There are side dishes you make because something needs to round out the plate. And then there are dishes like this Vegan Cheesy Zucchini Gratin — the kind that comes out of the oven bubbling and golden, layers of tender zucchini bound together in a rich, cheesy cashew cream sauce, topped with a crisp, golden breadcrumb crust. This is that gratin. The one that makes zucchini genuinely exciting. The one that disappears from the dish before anyone has had the chance to ask for seconds.
This recipe layers thinly sliced zucchini in a silky cashew-based cheese sauce seasoned with garlic, nutritional yeast, and a touch of nutmeg, finished with a golden, slightly crisp breadcrumb topping. It is a classic French-inspired technique reimagined entirely with plant-based ingredients, delivering all the comfort of a traditional gratin.
What makes this gratin so outstanding is how it manages the natural water content of zucchini — salting and draining the slices beforehand ensures the finished dish bakes to a properly set, sliceable texture rather than turning watery, a step that makes all the difference between a great zucchini gratin and a disappointing one.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free when made with gluten-free breadcrumbs, ready in about an hour, and absolutely wonderful served as a side dish alongside any main, or as a light vegetarian main course on its own.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
20 mins
40 mins
60 mins
6
~240 kcal
Ingredients
For the Zucchini
4 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
1 tsp salt, for drawing out moisture
For the Cashew Cheese Sauce
1 cup (130g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes then drained
1 cup (240ml) vegetable broth
½ cup (120ml) plant milk
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
For the Topping
½ cup (50g) breadcrumbs
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Optional Add-ins
½ cup (60g) shredded vegan mozzarella mixed into the sauce
¼ tsp chili flakes
A sliced onion layered between the zucchini
To Serve
Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped
Alongside roasted vegetables or a vegan roast
Instructions
Salt and drain the zucchini. Arrange the sliced zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with the salt, and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat very dry with kitchen towels.
Preheat the oven and prepare the dish. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a baking dish.
Make the cashew cheese sauce. Blend the drained cashews, vegetable broth, plant milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
Layer the gratin. Arrange the dried zucchini slices in slightly overlapping layers in the prepared dish. Pour the cashew sauce evenly over the top, making sure it settles between the layers.
Make the topping. Combine the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, olive oil, and smoked paprika in a small bowl, then scatter evenly over the gratin.
Bake. Bake for 35–40 minutes until bubbling, golden on top, and the zucchini is tender throughout.
Rest and serve. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly for cleaner slices.
Pro Tips
Do not skip salting and draining the zucchini — this single step prevents the finished gratin from becoming watery.
Slice the zucchini evenly for consistent cooking and an attractive, layered presentation.
Blend the cashew sauce thoroughly for the smoothest, most convincing cheese-like texture.
Let the gratin rest before slicing to allow the sauce to firm up slightly.
Why Salting the Zucchini Matters
Zucchini contains a significant amount of water, and baking it directly without removing some of that moisture results in a watery, loose gratin that never sets properly. Salting draws out excess liquid through osmosis, allowing the zucchini to bake into a properly textured, sliceable gratin once combined with the cheese sauce.
Flavor Variations
Garlic Herb Gratin: Add extra garlic and fresh thyme or rosemary to the sauce for a more herbaceous version.
Cheesy Mushroom Gratin: Layer sautéed mushrooms between the zucchini for added umami depth.
Spicy Gratin: Add chili flakes to the sauce for gentle background heat.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~240 kcal
8g
18g
3g
14g
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven to avoid drying out the topping.
Freezer: Freezes reasonably well for up to 2 months, though the texture softens slightly after thawing.
Make ahead: Assemble without the breadcrumb topping a day ahead and refrigerate, adding the topping just before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use yellow squash instead of zucchini?
Yes — yellow squash works in the same way and can be used interchangeably or combined with zucchini.
Can I make this without a blender?
Yes — use store-bought vegan cream cheese thinned with broth and seasoned with the same garlic and nutritional yeast as an alternative base.
Why is my gratin watery despite salting the zucchini?
This usually means the zucchini was not patted dry thoroughly enough after draining. Press firmly with kitchen towels to remove as much surface moisture as possible before layering.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more comforting vegan side dish recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are dinners that feel like coming home. And then there are dinners like this Vegan Pot Pie Casserole — the kind that fills every corner of your house with the most extraordinary aroma of bubbling vegetable gravy and golden pastry as it bakes, that comes out of the oven with that deeply satisfying sound of a crust that has achieved exactly the right level of golden, flaky perfection, and that delivers with every single spoonful a combination of rich, herb-scented vegetable filling and buttery, shattering pastry that is one of the most deeply comforting food experiences imaginable. This is that casserole. The one that makes cold evenings feel genuinely warm. The one that disappears from the baking dish before the second person has been served. The one that tastes like every excellent pot pie you have ever eaten but made entirely, completely from plants.
This is pot pie in its most generous, most accessible, most spectacular form — the filling of a great pot pie elevated into a casserole that can feed a crowd from a single baking dish, topped with a layer of golden puff pastry or biscuit topping that bakes to a deeply satisfying crust over the bubbling, herb-fragrant vegetable filling beneath it. The filling is extraordinary — sweet carrots, tender peas, hearty potato, earthy mushrooms, and creamy white beans bathed in the richest, most deeply flavored vegetable gravy imaginable, thickened with a roux of vegan butter and flour into something that has the body, the coating quality, and the deep savory richness of the finest chicken gravy ever made — without a trace of anything that was ever anywhere near a chicken.
What makes this casserole so genuinely outstanding is the gravy. A proper gravy — made from a blonde roux of vegan butter and flour, enriched with vegetable broth, oat milk, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast, seasoned with thyme, sage, and an extraordinary amount of black pepper — is one of the most deeply satisfying sauces in all of cooking. It has body, it has richness, it has the specific coating quality that makes every vegetable and bean it surrounds taste better and more satisfying than they would alone. It is the sauce that transforms a collection of very good vegetables into something genuinely extraordinary.
This recipe is 100% vegan, ready in just 50 minutes, naturally adaptable to use whatever vegetables you have on hand, and absolutely magnificent served directly from the baking dish at the table where the combination of golden pastry top and rich, bubbling filling beneath it creates one of the most dramatic and most deeply appealing presentations in all of comfort food cooking.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
20 mins
30 mins
50 mins
6
~420 kcal
Ingredients
For the Vegetable Filling
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1cm pieces
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1cm pieces
1 cup (150g) frozen peas
1 cup (100g) cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 can (400g) white beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium white onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
For the Vegan Gravy
3 tbsp vegan butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups (480ml) vegetable broth
1 cup (240ml) unsweetened oat milk
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
1 tsp dried sage
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp nutmeg
Salt to taste
For the Pastry Top
1 sheet (250g) vegan puff pastry, thawed if frozen
2 tbsp plant milk mixed with 1 tsp maple syrup (vegan egg wash)
Flaky sea salt and fresh thyme for topping
Alternatively — Biscuit Topping
1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup (75g) cold vegan butter, cubed
½ cup (120ml) oat milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Optional Add-ins
1 cup (90g) broccoli florets, roughly chopped
½ cup (75g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 medium parsnip, diced
½ cup (60g) frozen edamame
1 medium leek, thinly sliced (replace onion)
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
To Serve
Directly from the baking dish at the table
With a simple green salad alongside
With steamed green beans
With cranberry sauce for a holiday version
With additional gravy poured over at the table
Instructions
Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a deep 23 x 33cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish or a large, deep casserole dish with vegan butter or olive oil.
Parboil the root vegetables. Place the diced carrots and potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cook for 6–8 minutes until just tender — they should yield to a knife with only slight resistance. They will continue cooking in the oven so do not cook them completely through at this stage. Drain and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and beginning to turn golden. Add the minced garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 3–4 minutes until the mushrooms are golden and any liquid they release has evaporated completely.
Make the vegan gravy. Push the vegetables to the edges of the pot and add the vegan butter to the center. Allow to melt completely then add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 60–90 seconds until the flour and butter have combined into a smooth, golden paste — this is the roux, and cooking it for this time removes the raw flour taste. Gradually pour in the vegetable broth, whisking continuously after each addition to prevent lumps, until all the broth is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Add the oat milk, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast and stir to combine. Add the thyme, sage, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously, until the gravy has thickened to a rich, coating consistency — approximately 4–5 minutes.
Combine the filling. Add the parboiled carrots and potatoes, frozen peas, and drained white beans to the gravy and stir gently to combine. Taste the filling and adjust the seasoning generously — it should taste deeply savory, richly herbed, and well-rounded. The filling should be thick and substantial but still flowing — it will thicken further during baking. Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer.
Add the puff pastry top. Unroll the thawed puff pastry sheet and lay it over the filling in the baking dish, tucking the edges down inside the dish slightly or trimming to fit with a sharp knife. Brush the surface generously with the plant milk and maple syrup wash. Score a few diagonal lines across the surface with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape during baking — preventing the pastry from puffing unevenly. Scatter flaky sea salt and fresh thyme over the surface.
Alternatively make the biscuit topping. If using the biscuit topping instead combine the oat milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and rest for 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold cubed vegan butter and work into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk and fold until just combined. Drop large spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the filling — covering most of the surface but leaving small gaps for steam to escape.
Bake to golden perfection. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry or biscuit topping is deeply golden, puffed, and shatteringly crispy, and the filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges. If the pastry is browning too quickly cover loosely with foil for the remaining baking time.
Rest and serve. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving — this allows the filling to thicken slightly and set to the perfect consistency for serving. Bring to the table and serve directly from the baking dish — the golden pastry top and the bubbling, fragrant filling visible around the edges is one of the most deeply appealing presentations in all of comfort food cooking.
Pro Tips for the Most Extraordinary Vegan Pot Pie Casserole
Parboil the root vegetables before adding to the filling. Raw carrots and potatoes added directly to the filling will not cook through completely during the 30 minutes of oven time available — producing a casserole with firm, undercooked vegetables beneath a perfectly golden pastry top. Parboiling for 6–8 minutes first ensures every vegetable is perfectly tender in the finished dish.
Cook the roux for the full 60–90 seconds. A roux that is not cooked long enough retains a raw flour taste that persists through the finished gravy and makes the entire casserole taste starchy and flat. Cooking the roux until it turns a pale golden color and smells nutty eliminates the raw flour taste and produces a gravy of genuine depth and complexity.
Season the gravy aggressively. The gravy needs to season the entire casserole — every vegetable, every bean, every bite. Timid seasoning produces a flat, uninspiring filling. Confident seasoning produces the rich, deeply flavored gravy that makes pot pie so deeply satisfying. Taste at every stage and add salt, pepper, and soy sauce until the gravy tastes complete.
Use cold vegan butter for the biscuit topping. If making the biscuit version the same principle applies as for any biscuit dough — cold butter produces steam pockets during baking that create the flaky, layered texture of a great biscuit topping. Room temperature butter produces a dense, uniform dough with none of this textural quality.
Score the pastry top before baking. Scoring allows steam to escape during baking — preventing the pastry from puffing unevenly into large, hollow bubbles above the filling. Three or four diagonal cuts across the surface are sufficient for even puffing and a beautiful finished appearance.
Serve directly from the baking dish always. Part of what makes pot pie casserole so deeply appealing is the presentation — the golden pastry top, the bubbling filling visible at the edges, the fragrant steam that rises when the first serving is scooped and the pastry breaks. Serving from the baking dish at the table preserves all of this drama and makes the meal feel genuinely special.
The Comfort Food History of Pot Pie
Pot pie is one of the oldest and most universally beloved comfort food preparations in the English-speaking world — a dish with roots in medieval English cooking that has remained continuously popular across five centuries through nothing more than the sheer power of how extraordinarily good it is when made well.
The earliest pot pies were made in ancient Rome and Greece — pastry-encased fillings of meat and vegetables baked in clay pots that served both as cooking vessels and as serving dishes. The preparation emigrated to England where it became one of the defining dishes of medieval and early modern cooking — a practical, hearty, deeply satisfying preparation that used pastry both as a container for the filling and as an edible serving dish.
The pot pie arrived in America with British colonists and became one of the most enduring comfort foods in American culinary culture — evolving from the individual pastry-encased preparations of its English origin into the large, casserole-style preparations that define it today. The defining American pot pie — a deep dish filled with creamy vegetable and chicken filling beneath a golden pastry or biscuit crust — became one of the most requested home-cooked dinners of the twentieth century and remains one of the most deeply comforting and universally appealing dishes in the entire American culinary canon.
This vegan version honours every element of the American pot pie tradition — the rich, herb-scented filling, the deeply flavored gravy, the golden crust — while replacing the meat and dairy with plant-based ingredients that deliver every element of the flavor and comfort of the original and add a nutritional profile that the traditional version simply cannot match.
Flavor Variations
Mushroom and Lentil Pot Pie: Replace the white beans with cooked green lentils and double the mushrooms for a meatier, earthier version with extraordinary umami depth from the combination of mushrooms, lentils, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast.
Butternut Squash and Sage: Add diced roasted butternut squash to the filling and double the sage for a beautiful autumn version with a natural sweetness from the squash that contrasts magnificently with the savory gravy and golden pastry.
Roasted Garlic and Spinach: Add a full head of roasted garlic mashed into the gravy and two large handfuls of fresh spinach stirred in at the end for a version with extraordinary garlic depth and a beautiful green color throughout the filling.
Individual Pot Pies: Divide the filling between 6 individual oven-safe ramekins and top each with a circle of puff pastry for an elegant individual-serve version that is particularly beautiful for dinner parties and special occasions.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~420 kcal
14g
56g
9g
16g
At 420 calories per serving this casserole delivers a genuinely complete and nutritionally substantial meal — 14 grams of plant-based protein from the white beans, nutritional yeast, and oat milk, 9 grams of dietary fiber, and an exceptional concentration of vitamins and minerals from every vegetable in the filling. White beans provide complete plant-based protein alongside folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Carrots provide extraordinary beta-carotene concentration. Peas contribute Vitamins C, K, and B vitamins alongside additional plant-based protein. Mushrooms contribute selenium, B vitamins, and ergothioneine antioxidants. The nutritional yeast contributes B vitamins including B12 in fortified varieties. Fresh thyme provides thymol with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store cooled casserole covered tightly in the baking dish or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pastry softens during refrigeration — reheat uncovered in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 15–20 minutes to restore some crispiness to the top. The filling actually improves during refrigeration as the flavors deepen and meld.
Freezer: This casserole freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat uncovered in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 25–30 minutes. The pastry will not achieve its original crispiness after freezing but the filling will be as extraordinary as when freshly made.
Make ahead — filling only: The vegetable filling can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Transfer to the baking dish, add the pastry top, and bake on the day of serving for a completely fresh-baked result with minimal day-of effort. This makes it an outstanding make-ahead dinner party dish.
Make ahead — assembled unbaked: The fully assembled unbaked casserole can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 5–10 minutes to the baking time when cooking from cold. The pastry may not puff quite as dramatically as a room-temperature assembled casserole but will still be beautifully golden and deeply delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pastry for the top?
Yes — the filling works beautifully with puff pastry, shortcrust pastry, filo pastry, or the dropped biscuit topping described in the recipe. Each produces a different but equally wonderful result — puff pastry for maximum drama and flakiness, shortcrust for a more traditional pot pie character, filo for an extraordinarily crispy, layered top, biscuit for the most American-style comfort food experience.
Can I make this casserole gluten-free?
Yes — replace the all-purpose flour in the roux with a gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch and use gluten-free puff pastry for the topping. Replace the soy sauce with tamari. The filling will be slightly different in texture using cornstarch but equally rich and delicious. Most gluten-free puff pastry brands perform well in this application.
What vegetables can I substitute?
This recipe is extraordinarily flexible — almost any vegetable works beautifully in the filling. Outstanding substitutions include butternut squash, sweet potato, parsnip, turnip, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, corn, edamame, and Brussels sprouts. Use whatever combination of vegetables is available, seasonal, or preferred — the gravy elevates everything it surrounds.
Why is my gravy lumpy?
Lumpy gravy is caused by adding the liquid too quickly to the roux without continuous whisking. Add the vegetable broth gradually — one quarter cup at a time — whisking vigorously after each addition until completely smooth before adding more. If lumps develop strain the finished gravy through a fine mesh sieve before adding the vegetables.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes with modification — make the filling and gravy completely on the stovetop as directed then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on low for 3–4 hours. The pastry topping cannot go in the slow cooker — make it separately in the oven on a lined baking sheet and serve it alongside or on top of the filling at the table.
How do I make individual pot pies from this recipe?
Divide the filling equally between 6 individual oven-safe ramekins of approximately 300ml capacity. Cut circles of puff pastry slightly larger than the diameter of each ramekin, lay over the filling, and press down around the rim to seal. Brush with the plant milk wash and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–22 minutes until golden. Individual pies bake faster than the casserole — check at 18 minutes.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more warming, deeply comforting vegan dinner and casserole recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are handheld snacks you make because something substantial is needed. And then there are snacks like these Vegan Empanadas — the kind that come out of the oven golden and flaky, their crimped edges perfectly sealed, each one a self-contained parcel of deeply seasoned, warmly spiced potato and black bean filling that bursts with flavor on the first bite. This is that empanada. The one that makes people reach for a second before they have finished the first. The one that proves empanadas are genuinely one of the most satisfying, most versatile, and most crowd-pleasing foods in the entire plant-based repertoire.
These empanadas use a simple vegan shortcrust-style dough made from all-purpose flour and cold vegan butter, golden and slightly flaky when baked, with a filling of smoky mashed potato, black beans, onion, garlic, and a well-seasoned blend of cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano that carries the depth and warmth that makes Latin American-inspired flavors so universally appealing.
What makes these empanadas so outstanding is the filling — mashed potato provides body and a slightly creamy texture that binds the filling together cleanly, while whole black beans add protein, texture, and a deep, earthy flavor that turns a simple potato filling into something genuinely complex and satisfying.
This recipe is 100% vegan, ready in about 60 minutes, naturally adaptable to a wide variety of fillings, and absolutely magnificent served warm with a simple chimichurri or avocado dipping sauce alongside.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
30 mins
25 mins
55 mins
6
~340 kcal
Ingredients
For the Empanada Dough
2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ cup (115g) cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes
6–8 tbsp ice cold water
For the Potato Black Bean Filling
2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed
1 can (400g) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
1½ tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp chili powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Vegan Egg Wash
3 tbsp plant milk mixed with 1 tsp maple syrup
For the Chimichurri Dipping Sauce
½ cup (30g) fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp chili flakes
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Make the dough. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the cold vegan butter cubes and work quickly into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Add ice cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork after each addition, until the dough just comes together without being sticky. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and chili powder and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant. Add the black beans and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and combine with the mashed potato and fresh cilantro. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let cool.
Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll and cut the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to approximately 3mm thickness. Cut into circles approximately 12cm in diameter using a round cutter or the rim of a bowl.
Fill and seal. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling into a half-moon shape and press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp the edge with a fork for a decorative and secure seal. Place on the prepared baking sheets.
Brush and bake. Brush each empanada with the plant milk and maple syrup wash. Bake for 22–26 minutes until deeply golden and the pastry is cooked through and slightly flaky.
Make the chimichurri. Combine all chimichurri ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Serve warm. Serve the empanadas warm with the chimichurri alongside.
Pro Tips
Keep the dough and butter cold throughout — cold butter produces a flakier, more tender dough. Work quickly and return to the refrigerator if the butter starts to feel soft.
Do not overfill — 2 tablespoons of filling per empanada is the maximum. Overfilled empanadas burst at the seams during baking and lose their filling.
Seal firmly and crimp confidently — a well-crimped edge holds through the full baking time; a loosely pressed edge opens and lets the filling escape.
Let the filling cool before assembling — warm filling softens the dough and makes sealing and crimping significantly more difficult.
The History of Empanadas
Empanadas are one of the most beloved and most widely distributed foods in the Spanish-speaking world, found in some form in virtually every Latin American country, Spain, and Portugal, as well as having spread to the Philippines and other former Spanish territories. The name derives from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap in bread, accurately describing a preparation in which fillings are enclosed in dough before baking or frying.
The origins of empanadas trace to the Galicia region of northwestern Spain and Portugal, where similar preparations appear in medieval cookbooks as early as the sixteenth century. Spanish and Portuguese colonizers brought the preparation to Latin America, where it evolved differently in each country — the flaky, baked dough of Argentine empanadas, the corn-based dough of Colombian empanadas, the fried versions of Puerto Rico, and countless regional variations throughout the continent. This recipe draws on the baked Argentine tradition, adapted with a plant-based filling that fits seamlessly into the empanada canon.
Flavor Variations
Mushroom and Walnut Empanadas: Replace the potato and black bean filling with finely diced sautéed mushrooms and chopped toasted walnuts seasoned with thyme and garlic for a meatier, earthier filling.
Sweet Potato and Lentil Empanadas: Replace the potato with mashed sweet potato and use cooked green lentils in place of black beans for a sweeter, more earthy variation.
Corn and Pepper Empanadas: Add corn kernels and diced roasted red pepper to the filling for a brighter, sweeter, more summery version.
Refrigerator: Store baked empanadas in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or air fryer to restore the flaky crust.
Freezer: Freeze unbaked, assembled empanadas on a tray until solid then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 28–32 minutes.
Make ahead: Assemble the empanadas up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate unbaked. Brush with wash and bake fresh when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fry the empanadas instead of baking?
Yes — shallow fry in neutral oil at 350°F (175°C) for 3–4 minutes per side until golden for a crispier, richer result. Fried empanadas are particularly popular in several Latin American countries.
Can I make the dough gluten-free?
Yes — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The dough will be more fragile and may crack when folding; work with small, cold portions and patch any cracks before baking.
Can I use store-bought pastry dough?
Yes — store-bought vegan shortcrust or puff pastry both work well as the dough base, significantly reducing prep time. Puff pastry produces a more dramatic, layered result; shortcrust produces the more traditional empanada texture.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more satisfying vegan snack and dinner recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are brunch recipes that feel genuinely special. And then there are brunch recipes like these Vegan Spinach and Feta-Filled Crepes — the kind that come out of the pan impossibly thin and delicate, golden at the edges, folded around a savory filling of garlicky wilted spinach and crumbled vegan feta that is fragrant with herbs and slightly tangy, making every bite simultaneously light and deeply satisfying. This is that recipe. The one that turns a weekend morning into something that feels like a French bistro breakfast. The one that looks considerably more impressive than the time invested would suggest.
These crepes use a simple vegan batter of all-purpose flour, plant milk, and a flax egg that produces a delicate, lacy crepe that is completely indistinguishable in texture and thinness from a classic egg-based crepe. The filling of wilted spinach, garlic, and crumbled vegan feta is simple and deeply satisfying, carrying enough herbaceous, tangy flavor to make these crepes work as a complete brunch dish without any additional sauce.
What makes these crepes so outstanding is the batter — resting for 20 minutes allows the gluten to relax, producing a smoother, more pourable batter that spreads more easily in the pan and cooks more evenly into the characteristic paper-thin, lacy rounds that define a great crepe.
This recipe is 100% vegan, ready in about 40 minutes, and absolutely wonderful served folded or rolled with extra vegan feta crumbled over the top and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Vegan cream cheese spread inside before adding the spinach filling
To Serve
Extra crumbled vegan feta
Fresh lemon wedges
Fresh dill
A drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
Make the crepe batter. Whisk together the flour, plant milk, flax egg, melted vegan butter, and salt until completely smooth and lump-free. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes at room temperature — this is not optional. The resting period allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to relax, producing a more fluid, evenly spreading batter.
Make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the spinach in batches, stirring until completely wilted. Remove from heat, squeeze any excess moisture from the spinach, and roughly chop. Combine with the crumbled vegan feta, fresh herbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Cook the crepes. Heat a 20–22cm non-stick or crepe pan over medium heat. Add a small knob of vegan butter and swirl to coat. Pour approximately 60–70ml of batter into the center of the pan and immediately swirl the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter into a thin, even round. Cook for 60–90 seconds until the edges look dry and are beginning to lift, then flip carefully and cook for 30 seconds on the second side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.
Fill the crepes. Place 2–3 tablespoons of the spinach feta filling along the center of each crepe. Fold into quarters or roll into cylinders.
Serve immediately. Arrange on plates and top with extra crumbled vegan feta, fresh dill, and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips
Rest the batter for the full 20 minutes — this single step produces noticeably smoother, more spreadable batter and more consistently thin, lacy crepes than batter used immediately.
Swirl the pan quickly after pouring the batter — the batter sets quickly and must be spread before it begins to cook.
The first crepe is almost always a test crepe that will not come out perfectly — this is completely normal and happens to every cook. Adjust the heat and butter quantity based on the first result.
Keep finished crepes stacked on a plate covered with a clean kitchen towel — they stay warm and pliable rather than becoming brittle.
The Art of the Perfect Crepe
Crepes are one of the most rewarding and most technically satisfying preparations in all of everyday cooking — a dish that rewards practice and attention in a way that produces genuinely better results with each attempt. The French crepe tradition is centuries old, rooted in the Brittany region of northwestern France where buckwheat galettes (savory crepes) and sweet wheat crepes have been the defining regional food for as long as records exist.
The key to a great crepe — plant-based or otherwise — is always the same: a rested batter, a properly preheated pan, sufficient butter, and the confidence to swirl quickly and decisively. The batter must be fluid enough to spread across the pan before it sets, which is why the resting period that hydrates the flour and relaxes the gluten is so important — an unrested batter is thicker and less fluid, producing a crepe that sets in a thick, uneven layer rather than spreading to a uniform thin round.
Flavor Variations
Sweet Breakfast Crepes: Use the same batter with a teaspoon of vanilla and a tablespoon of sugar, and fill with fresh berries and vegan whipped cream for a sweet version.
Mushroom and Herb Crepes: Replace the spinach with sautéed mushrooms, thyme, and vegan cream cheese for a different savory filling.
Mediterranean Crepes: Add sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and roasted red pepper to the filling for a more complex Mediterranean character.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving — 2 crepes)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~280 kcal
10g
32g
3g
13g
Storage
Refrigerator: Store stacked crepes with parchment between each one in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat briefly in a dry pan.
Freezer: Freeze stacked crepes with parchment between each for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in a dry pan.
Filling: The spinach feta filling keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be made ahead for faster assembly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the batter the night before?
Yes — rested batter kept covered in the refrigerator overnight actually produces slightly better crepes than 20-minute rested batter. Bring to room temperature and stir well before using.
Why are my crepes tearing when I flip them?
Crepes tear when they are flipped too early before the bottom has fully set, when the batter is too thick, or when the pan is not properly non-stick. Wait until the edges look completely dry and beginning to curl before flipping.
Can I make these crepes gluten-free?
Yes — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The crepes will be slightly more fragile than the regular version but still delicious and entirely workable.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more elegant vegan brunch and breakfast recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are bakes you make because something needs to fill the table. And then there are bakes like this Vegan Broccoli Potato Bake — the kind that comes out of the oven bubbling and golden, layers of tender potato and bright green broccoli bound together in a creamy, cheesy sauce that pulls into long, satisfying strands when served. This is that bake. The one that turns two humble vegetables into a genuinely comforting main course or side dish. The one that gets requested again the very same week.
This recipe layers thinly sliced potatoes and broccoli florets in a creamy cashew-based cheese sauce seasoned with garlic, nutritional yeast, and a touch of mustard for depth, topped with breadcrumbs for a golden, slightly crisp finish. It bakes into a dish that is rich, satisfying, and substantial enough to serve as a main course on its own.
What makes this bake so outstanding is the sauce — a silky cashew cream enriched with nutritional yeast and a touch of mustard that thickens beautifully in the oven, coating every piece of potato and broccoli in a rich, savory layer that tastes remarkably close to a classic cheese sauce.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free when made with gluten-free breadcrumbs, ready in about an hour, and absolutely wonderful served on its own or alongside a simple green salad.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
20 mins
50 mins
70 mins
6
~310 kcal
Ingredients
For the Cashew Cheese Sauce
1 cup (130g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes then drained
1½ cups (360ml) vegetable broth
½ cup (120ml) plant milk
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
For the Bake
800g potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 small onion, thinly sliced
For the Topping
½ cup (50g) breadcrumbs
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Optional Add-ins
½ cup (60g) shredded vegan cheese mixed into the sauce
¼ tsp chili flakes for a gentle heat
Fresh thyme between the layers
Instructions
Preheat the oven and prepare the dish. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a deep baking dish.
Parboil the potatoes. Place the sliced potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, and boil for 5–6 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain.
Blanch the broccoli. Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Make the cashew cheese sauce. Blend the drained cashews, vegetable broth, plant milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, onion powder, salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
Layer the bake. Layer half the parboiled potatoes in the prepared dish, followed by half the onion and half the broccoli. Pour half the sauce over evenly. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, onion, broccoli, and sauce.
Make the topping. Combine the breadcrumbs, olive oil, nutritional yeast, and smoked paprika in a small bowl, then scatter evenly over the top of the bake.
Bake. Bake for 35–40 minutes until bubbling, golden on top, and the potatoes are fully tender.
Rest and serve. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly.
Pro Tips
Slice the potatoes evenly for consistent cooking throughout the bake.
Parboil the potatoes before baking to ensure they cook through fully in the time it takes the topping to brown.
Blend the cashew sauce thoroughly for a completely smooth, lump-free result.
Do not skip the breadcrumb topping — it provides essential textural contrast against the creamy layers beneath.
Why This Combination Works
Potatoes provide hearty substance while broccoli adds freshness, color, and nutrition, and together they soak up the rich cashew cheese sauce beautifully during baking. The combination creates a dish that feels both comforting and balanced, satisfying as a side dish or filling enough to serve as a complete meal.
Flavor Variations
Cheesy Broccoli Potato Bake: Stir shredded vegan cheese into the sauce for extra richness and a more pronounced cheesy flavor.
Garlic Herb Bake: Add extra garlic and fresh thyme or rosemary between the layers for a more herbaceous version.
Spicy Version: Add chili flakes to the sauce for gentle background heat throughout the bake.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~310 kcal
10g
38g
6g
13g
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven to avoid drying out.
Freezer: Freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat covered in the oven.
Make ahead: Assemble the bake a day ahead and refrigerate unbaked, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time when cooking from cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes — thaw and drain thoroughly before adding to avoid excess moisture in the finished bake.
Can I make this without a blender?
Yes — use store-bought vegan cream cheese thinned with broth and seasoned with the same garlic, mustard, and nutritional yeast as an alternative base.
Can I add a different vegetable?
Yes — cauliflower, carrots, or green beans all work well in place of or alongside the broccoli.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more comforting vegan side dish and bake recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are pasta dinners that feel genuinely special. And then there are pasta dinners like this Vegan Cannelloni — the kind that comes out of the oven bubbling with rich tomato sauce, with pasta tubes so generously filled with creamy ricotta-style cashew and spinach filling that they have expanded slightly in the dish, their tops blistered and golden where the sauce has caramelized against them. This is that dinner. The one that looks like it took considerably more effort than it actually did. The one that makes a weeknight feel like a dinner party. The one that disappears from the baking dish before anyone realizes they have had seconds.
This recipe fills dried cannelloni tubes with a rich filling built on cashew ricotta, wilted spinach, and herbs — a filling so satisfying and so deeply flavored that it rivals any dairy-based ricotta in both texture and taste — then nestles them in a generous, garlicky tomato sauce and bakes until the pasta is perfectly tender, the filling is set, and the top is golden and slightly crisped at the edges.
What makes this cannelloni so outstanding is the cashew ricotta — blended from soaked cashews with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and garlic into a smooth, creamy, subtly tangy filling that behaves identically to dairy ricotta in this application, holding its shape inside the pasta tubes while baking into a rich, satisfying filling of extraordinary flavor.
This recipe is 100% vegan, ready in about 65 minutes, and absolutely magnificent served directly from the baking dish at the table with a simple green salad alongside.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
25 mins
40 mins
65 mins
4
~480 kcal
Ingredients
For the Cashew Ricotta Filling
1½ cups (195g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes then drained
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp water, to reach consistency
For the Spinach Filling Mix-in
3 cups (90g) fresh spinach, wilted and squeezed very dry
½ cup (60g) vegan mozzarella, shredded (optional topping)
Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Make the cashew ricotta. Blend the drained cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and water in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy — similar in consistency to thick ricotta. Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Set aside.
Prepare the spinach. Wilt the spinach in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a clean towel and squeeze very thoroughly until almost completely dry. Roughly chop and mix into the cashew ricotta along with the nutmeg. Season generously.
Make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Add both cans of tomatoes, oregano, basil, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Season generously.
Preheat the oven. Preheat to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the base of a deep baking dish.
Fill the cannelloni. Transfer the spinach ricotta filling to a piping bag or a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the filling into each dry cannelloni tube, filling generously from both ends if needed. Alternatively use a small spoon, though a piping bag is significantly faster and less messy.
Assemble. Nestle the filled cannelloni tubes in a single layer over the sauce base in the baking dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top, ensuring every tube is covered — exposed pasta will not soften properly during baking. Top with shredded vegan mozzarella if using.
Bake covered then uncovered. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the sauce is bubbling, the top is golden, and a knife inserted into the thickest tube meets no resistance.
Rest and serve. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil and serve directly from the baking dish.
Pro Tips
Use a piping bag to fill the cannelloni — it is the single change that makes this recipe dramatically easier than using a spoon, which is slow and messy.
Ensure every tube is completely covered in tomato sauce before baking — any exposed pasta will remain hard and undercooked in the finished dish.
Squeeze the spinach until completely dry before adding to the ricotta — excess moisture makes the filling too wet and can cause the tubes to burst during baking.
Cover tightly with foil for the first 30 minutes — the steam trapped under the foil is what cooks the pasta through from the inside.
The History of Cannelloni
Cannelloni is one of the most beloved baked pasta dishes in Italian cooking, originating in the Southern Italian tradition of stuffed and baked pasta that also produced manicotti, lasagne, and stuffed shells. The name derives from the Italian word canna, meaning cane or tube, referring to the cylindrical pasta shape that characterizes the dish. Traditional fillings include ricotta and spinach, meat and béchamel, and various regional combinations, all united by the technique of filling the tubes before baking them in sauce until the pasta softens and the filling sets into a rich, unified whole. This vegan version is entirely faithful to the spinach ricotta tradition, producing a result indistinguishable in character from the dairy original.
Flavor Variations
Mushroom and Walnut Cannelloni: Replace half the spinach with finely chopped sautéed mushrooms and add crushed toasted walnuts to the filling for a richer, earthier version.
Pumpkin and Sage Cannelloni: Add roasted pumpkin puree to the cashew ricotta and season with sage for a beautiful autumn version.
Béchamel Topped Cannelloni: Make a simple vegan béchamel from plant milk and vegan butter to pour over the top of the cannelloni instead of or alongside the tomato sauce.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~480 kcal
16g
58g
6g
20g
Storage
Refrigerator: Store covered in the baking dish or in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes.
Freezer: Assemble completely, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months before baking. Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C) covered for 50 minutes then uncovered for 15 minutes.
Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours before baking and refrigerate covered. Add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time when cooking from cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh pasta sheets instead of dried tubes?
Yes — blanch fresh lasagne sheets briefly, fill and roll them into tubes, then bake as directed. This produces a more delicate, silkier pasta layer than dried tubes.
Why are my cannelloni still hard after baking?
Hard cannelloni is caused by insufficient sauce coverage, under-baking, or foil that was not sealed tightly enough. Ensure every tube is submerged in sauce, bake for the full time, and seal the foil tightly to trap steam.
Can I make this nut-free?
Yes — replace the cashew ricotta with a mixture of firm tofu blended smooth with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt for a nut-free filling with a similar texture.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more impressive vegan pasta and Italian dinner recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are side dishes that complete a meal. And then there are side dishes like these Vegan Scalloped Potatoes — the kind that become the meal, that make everything else on the table a pleasant supporting act to the real event happening in the baking dish, that come out of the oven bubbling and golden and smelling so extraordinarily of caramelized cream and garlic and herbs that people are already seated and ready before you have even called them to the table. This is that dish. The one that makes holiday tables feel genuinely special. The one that gets requested at every family gathering from the moment it first appears. The one that is so deeply, warmly, extravagantly comforting that eating it feels like being taken care of in the most fundamental and delicious way possible.
These are scalloped potatoes of extraordinary luxury and extraordinary deliciousness — thin, even slices of tender potato layered in a deep baking dish with a cashew cream sauce of such silky, garlic-scented richness that it is completely and utterly indistinguishable from the finest dairy cream, seasoned generously with fresh thyme, garlic, nutmeg, and an extraordinary amount of nutritional yeast that creates a deep, savory, almost cheesy depth throughout every layer, and baked until the top is deeply golden and slightly crisped while the layers beneath are completely yielding, perfectly tender, and bathed in a sauce that has thickened around them into something that is simultaneously sauce and custard and pure comfort.
What makes this recipe so genuinely outstanding is the cashew cream sauce. Raw cashews soaked briefly in boiling water and blended with garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon, and vegetable broth into the most velvety, dairy-free cream imaginable — a cream so rich, so silky, and so deeply flavored that it performs every function that dairy cream performs in scalloped potatoes, including the slow thickening during baking as its proteins and starches concentrate around the potato layers into a sauce of extraordinary body and richness. There is no compromise here. No thinness. No absence. Just a different and in many ways more interesting path to the same extraordinary result.
This recipe is 100% vegan, naturally gluten-free, ready in 75 minutes of largely unattended baking, and absolutely magnificent served as a holiday side dish, a weeknight comfort dinner, or the centrepiece of any gathering where you want to demonstrate beyond any possible doubt that plant-based cooking is not about deprivation but about genuine, luxurious abundance.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
20 mins
55 mins
75 mins
6
~380 kcal
Ingredients
For the Cashew Cream Sauce
1½ cups (200g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes then drained
2 cups (480ml) vegetable broth
1 cup (240ml) unsweetened oat milk
6 tbsp nutritional yeast
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp white miso paste
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
For the Potato Layers
1.2kg (about 6 medium) Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 medium white onion, very thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, very finely chopped
Salt and black pepper for seasoning between layers
For the Top
½ cup (60g) vegan cheese, shredded (optional but spectacular)
1 tbsp vegan butter, cut into small pieces
Extra fresh thyme for garnish
Smoked paprika for color
Optional Add-ins Between Layers
1 cup (150g) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup (100g) mushrooms, thinly sliced and sautéed
½ cup (60g) sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 medium leek, thinly sliced and softened in olive oil
To Serve
As a holiday side dish alongside roasted vegetables
With a simple green salad
As a main course with crusty bread
Alongside vegan roasts and mains
With steamed green beans or asparagus
At any gathering as the star side dish
Instructions
Preheat the oven and soak the cashews. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a deep 23 x 33cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish generously with vegan butter or olive oil. Place the cashews in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 20 minutes. This soaking time is essential — properly soaked cashews blend to a completely smooth, silky cream. Under-soaked cashews produce a grainy sauce.
Slice the potatoes. While the cashews soak slice the potatoes into very thin, even rounds — approximately 3mm (⅛ inch) thick. A mandoline produces the most consistently thin, even slices and is strongly recommended for this recipe. Consistent slice thickness is critical — uneven slices produce unevenly cooked layers with some pieces perfectly tender while others are still firm. Place the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning while you prepare the sauce.
Make the cashew cream sauce. Drain the soaked cashews and place in a high-speed blender with the vegetable broth, oat milk, nutritional yeast, minced garlic, lemon juice, white miso paste, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Blend on the highest speed for 90 seconds until completely smooth, silky, and flowing with absolutely no graininess or texture remaining. Taste the sauce — it should be deeply savory, slightly tangy, richly flavored, and with a pronounced cheesy depth from the nutritional yeast. Adjust seasoning confidently — this sauce needs to season the entire dish.
Sauté the aromatics. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant. Set aside.
Begin layering. Drain the potato slices and pat dry with kitchen towels — removing surface moisture produces more even cooking and better absorption of the cream sauce. Begin building the layers in the prepared baking dish. Start with a thin layer of cashew cream sauce spread across the base of the dish. Add a single layer of overlapping potato slices — arrange them like overlapping scales, each slice covering approximately half of the previous one for the most even, beautiful presentation. Scatter some of the softened onion and garlic mixture over the potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter fresh thyme and rosemary. Pour a generous ladle of cashew cream sauce over the layer — enough to just cover the potatoes.
Continue layering. Repeat the layering process — potatoes, onion, herbs, seasoning, cream sauce — until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of potatoes on top. Pour the remaining cashew cream sauce over the final potato layer — it should come just to the top of the potatoes but not overflow. Press the top layer of potatoes gently into the sauce with the back of a spoon.
Top and cover. If using vegan cheese scatter it evenly over the top potato layer. Dot with the small pieces of vegan butter. Scatter extra thyme leaves and a light dusting of smoked paprika over the surface. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil — the steam trapped under the foil during the first stage of baking is what cooks the potatoes through to complete tenderness before the top is allowed to brown.
Bake covered then uncovered. Bake covered for 40 minutes until the potatoes are just tender when pierced through the foil with a thin knife — the knife should meet only slight resistance. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for a further 15–20 minutes until the top is deeply golden, slightly crisped at the edges, and the sauce is bubbling vigorously around the sides of the dish.
Rest before serving. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving — this resting time allows the sauce to thicken and set slightly, producing cleaner, more beautiful servings rather than the flowing, loose result of a dish served immediately from the oven. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve directly from the baking dish at the table.
Pro Tips for Perfect Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Slice the potatoes on a mandoline. Consistent, paper-thin slices are the foundation of great scalloped potatoes — and consistent slices require a mandoline or extremely careful, skilled knife work. Uneven slices produce uneven cooking with some layers perfectly tender and others still firm when the dish is done. A mandoline set to 3mm produces the ideal slice for this recipe.
Season every layer generously. Scalloped potatoes require confident, layered seasoning — salt added only to the sauce will not penetrate every layer evenly. Season each potato layer with salt and pepper before adding the sauce for a dish that is uniformly, deeply seasoned throughout rather than well-seasoned on top and bland in the middle.
Use Yukon Gold potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes have a naturally buttery flavor, a waxy texture that holds their shape during baking rather than dissolving, and a beautiful golden color that makes the finished dish look particularly appetizing. Russet potatoes also work well — they are starchier and produce a slightly softer result. Avoid red-skinned potatoes which stay too firm.
Blend the cashew sauce for the full 90 seconds. A perfectly smooth, completely lump-free cashew cream requires sustained high-speed blending. Any residual graininess in the sauce will be visible in the finished dish and will affect the texture of the cream as it thickens during baking. Blend until the sauce flows like thick dairy cream with absolutely no texture remaining.
Cover tightly for the first 40 minutes. The steam trapped under the foil during the first stage of baking is essential for cooking the potato layers through to complete tenderness. Uncovering too early produces undercooked potatoes beneath a beautifully browned top — a common and deeply frustrating mistake. Keep covered until the potatoes are just tender before removing the foil to brown the top.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving. The sauce in freshly baked scalloped potatoes is liquid and flowing — resting for 10 minutes allows it to thicken and set to the perfect consistency for serving. A dish served immediately from the oven produces servings that fall apart. A dish rested for 10 minutes produces beautiful, layered servings that hold their shape on the plate.
The History of Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes — known in French culinary tradition as gratin dauphinois — is one of the most beloved and most enduringly popular potato preparations in the entire Western culinary canon. The dish originated in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France where it appears in cookbooks as early as the eighteenth century in a form that is essentially identical to the modern preparation — thinly sliced potatoes baked in cream and garlic until tender and golden.
The name scalloped derives from the old English culinary term to scallop — meaning to bake in a sauce in a shallow dish — which was applied to numerous preparations in nineteenth century American cooking. The French original uses nothing more than potatoes, cream, garlic, salt, and pepper — a preparation of such austere simplicity and such extraordinary result that it has remained largely unchanged for over two centuries.
What makes scalloped potatoes so enduringly beloved across cultures and generations is their extraordinary textural transformation during baking. Raw potato slices are firm, starchy, and relatively flavorless. After 55 minutes in a hot oven bathed in cream they become completely yielding, deeply flavored from the garlic and herbs that surround them, and coated in a sauce that has thickened around them during baking into something halfway between cream and custard — simultaneously rich and light, substantial and flowing, warming and luxurious.
This vegan version achieves exactly this transformation through the cashew cream sauce — which behaves during baking in a remarkably similar way to dairy cream, thickening slowly as its proteins concentrate and its starches absorb the moisture released by the potatoes, setting to the characteristic layered, custard-like consistency of the original.
Flavor Variations
Truffle Scalloped Potatoes: Add 2 tablespoons of truffle oil to the cashew cream sauce and finish with a drizzle of additional truffle oil before serving for an extraordinarily luxurious version that is particularly spectacular for holiday entertaining.
Spinach and Artichoke Scalloped Potatoes: Add layers of thawed frozen spinach and roughly chopped artichoke hearts between the potato layers for a version inspired by spinach artichoke dip that is extraordinarily rich and deeply satisfying.
Sweet Potato Scalloped Potatoes: Replace half the regular potatoes with thinly sliced sweet potato for a version with a beautiful orange-and-white layered appearance and a natural sweetness from the sweet potato that contrasts magnificently with the savory cream sauce.
Mushroom Scalloped Potatoes: Add layers of thinly sliced cremini mushrooms sautéed with garlic and thyme between the potato layers for a version with deep, earthy umami richness that makes the finished dish taste significantly more complex than the potato-only version.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~380 kcal
12g
52g
5g
15g
At 380 calories per serving these scalloped potatoes deliver genuine indulgence alongside meaningful nutrition. Potatoes provide complex carbohydrates, Vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin B6, and resistant starch that supports gut microbiome health. The cashew cream sauce contributes 12 grams of plant-based protein per serving alongside heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. The nutritional yeast provides B vitamins including B12 in fortified varieties alongside all nine essential amino acids. Fresh thyme contributes thymol with potent antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Garlic contributes allicin with cardiovascular protective and antimicrobial properties.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store cooled scalloped potatoes covered tightly in the baking dish or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The dish actually improves significantly on day 2 as the sauce continues to absorb into the potato layers and the flavors deepen and meld. Reheat covered with foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–25 minutes until heated through, removing the foil for the final 5 minutes to re-crisp the top.
Freezer: Scalloped potatoes freeze well for up to 2 months. Cool completely before covering tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 30–35 minutes. The texture of the potatoes changes slightly during freezing — they become slightly softer — but the flavor remains excellent.
Make ahead: This is an outstanding make-ahead dish for holidays and entertaining. Assemble completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time when cooking from cold. The assembled unbaked dish can also be frozen for up to 1 month — thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking.
Individual portions: Reheat individual portions in a small oven-safe dish at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes or in the microwave for 2–3 minutes — adding a splash of plant milk if the sauce has become too thick during storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What potatoes work best for scalloped potatoes?
Yukon Gold potatoes are the finest choice — their naturally buttery flavor, waxy texture, and beautiful golden color make them ideal for this preparation. They hold their shape during baking without dissolving and their inherent flavor complements the cashew cream sauce beautifully. Russet potatoes produce a slightly softer, starchier result that some people prefer. Avoid red-skinned potatoes which stay too firm even after extended baking.
Why are my scalloped potatoes still firm after baking?
Firm potatoes after the full baking time are caused by potato slices that are too thick, insufficient liquid in the sauce, or potatoes that were not covered tightly during the first stage of baking. Slice potatoes to a maximum of 3mm thickness, ensure the sauce comes just to the top of the final potato layer before baking, and keep the foil on tightly for the full first 40 minutes of baking.
Can I make this recipe without a blender?
Yes — use store-bought vegan cream cheese or vegan heavy cream as the base instead of the cashew cream. Combine 300g of vegan cream cheese with 2 cups of vegetable broth, the nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings and whisk vigorously until smooth. The result will be slightly different in flavor but still deeply creamy and delicious.
How thin should I slice the potatoes?
Approximately 3mm (⅛ inch) is the ideal thickness — thin enough to become completely tender during baking and to absorb the cream sauce fully, thick enough to retain some structure and integrity in the finished dish rather than dissolving into mush. A mandoline set to the thinnest setting and then backed up slightly produces the ideal slice consistently.
Can I add cheese to this recipe?
Yes — a generous layer of shredded vegan cheese on top before the final uncovered baking produces a beautiful golden, slightly crisped cheese topping that adds visual drama and additional savory depth. Vegan mozzarella, vegan cheddar, or vegan Gruyère style cheese all work beautifully. Add in the final 15–20 minutes of uncovered baking for the best melt and color.
Is this dish suitable for holiday entertaining?
This is one of the finest dishes available for holiday entertaining — it assembles in advance, bakes largely unattended, improves when made a day ahead, feeds a crowd generously from a single dish, and produces a presentation so beautiful and a flavor so extraordinary that it consistently becomes the most discussed dish at any gathering where it appears.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more indulgent vegan side dish and comfort food recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are spreads you buy from a jar and feel vaguely disappointed by. And then there are spreads like this Vegan Lemon Curd — the kind that you make once from scratch and realize immediately, irreversibly, that homemade lemon curd is in a completely different category from anything that has ever come in a jar. This is that curd. Brilliant yellow, impossibly silky, intensely lemony in the way that only fresh lemon juice and zest can achieve, with a richness and body from coconut cream and cornstarch that make it spread like liquid silk and set into glossy, glossy, glossy perfection. The one that goes on everything. The one you make in double batches and find seventeen uses for before the week is out.
This recipe cooks fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, coconut cream, cornstarch, and turmeric into a thick, glossy, intensely flavored curd that is every bit as silky and rich as a traditional egg-and-butter lemon curd, without any of either. The turmeric provides the characteristic deep yellow color that lemon curd should have, contributing a negligible flavor note while making the finished curd look exactly as beautiful as it should.
What makes this curd so outstanding is the ratio of lemon to sweetness — using more lemon than most recipes dare to, producing a curd that is genuinely tart and intensely citrusy rather than merely sweet with a hint of lemon, balanced by just enough sugar to make every spoonful genuinely delicious.
This recipe is 100% vegan, naturally gluten-free, ready in just 15 minutes, and absolutely magnificent spread on toast, used as a cake filling, swirled into yogurt, folded into whipped coconut cream, or eaten directly from the spoon standing at the kitchen counter.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Chill Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
5 mins
10 mins
30 mins
45 mins
8
~120 kcal
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd
½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice (from approximately 3–4 large lemons)
Zest of 2 lemons
½ cup (100g) cane sugar
½ cup (120ml) full-fat coconut cream
2 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp vegan butter, cold, cut into small cubes (stirred in at the end)
Pinch of salt
Optional Uses
Spread on toast or bagels
Fill cakes or cupcakes
Swirl into vegan yogurt or chia pudding
Layer in trifles and parfaits
Fill tart shells for lemon tarts
Fold into whipped coconut cream for lemon mousse
Drizzle over pancakes or waffles
Instructions
Combine all ingredients except the butter. In a medium saucepan whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, coconut cream, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt until the cornstarch is completely dissolved with no lumps remaining. This pre-whisking before heat prevents lumps from forming during cooking.
Cook over medium heat. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously and without stopping, until the mixture thickens significantly — approximately 7–9 minutes. The curd is ready when it coats the back of a spoon thickly and a line drawn through it holds its shape cleanly.
Remove from heat and add the butter. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and add the cold vegan butter cubes one at a time, whisking each one in until completely melted and incorporated before adding the next. This technique — called mounting — adds gloss and richness to the finished curd.
Strain for ultimate smoothness. Pour the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar or bowl to remove the lemon zest pieces and any lumps, producing a perfectly smooth, glossy curd.
Cool and store. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd — preventing a skin from forming — and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until thickened to the desired spreading consistency. The curd thickens considerably as it chills.
Pro Tips
Whisk continuously throughout cooking without stopping — the moment you stop whisking a cornstarch-thickened curd over direct heat is the moment lumps begin to form.
Use fresh lemon juice only — bottled lemon juice lacks the volatile aromatic compounds that make fresh lemon curd so intensely flavored and alive.
Use both juice and zest — the zest contains aromatic oils that are entirely absent from the juice, and these oils contribute much of the complex, floral lemon character of great lemon curd.
Add the vegan butter off the heat one cube at a time for the glossiest, most emulsified result.
Strain the finished curd — removing the cooked zest pieces produces a perfectly smooth, professional result.
The Brilliant History of Lemon Curd
Lemon curd is one of the most beloved British preserves, with a history stretching back to the nineteenth century when it first appeared as a simple preparation of lemon juice and zest cooked with eggs, butter, and sugar into a thick, spreadable preserve. It became particularly associated with afternoon tea, where it was served alongside scones and clotted cream as an alternative to jam, and remains one of the defining flavors of British baking and preserving tradition.
The name “curd” derives from the cheese-making process that it superficially resembles — both involve the controlled thickening of a liquid into a more solid, concentrated form through heat and chemical interaction. In lemon curd’s case, the proteins in the eggs traditionally provided this thickening; in this vegan version, cornstarch performs the same role, producing an identically thick, glossy, sliceable result without the eggs.
Lemon curd’s enduring appeal lies in its extraordinary versatility — it works as a spread, a filling, a sauce, a topping, and an ingredient in countless other preparations, making it one of the most useful and most rewarding things available to make in a home kitchen.
Flavor Variations
Lime Curd: Replace the lemon juice and zest with fresh lime juice and lime zest for a more tropical, slightly more tart version with a beautiful pale green color.
Orange Curd: Replace the lemon with fresh orange juice and zest for a sweeter, more mellow citrus curd.
Grapefruit Curd: Use pink grapefruit juice and zest for a more bitter, complex curd with a beautiful blush color.
Lemon Lavender Curd: Add 1 teaspoon of culinary dried lavender to the curd while cooking and strain out with the zest for a floral, aromatic version.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving — 2 tbsp)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~120 kcal
0g
18g
0g
6g
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks. The curd continues to thicken slightly during refrigeration.
Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before using — the texture may be slightly different after thawing but still delicious.
Gifting: Homemade lemon curd in a beautiful jar makes one of the most wonderful and appreciated homemade food gifts available. Label with the date and storage instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my lemon curd too thin?
Thin curd is caused by insufficient cooking time or insufficient cornstarch. Ensure the curd has thickened significantly on the stovetop — it should coat the back of a spoon visibly — before removing from the heat. It will thicken further during chilling.
Can I make this curd less sweet?
Yes — reduce the sugar to 6 tablespoons for a more tart, assertively lemony curd. Do not reduce below this as the sugar also contributes to the texture of the finished curd.
Why did my curd turn lumpy?
Lumps are caused by stopping whisking during cooking, or by the cornstarch not being fully dissolved before heating. Whisk continuously without stopping and ensure the cornstarch is completely dissolved in the cold liquid before applying heat. Straining the finished curd removes any lumps that do form.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more vibrant vegan breakfast and baking recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
There are salads you make because something light is needed. And then there are salads like this Asian-Inspired Noodle Salad with Orange Miso Ginger Dressing — the kind that comes together in a single bowl of such extraordinary color and texture and flavor that it is simultaneously the most beautiful and the most delicious thing on the table. This is that salad. The one with ribbons of cool soba noodles, crunchy shredded cabbage, bright edamame, julienned carrot, and thinly sliced cucumber, all tossed in a dressing so deeply savory and so brightly citrusy and so perfectly balanced between sweet, salty, tangy, and umami that you will make a double batch of it immediately for use on everything else in the refrigerator.
This recipe combines soba noodles with a colorful array of crisp, fresh vegetables and a bold, complex dressing built on white miso paste, fresh orange juice and zest, grated ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a touch of maple syrup — a combination that produces a dressing of such extraordinary complexity from such simple ingredients that it tastes like something requiring considerably more effort than it actually demands.
What makes this salad so outstanding is the dressing — the orange miso ginger combination is one of the great underused flavor pairings in plant-based cooking, providing simultaneously the deep, savory, fermented character of miso, the bright, slightly sweet citrus of fresh orange, and the clean, warming punch of fresh ginger, all balanced into something that makes every ingredient it touches taste more vibrant and more interesting.
This recipe is 100% vegan, naturally gluten-free when made with gluten-free soba or rice noodles, ready in just 25 minutes, and absolutely spectacular served immediately or chilled, making it equally outstanding as a quick weeknight dinner and a make-ahead lunch.
Recipe Information
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Servings
Calories
15 mins
10 mins
25 mins
4
~340 kcal
Ingredients
For the Noodle Salad
300g soba noodles or rice noodles
2 cups (160g) red or green cabbage, very thinly shredded
2 medium carrots, julienned or grated
1 medium cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup (150g) frozen edamame, thawed
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup (15g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ cup (35g) roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
For the Orange Miso Ginger Dressing
3 tbsp white miso paste
4 tbsp fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 large orange
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh ginger, very finely grated
1 clove garlic, finely grated
2–3 tbsp water, to thin to desired consistency
Optional Add-ins
Thinly sliced red bell pepper for extra color
Sliced avocado added just before serving
Crispy tofu cubes for extra protein
Shredded purple cabbage alongside the green for a more dramatic color contrast
Instructions
Cook the noodles. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions — typically 4–6 minutes in boiling water. Drain and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking. Toss with a small drizzle of sesame oil to keep separate. Set aside.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together the white miso paste, orange juice, orange zest, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, grated ginger, and grated garlic until completely smooth and emulsified. Add water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing reaches a pourable, drizzleable consistency. Taste and adjust — more orange juice for brightness, more soy sauce for saltiness, more maple syrup for sweetness.
Prepare the vegetables. Shred the cabbage as thinly as possible, julienne or grate the carrots, slice the cucumber and spring onions, and thaw the edamame if needed.
Assemble the salad. In a large bowl combine the cooked noodles, shredded cabbage, carrot, cucumber, edamame, and spring onions. Pour the dressing over and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.
Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Scatter the fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts or cashews, and toasted sesame seeds over the top. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pro Tips
Rinse the soba noodles in cold water immediately after cooking — this stops the cooking process, removes surface starch that would make them sticky and clumped, and cools them to the correct temperature for a cold noodle salad.
Make the dressing first and let it sit while preparing everything else — the flavors deepen and meld beautifully even in 10–15 minutes.
Taste the dressing before adding to the salad and adjust confidently — the dressing should taste noticeably bold as it will be diluted slightly by the noodles and vegetables.
Add the peanuts and sesame seeds just before serving to keep them crunchy rather than softening in the dressing.
Why This Dressing Is So Extraordinary
The orange miso ginger combination works at a deep flavor chemistry level because each ingredient contributes a distinct dimension that the others cannot provide. Miso provides fermented umami depth and saltiness. Orange provides natural sweetness, acidity, and aromatic citrus compounds. Ginger provides warming, slightly peppery pungency. Sesame oil provides richness and its characteristic nutty aroma. Rice vinegar provides sharpness and brightness. Together these five elements create a dressing that satisfies on every flavor dimension simultaneously — a quality that makes food genuinely addictive rather than merely pleasant.
Flavor Variations
Spicy Orange Miso Salad: Add a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or a pinch of cayenne to the dressing for a version with building heat.
Tofu Noodle Salad: Add cubed, pan-fried crispy tofu to the assembled salad for a more substantial, higher-protein version.
Mango Noodle Salad: Add thinly sliced fresh mango to the salad for a sweeter, more tropical character that pairs particularly beautifully with the orange dressing.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
Calories
Protein
Carbs
Fiber
Fat
~340 kcal
14g
52g
6g
10g
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the assembled salad in an airtight container for up to 2 days, though the noodles will absorb more dressing over time. For the best texture, store the components separately and assemble just before serving.
Dressing: The dressing keeps in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and is outstanding on virtually everything — grain bowls, roasted vegetables, steamed broccoli, lettuce wraps.
Meal prep: This salad is excellent for meal prep when the components are stored separately — noodles, vegetables, and dressing each stored apart and assembled fresh for each serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different noodle instead of soba?
Yes — rice noodles, udon, ramen, or glass noodles all work well in this salad. Rice noodles make it naturally gluten-free; udon produces a chewier, more substantial result.
Can I make this salad ahead for a party?
Yes — prepare all components up to 24 hours ahead and store separately. Toss with the dressing 15–30 minutes before serving for the best texture, allowing time for the flavors to meld without the noodles becoming soggy.
What can I substitute for white miso if I can’t find it?
Yellow miso works as a direct substitute with a slightly stronger, more robust flavor. Red miso produces a more intensely savory, less sweet dressing. If miso is unavailable, a mixture of tahini, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt provides a similar fermented depth.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! Tag us on Instagram and Facebook — we love seeing your plant-powered creations. Looking for more vibrant vegan noodle and bowl recipes? Browse all recipes on Easy Vegan Recipes — new recipes posted every single week!
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