From Smitten Kitchen
Archive for Vegetarian Main Dish
Pizza Toppings
Amy’s Butternut Squash Soup
Makes 8-10 servings
2 T butter
1 T oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely diced
9-10 c water
1 small to medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds when peeled and cubed)
1 c masoor dal/red lentils
6-8 T tomato paste
2 T better than bullion, chicken or vegetable
3/4 t salt
1/4 t cayenne pepper (or less if you don’t want the after burn)
1/8 t black pepper, freshly ground if available
1/2 c cream
Add butter and oil to a 4-qt sauce pan. Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, then add garlic and celery and sauté for a few minutes longer. Add 9 c water and the squash. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the lentils and continue simmering until the lentils and squash are soft, adding up to a cup more water if necessary. Remove from heat, mix in the tomato paste, better than bullion, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Puree with a stick blender. Return to a low heat until it begins to bubble. Remove from heat, mix in the cream, and serve.
Nacho Cheese Sauce
1 T oil
2 medium jalapenos, (1 seeded, veined) diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t salt
Heat oil in a pan, add jalapeno and cook until it starts to soften, add the other ingredients above and cook 1 minute.
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
In a separate pan over medium heat, stir butter and flour together continuously about 2 minutes to form a roux.
1.5 cup whole milk (or 1.5 c water plus 3 T cream)
1.5 c grated cheddar cheese
Whisk in the milk, half at a time, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly 2-4 minutes until it thickens. Whisk in the cheese and jalapeno mix.
Serve over tortilla chips, topping with diced tomatos, sliced olives, shredded lettuce. Eat with fingers.
Christmas Fried Eggs
9 eggs
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
green part of 2 green onions, diced
3 T oil
1/8 t salt
1/4 c shreeded cheese
a little parsley
Beat eggs and add salt. Heat oil in a pan until shimmery. Add bell pepper and green union, sprinkle lightly with salt, and stir about a minute until bright red/green. Dump in the eggs. Stir slowly after they start to solidify but before they begin to brown. Turn off the heat just before they are all solidified. Once solidified, top with shredded cheese and parsley for garnish.
Broccoli Mac and Cheese
WHITE SAUCE
Melt 1 T butter in pan, stir in 1T flour until thickens, then stir in 1 cup liquid (1/8 c cream, 7/8 c water, 7 drops tabasco sauce, 1/4 t salt) until thickens. Then stir in grated cheddar cheese. Optional: use vegetable base and reduce the salt.
PASTA AND BROCCOLI
Bring water to a boil, add pasta then add broccoli 4 minutes before the pasta is done (add the broccoli then wait until it starts boiling again before starting the 4 minute timer). Drain, then stir in the white sauce.
Rice and Beans
Cooked pinto beans or black beans
cooked white rice
diced tomato
diced avocado
sour cream or grated cheese
salsa verde
Heat up the rice and beans. Serve rice topped with beans then other ingredients.
One-Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup
from https://midwestfoodieblog.com/one-pot-creamy-vegetable-soup/
6 T butter
1 white onion, diced
1.5 cchopped carrots
1.5 c chopped celery
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 t dried oregano
2 t dried thyme
1 t dried sage
⅓ c flour
6 cvegetable broth
2 c broccoli, chopped in bite-sized pieces
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
3 c (¾” thick) diced potatoes
½ c heavy cream
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 t balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
Garnish
fresh chopped parsley
oyster crackers
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Reduce to medium heat. Add garlic, oregano, and thyme and cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Then add flour and stir to coat veggies. Cook for one more minute, stirring frequently. Add a hearty pour of veggie broth to deglaze the pot, scraping the yummy bits off the bottom. Stir in diced potatoes, corn, broccoli, and remaining veggie broth, along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Simmer covered for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Stir occasionally to prevent potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove soup from heat. Stir in heavy cream, shredded cheese, and vinegar. Garnish with parsley and crackers.
Amy’s Favorite Spaghetti Squash
Use the Love and Lemons recipe: https://www.loveandlemons.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash/
SUMMARY
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise.
- Remove seeds. Drizzle the cut side with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Not too much of any of these lest the squash become watery.
- Make 4 fork jabs in the skin-side of each half.
- Bake cut-side down for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Use a fork to fluff the strands, starting at the edge of each half and working inward.
- Season with more salt and pepper.
Stan’s Daal
2 T olive or coconut oil
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, grated or minced
1 T garam masala
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t red pepper flakes (crushed chili) or 1/4 t ground cayenne
1 t ground turmeric
3 c vegetable broth, normal salt (or 3 t base in 3 c water)
1.5 c dried red lentils (yellow okay but will need longer to cook)
14 oz can tomatoes with juice, blended
1/2 t salt
2/3 c water (will add 1 c cream later) or 14 oz can coconut milk
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 c (2 handfuls) baby spinach or 1/4 c chopped cilantro
1 c cream (if not using coconut milk)
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 5 min until softened and lightly golden.
Add garlic and ginger and cook 1-2 min until fragrant.
Add the spices and and cook for 30-60 sec until fragrant.
Add vegetable broth, lentils, blended tomatoes, salt, and coconut milk (if substituting cream, add water now and cream at end). Simmer about 20 min until sauce is thick and lentils start to fall apart, stirring as needed to prevent sticking.
Remove from heat (or turn to lowest setting) and stir in the cream (if using), lemon juice, and spinach or cilantro.
Serve with rice, naan, or over waffles.
Indian Wrap
Pita or naan or tortilla
chickpeas
radishes, diced
tomatoes, diced
onions, diced
green/mint sauce
tamarind sauce
chana masala
salt
lime juice
Wrap and eat.
Recipe from Chetan.
Amy’s White Chili
2 onions, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 jalapenos, diced
4 15 oz cans white beans with liquid (or 3 c dried white beans, cooked with 2 T oil and 3/4 t salt in 4-5 c water)
5 4 oz cans diced green chilis with liquid
1 T vegetable Better Than Bullion
1 t cumin
1/2 t garlic powder
juice of 1 lemon or 3 limes
1/2 c butter, divided
1/2 c flour
2-4 c water
Saute onions in 2 T butter in a pan until translucent. Add all peppers and suate for 4 more minutes. Remove these to a different bowl. Melt 6 T butter in the pan, add flour all at once and stir to make a roux. Add vegetable bullion and 2 c water and whisk until thickened. Add 1 or 2 c more water (to desired thickness) and whisk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except lime/lemon and cream. Simmer 20 minutes. Add lemon or lime juice and cream.
Kerala-Style Fish Curry
1 lb fish 1/2-3/4 inch thick, cut into 3 inch segments (OR 1 lb cauliflower)
1/2 t salt
2 T oil
2/3 c finely slivered shallots
1 t finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1.5 c water
1 small tomato, diced.
1/2 t ground turmeric
1/2 t cayenne pepper or to taste
1 T paprika (or 2.5 t paprika, 0.5 t smoked paprika)
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t salt (again)
1 T lemon juice
1/2 c coconut milk from a well-skaken can
a dash of cream
DIRECTIONS:
A — Sprinkle the fish (cauliflower) with the salt, set aside.
B — Heat oil in pan over med heat, add shallots and stir until start to brown at the edges.
C — Add ginger and garlic and stir 1 min.
D — Add next group of ingredients, simmer 5 min, stirring occasionally.
E — Mix in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the fish (cauliflower) in a single later and simmer, spooning sauce over the pieces, until they are poached (5 – 10 min). Add the cream.
Eat with rice.
Serves 2-4.
Adapted (tomatoes, cream, more water added) from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey 2020, p. 61
Three Bean Salad
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 c fresh or frozen green beans cut into 1 inch pieces then steamed for 3-5 min and drained
1/4 c red onion very thinly sliced
2 T chopped frosh parsley or 1 t dried
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
2 T sugar
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t pepper
Mix everything together. Best served after sitting in the fridge a few hours.
Chicken (or Chick Pea) Corn Chowder
2 T butter
1 small onion
1 stalk celery
1 bell pepper
1 jalapeno (optional)
2 c or 1 15 oz can corn
1 c cream
1/2 c water
1 t chicken (or vegetable) base
1 1/2 c or 1 12 oz can diced cooked chicken or chick peas
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
Dice the vegetables then cook in butter in a saucepan over medium heat until tender (about 5 minutes). soft. Add remaining ingredients. Heat but do not boil.
Serves 4.
Mediterranean Wraps
Flour tortillas
Tzaziki sauce
Diced tomatos, onions, lettuce, avocado, olives
Chickpeas
Roasted vegetables
Eat the remaining ingredients wrapped in the tortilla.
Vegetarian (Chicken) Tortilla Soup
8 6-inch corn tortillas
1/4 c oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large jalapeno or poblano or bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t cumin
2 t chili powder
4-5 diced tomatoes or 2 14.5 oz cans
2 t vegetable base dissolved in 5 c water
1.5 c black beans (or 1 14.5 oz can)
2 c hominy or 1.5 c corn
1 lemon or two limes (juice)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t smoked (or regular) paprika
1/2 c chopped cilantro
(Plus sour cream, diced avocado, diced cooked chicken, and shredded cheese for serving).
Cut the corn tortillas into half inch strips, sprinkle with half the oil and some salt, toss, then bake on a cookie sheet at 375 for about 15 minutes (until lightly browned), stirring mid way through.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the onion and pepper(s), stirring occasionally.
Once these have softened (about 5-7 min), add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder, and cook another minute or two or until fragrant.
Add the remaining ingredients except the cilantro and simmer about 20 minutes.
Add the cilantro and cook 1 minute more.
Serve topped with sour cream, diced avocado, diced cooked chicken, and shredded cheese. (For non-vegetarian option of cooking the chicken with the soup, see https://www.spendwithpennies.com/chicken-tortilla-soup/ or https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-tortilla-soup-recipe-1939403 )
Serves 8.
Swedish Veggie Balls
For the Veggie Balls:
6 T uncooked wild rice (not a blend) cooked until tender to make 2 cups
1 heaping cup grated or finely chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup finely diced onion
6 T Greek yogurt
3/4 cup almond flour, bread crumbs, or a combination (1/2 c nut, 1/4 c bread)
1/4 t smoked paprika
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1-2 eggs
3 T butter
1/4 t garlic powder
3 T flour
1 1/2 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 T cream
salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix meatball ingredients together, except eggs. Add one egg and try making a small ball. If the mixture needs more moisture for the veggie balls to stick together, add the second egg. Roll into balls (1-2 T ea.) and put on a cookie sheet that has either been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm when pressed.
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add garlic powder and flour. Bubble for a minute or two, then slowly whisk in broth. Once thickened, add the Greek yogurt and the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam on the side.
Adapted from: https://pinchofyum.com/vegetarian-swedish-meatballs
Cream of Mushroom Soup
REVISE THIS RECIPE AS NEEDED
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 T onions, chopped
1 -2 garlic clove, minced (or garlic powder)
2 T butter
2 -3 T flour
2 c chicken or veggie broth
1 c cream
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t dry thyme or 1 T fresh minced thyme
Melt butter in large frying pan. Add in onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until onions are soft and mushrooms brown. Blend in 2 T flour and stir for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour. Add a splash of the broth and stir to make a thin paste to avoid clumping the flour, then add remainder and heat until slightly thickened while stirring frequently. Stir cream with additional 1 T flour and seasonings. Add in cream to soup. Simmer (not boil) to thicken while stirring frequently.
Adapted from https://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-cream-of-mushroom-soup-264191