While the number of vegans remains relatively small, there’s a growing group of flexitarians—diners who want to alternate meaty meals with plant-based or veggie-forward dishes. These five flavorful, scratch-made recipes will help meet that demand.
Erin Primer, food and nutrition services director at San Luis Coastal Unified School District, received a grant from the state to educate students about plant-forward eating. She made this burger for a virtual cooking class, combining red lentils, sweet potatoes, oats, eggs and spices, then tested it with high schoolers.
Plant-based chicken tenders add protein and textural interest to Chef Max Hardy’s version of pad Thai. The dish gets an authentic spin with Asian fish sauce, peanuts and rice noodles.
At Restaurant Associates’ dining locations, the kitchen makes its own plant-based sausage crumbles from scratch using walnuts and cannellini beans. Italian seasoning, fennel, garlic and onion powder, and smoked paprika mimic the flavor of pork-based Italian-style sausages.
Crispy Eggplant Parmesan with Dairy-Free Cheese and Tomato Gravy
At Saba restaurant, Chef Alon Shaya focuses on vegetables, whole grains and plant-based cheeses and milks. This recipe features a creamy non-dairy cheese that not only melts well, it makes for a plant-based dish that’s also kosher.
Photo courtesy of MorningStar Farms/Kellogg’s Away From Home
Plant-based Chorizo Breakfast Tacos
Chef David Pena creates a breakfast taco with plant-based chorizo, eggs and Oaxaca cheese. A house-made serrano salsa tops off the tacos with a spicy kick. For a vegan version, use nondairy cheese and a vegan egg substitute.
University of Florida’s solution for feeding students in the midst of construction of a new dining hall has turned out so well, it will almost be a shame to see it go.
The endlessly colorful cuisine of Mexico is always in season, but Cinco de Mayo is a great time to bring some new recipes to the party, starting with El Rio Picante, an alternative marg, and finishing with DIY churro sundaes.
Last summer, a group of college and healthcare chefs came together at the University of Michigan for FoodService Director’s 2023 Culinary Immersion. Here are some of the recipes they developed.