Vegetarian meals inspired by street food that are sure to please everyone? Yes, please! Vegetarian certainly doesn’t mean boring and tasteless—on the contrary! And street food doesn’t have to be junk food! Discover 5 vegetarian street food recipes that are healthy AND out-of-this-world delicious!
Instructions
1. A Quebec street food classic: the poutine!
Vegan poutine with homemade sauce (oven-baked fries) Prep time: 20 min Cooking time: 50 min Portions: 2 people Ingredients: ½ cup cooked green peas GUSTA plant-based cheese, grated (to taste) 8 potatoes, peeled and cut into fries ½ tsp. paprika 1 tsp. garlic powder Salt and pepper, to taste 1 block firm, organic tofu 3 cups water 2 tsp. salt The fries: In a large bowl, soak the chopped potatoes in ice water for 10 minutes (this helps them crisp up during cooking). Strain and pat dry. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Toss together with your hands. Spread on a baking sheet. Cook at 425*F for 25 minutes, then flip and cook for another 20 minutes. The tofu: Crumble the tofu with your fingers (or grate it) and boil it in salted water for 8 minutes. Strain the tofu and keep the water for the sauce.The sauce
Ingredients: 1/3 cup buckwheat flour 3 cups water from the tofu 2 tbsp. tamari sauce 1 tbsp. tomato paste 1 tbsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. vinegar 1/2 tsp. each: paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, cumin, onion powder, pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper Salt, to taste Preparation: Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly (otherwise mixture will stick to the bottom). Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for approximately 10 minutes. If any lumps form, puree with a hand mixer or blender. Assembly: In a plate, place the fries, followed by the peas, and a handful of GUSTA cheese. Continue with the tofu and finish with the sauce. Now that’s what I call a hearty and satisfying meal . . . without the copious calories and fatty and unhealthy ingredients found in a traditional poutine!2. Fresh herb falafels
Falafels + hummus = a winning combo! In mall food courts, this is often the easiest and quickest option for vegans. Today, I’ll show you how to make a healthy version . . . no frying and no gluten. You’ll be surprised how simple this dish is to make and how well the falafel balls hold. You can make some in advance and freeze them. They reheat great in the oven and are delicious in a wrap with avocado, sprouts, and hummus, or in a salad. Here is my recipe for fresh herb falafels: Prep time: 15 min Cooking time: 30 min Portions: 12 people
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup kale, chopped
¾ cup parsley + cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. tahini
½ lemon (juice)
½ tbsp. cumin
¼ tsp. paprika
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ red onion, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat the oven to 400*F.
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture is smooth.
- Roll the mixture into balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Leave approximately 1⁄2 inch between each.
- Cook in the oven for 15 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so.
- Serve hot or cold. They’re delicious in a pita with hummus and sprouts!
3. GUSTA veggie burger
For my GUSTA veggie burgers, you will need the following: Prep time: 15 min Cooking time: 8 min Portions: 2 people
2 GUSTA patties
GUSTA Classic plant-based cheese, grated
1 small leek, chopped
Drizzle of coconut or olive oil
2 cups cabbage (white or purple), grated
2 tbsp. vegan mayonnaise
1 green onion, finely minced
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
½ avocado, thinly sliced
2 burger buns
Salt and pepper
Condiments of your choice
- Start by cooking the burgers in a pan drizzled with oil and set over medium heat, 4 minutes each side. Once flipped, top the burgers with a bit of GUSTA plant-based cheese. The heat from the burgers will help melt the cheese. For even more meltiness, you can place the burgers in the oven under broil.
- Next, make the creamy coleslaw by combining the grated cabbage, vegan mayonnaise, green onion, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir and set aside.
- Instead of caramelized onions, sauté some leeks in the same pan used to cook the burgers. Simply add a drizzle of oil, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft. Remove from the heat.
- I assembled my burgers in this order: vegan mayonnaise and yellow mustard on the buns, then a couple of slices of avocado, the burger patties topped with the melted GUSTA cheese, leeks, and coleslaw. Delicious!
4. Mexican corn on the cob
This recipe was a success at my house! It’s super easy to make and adds a tasty twist to traditional corn on the cob. Plus, it contains no oil and no butter. Prep time: 15 min Cooking time: 15 min Portions : 3 people
Ingredients:
Half a dozen corn on the cob
2 ripe avocados
½ lime, juice
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. sriracha sauce
½ tsp. spicy herbed sea salt
Handful of fresh cilantro
Hemp seeds to sprinkle over top
- Grill the corn on the barbecue, approximately 3-5 minutes each side.
- For the sauce (guacamole), place the avocados, lime juice, shallots, sriracha, and sea salt in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Place the guacamole in a small pouch. Squeeze a small amount onto each cob.
- Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and hemp seeds.
