Har Gow are the benchmark of any dim sum restaurant — translucent steamed dumplings with a delicate shrimp filling. Making them vegan means replacing the shrimp with a shiitake and red spinach filling that is genuinely better than the original. The wrapper is the challenge — getting it thin and translucent takes practice but the result is worth every attempt.

Instructions

1. Sauté garlic and ginger in oil until fragrant
2. Add shiitakes and cook until all moisture has evaporated — this is critical
3. Add spinach, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and cornstarch
4. Stir well and cook 2 more minutes
5. Cool completely before filling dumplings
6. Instructions — Wrappers:
7. Combine wheat starch, tapioca starch and salt
8. Pour boiling water in slowly while stirring
9. Add sesame oil and knead into a smooth dough — it will be hot, use a spoon first
10. Cover and rest 15 minutes
11. Roll into a log and cut into 16 pieces
12. Press each piece into a thin round using an oiled cleaver or rolling pin
13. Assembly:
14. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper
15. Fold over and pleat the edge in small folds pressing firmly to seal
16. Steam over high heat 8-10 minutes until translucent
17. Serve immediately with dipping sauce
18. The wheat starch wrapper is what gives har gow its signature translucency. Do not substitute regular flour — it won’t work.

Craving more? Try A Vegan Soup for Non-Vegans: Blood Orange Infused Coconut Carrot Bisque with Indian Aromatics next.

The KFC Double Down became a cultural moment when it launched in 2010.

Two pieces of fried chicken as the bun, cheese and bacon in between.

But could you make a vegan version that actually works?

Turns out yes.

Instructions

1. Press tofu for 30 minutes to remove moisture
2. Mix breadcrumbs with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper
3. Coat each tofu slab in the breadcrumb mix
4. Pan fry in olive oil over medium-high heat, 4-5 minutes per side until golden and crispy
5. Cook tempeh bacon in the same pan
6. Assemble: tofu slab, vegan cheese, tempeh bacon, vegan mayo, second tofu slab
7. Serve immediately
8. The crispy tofu holds up better than you’d expect and the smoky tempeh bacon delivers on flavor. Is it exactly like the original? No. Is it delicious? Absolutely.

Craving more? Try Vegan Har Gow — Traditional Chinese Dumplings with Shiitake and Red Spinach next.

This is vegan meatloaf done right. No sad, crumbly substitutes — this quinoa wild mushroom spinach loaf holds together, slices clean, and the cashew gravy takes it completely over the top.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix flaxseed meal with water, let sit 5 minutes
2. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until most liquid evaporates
3. Add spinach and cook until wilted
4. Combine mushroom mixture with quinoa, breadcrumbs, flax egg, soy sauce, tomato paste, paprika, and thyme
5. Press firmly into a greased loaf pan
6. Bake 45-50 minutes until firm and browned on top
7. For gravy — blend all ingredients until completely smooth, then heat in a saucepan over medium until thickened
8. Let loaf rest 10 minutes before slicing
9. Serve with the cashew gravy, mashed potatoes, and roasted vegetables. This is the Sunday dinner that makes veganism make sense to skeptics.

Craving more? Try Is It Possible? A Vegan KFC Double Down next.

Finding out mushrooms are fungus didn’t stop me from eating them — if anything, it made them more interesting. There’s something wonderfully weird about a ingredient that exists in its own biological kingdom and still manages to be one of the most savory, meaty, deeply satisfying things you can put in a bowl.

This wild mushroom quinoa risotto is everything a classic risotto should be — creamy, earthy, and rich — without a drop of dairy or a single arborio grain. The quinoa brings protein and a slightly different texture that honestly works better than rice in some ways. Finished with a drizzle of white truffle oil, this one feels like a proper restaurant dish.

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa in vegetable broth according to package directions. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms and thyme. Cook until mushrooms are deeply browned and most of their liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
4. Pour in the white wine and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half.
5. Fold in the cooked quinoa and nutritional yeast. Stir until everything is combined and creamy.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Plate and finish with a light drizzle of white truffle oil and fresh parsley.
7. A little white truffle oil goes a very long way — don’t overdo it or it’ll take over the whole dish. One slow drizzle right before serving is all you need.
8. This is part of the ongoing quinoa series on the blog. Check out Quinoa 102 if you missed it.

Craving more? Try Quinoa 104: American Comfort Food — Quinoa Wild Mushroom Spinach Loaf with Cashew Gravy next.

Breakfast gets the quinoa treatment and honestly it was only a matter of time. Red quinoa mixed into pancake batter gives you this gorgeous pink-flecked stack with a slightly nutty chew that regular pancakes just can’t compete with. Top it with a cashew butter syrup that’s equal parts indulgent and wholesome and you’ve got a breakfast worth waking up for.

This one came together on a lazy Sunday morning when I had leftover red quinoa in the fridge and a pint of strawberries that needed to be used. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones you didn’t plan.

Instructions

1. Mix the almond milk and apple cider vinegar together and let sit for 5 minutes to curdle into a vegan buttermilk.
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
3. Add the almond milk mixture and melted coconut oil to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the cooked red quinoa and diced strawberries. Do not overmix.
4. Heat a lightly oiled skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook another 2 minutes.
5. For the syrup, whisk together cashew butter, maple syrup, warm water, and salt until smooth and pourable. Add more water if needed to thin it out.
6. Stack pancakes, drizzle generously with cashew butter syrup, and top with extra fresh strawberries.
7. The red quinoa holds its shape in the batter so you get little pops of texture in every bite. The cashew butter syrup is dangerously good — make extra because you’ll want it on everything.
8. This is the fifth installment in the quinoa series. Catch up with Quinoa 103 if you missed it.

Craving more? Try Quinoa 103: The Day I Found Out Mushrooms Were Fungus — Wild Mushroom Quinoa Risotto with White Truffle Oil next.

I have a savory side and a sweet side and today the sweet side won. These cashew butter apple waffles are thick, crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and loaded with warm spiced apple that makes the whole kitchen smell like fall even if it’s the middle of spring.

The cashew butter gets mixed right into the batter which gives these waffles a richness and depth that you just don’t get from a standard recipe. Paired with sautéed cinnamon apples on top it’s the kind of breakfast that makes you want to sit down and actually enjoy your morning instead of eating over the sink.

Instructions

1. Preheat your waffle iron and lightly grease it with coconut oil.
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together almond milk, cashew butter, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
5. Cook waffles according to your waffle iron instructions until golden and crispy.
6. While waffles cook, heat coconut oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add apple slices, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for 5–6 minutes until apples are soft and caramelized.
7. Top waffles with the warm cinnamon apples and an extra drizzle of maple syrup if you’re feeling it.
8. Don’t rush the apples. Low and slow is what gets them jammy and golden instead of just cooked. That’s the difference between good waffles and great waffles.

Craving more? Try Quinoa 105: Strawberry Red Quinoa Pancakes with Cashew Butter Syrup next.

Papa Rellena is a Peruvian street food classic — a ball of mashed potato stuffed with a savory filling, then fried until golden. The traditional version uses ground beef. This vegan version uses spiced lentils and it is absolutely killer.

Instructions

1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft
2. Add lentils and spices, cook 5 minutes
3. Stir in raisins and olives, season and cool completely
4. Take a handful of mashed potato and flatten in your palm
5. Add a spoonful of lentil filling in the center
6. Fold potato around filling and shape into a ball
7. Coat lightly in flour
8. Fry in hot oil 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown
9. Drain on paper towels and serve hot
10. Serve with aji amarillo sauce or hot sauce. These reheat well in the oven the next day

Craving more? Try Another Big Boy Breakfast: My Sweet Side — Cashew Butter Apple Waffles next.

Fried green tomatoes are a Southern staple but this version takes them somewhere completely unexpected — a coconut basil crust with a bright purple mango salsa that makes this dish as stunning to look at as it is to eat.

Instructions

1. Make the salsa first — combine all salsa ingredients, toss well, refrigerate while you fry
2. Set up a dredging station: flour in one bowl, plant milk in another, coconut-panko-basil mixture in a third
3. Coat each tomato slice: flour first, then milk, then coconut mixture pressing firmly
4. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high
5. Fry 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and crispy
6. Drain on paper towels immediately
7. Top generously with purple mango salsa and serve hot
8. The contrast of the crispy coconut crust against the tart green tomato and the sweet-spicy purple salsa is genuinely one of the best flavor combinations. This is the dish that converts people.

Craving more? Try Papa Rellena next.

Banh Xeo is one of Vietnam’s most iconic street foods — a sizzling crispy crepe stuffed with savory fillings and wrapped in lettuce with fresh herbs. The name literally means “sizzling cake” because of the sound it makes when the batter hits the hot pan.

Instructions

1. Whisk together all batter ingredients and let rest 15 minutes
2. Sauté shallot and garlic in oil until fragrant. Add tofu and mushrooms, cook 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Remove from pan
3. Heat a nonstick pan over high heat with a thin film of oil — it needs to be very hot
4. Pour in enough batter to coat the pan thinly, swirling quickly
5. Add a portion of filling to one half, then a handful of bean sprouts
6. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes until edges are crispy and golden
7. Fold in half and slide onto plate
8. Serve immediately with lettuce, herbs and dipping sauce — wrap pieces in lettuce to eat
9. The key is the heat — high and fast. The crepe should be paper thin and lacey-crispy at the edges.

Craving more? Try Basil Coconut Crusted Fried Green Tomatoes with Purple Mango Salsa next.

Deviled eggs are a Southern staple — creamy, tangy, and impossible to stop eating. But what if you’re vegan? The egg is kind of the whole point. Turns out tofu pulls it off better than you’d expect.

Ingredients:

1 block firm tofu, pressed and cut into oval shapes

2 tbsp vegan mayo

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp turmeric (for color)

1/4 tsp black salt (kala namak — gives an eggy flavor)

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish

Fresh chives for garnish

Instructions:

Press tofu for 30 minutes and cut into egg-white shaped ovals

Scoop a small divot in the center of each piece

Blend the scooped tofu with vegan mayo, vinegar, mustard, turmeric, black salt, salt and pepper until smooth

Pipe or spoon the filling back into each tofu oval

Dust with paprika and top with chives

Serve chilled

The black salt is the secret weapon here — it has a sulfurous egg-like flavor that makes these genuinely convincing. Guests who don’t know they’re vegan won’t know.

Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.

Instructions

Craving more? Try Vegan Alfajores — Peruvian Sandwich Cookies next.