Hey babes,

I feel like we’ve taken enough time to get to know each other. We can trust each other with secrets, right? Well, we’ll find out, because I’m going to let you in on a big one.

Ready? Okay, here we go. Sometimes, in fact a lot of the time….I use other people’s recipes in my actual real life.

I know, shocking. Believe it or not, not everything I’ve ever eaten was conjured from my imagination. Sometimes, it turns out, other people have already come up with a really good way of making something. No improvement necessary.

Well, mostly. If you ever see oil listed in these recipes, I swap it for water or homemade vegetable broth. I also usually omit or half the added sugars (sugar, maple syrup, agave, etc). You do what you feel best suits your preferences, lifestyle, and dietary restrictions.

So, just in time for the last long weekend of the summer and fitting any Labor Day bash, behold my twenty picks for savory, delicious, plant-based beauties to share with all the beautiful people you are lucky to see in this strange new world we live in.

Appetizers, Sides, and Tapas

Carrot Fingers (It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken)

Sam Turnbull is an amazing blogger and chef, and her carrot fingers are just the first of many recipes I love of hers. When I started my plant-based journey, she was a total life saver. This recipe is a great appetizer for vegans and omnivores alike, and the crunchy texture and sweet crunch of the carrots make it a great sell to kids (and other picky eaters)!

Masaman Hummus

This was one of my earlier recipes and I still love it! With a spicy Thai kick and a smooth, creamy texture, this serves well at any potluck or barbeque with fresh veggies, pita wedges, or pretzels/chips if you’re daring.

Vegan Deviled Potatoes (It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken)

Prior to my plant-based conversion, I was truly, madly in love with hard-boiled eggs and their deliciously evil counterparts, deviled eggs. Unfortunately, my heart can no longer take the cruelty or the cholesterol, so a different path was in order. While potatoes aren’t a perfect replica to an egg, the addition of black salt and mayo will win you over to the green side. As an added note, I would recommend using Dr. Campbell’s mayo recipe in lieu of an oil-rich store bought version, but in a pinch Hellmann’s makes a very stealthy vegan mayo as well.

Tinga De Yaca

If you need a tapa for your summer smash, consider the wonder of ‘yaca de tinga’. Spicy, sour, and cooked in a slow cooker, this bad boy will be a hit for anyone that loves a spicy chicken taco, save the flesh.

Pad Thai Summer Rolls (Lazy Cat Kitchen)

In the summer, I crave fresh fruits and vegetables like a woman starved. One delicious answer to that is the summer roll. Ania over at Lazy Cat Kitchen makes these beautiful little rolls with vermicelli rice noodles, but if that’s not your scene, never fear. I often swap these out for king oyster bacon, roasted tempeh, avocado, or even just some spinach and added veggies. I also typically omit the dates from the dipping sauce in order to make something more savory and spicy, but it’s a popular choice for sure.

Vegan Lobster Rolls (My Eager Eats)

Looking for a unique slider to bring to the family picnic? Well take a gander at this “lobster” roll brought to you by Shay over at My Eager Eats. Using a combination of oyster mushrooms and heart of palm, the texture and taste are the perfect nod to an American classic. My only tip here would be to get fresh oyster mushrooms if you can find them instead of rehydrating from dry.

Probiotic Seaweed Chickpea Salad

Need more seafood? Check out my recipe for seaweed chickpea salad. All of that briny goodness found in tuna salad, but none of the heavy metals or environmental fallout. Using capers, dulse flakes, and probiotic-rich sauerkraut, this one is as good for your gut as for the oceans.

For the Grill

Vegan Grilled Corn (Healing Tomato)

Coming from the US southwest, Mexican staples are as part of my food culture as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. If you’ve never tried Mexican street corn, your life has a hole you haven’t recognized. Sweet, spicy, juicy, and a little sour, this treat is A-mazing.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks (Vegan Huggs)

Sometimes the basics are best, and Melissa at Vegan Huggs delivers. Ditch the oil in this recipe and you still have a total knockout of umami in a low carb, cruelty-free burger.

Grilled Eggplant Sweet & Spicy BBQ (Healthy Midwestern Girl)

Elizabeth at A Healthy Midwestern Girl brings the exact kind of dish I love in this one: spicy, marinated vegetables with no oil or sugar added. The only note I would add is to slice and let your eggplant sit with a bit of salt over it for about fifteen minutes before wiping them off with a paper towel or cloth. This will help draw out some of the moisture and bitterness.

Marinated Tempeh Veggie Skewers (Vegan Yack Attack)

Weird fact, I used to hate the texture of tempeh. I know, controversial. But now it’s one of my favorite additions to a meal, and Jackie at Vegan Yack Attack found a great way to incorporate it into any grill. I would swap out the oil and sugar in the marinade for vegetable broth and stevia, but this recipe is still a knock out combination of crunch, spice, and umami.

The Best Vegan Seitan Burger (It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken)

Naturally, it is considered sacrilege to not have a burger option at a cookout, at least if you live in the US. Of all the plant burgers I’ve made in my kitchen, this is hands down my absolute favorite. Beets give it color, fiber, and of course the beautiful athletic benefits of nitrates, and lentils add a litany of others, while vital wheat gluten lends texture and tons of plant-based protein. Seriously, this recipe is A-mazing.

Spicy Black Bean Vegan Burger (Abbey’s Kitchen)

And yet, not all of us can stomach a seitan burger (sorry, celiac friends). Luckily, the world is still replete with other options, and this black bean creation courtesy of Abbey at Abbey’s Kitchen gets top marks. This recipe is fantastic, but for my personal preferences, I omit the oil and sugar, and add about 1/4 cup of roasted green chilis for some punch. And make sure to honor the refrigeration step, or toss them in the freezer for faster results.

Salads

Lemony Artichoke and Quinoa Salad (Budget Bytes)

I found and fell in love with Beth’s recipes at Budget Bytes long before I took the plant-based plunge, but luckily this savvy blogger has a whole section of delicious vegan recipes. For example, this beauty, featuring two of my deepest loves: quinoa and artichokes. As always, I swap out the oil for homemade veggie broth, as well as adding a mix of the vegetables she recommends in her “swaps” section. If you want to wow your friends with a proper ode to yellows and beiges without all the the processing, this is the way to do it.

Minted Watermelon Cucumber Salad (A Virtual Vegan)

The name says almost everything you need to know about this simply perfect recipe from Melanie at A Virtual Vegan. I of course omit the oil, but after that all you add are pepper, lemon, and maple syrup (though personally I like a dash of iodized salt as well). The beauty is in the core ingredients, and boy do they sing in this bright, easy recipe.

Vegan Greek Pasta Salad (Running on Real Food)

The biggest fault with pasta salad is usually the massive dose of oil or mayo, and praise be that the wonderful Deryn at Running on Real Food leaves that on the cutting room floor. I prefer whole wheat pastas for the slow-digesting carbohydrates and added protein and fiber, but otherwise I have no bones to pick with this beauty. If you want a crowd-winning pasta salad, check this one out.

Cold Peanut Noodle Salad (Budget Bytes)

Back with Beth, and back with a vengeance. If you loved those summer rolls this will be a variation you can add to your rotation. Just swap the oil in the dressing for veggie broth and you have a green light of taste and health!

Vegan Potato Salad (Elavegan)

Michaela at Elavegan makes me so happy in her mission to make incredible plant-based food without leaning on things like added oil and sugar. White beans, plant milk, and hemp hearts make up the foundation of the sauce for this, and it is so good you will forget Mayo’s phone number and last name. Fool your mayo-loving relatives with this 100% WFPB dupe.

Edamame Mango Salad (Running on Real Food)

Edamame is my spirit animal, but mango is my copilot. Luckily, Deryn managed to find a way to make a working business marriage between two of my favorite foods, and without all the buried resentment and affairs. As always, I omit the oil and enjoy the ride, though if you can find it, Thai Basil is a mind-blowing substitution in this recipe. Seriously. Buy it. Grow it. Eat it in bulk.

5-Alarm Cowgirl Caviar

Some people love the savory and sweet of the last salad, and some people just want to bring on the fire. For them, check out my recipe for cowgirl caviar. She may look like traditional cowboy caviar, but let me assure you: she’s leaner, meaner, and so so much hotter than the competition. Proceed with trepidation and eagerness.

And that, babes, is the list! Please, tell me your favorites, share yours, and give some love to the other amazing bloggers in this list. Until next time! <3