Asian Dishes That Are Incredible When Made Vegan

If you eat vegan or plant-based, you may be looking for some new dishes to try. Consider looking into Asian cuisines. Vegan and vegetarian diets are quite popular in a lot of Asian cultures, so the dishes tend to be easily adaptable. Many Asian dishes also contain a lot of veggies and rice already, so eliminating any meat or eggs isn't tough. Here are some specific Asian dishes that are incredible when made vegan.

Pad Thai

Pad Thai is a Thai dish made with rice noodles, bean sprouts, lemongrass, and a variety of veggies in a rich peanut sauce. Typically, it is made with meat or seafood, but it's easy to leave those ingredients out and toss in some tofu instead. You can buy prepared Pad Thai sauces at most Asian food stores. Some versions contain fish sauce, but others are vegan — so just check the label before you buy. As long as you have the sauce, all you really need to make vegan Pad Thai at home is some rice noodles and veggies of your choice.

Mapo Tofu

If you like spice, this is a Chinese dish you have to try. It's traditionally a tofu dish so it is already plant-based. Some versions call for some chicken stock or beef stock, but you could easily substitute veggie stock. And many restaurants that serve Mapo tofu make vegan versions to appeal to their vegan customers. The dish consists of tofu and veggies in a spicy, Szechuan pepper sauce. It's generally served over white rice, which balances the spiciness. 

Gyoza

Gyoza is a version of dumplings common in Japanese cuisine. There are versions made with pork, but many gyozas are plant-based. You can find frozen, plant-based gyoza at a lot of specialty food stores. Or, you could buy your own dumpling wrappers and prepare your own veggie-based filling to put inside. Any blend of cabbage and other veggies cooked down in soy sauce and your other favorite seasonings will be delicious. Gyoza is nice when dipped into a sweet and salty sauce. Look for a teriyaki dipping sauce, or if you have trouble finding a plant-based one, mix some soy sauce with brown sugar to make your own.

Asian cuisines tend to be well-suited to plant-based diets. Look for Pad Thai, Mapo tofu, and gyoza at your local Asian restaurants, and consider making some of these delicious foods yourself as well.  

For more information, visit a local restaurant like Rainbao Dumplings.

Share