The Spice of Life: Using Spices to Transform Vegan and Vegetarian Dishes
Going vegan or vegetarian opens up new possibilities for healthy, ethical eating. But it can also feel limiting or boring at times. Fortunately, fragrant spices offer the perfect solution for putting tempting new twists on plant-based staples. With artful use of spices, vegans and vegetarians can enjoy vibrant, globally-inspired cuisine packed with flavor and nutrition. Read on for tips on using spices to bring your veggie meals to life.
Boosting Flavor from The Ground Up
One concern when giving up meat and animal products revolves around losing that savory, satisfying flavor. Spices easily fill that gap by providing concentrated depth that makes dishes pop. Instead of defaulting to salt and pepper, explore warming, aromatic kerala spices like cumin, turmeric, curry, ginger, coriander, and garam masala. Cooling spices like cilantro, cumin, and mustard seed also invigorate. Play around with spice combinations to create custom blends matching your tastes. Then use liberally when preparing veggie proteins like beans, tofu, tempeh, and seitan so they shine as flavorful center-of-the-plate foods rather than bland side dishes.
Taking a World Tour of Flavor
Ethnic spices open up global culinary possibilities without meat or dairy. Indian cooking relies heavily on vegetarian cuisine packed with spices like turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and garlic. Latin flavors feature cilantro, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic for bringing out the best in beans, rice, and vegetables. Middle Eastern spices like cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and za’atar transform eggplant, chickpeas, tahini, lentils and more. Asian cooking utilizes ginger, five spice powder, sesame oil, chili sauce, lemongrass and basil to make tofu, vegetables, and noodles irresistible. So raid your spice rack before considering takeout, and go on an international flavor tour from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Boosting Nutrition as Well as Taste
Beyond tantalizing taste buds, many spices and herbs deliver tangible nutritional and health benefits. Turmeric packs anti-inflammatory power. Garlic and onion provide antioxidants while supporting cardiovascular health. Ginger soothes digestion and calms nausea. Chili pepper’s capsaicin stimulates metabolism. Mint calms indigestion. And medicinal herbs like basil, oregano, cilantro and rosemary fight bacteria and inflammation. So sprinkling your plant-based foods with spices not only makes them more delicious. It also makes veggies, grains and legumes even more nutritionally complete.
Some Like It Hot: Using Heat
If you like things spicy, break out the chili powder or cayenne to turn up the heat. Chili peppers contain capsaicin and other compounds giving them pungent flavor. Beyond lighting your mouth on fire, capsaicin has genuine health benefits. It speeds metabolism, helping burn extra calories and fat. It also offers anti-inflammatory effects. But balance is key. Too much heat overloads taste buds, ruining flavor of other ingredients. So use a delicate touch when seasoning savory foods like chili, tacos lentils, stir fries, and curries with hot spice. Then allow guests to amp up the burn to their personal taste.
Herbivorous Delights
While spices add flair to a dish from within, fresh herbs put the finishing touches on already plated food. This last addition adds a depth and elegance that dresses up otherwise humble vegan eats. Basil, mint, cilantro, sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme all provide distinctive flavor profiles that keep things interesting. Use herbs liberally when preparing pestos, salad dressings, marinades, and compound butters. Or sprinkle them over finished grain bowls, bean dishes, soups and stews right before eating. This fresh finishing flourish gives vegan cuisine an irresistible, plant-based prowess that even devout carnivores can’t deny.
So for vegetables, grains and legumes that capture attention and taste buds, spice things up. Curry your tempeh, garlic your greens, and cumin your carrots. The possibilities become endless once you realize the potential of spices for bringing out the best flavors from even simple plant based ingredients. Get creative with seasonings, and vegan food transforms from boring to bold and beautiful in one dash of this or pinch of that.