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It’s 2019: Odds are you’re going to be cooking for a vegan at some point this holiday season. So we turned to author and restaurateur Isa Chandra Moskowitz for her favorite meat- and dairy-free replacements for popular holiday dishes, all of which appear in her latest book, I Can Cook Vegan.
“When I first started cooking, I thought the vegan world needed something a little more adventurous than lentil stew,” she writes. “But how things have changed! Tofu is now the other white meat, more people than ever are going completely vegan, and everyone is warming up to the idea of cashew cream.” Below, four vegan dishes so good we don’t even think staunch meat eaters will mind that you’ve swapped them into your holiday spread.
Instead of French Onion Soup: Cream of Tomato Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients1 yellow onion, chopped into medium dice5 cloves garlic, minced1 tsp dried thyme1 tsp dried rosemary1⁄2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving4 cups vegetable broth1 25-oz can whole fire-roasted tomatoes2 tbsp tomato paste1⁄2 tsp saltFreshly ground black pepper1⁄2 cup whole unroasted cashewsSliced chives, for serving
Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in the olive oil with a pinch of salt, just until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper to taste and mash with a potato masher or spatula, just to get the tomatoes slightly broken up. Turn the heat up and cook until hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Place the cashews in a high-speed blender. Add everything from the tomato pot. Blend until completely smooth. The soup will be very hot, so turn off the blender and remove the lid every 10 seconds or so to let steam escape and to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
Return the soup to the pot over low heat and heat through. Serve hot with a little olive oil drizzled over the top. Sprinkle with sliced chives.
Instead of Turkey and Trimmings: Portobello Brisket Bowl
Serves 4
For the stew2 cups thinly sliced shallots2 cups thinly sliced fennel2 tbsp olive oil2 cloves garlic, minced1 tsp dried thyme2 bay leaves1 tsp caraway seeds1 tsp saltSeveral dashes freshly ground black pepper1⁄2 cup green lentils1 25-oz can crushed tomatoes3 cups vegetable broth
For the portobellos4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed1⁄4 cup olive oil1⁄2 tsp saltFreshly ground black pepper
For the rest of the bowl4 cups loosely packed, roughly chopped mustard greens
Make the stew: Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Sauté the shallots and fennel in olive oil with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper and sauté for 1 minute more, until golden and aromatic.
Add the lentils, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Continue to cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss theportobellos with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Arrange the caps on the prepared pan, trimmed side up. Roast until tender and juicy, 18 to 22 minutes.
To assemble, line bowls with mustard greens. Place scoops of mashed potatoes (recipe below) in each bowl and ladle stew over potatoes. Top each serving with a sliced portobello.
Instead of Baked Potatoes: Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Three Ways
Serves 4
For the mashed potatoes2 1⁄2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1⁄2-inch chunks2 3⁄4 tsp salt1⁄3 cup whole unroasted cashews1⁄2 cup vegetable broth, at room temperature1⁄3 cup refined coconut oil, at room temperatureFreshly ground black pepper
Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough cold water to submerge them by about an inch. Sprinkle in 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, place the cashews and vegetable broth in a high-speed blender and blend untilcompletely smooth, scraping the sides occasionally with a spatula to get everything.
When the potatoes have come to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, uncover, and cook forabout 12 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Break them up with a potato masher. Add half of the cashew mixture, the coconut oil,remaining 3⁄4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Mash until relativelysmooth and no big chunks are left.
Add the remaining cashew mixture, mix it in, and use a handheld blender on high speed to whipthe mashed potatoes. They should become very smooth, fluffy, and creamy. Taste for salt andpepper along the way, transfer to a serving bowl, and serve!
For roasted red pepper mash: Add 3 roasted red peppers (from a jar or homemade) to thecashew mixture and blend as described in step 2.
For pesto mash: Stir 1⁄2 cup pesto into the classic mashed potatoes afterwhipping them in step 4.
For garlic mash: Preheat a small pan over low heat. Sauté 1⁄4 cup minced garlic in 1⁄4 cup olive oil for about 2 minutes. Stir the garlic oil into the classic mashed potatoes afterwhipping them in step 4.
Instead of Peppermint Bark Cake: Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes With Lemon Glaze
Serves 6
For the cakes2 cups pumpkin puree1⁄2 cup olive oil1 1⁄4 cups granulated sugar3⁄4 cup unsweetened nondairy milk2 tsp pure vanilla extract1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour2 tsp baking powder2 tsp pumpkin pie spice1 tsp salt
For the glaze2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted1⁄2 tsp pure vanilla extract3 tbsp fresh lemon juice1 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease mini Bundt pans. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the pumpkin puree, olive oil, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Sift in the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir until relatively smooth.
Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one about three-quarters full. Bake for 26minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cakes are done whenthey are firm and puffy on top and lightly pulling away from sides of the pan. Let cool in thebaking pans and, once you can handle it, invert the Bundts onto a cooling rack to cool. Flip rightside up to cool completely.
Make the glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, andcoconut oil and stir vigorously until a thick and smooth but pourable icing forms. If it seems toothick, add warm water by the teaspoon until the desired texture is achieved.
More recipes in I Can Cook Vegan:
I Can Cook Vegan, Isa Chandra Moskowitz ($27) ShopSee more vegan recipes:Thanksgiving Dishes You Won’t Believe Are VeganA Stress-Free Dinner Party Menu, Care of Alison Roman10 Fancy Christmas Desserts That Any Level of Home Cook Can Master
