Sauces

Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce

January 26, 2023 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

This Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce is easy to make and will give all your Asian recipes a fantastic flavor boost.

No blog blather today…just the recipe that you all have been asking me to post.

Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce

This Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce is easy to make and will give all your Asian recipes a fantastic flavor boost.

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Quick Vegan Bulgogi Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup low sodium tamari (or soy sauce if you don't need gluten-free)
1/4-1/3 cup date sugar or sweetener of choice
8 oz can of pineapple juice
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
1/2-1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp Mirin (sweet rice seasoning) optional, but highly recommended.
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame seeds (crushed a bit)
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp corn starch
1/4-1 tsp gochujang paste (optional)

Instructions

Add tamari, sugar, pineapple juice, garlic powder, onion powder, Marin, and rice vinegar to a medium saucepan. Whisk until blended well. Heat on medium heat.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water. Set aside.
Add the crushed sesame seeds to the sauce and the Gochujang (if using) and bring the sauce to a low boil.
Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk constantly until the sauce thickens. It should still be easily pourable.
Use the sauce while still warm or store it in a glass bottle or jar in the fridge.

Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce

September 1, 2021 by Trish Hall 1 Comment

This Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce is delicious as a soup with some crusty bread on the side or ladled over your favorite starch.

I created this for the Instant Pot, but it works well cooked on the stovetop also.

If you are someone who likes to see pictures of the steps in a recipe, stay with me here. If you don’t need all the details, just fast-scroll down to the recipe box below.

I like to put my mushrooms out in the sun to soak up some Vitamin D before I cook them. If you want to read about the science behind that, click here.

Gather your ingredients!

Chop your onions, mushrooms, and kale.

I use this chopper to cut the onions into 1/4″ pieces and the mushrooms into 1/2″ pieces. If you use that link to buy the chopper, I get a few cents at no additional cost to you.

If you are using the Instant Pot, press the sauté button and add the onions. Sauté until they begin to caramelize.

When the onions begin to carmelize, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally until the water is mostly evaporated.

Add the dill weed, rosemary, paprikas, and salt and pepper, if using.

Stir well.

Cook for another minute and then add the tamari and parsley (if using). Add the wine (if using) and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. This will cook off any alcohol. Add the broth.

Turn off the Sauté feature and close the lid. Be sure the vent is turned to the sealing position. Manuel cook at high pressure for 1 minute and allow to come down from pressure naturally for about 10 minutes. Release any pressure and open carefully.

If you are cooking this on the stovetop, just bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer and cover with a lid slightly cocked. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Mix the plant milk and arrowroot or cornstarch and add to the soup. Stir well for a few minutes.

At this point I switched the Instant Pot to the slow cook option and let it cook for about an hour to really marry the flavors. You can skip this step and go right to the next and last step if you are in a hurry.

If adding the greens, stir them in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

Just before serving, add the yogurt and lemon juice and stir.

Enjoy it as a soup, as is…or ladle it over your favorite starch as a sauce.

Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce

This Vegan Oil-free Mushroom Soup or Sauce is delicious poured over your favorite starch. I ladled it over brown rice when I created it and I think it would be really good over noodles or potatoes too.

Course: Main Course, Sauce

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

2 cups onions, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic I used about 2 tsp minced
1 lb portobello mushrooms, chopped in 1/2" pieces or use whatever kind you like
1/3 cup dry (not sweet) white wine optional
2 tsp dried dill weed or 1-2 tablespoons fresh dill weed finely chopped
1-2 tsp fresh, minced rosemary 1/4-1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 Tbsp paprika (can use hot paprika)
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt (optional)
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped optional
1 Tbsp tamari (can use soy sauce if gluten is not an issue)
2.5 cups veggie broth Can increase if you like the soup thinner
1 cup plant milk (I used almond)
3 tbsp arrowroot (or cornstarch)
1/2 cup plant yogurt (I used Forager cashew yogurt)
2-3 cups chopped greens (I used collard greens) optional
1 tbsp lemon juice optional

Instructions

If using the Instant Pot, select the sauté button and allow it to heat.
Add onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize.
Once the onions are beginning to caramelize, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are cooked down and the water is mostly evaporated. Add the dill weed, rosemary, paprikas, and salt and pepper (if using) and stir well. Continue to sauté for a minute and then add the tamari and parsley (if using). Add the wine (if using) and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. This will cook off any alcohol.
Add the broth, turn off the sauté feature and close the lid. Be sure the vent is turned to the sealing position.
Manual cook at high pressure for 1 minute. Allow it to come down from pressure naturally for about 10 minutes. Release any pressure and open carefully.
If using the stovetop, just bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to a low simmer.
Mix the plant milk and arrowroot (or cornstarch) and add to the soup. Stir well for a few minutes.
At this point, I switched to the slow cook option and just let it cook for about an hour to really marry the flavors. You could probably skip this and go right to the next and last step if you are in a hurry.
If adding greens, stir them in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking
Just before serving, add the yogurt and lemon juice (if using) and stir.
Enjoy as a soup, as is...or ladle over your favorite starch as a sauce.

NanaJo’s Oil-Free Italian Dressing

July 12, 2020 by Trish Hall 19 Comments

Zesty and bursting with flavor, NanaJo’s Oil-Free Italian Dressing is perfect for many types of salads and especially good on a pasta salad.

My mom (aka: NanaJo) has been making her own Italian dressing for most of my life. This was our go-to dressing for taco salad and was an often requested recipe by family and friends. The original recipe used olive oil, so when we started on our whole food, plant-based way of eating, we had to come up with a way to replace the oil.

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Roasted Tomatillo and Poblano Pepper Sauce

October 15, 2019 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

This versatile Roasted Tomatillo and Poblano Pepper Sauce can be used for so many things. Simmer sauce, enchiladas, tacos…let your imagination run wild!

This year I grew just one poblano pepper plant and now I wish I’d grown several! These peppers are only slightly spicy, so you can use them in sauces without people breaking into a sweat. …

Vegan Oil-Free Nut-Free Pesto

August 25, 2019 by Trish Hall 6 Comments

There’s something so cheerful about a bright green, lemony pesto sauce. This Vegan Oil-Free, Nut-Free Pesto can be added to pasta, rice, salad dressings…so many delicious options!

Many, if not all of us, have come from eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) and worked towards a way of eating that omits some of the unhealthy ingredients from that type of diet. The SAD pesto included parmesan cheese and olive oil…two things that give it the texture and flavor that we loved.

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Vegan Cherry Pepper Cheese Dip

January 9, 2019 by Trish Hall 2 Comments

Use this Vegan Cherry Pepper Cheese Dip for nachos, grilled cheese sandwiches, or simply as a dip for chips. It’s cheesy and just a little bit spicy.

Who doesn’t love a gooey cheese dip? And it’s nut-free and soy-free!

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Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

September 6, 2018 by Trish Hall 18 Comments

This is a vegan cheese sauce that is adaptable to suit many recipes.

I could eat this stuff with a spoon! Actually, I have eaten this stuff with a spoon…

It’s creamy and cheesy and full of smokey flavor. I’ve used this sauce on so many dishes and it never disappoints. I have friends who eat the Standard American Diet (SAD) who love this sauce and can’t believe it doesn’t have dairy products in it.

It can be used for nachos or as a drizzle on top of tacos. I add it to burrito fillings and casseroles. It is especially good as a layer in a layered bean dip. Baked potatoes with this and some broccoli….YUM!

I used to make it with all cashews, but because I want to keep my fat intake down, I replaced some of the cashews with tofu and sweet potato. I have even made it without any cashews and it still tasted delicious, but it did lose a bit of it’s creamy texture and was a little thin. Still awesome though, so if you don’t want any nuts in your sauce, use just the tofu and sweet potato.

Start by blending your cashews. If you don’t have a high powered blender like a VitaMix, then you’ll want to soak your cashews several hours until they’re soft. Otherwise, just throw them in that Vitamix and add about half the water and blend.

Once you have a smooth sauce, add the tofu and sweet potato. Blend until completely incorporated and smooth. You may need to use your tamper or a rubber spatula to push any unincorporated bits down.

Now add the nutritional yeast, red wine vinegar, and all the seasoning. I used the higher amounts of the spices, but you can start off with less and see how you like it. The lactic acid is something I keep on hand to add a little zing to recipes, but if you don’t have it, you can omit it or squeeze in a bit of lemon juice.

Blend until it is thoroughly mixed and smooth. If too thick, add some of the water you have left until it blends easily. This sauce thickens a little bit when it is chilled. I store it in a jar in the fridge and have had luck with it being good for over a week. It usually doesn’t last that long because I eat it. It does freeze and re-heat well. Just thaw and stir it well as you re-heat it.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Get your spoon ready, because you are going to be eating this stuff out of the jar. This is a great vegan cheese sauce to use for Mexican dishes, cream soups, pasta, baked potatoes...and obviously...nachos.

Course: Main Course, Sauce, Side Dish, Soup

Keyword: Cheese, Nut-free, Sauce, Sweet Potato, Tofu

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cashews soaked if you don't have a high speed blender
1/2 pkg tofu (about 7 oz.) I use firm
1/2-3/4 cup water start with the smaller amount and add more if needed to get things moving in the blender
1/2 cup cooked sweet potato orange fleshed type
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 tsp salt optional
1 tbsp red wine vinegar or 1/2 tsp lactic or citric acid powder
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp onion powder

Instructions

Add cashews and water to the blender. Blend on low for a minute until the cashews have incorporated the water.
Add the tofu and blend until it gets worked into the cashew water.
Add all the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until completely smooth.
Pour into jars and pour onto all things that need a cheesy sauce. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can make this without the tofu and sweet potato...increase the cashews to 3 cups and add enough water to cover them in the blender with an inch of water over them.
You can make it without the cashews at all. Add a full package of tofu and decrease the water to about 1/2 cup.
You can change the spices to suit whatever recipe you will be using this cheese sauce in.

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