basic recipes
vegetable broth
makes about 2 quarts
This basic vegetable broth can be cooled and frozen in several storage containers with tight-fitting lids so you can defrost exactly what you need for a recipe. Be sure to scrub and wash all vegetables well before using. For information on commercial vegetable broths, vegan bouillon cubes, and powdered vegetable base, see here.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large russet potato, unpeeled and cut into chunks
2 celery ribs, including leaves, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 quarts water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, potato, celery, and garlic. Cover and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the water, soy sauce, parsley, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, to reduce the liquid and bring out the flavors of the vegetables, 1 hour.
Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot, pressing the juices out of the vegetables with the back of a large spoon. The broth is now ready to use. For a stronger broth, bring the broth back to a boil, and reduce the volume by one-quarter. This broth keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if kept tightly covered, or portioned and frozen for up to 4 months.
seitan three ways
makes about 2 pounds
This is my go-to seitan recipe. It makes about 2 pounds that can be portioned into 8-ounce packages and frozen for later use. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days either in a covered container in its cooking broth or portioned and tight-wrapped. I’ve included cooking instructions to make it 3 different ways: on top of the stove, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. This seitan can be used in any of the recipes in this book that call for seitan.
2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups cold water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups cold vegetable broth (for stovetop and slow cooker methods)
In a food processor or bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten flour, nutritional yeast, tapioca flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper and pulse or stir to mix. Add the water, soy sauce, and oil, and process or stir to mix well. Turn the mixture out onto a flat surface and knead into a cohesive dough, 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Stovetop: Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and place them in a large pot with enough cold vegetable broth to cover. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Let the seitan cool to room temperature in the broth.
Slow Cooker: Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and place them in a slow cooker with enough vegetable broth to cover. Cook on low for 8 hours. Cool to room temperature in the slow cooker.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Flatten the seitan into a 6-inch square and enclose it loosely in a sheet of aluminum foil. Place the seitan packet in a shallow baking dish and add enough water to come halfway up the seitan packet. Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and bake until firm, 1 hour. Remove the seitan from the pan, remove the foil, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
For all three methods, once the seitan has cooled to room temperature, it is ready to use in recipes. For the best texture, the seitan should be refrigerated for at least an hour to firm up before using. It can be refrigerated either in the broth in a covered container or removed from the broth and tightly wrapped. The seitan will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, when tightly wrapped and frozen.
pizza dough
makes dough for 2 (12-inch) pizzas
I like to make enough dough for 2 pizzas at a time (even when I need only one). That way I can stash the extra one in the freezer for a future meal. I find it quicker to make the dough in a food processor, but you can make it in a stand mixer or in a bowl by hand, if you prefer. For extra flavor, add 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning to the dough. If not using right away, the dough can be tightly wrapped and frozen for 2 to 3 months, then thawed in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature before shaping into a crust and baking.
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons instant-rise yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 cup warm water
Lightly oil the inside of a large bowl and set aside. In a food processor (or using a stand mixer), combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. With the machine running, add the oil through the feed tube and slowly add the water as needed until a slightly sticky dough ball forms.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, 1 to 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in the prepared bowl. Turn the dough to coat it with oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape each piece into a round ball. Cover and let it rest for about 30 minutes. The dough is now ready to use in recipes.
To bake a pizza, preheat the oven to 450°F. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape to fit your pizza pan, add toppings of choice, and bake for about 10 minutes. You can use this dough to make the pizza recipes on here.
pie dough
makes enough for 2 crusts
This recipe makes enough for 1 double-crust pie or 2 single-crust pies. Make ahead and freeze the flattened dough for when you need it. Then simply defrost and roll out the dough.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
⅔ cup vegan butter, cut into small pieces (try Earth Balance brand)
4 tablespoons ice water, or more if needed
Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Blend in the vegan butter with short pulses, until the mixture becomes crumbly. With the machine running, add water through the feed tube and pulse until the dough just starts to hold together. Transfer the dough to a work surface, divide it in half, and flatten to form two disks. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out. If you refrigerate the dough until it’s stiff, let it sit out until it’s pliable enough to roll, about 15 minutes.
note: Frozen pie crusts (in aluminum pie plates) are available in supermarkets and natural food stores. Be sure to read the label carefully since some brands may contain lard or butter.
roasted bell peppers
Here’s an easy way to roast bell peppers: Preheat the broiler. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, and remove the stems, seeds, and membranes. Cut 1-inch slits at the edges as necessary so the peppers lie flat. Arrange the pepper halves on a foil-lined baking sheet, and place under the broiler until the skin is blistered and blackened. Set aside to cool. With this method, you can roast several peppers at once and they’re under the broiler just a few minutes. You don’t have to stand at a flame or grill, rotating the pepper, doing one at a time. Then, simply peel them when they’re cool enough to handle.
note: Bottled roasted red peppers are sold in supermarkets in 6-ounce and 12-ounce jars, packed in oil.
toasted nuts
Nuts can be toasted in 2 ways—either on top of the stove in a dry skillet, or in the oven on a baking sheet.
To toast nuts in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the nuts in a single layer in a small shallow baking pan. Toast until very lightly browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, 2 to 8 minutes, depending on the type of nut. Pine nuts, sliced almonds, and sesame seeds, for example, begin to brown very quickly, while heartier nuts such as walnuts and pecans take longer. Remove toasted nuts from the oven and cool completely.
To toast nuts on the stovetop, place them in a dry small skillet over medium heat and toast them, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly browned, 1 to 5 minutes, depending on the nut. Be careful not to burn them. Cool completely.
note: For convenience, some varieties of nuts are sold already toasted.
about the recipes
One of my goals in this book has been to develop recipes that take no longer than 30 minutes of active time to prepare. By “active” time, I mean the actual hands-on time it takes to prepare the recipe. It does not include the time it takes to gather your equipment and ingredients together or wash your produce. The recipes in Easy Make-Ahead Bakes also adhere to less than 30 minutes of active time, but that doesn’t include the in-oven baking time. Those oven-baked recipes are especially convenient because they can be assembled ahead of time and then baked when you’re ready to eat them. Plus, since you bake and serve right in the same baking dish, there’s no messy cleanup to worry about. In terms of convenience and variety, recipes that can be assembled ahead of time can be the quickest meals to fix.
From lightening-quick appetizers and main dishes, to speedy soups, sandwiches, salads, and desserts, I hope you enjoy preparing the recipes in Quick-Fix Vegan as much as I enjoyed creating them.