Boas Comidas

Glossário Culinário

Vegan cooking

Conceito

Também chamado de
vegan cuisine

Vegan cooking means cooking without any animal-derived ingredient: no meat, eggs, milk and dairy, honey, or gelatin. Flavor comes from vegetables, leafy greens, fruit, legumes, grains, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, and spices. Far from bland, it reinvents Brazilian classics, from chocolate cake to empadão, with textures and seasonings that please even those who have never tried a vegan dish. It is creative, colorful cooking, ever more present on everyday tables.

Characteristics

The base is vegetables in variety: beans, lentils, chickpeas, soy, and tofu give protein and substance; roasted and sautéed vegetables give body; cashews, peanuts, and coconut milk bring the creaminess that dairy would bring in traditional recipes. Bold seasoning is its trademark, with garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, green herbs, and peppers. For those adopting veganism as a lifestyle, the ideal is to vary nutrient sources well and seek professional guidance to plan meals.

Uses in the kitchen

  • Savory dishes: empadões, jackfruit coxinhas, mushroom stroganoffs, and vegetable feijoadas.
  • Sweets: chocolate cakes, passion-fruit mousses with coconut milk, fruit sorbets, and honey-free pães de mel.
  • Creams and sauces: soaked blended cashews become cream bases, and coconut milk solves moquecas and curries.
  • Snacks: vegan pães de queijo with tapioca starch, chickpea spreads, and loaded sandwiches.

Substitutions

  • Eggs in cakes for mashed banana, soaked flax or chia, or aquafaba, the beaten cooking water of chickpeas.
  • Cow’s milk for plant-based drinks of coconut, oat, almond, or soy.
  • Butter for vegetable oils, olive oil, or margarine with no animal-derived ingredients.
  • Honey for cane molasses or sugar syrups, and plain gelatin for agar-agar.

Fun facts

  • Jackfruit coxinha became a symbol of Brazilian vegan creativity: shredded green jackfruit fiber mimics chicken texture well.
  • Many festa junina recipes are already naturally vegan, like pamonha and canjica made with coconut milk.
  • Aquafaba whips like egg whites and becomes the base of vegan mousses and meringues.

Recipes with vegan cooking

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