Italian Vegan Cooking Recipes

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You are just come back from your Vegan Vacation in Tuscany, well so  it’s time to relive your vacation again with wonderful italian Vegan Recipes!

  1. Pesto di Cavolo Nero (Kale Pesto)

A simple Vegan pesto, this option is simple to prepare and extremely taste! We use pine nuts, almonds and natural yeast to mimic the flavors of traditional pesto. This pesto is also excellent on bread as a spread for crostini. First, remove the stalks from the kale, and steam the leaves. In a mortar, put together the kale, pine nuts, almonds, and garlic (if you like it!). Add some (about 50 grams) of natural cooking yeast, salt, and lots of olive oil to achieve a smooth consistency. This pesto is good for two to three days in the fridge, so be sure to make an ample batch.

  1. Vegan Carbonara

Vegan carbonara is possible and can be achieved with the use of our favorite seitan, together with soy cooking cream. First, cut the seitan into tiny pieces and set aside. Do the same with some zucchini, and in a non-stick pan, heat some garlic in olive oil. Remove the garlic from the pan and add the seitan pieces together with the zucchini. Add some pepper and cook all together over medium heat. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti leaving it al dente. Put the soy cooking cream in a bowl and add turmeric. Mix them together so they are in a homogeneous sauce. Drain the spaghetti and put it into the pan with he seitan and zucchini. Add the cream with turmeric mixture together with some fresh thyme and mix well. Your carbonara is complete!

  1. Tempeh Ragu

Another option for a Vegan ragu is to make it with tempeh, instead of seitan. Tempeh is a protein made from the fermentation of yellow soy beans, and is rich in fiber, vitamins, and of course protein. As we did before, prepare a soffritto with onion, carrot and celery. Let it cook before adding the tempeh, and then clearing the pan with some white wine. Once the wine has cooked away, add the tomato, and let it cook down for 20 to 30 minutes. Add a little salt, and then choose what pasta you want to make! This sauce is really great with anything, and is also excellent on crostini, so make a lot and invite your non-vegan friends to see how vegan ragu can be just as good as the real deal.

These are just some suggestions to get you started with your vegan cooking adventures. There are lots of ways to eat meat-free, and we are here to help with ideas whenever you need them. Be sure to enjoy your pasta with an excellent italian vegan wine!

Italian Vegan Cooking Recipes

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You can experience creating these and many other Italian Vegan Recipes in our Vegan Cooking Course in Florence, available daily in a charming country house in the hills with beautiful views of Florence. You will learn to cook vegan delicacies as Tuscans have been doing for centuries!

Part 1

Vegan Sauces: 2 Recipes to Try

Those who love first courses know that the right sauce can transform a simple plate of pasta into a true gourmet dish. To make a dish special, it’s fundamental to choose the right sauce. Seasonal vegetables, aromatic herbs, plant-based oils, and even seitan, tofu or tempeh are the main ingredients that will help you prepare an excellent vegan sauce for your pasta (and other things!), to enjoy every day at dinner or even on the holidays. Here are 2 recipes to try!

  1. Vegan ragout with seitan and apples

Ragout is the number one go-to sauce when it comes to the holidays, and it is ideal for any form of pasta, including lasagna. Why give it up when you can make a vegan version of this Italian classic using seitan protein and apples? This recipe calls for you to first make a normal soffritto base of carrots, onion and celery. Cook the soffritto in olive oil before adding some water and then the tomato, as you would with a normal ragu. Add the seitan, chopped in pieces, and let it all cook down for about 15-20 minutes. Finally, when there are just a few minutes’ cooking time left, add the chopped apple. This ragout will surely wow your friends and family, alike!

  1. Vegan zucchini spaghetti with white seitan sauce

Another recipe with seitan as the protagonist, due to its versatility and high protein content. Seitan particularly lends itself to making sauces, since its texture mimics that of the meat normally used to make traditional sauces. In this case, we make a sauce that is without tomato, and suggest adding walnut pieces for crunch. Here, instead of noodles or pasta, make zoodles – zucchini is a great stand-in for egg-based pastas since their texture is similar after boiling. Clean the zucchini and, using a knife, remove both ends. Cut each one in half and then cut into strips. Finally, cut them into 3 or 4 mm ‘noodles’ before boiling them in slightly salted water. Cook them for a few minutes before draining and setting aside. For the ragu, put some garlic in some oil and turn on the heat. Add the pre-chopped seitan to the pan and add a little salt. Crush the walnuts and add them to the pan. After about ten minutes, add some chopped parsley, then toss in the zucchini and heat through on a low flame. Enjoy this healthy, vegan alternative to spaghetti!