10 Asian-Inspired Vegetarian Favorites
When someone mentions “Asian food,” what do you think of? Your favorite Chinese takeaway? Aromatic Indian curry? Spicy Thai noodles? For me, images of all three are evoked. I love Asian-style food for its bold flavors, prevalence for vegetables and relative ease to throw together.
The 10 recipes below are some of my all-time favorites. From Cauliflower + Chickpea Tikka Masala to Ramen Noodle Stir-Fry to Kung Pao Chickpeas, these dishes are heavy on the savoriness and light on the time-intensive preparation. Most are vegan, and many can be modified to be gluten-free. Enjoy!
HOT & SOUR SOBA NOODLES
Hot & Sour Soup meets spicy Dan Dan Noodles, but with a Japanese soba noodle twist! These Hot & Sour Soba Noodles are slurpable, easy to whip up and feel totally decadent. Featuring a rich broth of shiitake, maitake, oyster & enoki mushrooms, the dish can be customized to be more hot or sour by stirring in additional garlic chili sauce and/or rice vinegar. Leave out the eggs to make this a 100% plant-based dish.
CAULIFLOWER + CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
Ever tried Tikka Masala? It's one of my favorite Indian dishes & it happens to be incredibly easy to throw together! Tikka Masala essentially features a heavily spiced creamy tomato gravy with meat and/or veg of your choice. I went with cauliflower and chickpeas — the cauliflower soaks up the gravy, and the chickpeas add a needed punch of protein. Serve it on its own, over rice/quinoa or with naan for dipping!
VEGAN RAMEN NOODLE STIR-FRY
This might be one of the tastiest stir-fry dishes we’ve ever whipped up. The sauce is the perfect combo of spicy, sweet and umami. The veggies, anchored by crunchy bok choy, become slightly caramelized yet retain tons of fresh flavors. And the ramen noodles — um, yum. Best use of those crunchy little noodle squares to date! The best part? This is a dinner you can make in 20-30 minutes, depending on how fast you are at chopping.
KUNG PAO CHICKPEAS
I’m always looking for easy ways to add more protein to my meals, and these Kung Pao Chickpeas totally fit the bill. Throw a few ingredients into a crock pot, set that baby on low for six hours, and when you come home from work your dinner is practically complete! This dish also happens to be vegan, and it’s gluten-free too if you swap the soy sauce for tamari. If you want to get creative, the chickpeas would be fabulous in Asian-inspired tacos, or even on a pizza! Prepare to be wowed.
VEGAN SINGAPORE NOODLES
Ever tried Singapore Noodles? This is a truly global meal if I've ever seen one — it's a Cantonese dish from Hong Kong, which was a British colony until 1997. The British brought curry to the area, and rice noodles were common in nearby Southeast Asia. The dish was dubbed Singapore Noodles because of the city’s tradition of Indian-Chinese food. If that sounds confusing, all you really need to know is it's a veggie-centric noodle dish with curry + turmeric, and it's delicious (plus easy and cheap).
RAJMA MASALA
Rajma Masala is sort of like an Indian version of vegetarian chili — velvety red kidney beans are simmered down with onions, garlic, tomato sauce, vegetable broth and a bunch of spices to create a rich, flavorful concoction. The difference with Rajma Masala, of course, is in the spices: garam masala, turmeric and ginger most likely aren’t in your average chili.
ASIAN-STYLE PROTEIN POWER BOWLS
With these Asian-Style Protein Power Bowls, I wanted to create an incredibly simple yet delicious meal that was packed with nutrients. Broccoli, for example, is loaded with fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C. Cooked quinoa and green peas both contain 8 grams of protein per cup. And here’s the real kicker — edamame, those tasty little soybeans, contain a whopping 17 grams of protein per cup. Combine all of this into one dish, and you can understand why “protein power bowl” is an apt name!
PLAIN JANE LO MEIN + VEGGIES IN HOT GARLIC SAUCE
For the Plain Jane Lo Mein, I suggest stopping by your local international or Asian grocery store to buy some fresh lo mein noodles — fresh noodles make all the difference in this recipe. The simple noodles pair beautifully with the deliciously saucy Veggies in Hot Garlic Sauce. We used a mixture of broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms and onions, but feel free to use whatever vegetables you’d like. Bok choy or cauliflower would both make great additions. Skip the takeout this weekend and try this recipe!
VEGETABLE TIKKA MASALA WITH PAN-FRIED PANEER
Know what makes a flavorful homemade Vegetable Tikka Masala even better? Topping it with crispy little Indian cheese cubes, aka pan-fried paneer. Paneer is a super mild Indian squeaky cheese that’s almost similar to tofu in its texture. For a vegan version, just skip it. The Tikka Masala is super filling and delicious on its own — think of it as an Indian stew — but you can also serve it over rice/quinoa or with naan for dipping.
VEGAN DRUNKEN NOODLES
Thai drunken noodles is one of my favorite take-out meals. The different flavors meld together so beautifully, and the dish usually doesn’t feel quite as heavy as bloat-inducing pad Thai. I didn’t have high expectations when attempting to make drunken noodles at home (it’s just never the same, is it?), but I ended up pleasantly surprised. The results are — dare I say it — better than take-out!