Veganuary has always been sold as a kind of moral reset – lighter, cleaner, better behaved. But if the idea of a month-long diet of limp salads and joyless “swaps” fills you with dread, this collection is here to prove that eating vegan doesn’t mean eating small, bland or boring. Quite the opposite, in fact.
What links these recipes isn’t restraint, but generosity: big flavours, clever textures and the sort of dishes you actually look forward to cooking after a long day. There’s comfort here – from steaming bowls of ramen and rich, brothy soups to pasta slicked with lemony, creamy sauces – but also a sense of playfulness. Think baked beans transformed into a dal that somehow feels both nostalgic and genuinely new, crispy tofu standing in unapologetically for fried chicken, and jackfruit doing what it does best: soaking up sticky, savoury sauces and pretending, very convincingly, to be something else entirely.
It’s also a reminder that good vegan cooking isn’t about ultra-processed substitutes or culinary gymnastics. Many of these dishes lean on everyday supermarket staples – tins of beans, bags of frozen veg, jars of miso or gochujang – used with confidence and a bit of flair. Others take familiar centrepieces, like a nut roast or a whole roasted celeriac, and give them the kind of depth and richness usually reserved for meat-based mains.
Whether you’re committing fully to Veganuary, cooking for someone who is, or simply looking to eat a little more plant-forward this January, these are recipes designed for real life. Warming, satisfying and properly delicious – no virtue signalling required.
Baked bean dal
“Comedian Romesh Ranganathan was a welcome guest on The Snack Hacker [podcast], and he told me about going to university and his mum, Shanthi Ranganathan, inventing a simple baked bean curry that he could make in halls when she wasn’t sending him food packages,” shares comedian, cook and content creator George Egg, known as the Snack Hacker.
“He challenged me to invent something using the ubiquitous breakfast staple and I came up with this. Despite tasting very dal-like, the flavour of baked beans still pushes through in a reassuring way.”
Serves: 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main
Ingredients:
2 x 400g tins of baked beans
3 slices fresh ginger (about the thickness of a pound coin)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 hot green finger chillies
50g ghee or butter (or a vegan equivalent)
8 cloves garlic, sliced into matchsticks
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cayenne pepper or hot chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp brown sugar
Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Method:
1. Semi-rinse the beans. You need to lose a little bit of their sauce but not all of it as it’s nice to retain some of the familiar flavour, so pour the beans into a sieve and run the cold tap over them for just a second as you give them a quick swirl, then dump the beans and whatever water and sauce has clung to them straight into a deep saucepan.
2. Add the ginger, turmeric and one of the chillis whole (they look great as well as creating potential jeopardy later on), but no salt as the beans will be pretty well seasoned.
3. Set the pan over a medium heat and as the contents start to warm, semi-mash the beans with a potato masher. You want them busted but not pureéd. Set the heat to low, put a lid on and let them heat through for 10 minutes, giving them a stir every now and then to stop them sticking. They’ll start to dry a bit as the moisture evaporates, so don’t be afraid to add a generous splash of water (about 100ml) if they do. Have a taste and if it’s not salty enough, add some.
4. While the beans are cooking, put the ghee, butter or vegan equivalent in a cold shallow pan, add the garlic and the cumin seeds and set over a low heat so the fat melts and the garlic starts to sizzle. Keep an eye on it as while golden garlic is delicious, burnt garlic will ruin everything.
5. As soon as the garlic is pale gold and smelling good, take the pan off the heat, add the cayenne or chilli powder, give the pan one stir and pour the contents into the beans.
6. Sprinkle over the garam masala and the brown sugar. Turn the heat off and give the whole pan a very rudimentary mix. You want those oily, buttery pools in places rather than an amalgamated mass. It’s much more appetising.
7. Finally, scatter over the coriander and the other chilli, roughly chopped.
‘The Snack Hacker: Rule-Breaking Recipes for Cooks and Non-Cooks’ by George Egg (Blink, £22).
Shawarma mushroom flatbreads
“There are a few things I always have lurking in my cupboards to help me get maximum flavour with minimal effort and a good shawarma paste is one of them,” says chef Natalia Rudin.
“It hardly needs any accessories and works as a marinade on most things with just an extra lick of olive oil and a good pinch of salt. It’s also one of those things that seems to last forever in the fridge once opened.”
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp shawarma paste
400g oyster mushrooms, roughly torn
2 flatbreads, warmed
1 pickled gherkin, sliced
Small bunch of parsley
Salt
For the pickled onions:
½ small red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
Juice of ½ lemon
For the tahini yoghurt:
5 tbsp plain yoghurt of your choice
1 tbsp tahini
For the slaw:
¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 tbsp vegan garlic mayo (or egg-based alternative)
Juice of ½ lemon
Method:
1. Start by combining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the shawarma paste in a bowl. Tear the mushrooms and add them to the bowl, season with a good pinch of salt, then coat them in the paste so the flavours infuse. Set aside while you prep the pickled onions.
2. Put the onions into a small bowl along with the lemon juice and a big pinch of salt then give it a rough mix and leave to sit for a couple of minutes until light pink and juicy.
3. In another bowl, mix the yoghurt and tahini and season with salt.
4. To make the slaw, mix all the ingredients together with a good pinch of salt and set aside.
5. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the marinated mushrooms for about 10 minutes until charred and caramelised.
6. Warm through the flatbreads in a separate dry pan or straight on a flame if you have a gas hob (be careful and use tongs). Let them sit for about 30 seconds per side and keep flipping until they feel warm to the touch – this goes for both pan or direct flame.
7. Layer on the yoghurt, slaw, pickled onions, mushrooms and finish with pickled gherkin and parsley.
Tip: Pour olive oil into the jar of shawarma paste once it’s been opened to cover to the surface and prevent mould growth.
‘Cooking Fast and Slow’ by Natalia Rudin (Penguin Life, £25).
Sweet potato gochujang soup with crispy chickpeas
“This is the perfect soup to slurp in colder months,” says Gigi Grassia, author of Plant Protein.
“Where to begin? It combines the earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes with the bold flavour of gochujang paste, creating a rich and aromatic broth. Silken tofu adds creaminess while nutritional yeast contributes an umami depth of flavour. It takes roughly 30 minutes to make and you’ll honestly never guess that it is packed with so much protein!”
In fact, this warming soup contains 25g of protein per serving.
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
1 small-medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 tbsp gochujang paste
350g sweet potatoes, chopped into 1cm cubes
450-600ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and patted dry
1 heaped tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp onion granules
300g silken tofu
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
200g vermicelli rice noodles
Olive oil, for cooking and drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Sesame seeds
Spring onions, finely chopped
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/425F/gas mark 7 and a line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Heat a glug of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion, garlic and gochujang paste for five to eight minutes until the onions are soft and golden.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and a splash of stock to prevent sticking, then stir and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until fork tender, adding a little more stock to prevent sticking.
4. Meanwhile, toss the chickpeas in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, the paprika, cumin, onion granules and salt. Spread the chickpeas out on the prepared baking tray. Roast them in the oven for 35-40 minutes, then turn on the grill and grill for five to 10 minutes to ensure they’re crunchy. Alternatively, if you have an air fryer, you can air-fry the chickpeas at 200C for 15-20 minutes.
5. In a food processor, combine the cooked sweet potato mixture, silken tofu, nutritional yeast, vegetable stock and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until creamy. You might have to do this in batches.
6. Cook the rice noodles according to the packet instructions.
7. Assemble the bowls by ladling in the creamy soup, followed by the noodles. Garnish with the crispy chickpeas.
‘Plant Protein: 80 Healthy And Delicious High-Protein Vegan Recipes’ by Gigi Grassia (Greenfinch, £22).
Peanut tofu fingers with a zingy slaw
“Strips of tofu coated in a satay-style batter, dipped into a crunchy peanut and cornflake crumb for the ultimate crunch, then served with a zingy slaw to cut through the saltiness and bring the dish to life,” says Christina Kynigos – behind the popular account @veryhungrygreek.
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients:
280g extra-firm tofu
25g cornflakes, crushed
10g salted peanuts, crushed
1 tsp curry powder
20g peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
2½ tbsp hot water
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp granulated or powdered sweetener (or sugar)
Non-stick cooking spray
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the zingy slaw:
100g red cabbage, finely sliced
30g red onion, finely sliced
1 large sprig of coriander, finely chopped
3 tbsp light mayo
1 tsp white vinegar (or white rice vinegar)
Juice of ½ lime
Method:
1. Preheat the air fryer at 200C for 5 minutes.
2. Slice the tofu into 6 blocks and set aside. In a bowl, mix the crushed cornflakes and peanuts with the curry powder and some salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine the peanut butter with the hot water until creamy, then mix in the soy sauce and sweetener.
3. Dip the tofu blocks into the peanut sauce, then into the crushed cornflakes, saving any leftover peanut sauce for later. Spray the air fryer base with oil and place the tofu fingers in it. Air fry at 180C for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crispy.
4. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the zingy slaw together, adding a good pinch of salt. Serve with the tofu fingers, with any remaining sauce for dunking.
‘Healthy Air Fryer Feasts: Fast, Easy, High-Protein Recipes in 30 Mins or Less’ by Christina Kynigos (HQ HarperCollins, £20).
Grate bolognese
No knives are needed for this delicious bolognese recipe, all you need is a grater! According to BOSH! chefs, Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, this recipe is seriously tasty.
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp plant-based tomato pesto
1 tbsp Nooch (nutritional yeast)
1 tsp Henderson’s Relish
2 tsp gravy browning
100g smoked tofu
200g chestnut mushrooms
1 garlic clove
400g Polpa tomatoes
2 medium tomatoes
For the bolognese:
250g rigatoni pasta
Sugar to taste
1 tbsp olive oil (to serve)
1 tbsp Nooch (nutritional yeast)
Basil leaves (to serve)
Method:
1. Coarsely grate the tofu and mushrooms, transfer to a bowl and rinse the grater. Coarsely grate the tomatoes. Finely grate the garlic clove.
2. Prepare the sauce: Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a high-sided frying pan. Add the grated tofu and mushrooms to the pan and stir for five to six minutes. Add the grated garlic and stir for one minute. Add the grated tomatoes and stir for two minutes. Add the tomato pesto and nutritional yeast and stir for one minute. Add the Polpa tomatoes, stir to combine, reduce the heat, and simmer for three to four minutes. Add the Henderson’s Relish and gravy browning, stir to combine, taste, and season with salt, pepper, and sugar.
3. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and leave the pan to one side to let the flavours develop.
4. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to the package instructions (approx 10-13 minutes).
5. To serve: Add a ladle of pasta water to the sauce and stir to loosen. Finely shred the basil leaves. Drain the pasta with a colander, quickly transfer the pasta to the sauce, and fold to combine. Spoon the pasta into bowls. Season with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper, drizzle over a little olive oil, garnish with basil leaves, and serve immediately.
Lemony pea and broccoli pasta
“I make a variation of this for my kids a lot, using whatever greens I have in the fridge – green beans, asparagus, spinach etc. It’s exceptionally simple yet super-satisfying,” says Ella Mills, the brains behind Deliciously Ella.
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
2 servings of pasta; I like orecchiette in this dish (about 75g per person)
1 small head broccoli (about 300g) cut into small florets
100g frozen peas
Large handful of cashews (about 50g, see note below)
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 × 400g tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed
Sea salt and black pepper
Method:
1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the pack, adding the broccoli and frozen peas for the last three minutes of the cooking time. Cook until the pasta is al dente, the broccoli is tender, and the peas are defrosted, then drain and return to the pan.
2. Meanwhile, put the cashews and stock cube into a bowl with 100 millilitres boiling water, let the stock cube dissolve and the cashews soak for five minutes.
3. Put the mustard, nutritional yeast, the juice of both lemons and half the zest, and half the tin of butter beans into a high-speed blender along with the cashews and their soaking liquid. Blend until you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour the sauce over the drained pasta and veg, adding the last half of the butter beans. Stir to combine and top with a little extra lemon zest.
Note: To make this nut-free, swap the cashews for sunflower seeds.
‘Deliciously Ella: Healthy Made Simple’ by Ella Mills (Yellow Kite, £22).
Vegan ramen
If you like big flavours in a hearty bowl, this ramen is going to be right up your street.
This recipe is for a nourishing, nutrient-packed meal, and is easily adaptable, so you can use whatever veg you may have in your fridge.
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or grated
4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
25g dried shiitake mushrooms
1L vegetable stock
2 tbsp miso paste
3 tbsp soy sauce
200g ramen or rice noodles
250g smoked, marinated or flavoured tofu, diced
1 head of pak choi, quartered
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips (like matchsticks)
2 tbsp sesame oil
Toppings (choose any/all):
50g beansprouts, washed
1 sheet of nori, crumbled
A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 tsp chilli flakes
Method:
1. To make the broth, fry the onion in the oil until softened, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for another two to three minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
2. Add the mushrooms, stock, miso and soy sauce, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, to allow the flavours to come through.
3. Strain the liquid into a clean pan, retaining the mushrooms, but discarding the onions, garlic and ginger pulp. Slice the mushrooms and set aside.
4. Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions and add to the broth.
5. Add the mushrooms, tofu, pak choi and carrots, then bring back to the boil and simmer for another two to three minutes. Stir in the sesame oil.
6. Serve topped with beansprouts, nori, fresh coriander, spring onions and/or chilli flakes.
‘The Official Veganuary Cookbook’ by Veganuary (Harper Collins, £22).
Crispy Korean-style chicken wings
“These wings are SO crispy and delicious! Seriously, we love them,” say Henry Firth and Ian Theasby from Bosh!
“You can eat them as they come or you could push the boat out and serve them in a sandwich with a little plant-based mayo, kimchi and lettuce with a side of fries. They’d also go well with a side of rice and a little salad. Whichever way you choose, we’re pretty sure you’ll love them as much as we do.”
Serves: 4-6 as a side
Ingredients:
For the sticky marinade:
4 garlic cloves
2.5cm piece of fresh ginger
150g gochujang
120ml toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp light brown sugar
¼ tsp ground white pepper
For the chicken:
2 x 280g blocks extra-firm tofu
6 tbsp cornflour
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
For the garnish:
1 fresh chilli or a pinch of dried chilli flakes
1 spring onion
A few toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Method:
1. Make the marinade. Peel the garlic and ginger and grate with a tine grater or microplane. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and either blitz in a blender or combine in a bowl and stir into a nice smooth paste.
2. Prepare the chicken. Press the tofu to remove excess liquid. Tear the tofu into rough chunks about three x two centimetres. Add the tofu to a mixing bowl along with half the marinade and fold to coat. Sprinkle the cornflour, salt and pepper into the bowl and fold to coat and combine, making sure the tofu is really well covered.
3. Cook the chicken. Pour one centimetre of oil into a frying pan and heat over a medium-high heat until the oil bubbles around the end of a wooden spoon that’s held in the oil. Carefully lower the tofu chunks into the hot oil and cook for two to three minutes until golden and crispy, turning them regularly to ensure a really even cook. Remove carefully and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
4. Finish the dish. Put the remaining marinade into a saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook until thick and shiny. Add the cooked tofu to the sauce and quickly fold it through to ensure a good coverage. Spoon the tofu into a serving bowl. Trim and thinly slice the spring onion for the garnish and finely chop the chilli (if using fresh chilli). Garnish the tofu with the chilli or chilli flakes, spring onion and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately with some cold beers!
‘BOSH! Meat: Over 100 Outrageously Tasty Recipes’ by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby (HQ, £22).
Jackfruit bao buns
“Who doesn’t love soft, slightly chewy, pillowy bao buns?” asks food writer Annie Rigg of this recipe – a vegan alternative to pulled pork. “Filled with sticky, soy glazed jackfruit and crisp vegetables, these are real crowd-pleasers.”
Never cooked with jackfruit before? Rigg says: “Canned jackfruit is now readily available in most large supermarkets and, like tofu, it is particularly delicious stir-fried. If you prefer, swap it for cauliflower florets or tofu.”
Makes: 8
Ingredients:
For the buns:
250g plain flour
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp easy-blend dried yeast
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
50ml plant milk
75ml water
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil, plus extra for brushing
2 tsp black sesame seeds
For the filling:
2 x 400g cans of jackfruit
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
6 spring onions, 4 thinly sliced
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
1½ tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp Chinese five-spice
1 carrot
¼ cucumber
½ red pepper
Leaves from a small bunch of coriander, to serve
Method:
1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Heat the milk and water to lukewarm, add the rice vinegar and sesame oil and tip into the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until incorporated and then continue kneading for about four minutes until the dough is silky smooth. Shape the dough into a ball, return to the bowl, cover and leave at room temperature for about one hour or until doubled in size.
2. Cut two circles of baking parchment the same diameter as the inside of the steamer baskets. Fold each paper disc in half, and then in half again to make a triangle, then fold this triangle in half again. Snip small sections out of each folded edge so that when you open the paper it is dotted with small holes. Lay a disc in the bottom of each steamer basket.
3. Weigh the bao dough and divide it into eight even portions. Shape each portion into a neat ball with the seam on the underside. Working one at a time, roll each dough ball into an oval shape – roughly the size of your hand – and 5mm thick. Brush with sesame oil and fold in half. Brush the top with sesame oil and sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Place the buns in the steamer to prove, leaving space between each bun and the edge of the steamer. Stack the steamer baskets together, cover with the lid and leave for about one hour at room temperature until the buns have nearly doubled in size.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Drain the jackfruit and squeeze out any excess water. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the jackfruit and fry over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until golden brown, breaking up the pieces slightly with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and four sliced spring onions to the pan and continue frying for another minute. In a small bowl combine the soy and hoisin sauces, maple syrup, rice vinegar and Chinese five-spice with four tablespoons of water. Pour into the pan, mix to combine, reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook for a further three minutes or so until the jackfruit is caramelized and coated in sticky sauce. Remove from the heat while you prepare the remaining filling ingredients.
6. Using a julienne grater, cut the carrot and cucumber into fine strips. Finely slice the red pepper and remaining two spring onions. Cover and chill until ready to assemble the bao buns.
7. Fill a large frying pan or wok with water to a depth of about 5cm and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Place the stacked steamer over the water and cook the bao buns for 10-12 minutes until the surface of the buns is firm, the middles puffy and they have doubled in size.
8. Divide the jackfruit filling and shredded vegetables between the buns, scatter with coriander leaves and serve.
‘Eat More Vegan’ by Annie Rigg (Pavilion Books, £16.99).
Butternut squash nut roast
Nutritious and filling, this flavoursome dish makes a great centrepiece for a vegan feast.
“The butternut squash is roasted and then filled with rice, nuts and dried fruit and baked again on a bed of woody herbs,” says food writer Annie Rigg. “The squash can be fully prepared in advance, the halves filled and chilled until ready to bake.”
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
2½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 leek, trimmed and finely chopped
125g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
100g brown basmati rice, rinsed and drained
300ml vegetable stock
75g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
50g walnut pieces, toasted
50g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
50g dried cranberries
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 bushy sprig of thyme, leaves picked
2 bushy sprigs of bay leaves
2 bushy sprigs of rosemary
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 tbsp grated vegan Italian-style cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan/190C/gas mark 5. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways and place, cut side up, in a smallish roasting tin. Scrape out the seeds and fibres, score the flesh, season, drizzle with one tablespoon of the olive oil, cover with foil and roast for about 45 minutes until the flesh is tender all the way through when tested with the point of a knife.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Tip the onion and leek into a sauté pan, add one-and-a-half tablespoons of olive oil and cook over a low–medium heat, stirring often, until softened and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan, stir to combine and cook for a further five minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Tip in the drained rice, pour in the stock and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Cover the pan with a disc of baking paper, or half-cover with a lid, and simmer very gently for about 30 minutes until the rice is al dente and there is still a little stock remaining in the pan. Remove from the heat and tip into a large bowl.
5. Add the chestnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, cranberries, balsamic vinegar, parsley and thyme leaves to the rice mixture. Use a spoon to scoop out the cooked flesh from the butternut squash halves, keeping the skin intact and leaving a shell of about 1cm thick on all sides. Roughly chop the squash, add to the rice and season well.
6. Lay the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs in the roasting tin and place the butternut squash halves on top. Spoon the rice mixture to fill each half – any left over can be cooked alongside in another baking tin. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes until piping hot. Remove the foil, scatter with breadcrumbs, Italian-style cheese and drizzle with olive oil and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes until crisp. Cut into slices and serve.
‘Eat More Vegan’ by Annie Rigg (Pavilion Books, £16.99).
Whole roasted celeriac with mushroom gravy
“If this cosy, hearty recipe doesn’t scream winter, I don’t know what does,” says food writer Sophie Gordon. “The cooking time for the celeriac is a few hours, but it’s definitely worth the wait.”
Serves: approximately 4
Ingredients:
1 medium celeriac
2 cloves of garlic, skins removed, bashed with the back of a knife and roughly broken up
1-2 tbsp olive oil
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp ground turmeric
Salt and pepper
For the gravy:
Olive oil, for frying
1 medium onion, finely chopped or diced
250g mushrooms (chestnut, button, variety, etc), sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
Approximately 500-750ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1½ tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
A few fresh sage leaves, rubbed to release their flavour and roughly chopped
2-4 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp sherry or white wine vinegar
2 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
2 tbsp plain flour
65ml unsweetened plant-based milk
Salt and pepper
To serve:
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 200C fan. Wash and scrub your celeriac well, removing excess dirt. Using a sharp knife, pierce it all over its whole surface, about one centimetre or so deep. Place the celeriac on a baking tray. In a small bowl, combine your garlic, olive oil, thyme, turmeric and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush or your fingertips, cover the celeriac with the oil mixture, spreading the garlic pieces on the celeriac to roast too.
2. Place in the oven on a low shelf and roast for about two and a half hours. It may take slightly more or less depending on your oven. Check on the celeriac throughout, spooning over any juices that appear in the bottom of the tray.
3. Once it’s cooked you want a knife to be able to go through easily and for the outside to be a lovely golden brown. Once the celeriac has roasted, remove it from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
4. While the celeriac is cooking, you can make your gravy. Drizzle a tablespoon or so of oil into a wide pan and start to fry your onions until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic and continue to fry for a few minutes – the mixture will become quite moist, due to the mushrooms. Once cooked and fragrant, add about 500 millilitres of the stock, the thyme, rosemary and sage, and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
5. Add the nutritional yeast, mustard, vinegar, coconut aminos, flour and plant-based milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly stir on a low heat to get rid of any lumps, allowing the liquid to thicken. For a thinner gravy, you can go ahead and add the rest of the stock here.
6. Turn off the heat, then remove a third of the mushroom mixture and put to one side. Either pour the rest of the gravy into an upright blender, or use a hand blender to blitz it until smooth.
7. Season to taste, then put the blended liquid and the reserved mushrooms back into a saucepan. On a low medium heat, begin to warm the mushroom gravy, stirring to combine.
8. To serve, place the celeriac, whole, on a serving plate. Score a cross on top and prise it open ever so slightly, pouring over the gravy and allowing it to seep through the gaps. Place the lemon wedges around the dish and season with extra salt and pepper if necessary. You could also plate up individually, cutting the celeriac into ‘steaks’ or any other way you like. Pour over the gravy and serve with lemon wedges, as above.
‘The Whole Vegetable: Sustainable Recipes For A Healthier Planet’ by Sophie Gordon (Michael Joseph, £25).
Leek and mushroom barley risotto
“Leeks and mushrooms are a robust flavour combination that you can always count on: nothing can go wrong when you’re combining these two,” says Miguel Barclay, author of the One Pound Meals cookbook series.
“It’s guaranteed to be delicious. To make this vegetarian or vegan, omit the Parmesan cheese. If you like, you can replace it with a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.”
Makes: 1 portion
Ingredients:
½ onion, diced
Handful of pearl barley
½ vegetable stock cube
300ml water
½ leek, sliced
Handful of mushrooms, sliced
1 thyme sprig
Small handful of grated vegan Parmesan cheese, plus a few shavings for garnish
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Pan-fry the onion in a splash of olive oil over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until soft, then add the barley and cook for a further minute.
2. Crumble in the half stock cube and pour over the water. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the barley is cooked but still retains a slight bite, adding more water if needed.
3. Meanwhile, pan-fry the leek and mushrooms in a splash of olive oil over a medium heat for about 12 minutes until soft, adding the thyme halfway through.
4. Stir some grated Parmesan into the barley risotto, then add the leek and mushrooms. Season to taste, and serve with a few shavings of Parmesan to garnish.
‘Green One Pound Meals’ by Miguel Barclay (Headline Home, £16.99).
Persian pumpkin and chickpea curry
“This is my vegan version of an Iranian classic,” says Atul Kochhar. He calls it “a rich dish with the walnuts, pomegranate flavourings and a hint of cinnamon”.
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
½ large pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized cubes, about 400g prepared weight
Sunflower oil
Ground cinnamon
75g walnut halves
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
7cm piece of cinnamon bark
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100ml pomegranate juice
75g pomegranate molasses
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste, or a pinch of ground nutmeg
1 unwaxed orange, zested
About 500ml water, as needed
Maple syrup, optional
80g pomegranate seeds
Salt and ground black pepper
Chopped flat-leaf parsley or coriander, to garnish
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put the pumpkin cubes on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with sunflower oil and lightly dust with ground cinnamon, then shake the tray so all the cubes are well coated. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and the tip of a knife slides through easily.
2. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan, ideally non-stick, over a medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and toast, stirring often, until lightly browned. Leave to cool, then transfer to a food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside.
3. Heat two tablespoons sunflower oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and fry, stirring often, until the onions start to soften. Add the cinnamon bark and continue frying, stirring, until the onions are light brown. Stir in the cumin, turmeric and half a teaspoon ground cinnamon, and stir together for 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, salt, pepper and a good grating of nutmeg. Increase the heat and bring to the boil, stirring.
4. Add the pumpkin cubes and ground walnuts and return the mixture to the boil, stirring until the stew thickens. Add the orange zest and stir in just enough water to get the thickness you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and if you think it’s too sour add maple syrup to taste. Stir in the pomegranate seeds and garnish with parsley before serving.
‘Curry Everyday’ by Atul Kochhar (Bloomsbury Absolute, £26).
Crispy potato and paprika tray bake
“Crispy, crunchy, hearty and super-simple, this tray bake is the ideal recipe when you want something satisfying without lots of prep, mess or brain space!” says Ella Mills, the brains behind Deliciously Ella.
“The zesty harissa yoghurt is really versatile too; it makes for a great dip or dressing with any veg.”
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
3 floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper (about 350g), with their skin
½ tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, halved and finely sliced
2 tsp paprika
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes (about 200g)
1 × 400g tin of butter beans, drained
½ bunch of coriander (about 10-15g), roughly chopped
Sea salt
For the harissa yoghurt:
4 tbsp coconut yoghurt
2 tbsp harissa
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes, plus wedges to serve
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C fan and bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
2. Cut the potatoes into one-centimetre cubes then add them to the boiling water. Meanwhile, put the olive oil into a large flat baking tray and place in the oven to heat up. Simmer the potatoes for five minutes, until softened slightly and a knife pierces them easily, then drain well and add them to the preheated tray along with the onion, paprika and a pinch of sea salt. Toss to combine, then bake for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally so that the potatoes cook evenly.
3. Add the cherry tomatoes and butter beans to the tray and cook for a further five minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the potatoes are crisp.
4. Meanwhile make the harissa yoghurt by mixing the coconut yoghurt, harissa, lime zest and juice together in a small bowl, seasoning with salt to taste, then transfer to a small serving bowl.
5. Once the potatoes are ready, remove from the oven, sprinkle over the coriander and serve with the harissa yoghurt on the side.
‘Deliciously Ella: Healthy Made Simple’ by Ella Mills (Yellow Kite, £22).
Lazy day pasta with garlic kale sauce
If you have kale or cavolo nero that’s on the turn, this pasta sauce really makes the most of your leftover veg – and it’s packed full of goodness, too.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 large bunch of kale, any variety, roughly chopped (cavolo nero is also great)
1 large shallot or white onion, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic: 4 crushed or finely chopped, 2 thinly sliced
2-4 tbsp olive oil
2-4 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp white wine
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 lemon, juiced, plus a dash of zest
Salt and pepper
Approximately 340g dried pasta of choice (penne, macaroni, rigatoni, cannelloni, fusilli, etc)
200g mushrooms, sliced thin
Method:
1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add your chopped kale and cook for five to seven minutes, until wilted and cooked through. You can also steam it. Once cooked, drain and blanch in cold water briefly to stop the cooking process.
2. Transfer the kale to a blender and add your chopped shallot or onion, the four crushed or finely chopped cloves of garlic, the olive oil, nutritional yeast, mustard, white wine, chilli flakes, lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper and blend until you have a relatively smooth but thick sauce mixture. You can add water to loosen if necessary. Season to taste, then pop to one side while you make the rest of the dish.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add your desired pasta. Cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Drain, then put back into the pot and cover. While your pasta is cooking, heat up about one tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Once hot, add the two sliced cloves of garlic and sauté until golden and fragrant. Make sure you stir frequently to prevent them burning. Add your sliced mushrooms to the garlic and sweat until soft. You can add a dash more olive oil or water to the pan if it is a little dry. Season with salt and pepper.
4. The mushrooms will sweat and wilt very quickly. Go ahead, pour in your kale sauce and heat up over a low heat, again stirring frequently. Heat until cooked through. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the pot and stir well. You can do this over a low heat if your pasta has cooled too much. Season with extra salt and pepper, chilli flakes and olive oil to taste.
5. Dish up accordingly and enjoy!
‘The Whole Vegetable: Sustainable Recipes For A Healthier Planet’ by Sophie Gordon (Michael Joseph, £25).
Think you eat healthily? This hidden ingredient could be wrecking your diet by lunch
Healthy January recipes from Jamie Oliver, Joe Wicks and more – without the misery
The three habits to increase energy throughout your day
From junk food bans to Ozempic meals – how do you feed people who aren’t hungry?
Princess Diana, black cod and celebrities: the story behind the Nobu empire
TikTok is obsessed with brothy rice – but these comforting dishes go way back
