5 vegetarian recipes to cook at home

The interest in eating less meat has only increased in recent years and this has seen the number of veg-centric meals increase rapidly, but with so much choice out there it can be difficult to choose a meal that suits you or the family you are cooking for.

If you are a cook that is looking for private chef jobs, you may be asked to come up with some vegetarian meals for the family you are cheffing for. As there is a wealth of meatless recipes out there, you should consider recipes that are quick and easy to make which are well suited for weeknights and consider other meals that can be eaten over the weekends as they take longer to prepare.

The Independent has published some vegetable-centric recipes that food writer Nikita Richardson recommends and here we list the ones she suggests and their ingredients.

Brothy Thai curry with silken tofu and herbs

This broth takes around 30 minutes to cook and is the perfect recipe for an evening in the week when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare your meal. Jarred red curry paste is the central flavour, but with coconut milk, it offers creaminess to the dish. This recipe says you can either use tinned tomatoes or fresh ones and you can spoon the hot broth over season tofu pieces and fresh herbs.

Ingredients (serves 6)

·       2 (400g) packages silken tofu, drained

·       2 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed

·       2 shallots, peeled and minced

·       3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

·       1 (2.5cm) piece ginger, scrubbed and grated

·       3 tbsp red curry paste

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

·       950ml vegetable stock

·       1 (38g) tin full-fat coconut milk

·       Salt

·       60ml soy sauce

·       Freshly ground black pepper

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

·       2 spring onions, thinly sliced

·       1 lime, cut into wedges, for squeezing

Crispy tofu with balsamic tomatoes

According to the article: “You don’t need to fry tofu to get it crisp-edged and golden brown. Drizzling it with a mix of cornstarch and oil, then roasting it will deliver a closely crunchy approximation that won’t splatter oil across your countertop. Here, the tofu is roasted alongside balsamic-glazed cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic and red onions, all of which caramelise as they cook.”

Once you have followed these steps, you should spread fresh herbs over the top of it and serve the dish over rice, quinoa or another grain for a plant-based meal.

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

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

·       1½ tsp salt, plus more as needed

·       ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

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

·       1 tbsp cornstarch

·       1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

·       1 tsp dried oregano

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

·       1 large red onion, cut into 0.5cm wedges

·       3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

·       1½ tsp balsamic vinegar, plus more for finishing

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

Jambalaya

Although traditionally a dish that includes pork sausage, you can make it meatless by using vegan andouille sausage. This dish is a great way of using up any leftover rice that you have from a previous meal or you can freshly cook rice too.

The article talks about the dish and shares some tips: “Either option (with or without meat), along with creole seasoning and the classic trinity of creole cooking – onion, celery and green bell pepper – result in a dish that is unmistakably Louisianan. Though many jambalaya recipes skip tomatoes, this version uses a blend of tomato paste and diced tomatoes to add bulk, and an acidity that helps lighten up the otherwise hearty one-pot meal.”

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

·       2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

·       1 medium yellow onion, diced

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

·       2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

·       1 green bell pepper, diced

·       4 garlic cloves, minced

·       1 tbsp tomato paste

·       400g cooked long-grain white rice

·       1 tbsp creole seasoning

·       Salt and black pepper

·       1 (425g) tin chopped tomatoes

·       1 tbsp hot sauce, plus more for serving

·       2 tbsp sliced spring onions

Broccoli-walnut pesto pasta

This popular dish is another meal that takes just under 30 minutes to prepare and cook and is great if you are looking to make something quickly. The mix of pesto, broccoli and pasta with the freshness of mint and lemon also makes for a tasty meal that the whole family can enjoy. You can also add raw walnuts after you dished out the meal as they add a great crunchiness, or you can swap them out for sunflower seeds if you prefer.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

·       Salt

·       280g broccoli florets

·       450g cut pasta, such as medium shells

·       1 large garlic clove, smashed

·       2 large handfuls of fresh mint leaves (about 60g)

·       Black pepper

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

·       1 lemon, zested and juiced

·       Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

·       Handful walnuts, chopped

Kung pao cauliflower

The last vegetarian dish that was recommended in the article on the Independent website was Kung pao cauliflower, which originated in China but has become an iconic dish across the rest of the world.

The stir-fry usually includes chicken, but in this recipe, it is substituted with cauliflower to accompany the peppers, peppercorns, whole dried chillies, spring onions, ginger, peanuts and the salty, sweet and spicy sauce.

The dish is served with dark soy sauce, but if you don’t have dark soy then you can use regular soy sauce or even hoisin sauce.

Ingredients (serves 4)

·       1 tbsp dark soy sauce

·       1 tbsp soy sauce

·       1 tbsp black vinegar

·       1 tbsp sugar

·       60ml vegetable stock or water

·       1 tsp cornstarch

·       3 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola

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

·       Salt

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

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

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

·       2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

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

·       Handful roasted peanuts

·       2 spring onions, white and green parts, finely sliced

·       Steamed rice, to serve

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