Veganism is booming, with around 4% of Brits and 6% of Americans now following a plant-based diet – and sign-ups for Veganuary are set to hit a record high this year. But while there are plenty of brilliant meat substitutes and plant-based products on the market, cooking healthy and affordable meals from scratch can still seem like a daunting prospect. To help you on your way to delicious meat and dairy-free dishes this Veganuary (and beyond), we've ranked the essential vegan ingredients to have to hand, with tips on how to cook with them.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 30 ingredients every vegan should have in their store cupboard.
Cornflour hardly has the hippest reputation, but this unassuming ingredient that you'd expect to find in your grandma’s cupboard is making a comeback. It can be used to thicken plant-based sauces, added to batters to create dishes like sticky cauliflower bites, or dusted on tofu before frying for an extra-crispy finish.
While we’re not suggesting you should always have a bag of edamame beans to hand, it’s worth introducing these green beauties to your diet every now and then. They're a nutritional powerhouse, offering 0.6 oz (18.4g) of protein and 0.2 oz (8g) of fibre per cup (155g portion), and are much lower in carbs than many other legumes. Hailing from Asia, they go perfectly in stir-fries, salads and noodle dishes. You’ll find them in the frozen section of most supermarkets.
The popularity of this sweet condiment, made from the sap of maple trees, is skyrocketing – perhaps due, in part, to the rise of veganism. An ideal alternative to honey, which is not considered as vegan because it’s produced by bees, maple syrup is a good ingredient to have in your arsenal. Use it in breakfast granola recipes – swapping the Greek yogurt for a dairy-free option, as well as in griddled pineapple and salted caramel desserts or banana and peanut butter crumbles.
You can barely walk through a supermarket these days without encountering fake meats, from soy burgers to "facon" (fake bacon). While it’s great that substitutes have become so popular, they can be expensive. However, it’s always good to have your favourite brand of veggie sausages, burgers or mince in the freezer. Use meat-free sausages in this saucy sticky sausage and bean stew, swapping the chicken stock and honey for vegetable stock and maple syrup to make it 100% vegan.
A spicy condiment hailing from the Maghreb region (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Libya), harissa may have its roots in North African cooking, but it has become popular in cuisines all over the world. Adding it to plant-based dishes is a smart way to get maximum flavour out of minimal ingredients. Try making this delicious harissa cauliflower traybake, subbing the natural yogurt for a vegan alternative, or add it to this simple harissa spaghetti recipe.
They may be small, but flax seeds pack a big nutritional punch as they are an excellent plant-based source of omega-3, healthy fats, antioxidants, fibre and protein. You can buy them in whole or ground form, and each is useful for different reasons. Whole flax seeds are perfect for sprinkling onto salads or for adding crunch to granola bars (substitute the butter for a nice vegan spread), while ground flax seeds can be mixed with water to create an egg replacer, ideal for baking recipes like these brownies.
A staple in Southeast Asian cuisines, coconut oil can be used in everything from stir-fries to sweet dishes. Don't go to town though because it contains 86.5% saturated fat. So, it's not exactly a superfood as some wellness influencers might have us believe. Yet, when eaten sparingly, it can be part of a healthy diet. Enjoy its subtle sweet flavour in these soy-roasted vegetables with noodles or in this vibrant green Sri Lankan curry.
Pronounced tem-pay, this is one soy-based substitute you will want to get familiar with. Hailing from Indonesia, it’s made from fermented soya beans, which are pressed into a firm, dense block. While that might not sound super appetising, it makes for a delicious nutty flavour and chewy texture. Better yet, tempeh packs 0.56oz (16g) of protein per 2.9oz (85g), which is twice as much as its soya-based cousin tofu. Try these yummy recipes: tempeh vindaloo, spicy breakfast burrito, vegan Caesar salad and kimchi burger.
Although plant-based cheese might not taste exactly like the real deal, many types are still tasty and can be useful for cooking with, so don’t knock it before you try it. Add dairy-free mozzarella to homemade pizza (such as this roasted mushroom and truffle recipe), add slices of vegan Cheddar to burgers or make this mac 'n’ cheese with grated dairy-free cheese, mustard and nutritional yeast.
Far more than something to just chop onto your porridge or turn into bread, the humble banana has a range of uses in vegan cooking. Bind them with oat cream and cocoa powder to make this sumptuous chocolate mousse, turn them into a healthy vegan ice cream, or whip up a quick banana and blueberry cheesecake. Mashed bananas can also be used, at a pinch, as an egg replacer in some cakes – although they’ll give it a banana flavour.
When animal products like butter and lard are out of the equation, expect to get friendly with different cooking oils. Vegetable oil, which is usually made from crushed corn, palm kernel, safflower, soyabean or sunflower seeds, is especially versatile because of its neutral flavour and high smoke point. Use it in savoury dishes, such as Persian kidney bean stew, or swap it for butter in a range of cakes, cookies and baking recipes.
Although jackfruit might seem like a fresh and trendy ingredient, it’s been used in Southeast Asian cuisines for hundreds of years. There are two types, and both have very different uses. Young, unripe jackfruit, which has a mild flavour and firm flesh, is best used as a meat substitute in a range of dishes, from crispy fritters to Caribbean curries, duck-style pancakes and spicy tacos. Meanwhile, mature, ripe jackfruit is much sweeter, so it's better suited to desserts.
An excellent source of vegan protein and healthy fats, nut butters are so much more than just something to spread on toast. Peanut butter reigns supreme, but there are lots of exciting varieties to try which offer unique flavours, from cashew and almond to hazelnut. Nut butters can be used to whip up wholesome treats, such as these chocolate fridge bars and gooey cookies, or turned into a creamy satay sauce to accompany these sweet potato noodles.
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When ditching meat, miso paste is a great way to add umami (savoury) depth to dishes. Used in Japanese cooking, it’s made by fermenting soyabeans for around six months to a year, although industrial methods shorten this process. You'll find two main types in the supermarket – red and white – with the latter providing a milder taste. Whip up a speedy ramen with it, skipping the egg to make it vegan, or you could add it to this mushroom pappardelle, swapping the Parmesan for non-dairy cheese.
Although oil can be used in place of butter in many recipes, there are times when you need a creamy texture and flavour – enter dairy-free butter. We’re yet to find one that tastes exactly like the real deal, but there are some excellent alternatives. It’s great for baking, so use it when making millionaire’s shortbreads or these fluffy plant-based pancakes. You can use it in a decadent butter tofu curry too, where it’s combined with coconut cream, passata and spices to create a rich sauce.
The world frenzy for this aesthetically-pleasing, smooth-textured green fruit knows no bounds. There are plenty of creative ways to use it beyond smashed avo too, as any vegan will tell you. Try grilling and mixing avocados into a salad with tahini dressing, mashing them into classic guacamole, or creating this zingy mint, lime and courgette salad. They're not just for savoury dishes either – their creamy texture means they work surprisingly well in chocolate mousse, brownies and ice cream too.
They may not seem especially exciting, but stock cubes aren’t to be snubbed – they’re a great way to add bags of flavour at minimal effort and expense. They can be high in salt and preservatives though, so it’s worth checking the label before you buy. Add them to this cauliflower korma, swapping the natural yogurt and honey for vegan yogurt and maple syrup, or to the black bean sauce in this deliciously savoury stir-fry.
Gone are the days when veggies could expect a soggy mushroom risotto when eating out. Chefs are now harnessing mushroom's meaty, firm texture to transform them into a meat substitute, but keep in mind that they’re not high in protein. Turn them into a hearty vegan stew, mash them up with black beans to make burgers, or use field and/or button mushrooms to make this light and delicious open lasagne.
No vegan worth their salt would be seen dead without a packet of lentils in their cupboard. They come in a range of unusual colours and textures, from brown and green to soft red and yellow, and are really versatile as you can use them in everything – from tarka dal and corn chowder to ratatouille. Green and brown lentils are great for warm salads, stuffing and casseroles, red split lentils are superb for thickening soups or making dal, and puy lentils are the perfect side dish.
Another staple which should be in every vegan’s kitchen is oats. Of course, you can use them to make porridge, overnight oats and crunchy breakfast granola (swapping the honey in this recipe for extra maple syrup), but they are also excellent as a binder in plant-based burgers and can be used to make pancakes. Plus, they’re a decent source of protein and fibre, along with micronutrients including manganese, phosphorus and magnesium.
Best known as the ingredient which gives hummus its nutty, slightly bitter flavour, tahini is thought to have originated as early as 3,500 BC. It’s made from ground sesame seeds and can be found in a range of Middle Eastern dishes, from baba ganoush to halva (sweets found in Israel and Turkey). Keep things traditional by making your own hummus, or turn it into a delicious dressing for these easy Moroccan sweet potatoes. It also works well in sweet recipes, such as this pistachio and chocolate fridge cake.
It’s no wonder vegans go nuts for nuts – they’re a great source of protein, fibre, healthy fats and micronutrients. While they’re ideal for snacking, you would be missing a trick if you didn't use them in your cooking too. Try knocking up a classic nut roast using mixed nuts, adding walnuts to focaccia, making an almond-sage pesto to go with gnocchi or using macadamias to create this vegan cheesecake.
Nutritional yeast (aka nooch) is huge with vegans. This flaky yellow substance might not look especially appetising, but it’s a bona fide flavour bomb, imparting a cheesy, nutty tang to a wide range of dishes. What’s more, the aptly-named staple is packed with health benefits – two teaspoons provide 313% of your daily B12 intake, an important nutrient which vegans often have to supplement, as well as a good dose of vitamins B2, B3, B6 and B9. Use it to make this chilli tofu scramble and add it to a creamy dressing in this Caesar salad.
We know, we’ve already listed nuts, but cashews are so versatile in vegan cooking, they deserve a slide of their own. When soaked in water and blended, they transform into a cashew cream which can be used in everything from lasagne and mac 'n’ cheese to sweet dishes. They are equally delicious when kept whole too. Let them be the star of the show in this Sri Lankan curry, courtesy of Dr Rupy Aujla.
If you’re thinking about undergoing a plant-based diet, beans will become your best friend. They come in many varieties – kidney, black, pinto and butter, to name a few – and are an excellent source of protein and fibre. Keep a few tins handy and you can rustle up a quick and healthy dinner in no time. Our favourite recipes include this black bean and chipotle soup, slow-roasted pepper and cannellini bean dish, and an aubergine chilli traybake – just swap the Cheddar for non-dairy cheese to make it vegan.
When dairy is off the table, you realise the true power and versatility of coconut milk. Although coconuts originate from Southeast Asia and India, they float on water, so have appeared in subtropical places around the world – and their cuisines – for hundreds of years. Coconut milk can be used in soups, curries and rice dishes, or added to smoothies and bakes to make a range of vegan desserts.
Quinoa has boomed in popularity thanks to its health benefits. As well as providing manganese, phosphorus and folate, it’s considered one of the few complete plant-based protein sources out there as it contains all nine amino acids which our bodies need. So, reap the health benefits and enjoy its subtle, nutty flavour by using it in a salad, in place of bulgur wheat in tabbouleh, or serving it instead of rice alongside curries, stews and stir-fries.
From soya and oat to coconut, the world’s appetite for dairy-free milk is insatiable. As well as being great in coffee or on cereal, plant milks have a huge range of uses in cooking. Add dairy-free milk to sweet baked treats like brownies and a chocolate caramel tart, use them to make cauliflower mash that's extra creamy, or to create a spiced batter for Nigerian vegetable kebabs.
Nutritious, affordable and widely available, vegans can’t get enough of chickpeas. They are traditionally found in hummus and falafel but have many more uses than that. Try pairing chickpeas with plantain in a spicy Caribbean curry, making them into spicy fritters, or using chickpea flour to make socca (a traditional French savoury flatbread-pancake hybrid). You can even use the brine chickpeas come in, known as aquafaba, as an egg replacement in vegan baking. Try it out with our tropical pavlova recipe.
Top of our vegan ingredients chart is none other than the mighty tofu. While this soya-based staple might not be everyone’s favourite, it’s one of the best and most adaptable plant-based protein sources out there. The best way to cook it is to press the water out, coat it in cornflour and fry it in a good amount of oil over a high heat to make it extra crispy. Why not try making this sweet and sour tofu, or using it in a Thai panang curry or an aubergine soup?