (2.5cm) piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced

Handful roasted peanuts

2 spring onions, white and green parts, finely sliced

Steamed rice, to serve

Method:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, vegetable stock or water, and cornstarch. Set aside.

2. Heat wok or large (30cm) friyng pan on medium-high until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, the cauliflower florets and ½ teaspoon salt, and toss for 1 minute. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing the cauliflower every 1½ minutes or so, until the cauliflower is crisp-tender and charred in some parts. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. In the same wok or frying pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, along with the bell pepper. Toss for 1 minute, then add the Sichuan peppercorns and whole dried chillies, and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir for 30 seconds, then add the cauliflower back to the pan. Stir the sauce in the bowl to make sure the cornstarch is well incorporated, then pour it over the cauliflower and toss until the cauliflower is well coated. Toss in the peanuts and spring onions, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Serve with rice.

© The New York Times