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Creamy Paprika Potatoes

Creamy Paprika Potatoes vegan recipe

Let’s Make This Pot of Creamy Paprika Potatoes

This recipe is similar to a Goulash, loads of smoked sweet paprika, potatoes and rich tomato flavours. It’s perfect for a comforting vegan dinner recipe. Bulked out with chickpeas, you can add more vegetables but it works perfectly as is. You could even pop this recipe in a slow cooker to slowly simmer for hours, or alternatively you can make it like this.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

Potatoes- This recipe calls for Baby or New Potatoes. As long as they are sliced into bite sized pieces, whatever you have at hand should work.

Cream- There’s plenty of fantastic vegan cream options out there. If you’re in the US you would call it ‘half and half’ cream. Either oatly, Elmlea or Alpro single cream will work perfectly. 

Smoked Paprika- You want a sweet smoked paprika for this recipe. The better quality the smoked paprika the better the flavour. If you look out for the tinned sweet smoked paprika, you will be onto a winner.

Chickpeas- To bulk out the recipe I’ve added in chickpeas as a source of protein, but you could use butter beans if preferred. 

Toasted Sunflower Seeds- This ingredient makes such a difference to the overall flavour. It adds a crunchy nutty flavour to it, so if you can, don’t miss this step! Either sunflower seeds or pine nuts will work.

Tamari – in a recipe like a goulash there’s usually a meaty fat added to give it that umami flavour, for this we will use Tamari. Tamari is a gluten free soy sauce but is so rich in umami, it works perfectly to recipes like this.

vegan goulash creamy paprika potatoes recipe

Cooking tips for this recipe:

Parboil the Potatoes- For the creamy paprika potatoes we want them to have a bit of bite, but fully cooked. By parboiling the potatoes for around 15 minutes it helps cut down simmering time in the sauce. Pop the potatoes in COOL water then bring to a boil and simmer for around 10-15 or until softened. This helps the potatoes cook inside evenly.

Add a splash of potato water- When you’re making the creamy tomato base, add a ladle or two of the water from the potatoes to loosen the sauce. The starchy water will work perfectly at making an even richer sauce.

You can swap the tomato puree for tinned tomatoes- This isn’t a strict recipe, just be sure to season with lots of salt and maybe a splash of sugar to balance out the flavour.

If you like this recipe why not try:

Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Dip

Curried Peanut Butter Chickpeas

Grilled Courgette and Potato Salad

Creamy Paprika Potatoes vegan recipe

Creamy Paprika Potatoes

This recipe is similar to a Goulash, loads of smoked sweet paprika, potatoes and rich tomato flavours. It's perfect for a comforting vegan dinner recipe. Bulked out with chickpeas, you can add more vegetables but it works perfectly as is.
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 shallots
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 tbsp tomato puree
  • 750 g baby potatoes
  • 240 g tinned chickpeas
  • 3 tbsp smoked paprika (sweet) good quality if possible
  • 1 tbsp tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
  • 200 ml vegan cream Americans use half and half
  • 70 g spinach roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp sunflower seeds toasted
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Pop the potatoes whole into a large pot, fill with water, add salt, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for around 15 minutes or until the potatoes have slightly softened
  • Meanwhile slice the shallots and garlic cloves then add to a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and lightly fry for around 5 minutes before adding the tomato pure
  • Take a ladle full of the potato water and add to the pan to loosen the tomato puree, then add in the dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and tamari and leave to simmer for a few minutes before adding the drained chickpeas and stir through
  • By this point the potatoes should have softened, so drain the remaining liquid then add to the pan, toss in the flavours before pouring in the vegan cream, followed by the chopped spinach, after a few minutes give it a taste test adding a little more seasoning where needed
  • Toast the sunflower seeds in a separate pan then pour on top and enjoy
Dinner Recipe

Olive and Courgette Pasta

olive and courgette pasta recipe

Let’s Make Olive and Courgette Pasta

This 10 minute olive and courgette pasta is so quick and easy to make. This recipe is naturally vegan and can be adapted to add more veggies depending what is in season. There is minimal chopping involved to make this week night staple with just a few ingredients to make. It’s perfect when you need something delicious, comforting but without fuss in the kitchen.

What’s in this 15 minute recipe?

Olives- The easiest way to inject flavour to a pasta dish is olives. I’m using Kalamata olives but you can use whatever you have in the fridge, or your favourite flavour. They’re naturally salty and bursting with flavour to work with that pasta.

Tomato Puree- The tomato puree is a great base to the bucatini which is fried off with garlic and shallots. It helps bind the ingredients to the pasta.

Pasta- Bucatini is used in this recipe but you can use spaghetti or whatever you have in the cupboard. Be sure to save some of that pasta water to add back into the sauce, to give a glossy texture.

Courgette- There’s no better way to use courgettes in summer then in pasta recipes. They are chunky, crunchy and give a great texture against the creamy sauce and pasta.

Fresh herbs- This is a game changer for pasta, if you have fresh thyme and basil, it works perfectly in this recipe.

olive and courgette vegan pasta recipe

Cooking Tips for the Pasta:

Don’t overcook- The pasta only needs around 8-10 minutes of boiling. Add into boiling salted water, pop the lid on ad leave to bubble until al dente. Don’t forget that pasta water!

The Courgette doesn’t need long- To prevent slimy courgettes, they don’t need to fry for long in the sauce. They work best when they’ve got a bit of crunch to them so don’t overcook. 

Season to perfection- The key to good pasta is to season as you go. Salt the water when boiling the pasta. Season the tomatoes and courgettes, then season before serving. Nutritional yeast is a fantastic ingredient that acts like a vegan parmesan, it has a nutty and cheesy flavour. Lather loads of nooch onto the dish before serving.

If you like this recipe why not try:

Lemon and Courgette Orzo

15 Minute Tomato Orzo

Easy Roasted Tomato Soup

10 Minute Hummus  Linguine

 

olive and courgette pasta recipe

Olive and Courgette Pasta

This 10 minute olive and courgette pasta is so quick and easy to make. This recipe is naturally vegan and can be adapted to add more veggies depending what is in season. There is minimal chopping involved to make this week night staple with just a few ingredients to make. It's perfect when you need something delicious, comforting but without fuss in the kitchen.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g pasta bucatini
  • 1 large garlic clove finely diced
  • 2 shallots finely diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp tomato puree
  • 100 g pitted olives of choice
  • 1 large courgette diced
  • handful fresh basil and thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast sub for plant based parmesan

Instructions
 

  • Start by getting a pot of salted water on to boil, when bubbling add the pasta and cook til al dente
  • Finely chop the garlic and shallots then add to a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil, after around 4 minutes of frying add the tomato puree, loosen with a few spoonfuls of pasta water
  • Roughly chop the olives and courgette then add to the pan with the tomato puree, the leaves from the fresh thyme and fry on a medium to high heat for a further 5 minutes
  • Using thongs take the cooked pasta (bucatini) and add to the pot with the olives, stir through adding a few spoonfuls of the pasta water to create a delicious and glossy sauce
  • Season to perfection by adding a really good portion of salt and pepper, garnish with the fresh basil leaves then lather with nutritional yeast (or plant based parmesan) and enjoy
Lunch & Light Bites Recipe Sides & Savoury Snacks

Grilled Courgette and Potato Salad

grilled courgette and potato salad

Summer Grilled Courgette and Potato Salad

This Grilled Courgette and Potato Salad is a brilliant summer recipe. It celebrates seasonal courgettes pairing them with a simple potato salad. The dressing is really simple, just being freshly squeezed lemon, extra virgin olive oil and salt, it couldn’t be easier.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

Grilled Courgette- The summer season is perfect for using up courgettes, roughly chop them ad a diagonal angle to make them nice and chunky. Lightly season them with a little salt and pepper before grilling.

Potatoes- This pairs perfectly with the juicy courgettes. Crispy roasted potatoes work brilliantly in this salad, adding a salty and crunchy texture.

Lemon, dill and olive oil- the best and easiest dressing is freshly squeezed lemon, fresh dill and extra virgin olive oil.

grilled courgette and potato salad

Cooking Tips To Make This Grilled Courgette Salad:

Season throughout- The tip to a good salad is balancing flavours and seasoning. The crispy roasted potatoes are full of flavour from the rosemary and thyme, but it also helps to add loads of salt to the skin. Another step is to season the courgettes before grilling to really bring out their flavour. 

Grill the courgettes in olive oil- If you’re using a grill pan, using a little drizzle of olive oil helps prevent them from sticking to the pan.

Adding toasted seeds makes all the difference- If you’re not adding toasted seeds or nuts to salads, give it a try. It really does transform a recipe.

If you like this recipe why not try:

Courgette and Lemon Orzo

Accordion Potatoes

15 Minute Tomato Orzo

Lemon Chickpea Oro Soup

grilled courgette and potato salad

grilled courgette and potato salad

Grilled Courgette and Potato Salad

A delicious summer recipe that is easy and vegan friendly. Celebrating seasonal courgettes, this salad is paired with roasted potatoes. The dressing is really simple, just being freshly squeezed lemon, extra virgin olive oil and salt, it couldn't be easier.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 39 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g baby potatoes roughly quartered
  • 1 tbsp olive oil to roast the potatoes
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 large courgette roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp vegan greek style yogurt
  • 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

For the dressing

  • 1/2 large lemon squeezed
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • 3 sprigs fresh dill

Instructions
 

  • Start by preheating the oven to 200ºC fan
  • Wash and roughly quarter the baby potatoes, add to a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and top with fresh thyme and rosemary, toss till all the potatoes are coated and pop in the oven for around 30 minutes
  • Prepare the courgettes by roughly chopping then adding to a griddle pan or a bbq and grill until you get those delicious lines, option to season with salt
  • Take a peek at the potatoes, turning on the baking tray and bake for a final 15 minutes or until crispy
  • Prepare the dressing by mixing the ingredients together, it helps if the stalks are removed from the dill
  • Spread the yogurt onto a plate, add the roasted crispy potatoes and grilled courgettes, then drizzle over that delicious dressing toasted pine nuts and enjoy
Dinner Recipe

15 Minute One Pot Gnocchi

15 minute tomato gnocchi

15 Minute One Pot Gnocchi

This easy 15 minute one pot gnocchi recipe uses tomatoes, garlic, gnocchi and herbs to make a speedy dinner. It’s vegan friendly and can be easily adapted to add more veggies if you want.

What’s in this one pot gnocchi?

Tomatoes- These add such a bold flavour so keep your eye out for whatever is grown in season / locally for the best flavour. 

Gnocchi- Fresh gnocchi is ready in about 2 minutes so perfect for a speedy week night meal. Even better it’s all cooked in one pot to save on washing up.

Tomato Puree- This will add a bit more depth and colour to the dish, mix it in with the water.

Fresh herbs- This is the key to the recipe being really fragrant, you want loads of fresh basil.

Toasted Seeds- This is another brilliant ingredient to have as it adds crunch as well as a delicious nutty flavour that compliments the tomatoes.

Cooking Tips:

Don’t drown the gnocchi – I used just enough water to cover the base of the pan to heat up the gnocchi. If you’re using dried gnocchi, you will need to add a little more water as it will need to absorb. 

Season to perfection – a top tip is to season as you go, you want a good pinch of salt and pepper to really highlight all the flavours.

15 minute one pot gnocchi recipe

If you like this recipe why not try:

Harissa Tomato Gnocchi

Creamy Vegan Cheese Gnocchi

Pea Shoot Pesto with Gnocchi

 

15 Minute One Pot Gnocchi

This easy 15 minute one pot gnocchi recipe uses tomatoes, garlic, gnocchi and herbs to make a speedy dinner. It's vegan friendly and can be easily adapted to add more veggies if you want.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 400 g gnocchi fresh
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 50 g fresh spinach
  • 15 g fresh basil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds optional

Instructions
 

  • Start by adding the tomatoes to a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil, place on a medium heat and leave for 4 minutes before adding the roughly chopped garlic clove
  • Once the garlic has cooked, add in the gnocchi, tomato puree then just enough water to cover the base of the frying pan, loosen the tomato puree then add a generous pinch of salt, pop a lid on and leave for 3-4 minutes
  • Roughly chop the spinach (optional step) then add to the pot along with the fresh basil and stir through, season to taste then top with toasted sunflower seeds
Dinner Lunch & Light Bites Recipe

Courgette Lemon Orzo

Courgette Lemon Orzo

What’s in this easy Courgette and Lemon Orzo?

This easy 5 main ingredient Courgette and Lemon Orzo is a perfect week night meal. It really does take 15 minutes to make, by the time the orzo has cooked. Use up those seasonal courgettes, slice up some garlic, cook the orzo and add a few herbs, a squeeze of lemon and olive oil and voila.

What ingredients do I need?

Courgettes – Perfect to use up when in season, the courgettes offer a delicious crunch to the recipe. No soggy courgettes here.

Orzo- A delicious pasta, don’t overcook, you want a little bite to it. 

Pine nuts- This is such a key ingredient, substitute for sunflower seeds. The nutty flavour compliments the acid from the lemon and the fat from the olive oil. 

Lemon- This is a key ingredient when mixing with the extra virgin olive oil, giving a sharp flavour. You can even grate in some lemon zest for an extra kick.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil- The better quality the extra virgin olive oil, the better the flavour. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, by using an extra virgin olive oil will be the best fit for the dressing.

Fresh herbs- You don’t have to use dill, but the combination of dill and basil marry together perfectly.


Courgette and Lemon Orzo

Cooking Tips:

Don’t overcook the orzo- You want to save a little pasta water to add into the stock to give it a beautiful starchy texture. The key with orzo is to cook it till al dente, no one wants soggy pasta.

Use fresh ingredients- The fresh herbs, lemon juice and courgettes all marry together when they’re fresh ingredients. 

Season to perfection- The difference between good pasta and great pasta is seasoning. Season the pot of water to cook the orzo, season the dressing and then season before eating to make sure the flavours pop.

Like this recipe, why not try:

15 Minute Tomato Orzo

Lemon Orzo Chickpea Soup

Orzo Leek and Dill Soup

Courgette Lemon Orzo

Courgette Lemon Orzo

This easy 5 main ingredient Courgette and Lemon Orzo is a perfect week night meal. It really does take 15 minutes to make, by the time the orzo has cooked. Use up those seasonal courgettes, slice up some garlic, cook the orzo and add a few herbs, a squeeze of lemon and olive oil and voila.
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g orzo pasta
  • 2 courgettes thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped (optional)
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil the better quality the oil, the better the taste
  • 1/2 lemon squeezed
  • 10 g fresh herbs, mix of dill and basil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tbsp pine nuts sub for sunflower seeds
  • pinch chilli flakes

Instructions
 

  • Start by getting a pot of seasoned water onto boil, when simmering add in the dried orzo, leave to cook for around 10-12 minutes
  • Meanwhile thinly slice the courgette and fry in a drizzle of olive oil on a low heat, after 3-4 minutes add the thinly sliced garlic and lightly fry
  • In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, a handful of chopped fresh herbs, freshly squeezed lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, stir together
  • Save a mug full of pasta water from the orzo to add back to the pasta, drain the rest of the pasta water then pour the cooked orzo to the pan with the courgettes and lemon, stir through
  • Pour in the olive and lemon mix, stir through, add in the remaining fresh herbs, taste test adding a little more seasoning if needed
  • Lightly toast the pine nuts and add to the pasta and enjoy

Notes

If the pasta looks a little dry, add in the saved pasta water to loosen the orzo, you want the texture to be glossy but not soggy. Pasta water is a perfect ingredient to add back to the pasta once cooked to help loosen it.

courgette lemon orzo

Dinner Recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

vegan roasted red pepper pasta sauce recipe

Roasted Pepper Pasta

A delicious and easy week night meal with the star of the show – roasted red peppers. This simple recipe highlights how easy it is to make a creamy sauce with vegetables. There’s no vegan cream needed for this, the roasted red peppers with the toasted sunflower seeds create the perfect sauce.

What’s in the recipe?

Roasted Red Peppers- These are the jarred roasted red peppers, but you can make your own by simply roasting 3-4 red bell peppers, then peel off the skin.

Tomato Puree- This gives the sauce a really rich orange colour, it also adds umami.

Garlic and Shallots- This is an important ingredient. You can roughly chop them then lightly fry before adding to the blender, this helps take away the harsh garlic flavour.

Sunflower Seeds- These are so much cheaper than pine nuts, but offer a nutty delicious flavour to the sauce. It thickens it whilst adding a depth of flavour.


Roasted red pepper pasta vegan recipe

If you like this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, why not try

Harissa Gnocchi Recipe

Ultimate Gochujang Pasta

Creamy Hummus Linguini

vegan roasted red pepper pasta sauce recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

A delicious and easy week night meal with the star of the show - roasted red peppers. This simple recipe highlights how easy it is to make a creamy sauce with vegetables.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 shallots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 roasted red peppers
  • 170 g pasta
  • 3 tbp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 70 g toasted sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 lemon squeezed
  • 80 g fresh spinach sub for frozen
  • 1 tsp salt and pepper
  • 2 servings dried pasta (around 200g)

Instructions
 

  • Start by getting a pot of water onto boil, when bubbling add the dried pasta with a large pinch of salt
  • To a blender add the roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, toasted sunflower seeds, a good pinch of salt, pepper and dried thyme, 1/2 a lemon squeezed, the chopped shallots and garlic (option to lightly fry the onion and garlic first)
  • Blend until smooth, adding a little pasta water to loosen the mixture
  • Drain off the pasta, mix in the red pepper mix adding more seasoning if needed then add in the chopped fresh (or frozen) spinach, heat through then enjoy
Lunch & Light Bites Recipe Sides & Savoury Snacks

Green Chickpea Curry

green chickpea curry vegan recipe

Green Chickpea Curry

This green curry is perfect for a sharing platter or as a side dish with a packet of poppadoms. This vegan friendly recipe is bright green colour from the spinach, so creamy and delicious. You can make this with frozen or fresh spinach, so it works all year round. 

What’s in this Bright Green Chickpea Curry?

Chickpeas- No surprise there, but drained tinned chickpeas are the star of the show. You can add the aquafaba (the liquid left in the tinned chickpeas) to make the sauce even thicker, but if you have a sensitive stomach maybe avoid this step. 

Spinach- The vibrant green comes from the spinach. You can use fresh or frozen in this recipe as its blended together with the lemongrass and coconut milk.

Coconut milk- The tinned full fat coconut milk is the one you want. The higher the fat content, the creamier the curry.

Lemongrass- The lemongrass gives this a gorgeous floral flavour that balances out with the ginger and garlic. Top tip is to add some brown sugar to the recipe as it helps balance a bit of sweetness.

green chickpea curry recipe

Cooking Tips:

Let the ginger and garlic cook before adding the rest- No one wants raw garlic in their curry so let these lightly fry off before adding the other ingredients.

Toast the seeds first- It helps to release the aromatics, so be sure to add the coriander and fenugreek seeds before adding the creamy coconut milk.

Season to perfection- There are a lot of flavours in this dish, but nothing makes the recipe come together as good as salt. Be sure to season as you go and taste test. It’s the difference between something being ‘okay’ to ‘absolutely delicious’.

If you like this recipe why not try my:

Curried Peanut Butter Chickpeas

Spinach and Chickpea Yellow Curry

Ultimate Peanut Butter Curry

green chickpea curry vegan recipe

Green Chickpea Curry

This green curry is perfect for a sharing platter or as a side dish with a packet of poppadoms. This vegan friendly recipe is bright green colour from the spinach, so creamy and delicious. You can make this with frozen or fresh spinach, so it works all year round. 
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 shallots finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlice finely chopped
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 400 g tinned chickpeas
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 100 g fresh spinach sub for frozen spinach
  • 250 ml coconut cream (tinned)
  • 1 lime squeezed
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

Top with

  • 3 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
  • 1 fresh chilli
  • fresh coriander
  • pack of poppadoms to dip

Instructions
 

  • Start by finely chopping the shallots, then add to a large pan with a drizzle of oil, whilst it lightly fries, finely chop the ginger and garlic and add to the pot
  • After a few minutes add the coriander and fenugreek seeds to toast, then add in the drained chickpeas
  • Meanwhile add the lemongrass, spinach, ground cumin, sugar, 1/2 lime juice, and coconut milk to a blender and blend until smooth
  • Salt the food to taste, adding another squeeze of lime juice, then after 15 minutes add any further seasoning needed then top with toasted sunflower seeds, chopped chilli and fresh coriander

vegan green chickpea curry recipe

Dinner Recipe

Tomato and Pesto Risotto

vegan tomato and pesto risotto recipe

Delicious Tomato and Pesto Risotto Recipe

This creamy tomato and pesto risotto is perfect for all year round. It’s cheap to make as you use whatever tomatoes are in season. This risotto is made without white wine so it’s even cheaper and more accessible to make at home.

What ingredients do I need?

Tomatoes- Whatever tomatoes are in season (making them cheaper) use them! Summer is always fantastic for tomatoes with the different varieties you get. 

Arborio Rice- This is risotto rice. Don’t forget to toast it in the flavours before adding a little stock at a time. You don’t want to drown it so add a bit at a time.

Pesto- This is a home made pesto using sunflower seeds, basil and olive oil. Sunflower seeds give the most delicious flavour when toasted, so don’t forget that step. Tomato and pesto risotto is such a classic flavour combination, give it a try. 


tomato and pesto risotto vegan recipe

Cooking Tips:

No wine? This recipe doesn’t need white wine, instead a rice wine vinegar to give the acidity. Of course you can add 150ml of white wine to this recipe if you have some kicking about. I wanted to make this recipe without just in case you don’t have that ingredient.

Don’t drown the rice- Arborio loves to be fed a little stock at a time. Wait until it’s absorbed the ladle full of liquid before adding any more. 

Don’t miss out the pesto- This tomato and pesto risotto works perfectly when you have the acidity and sweetness from the tomatoes, along with the creamy nutty pesto. You can use shop bought pesto if preferred. 

For the pesto- It helps to add either a vegan parmesan or my favourite – nutritional yeast. 

If you like this recipe why not try 

Creamy Pea Risotto 

Asparagus and Shiitake Risotto

Pumpkin and Leek Risotto

vegan risotto tomato and pesto recipe

vegan tomato and pesto risotto recipe

Tomato and Pesto Risotto

This creamy tomato and pesto risotto is perfect for all year round. It's cheap to make as you use whatever tomatoes are in season. This risotto is made without white wine so it's even cheaper and more accessible to make at home.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g vine tomatoes
  • 280 g arborio rice
  • 3 large cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 shallots thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 900 ml stock
  • Salt and pepper

the pesto

  • 4 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
  • Handful fresh basil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 lemon squeezed optional

Instructions
 

  • Start by adding the tomatoes to a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil, sear on a medium heat for a few minutes before adding the shallots and chopped garlic, fry until the garlic has cooked
  • Pour in the vinegar, followed by the risotto rice and dried herbs and toast with the tomatoes and garlic for a minute before slowly adding in the stock (I just use boiling water and a dissolved stock cube) make sure the rice has absorbed the ladle full of stock before adding in the next
  • Once all the stock has absorbed, season generously with salt and pepper, taste test adding more if needed. Make the pesto by blending the ingredients together or using a pestle and mortar then stir into the tomato risotto and enjoy!

 

 

Dinner Recipe

Creamy Pea Risotto

pea risotto recipe vegan

Spring Creamy Pea Risotto

Perfect for spring, this creamy pea risotto is vegan friendly. Bright green in colour, the flavour of the peas really works with the garlic and caramelised shallots. The great thing is you can make this recipe all year round with frozen peas, but it’s a perfect spring recipe to serve with focaccia.

What’s in the recipe?

Peas- This is such a versatile ingredient as it adds a sweet flavour but can be pureed to give a good texture. You can use fresh peas or frozen, that’s the great thing about this recipe – it can be enjoyed all year round.

Vegan Cream- To give the creamiest texture, single cream (American’s use half abd half) to mix with the pureed peas. 

Arborio Rice- This is the perfect risotto rice, the good tip is to add stock slowly and gradually to give it time to absorb.

Rice wine vinegar- You don’t have to use white wine to get a good risotto. For this, rice wine vinegar gives the acidity that reduced wine would. Of course if you have some white wine knocking about, get a good 250ml of it into this recipe.

Vegetable stock- Just a stock cube and boiling water will do for this. 

spring pea risotto vegan recipe

If you like this recipe why not try:

Asparagus and Shiitake Risotto

Squash and Leek Risotto

Easy Tomato and Garlic Risotto

Cooking Tips:

Add stock slowly and gradually- to get the most out of your arborio rice, add the stock slowly so it absorbs each ladle full at a time.

Blend the peas- To get that amazing green colour, blend the peas with the cream, nutritional yeast and seasoning, then mix into the risotto. You don’t have to do this step, but it helps with the colour and texture.

Want to use white wine? Absolutely – get around 250ml of white wine in there. This recipe swaps white wine for the vinegar so make it cheaper. 

pea risotto recipe vegan

Creamy Pea Risotto

Perfect for spring, this creamy pea risotto is vegan friendly. Bright green in colour, the flavour of the peas really works with the garlic and caramelised shallots.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 39 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots
  • 2 large cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 500 g frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 200 ml vegan single cream
  • 250 g arborio rice
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 l vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp sunflower seeds

Instructions
 

  • Start by finely slicing the shallots and frying in the olive oil on a low heat, after around 5 minutes add in the finely chopped garlic cloves and continue to fry for a few minutes
  • Add in the arborio rice, toast for a minute before adding in the vinegar, followed by a cup full of the stock, allow the rice to absorb then repeat the process until it has absorbed the entire 800-1l of stock
  • Meanwhile prepare the peas by defrosting in water in the microwave, drain then add to a blender with the nutritional yeast, a large pinch of salt and pepper and the vegan cream, blend until smooth
  • Once the rice has absorbed all of the stock, add the creamy pea mixture, note you may need to add a splash more water depending on the texture
  • Season again with salt and pepper, in a separate pan add the sunflower seeds and toast on a high heat then top the risotto and enjoy
Breakfast Dinner Lunch & Light Bites Recipe

Blistered Tomatoes on Herby Yogurt

blistered tomatoes on herby yogurt dip vegan

Delicious Blistered Tomatoes on Herby Yogurt

These blistered tomatoes on a herby yogurt dip works perfectly as a sharing plate. It’s herby, zingy, vibrant and delicious as well as being a vegan friendly lunch. This is the kind of recipe where you can pop it in the middle of the table with crunchy bread or crisps and everyone dips away. This recipe is perfect for a BBQ or summer feast. 

What ingredients do you need?

Tomatoes- Vine tomatoes work perfectly for this, but see what’s in season and grown locally to get the best flavour out of your tomatoes. Bonus points if they’re home grown. To blister them, fry on a high heat with good olive oil, alternatively you can bake them at 200ºC for around 15 minutes.

Yogurt- The vegan yogurt scene has come on leaps and bounds. This recipe uses a greek style vegan yogurt so it has a thick and creamy texture that works with the garlic and herbs.

Herbs- This is such a key ingredient to get all of the flavour so don’t leave this step out. Fresh dill and chives give a fragrant and delicious flavour with the yogurt dip. 

Sunflower seeds- This is fast becoming one of my favourite ways to garnish a recipe. They are really cheap to buy, offer loads of flavour and usually compliment most recipes with a slight crunch. 

Blistered tomatoes with yogurt dip vegan recipe

Cooking tips:

Grate the garlic into the yogurt- no one wants to bite into a chunk of garlic, so either grate or mince the garlic. I used one of those flat bowls with a serrated edge that you can buy on holiday destinations like Greece or Italy.

Save some herbs to garnish- This helps the dish not only look beautiful but gets as much flavour out of those herbs as possible.

Toast the seeds- Toasting seeds releases a nutty and rounded flavour. If you add the seeds un toasted it won’t offer the same flavour. I promise this step is worth it. 

If you like this recipe why not try:

Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Dip 

Whipped Tofu Feta Dip with Roasted Tomatoes

Curried Butter Beans

Blistered tomatoes with yogurt dip vegan recipe

Blistered Tomatoes on Herby Yogurt

These blistered tomatoes on a herby yogurt dip is a perfect sharing plate or lunch. Herby, zingy, vibrant and delicious and vegan friendly.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 150 g vegan greek yogurt
  • 15 g fresh chives
  • 15 g fresh dill
  • 250 g vine tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Start by mincing a clove of garlic, then add to a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil, then add the tomatoes, fry on a medium - high heat to blister the bottoms
  • Prepare the yogurt by mincing 1/2 clove garlic then mixing with the yogurt, mix in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, the chopped chives and dill (save some of the herbs to garnish at the end) season with salt and pepper and mix together
  • Once the tomatoes have blistered add in the sunflower seeds to toast for the final few minutes then add to the yogurt dip
  • Option to drizzle over harissa, then assemble the ingredients, top with the sunflower seeds and remaining fresh chopped herbs and enjoy by dipping with crunchy bread