The Best Vegan Asian Recipes (2024)

Here are 20 easy and delicious vegan Asian recipes that will turn a meat eater into a plant based food lover!

The Best Vegan Asian Recipes (1)

Easy plant based meals Here are some of my favorite vegan Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai dishes. Whether you are looking to serve a main dish or add a couple of sides to your meal, these vegan recipes are simple and easy enough for everyone to make.

1. Miso Soup

A classic Japanese vegetarian appetizer or side. And it only takes a few minutes to make. GET THE RECIPE

2. Korean Cucumber Salad

Spicy and smoky, this vegan Korean salad is often served as banchan (small dish served with rice). GET THE RECIPE

3. Chinese Lotus Root Salad

Dishes such as this lotus root salad is why I love vegan Chinese so much. It’s light, slightly sour and salty, with a satisfying crunch. GET THE RECIPE

4. Nasu Dengaku

Another traditional Japanese dish, nasu dengaku are eggplant broiled until tender, and brushed with a sweet and salty miso glaze. It’s one of my favorite eggplant dishes of all time. GET THE RECIPE

5. Doenjang Jjigae

A light and spicy vegetarian Korean bean paste soup packed with vegetables and tofu. GET THE RECIPE

6. Thai Potato Curry

A creamy and silky vegan potato and onion curry infused with flavors of Thailand. Delicious. GET THE RECIPE

7. Sweet and Sour Tofu

This sweet and sour dish is so delicious that your meat eating friends won’t believe it’s vegan! GET THE RECIPE

8. Baby Bok Choy Soup with Garlic and Ginger

Lots of depth of flavor in this simple Chinese vegetarian baby bok choy soup. The addition of dried shiitake mushrooms infuse the broth with plenty of umami. You will love this! GET THE RECIPE

9. Vegan Tantanmen

Vegan Japanese food like this bowl of tantanmen is what I crave when I want comfort food without the meat. GET THE RECIPE

10. Sour and Spicy Chinese Shredded Potatoes

A classic vegan Chinese dish, these shredded potatoes are pan fried with dried chilis and vinegar for a smoky and sour taste. I personally find this dish addictive! GET THE RECIPE

11. Smacked Cucumber with Chili Oil

Smacked and chopped cucumber pieces are drenched in a mix of chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic. GET THE RECIPE

12. Vegan Jajangmyeon

A vegan Korean dish that’s not spicy! This jajangmyeon is made with mushrooms, cabbage, and zucchini (to replace the meat), while the noodles are coated in the traditional black bean sauce. Served with freshly chopped cucumber, this plant based version is both filling and satisfying! GET THE RECIPE

13. Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

This is another eggplant dish I love. Tender pieces of eggplant stir fried with garlic, dried chilis, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vinegar, and topped with chopped scallions. GET THE RECIPE

14. Vegan Mapo Tofu

If you asked me to pick between vegan Chinese food and vegan Japanese, I wouldn’t be able to choose. Both cuisines are so good at finding the perfect ingredients to substitute for meat. This vegan mapo tofu is the perfect example – finely chopped mushrooms are used instead of ground meat and add so much depth of flavor and umami to the dish. It’s so good that I no longer eat the traditional version with ground meat. GET THE RECIPE

15. Tofu Chow Fun with Watercress

Pan fried noodles coated with soy sauce and topped with marinated tofu and watercress. Simple yet tasty! GET THE RECIPE

16. Spicy Vegan Sichuan Noodles

The original dish comes with pork but I thought it would be fun to use celery instead. You don’t miss the meat because the celery, when stir fried with mushrooms, gochujang, and soy sauce, takes on a meaty texture. It’s spicy, salty, and slightly pungent. GET THE RECIPE

17. Kung Pao Cauliflower

Beside looking stunning, this vegan kun pao cauliflower packs a punch in the flavor department. Crushed peanuts and Thai chilis add heat and nuttiness to this otherwise savory dish. GET THE RECIPE

18. Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

We’ve arrived at my favorite vegan Chinese noodle dish – the dan dan noodles. We make these noodles almost every week! The flavor profile has it all – spicy, salty, pungent, a little sweet, and a little sour. Perfection. GET THE RECIPE

19. Tofu Miso Dengaku

This is the tofu version of the Japanese vegetarian nasu dengaku recipe. Just as yummy but more filling. GET THE RECIPE

20. Easy Vegan Fried Rice

And finally, we couldn’t end the list of vegan Asian recipes without throwing a fried rice in there! This is a simple vegetable fried rice made with brown rice and seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and ground black pepper. GET THE RECIPE

For A List Of Japanese Vegan Recipes, Read:

The Best Vegan Asian Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan fish sauce? ›

Its popular range of products includes Tofuna Fysh sauce, which is a vegan fish sauce made with ingredients like seaweed, tamari, horseradish, and pineapple juice.

How to eat vegan without cooking? ›

16 No-Cook Vegan Recipes to Beat the Heat
  1. Berry Overnight Oats.
  2. Chia Breakfast Parfait.
  3. Enchanted Smoothie Bowl.
  4. Chickpea Salad Rolls.
  5. Tofu "Egg" Salad Sandwich.
  6. Rainbow Hummus Sandwich.
  7. Thai Crunch Salad With Peanut Dressing.
  8. Rainbow Salad.
Jul 21, 2022

How to make vegan food satisfying? ›

I highly recommend having a mixture of grains, protein, and vegetables — it provides a great balance not only with flavor/bulk but also texture. Grains and legumes help keep the meal filling while the vegetables bring everything together.

How to cook for vegan guests? ›

Vegan dinner party recipes
  1. Courgette curry. A star rating of 4.8 out of 5. ...
  2. Beetroot & red onion tarte tatin. ...
  3. Beetroot hummus party platter. ...
  4. Italian-style roast cabbage wedges with tomato lentils. ...
  5. App onlyWhole-roasted curried cauliflower & chickpeas. ...
  6. Refried beans. ...
  7. Vegan pie. ...
  8. App onlyCreamy vegan wild mushroom risotto.

What is a good vegan substitute for fish sauce? ›

Dulse or Wakame: The seaweed is what will give you that “fish” taste you want in a vegan fish sauce substitute. Wakame is high-protein, high in calcium, and has iron and vitamin C in it. Dulse, another kind of seaweed, is a red sea plant and is also rich in iron as well as protein, and vitamin A.

What are the three vegan sauces? ›

And once you've made them a few times, you won't even need a recipe!
  • 1 - Béchamel or Basic White Sauce. A white sauce is made by adding milk, salt, and pepper to a roux. ...
  • 2 - Mornay or Cheese Sauce. Building off a white sauce is a Mornay or cheese sauce. ...
  • 3 - Gravy.
Nov 13, 2017

What are the 5 most important rules of a vegan diet? ›

For a healthy vegan diet:
  • eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
  • base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates (choose wholegrain where possible)
  • have some fortified dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts (choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options)

What not to eat when going vegan? ›

Vegans don't eat any foods made from animals, including:
  • Beef, pork, lamb, and other red meat.
  • Chicken, duck, and other poultry.
  • Fish or shellfish such as crabs, clams, and mussels.
  • Eggs.
  • Cheese.
  • Butter.
  • Milk, cream, ice cream, and other dairy products.
  • Mayonnaise (because it includes egg yolks)
Nov 3, 2023

What do vegans struggle with the most? ›

10 Vegan deficiencies to be aware of - and how to nix them
  • Iron. ...
  • Vitamin B12. ...
  • Omega-3. ...
  • Zinc. ...
  • Choline. ...
  • Iodine. ...
  • Vitamin D. Who isn't a little bit deficient in the 'Sunshine Vitamin'? ...
  • Protein. 'This nutrient is not an issue in most people's diets especially those who eat meat, fish and eggs,' says Hobson.
Dec 22, 2022

What are the most filling vegan foods? ›

Healthful foods that are high in protein, fiber, or both tend to be filling. Rich sources of protein for vegans include foods such as soybeans, pulses, and some nuts and seeds. Oats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruit are all good sources of fiber.

Why do I feel weaker as a vegan? ›

Eating a Balanced Diet. One of the biggest reasons for feeling tired is if you are consuming significantly fewer animal products, you are missing out on key nutrients, such as B12 and iron.

Is peanut butter vegan? ›

The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.

Can vegans eat hummus? ›

Hummus is a vegan staple that allows you to have some versatility in your diet. It's an immensely popular food amongst vegans so you may have found a new favourite yourself. It's available in a wide range of flavours and is very versatile in the kitchen so you can experiment with it if you wish to.

Does vegan fish sauce taste like fish sauce? ›

Umami is also known as the fifth taste, after sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. By simmering together dried shiitake mushrooms, dried seaweed, coconut aminos, water, and salt, you can create a sauce that has a complex and rich flavor, similar to fish sauce.

What is vegan fish made of? ›

To create the flavour and texture of fish, manufacturers use a variety of different ingredients. Some common ingredients found in vegan fish are chickpeas, pea protein, soy, tofu and potatoes.

What is plant based fish sauce made of? ›

It's basically a very condensed broth infused with soy sauce -shoyu, tamari, or gluten-free Bragg's Liquid Aminos, dried mushrooms, seaweed, and a few garlic cloves. The broth is simmered and reduced, and flavors become very concentrated.

What can be used as a substitute for fish sauce? ›

8 Tasty Fish Sauce Substitutes
  • Soy sauce. Soy sauce, which is made from fermented soybeans, water, salt, and wheat, is an excellent alternative to fish sauce. ...
  • Tamari. Tamari is a type of soy sauce. ...
  • Oyster sauce. ...
  • Vegan fish sauce. ...
  • Seaweed. ...
  • Coconut aminos. ...
  • Worcestershire sauce. ...
  • Mushroom and soy sauce broth.
Jun 16, 2020

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Horacio Brakus JD

Last Updated:

Views: 6482

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Horacio Brakus JD

Birthday: 1999-08-21

Address: Apt. 524 43384 Minnie Prairie, South Edda, MA 62804

Phone: +5931039998219

Job: Sales Strategist

Hobby: Sculling, Kitesurfing, Orienteering, Painting, Computer programming, Creative writing, Scuba diving

Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.