The Plant-Based 5-Ingredient Cookbook: Fast & Flavorful Recipes Made Vegan

By Kylie Perrotti

100 plant-based recipes made with just a handful of ingredients!
 
Five ingredients. That's all you need to make a fast, flavorful, foundational recipe. The Plant-Based 5-Ingredient Cookbook shows you how to take five simple ingredients and transform them into delicious plant-based dishes for any occasion.
 
All recipes use just five core ingredients such as pasta, beans, legumes, squash, and mushrooms, making it easy to find dishes based on your favorite food, what you have on hand, or what you're craving. Five-ingredient recipes include:

• Sun-dried tomato pasta with corn
• Ravioli in ginger-fennel broth
• Thai basil chickpea salad
• Creamy Dijon chickpeas & mushrooms
• Saffron butternut squash confit lentil bowl
• White acorn squash in charred fennel-tomato broth
• Tahini-miso shiitake broth
• Warm mushroom & frisée salad
• Beet ricotta dumplings with dilly yogurt
• Mango cauliflower curry

Learn how to make easy, breezy, vegan dishes any day of the week with The Plant-Based 5-Ingredient Cookbook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Release date: Jul 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781510771536

Book preview

Introduction

Growing up, I treasured the moments I spent with my family in our kitchen, and many of my earliest memories center around time spent over the stove. Learning about new-to-me ingredients and transforming them into a meal to be shared at the dinner table is how I’ve always felt connected to my family.

As I ran out to catch the bus for school, I’d often tell my mom emphatically, "Don’t cook anything tonight. I’ll make dinner!" I’d return from school, pretend I was on a cooking show, and spend the three o’clock hour slicing and dicing and chatting with my mom. I spent many weekends trying out more complicated dinners with my dad, me obsessing over whether my carrots were perfectly julienned, or both of us fatefully learning the difference between a habanero and a sweet pepper.

Now, as an adult, preparing a home-cooked meal is still how I show my love for people. By extension, sharing the recipes I’ve developed brings me joy that I can’t even fully put into words.

When I began developing recipes to be shared formally, I thought there was no greater honor than someone cooking the recipe and later telling me they loved it or that it had become part of their weekly meal rotation. Maybe this is overly sentimental, but the feeling of having made something so important that it had the potential to exist in someone else’s life for a brief moment or even a lifetime—because we all know beloved recipes have a funny way of sticking around—keeps me so utterly in love with recipe writing.

I felt that way when I first started and years later, it’s still the emotion that attaches a deep sense of purpose to my love of sharing all these little details—the ingredient prepping, the cooking, the food styling, the table setting—and all the other work that goes into putting a meal on the table. I consider it a tremendous honor for my recipes to make their way into your kitchen and your life.

THIS BOOK

Five ingredients.

That’s all you need to create a foundational dinner. Of course, I know that now, but I would have disagreed with this sentiment before I started writing this book. As someone who relishes maximalist meals, where whipping out as many spices from the cabinet as possible becomes part of the fun, preparing dishes with only five ingredients can feel limiting. I’ve learned, however, that with a little creativity in technique and preparation, five-ingredient meals can be full of flavor and just as exciting as big, robust dinners.

This cookbook will help you take five simple ingredients and transform them into filling, four-serving dishes. View the following recipes as a foundation; each includes either serving suggestions or adaptation ideas, so you can modify them further based on what you may have in your pantry or crisper.

Each meal uses five core ingredients that are the backbone of the recipe and are likely the things you’d need to purchase to make the dish. For recipe development, pantry staples of cooking oil (olive or neutral), salt, pepper, crushed red pepper when used to taste, granulated sugar, and water do not count toward the five ingredients.

Water can be used as the base for all the broths, sauces, soups, and stews, but the option to exchange it for your favorite vegetable stock is included in each recipe. With so many varieties of store-bought vegetable stock available, it does provide an opportunity to infuse more complex flavors into each meal. Of course, you can always use homemade vegetable stock made from scrap vegetables. These meals were developed and tested using water as the base, not vegetable stock.

Pasta

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Corn

Ravioli in Ginger-Fennel Broth

Lemony Orzo & Kale Soup

Paccheri with Basil Cream

Lemon-Basil Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Vegan Rigatoni alla Vodka

Golden Beet Pasta Sauce

One-Pot Orzo with Mushrooms

Asparagus & Pea Pasta with Watercress

Roasted Celery & Potato Soup

Charred Carrot & Tofu Ragù

Roasted Gnocchi with Caramelized Shallots

Vegan Johnny Marzetti

Creamy Tomato Gnocchi Soup

Tortellini with Maple-Sage Tomato Sauce

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Corn

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

A mix of sun-dried and fresh tomatoes creates the perfect balance of complex, tangy, umami flavors and bright bursts of sweetness. Depending on the season, use fresh or frozen corn. For this recipe, sun-dried tomatoes are used twice. First, I roughly chop the tomatoes. Then, I use a tablespoon of oil from the jar. This infuses an even more intense tomato flavor into the sauce.

Be sure to save the corn cobs for another use. You can freeze them and use them for stock later on. Depending on the season, you may need to substitute frozen corn for fresh corn and a can of diced tomatoes for cherry tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped

4 ears sweet corn, husked and cut from the cob

Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste

1 cup water or vegetable stock

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 ounce fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, stems discarded; a few leaves left whole and reserved for garnish

16 ounces dry rigatoni or orecchiette

Extra-virgin olive oil, optional, for finishing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the sun-dried tomatoes and corn: Add 1 tablespoon of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes to a wide pot. Turn the heat to medium. Once hot, add the diced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the corn and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add crushed red pepper if you like a little extra heat.

2. Simmer the sauce: Pour in the water or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the cherry tomatoes, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The liquid should reduce by half. Taste and season once more to your preferences. Finish the sauce by adding in the sliced basil and tossing to combine.

3. Boil the pasta: As the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente. Reserve ⅓ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

4. Finish the sauce: Add the pasta cooking water to the sauce and bring it to a boil, then add the pasta and reduce heat to low. Toss to coat for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy. Turn off the heat and season once more to your preferences.

5. To serve: Divide the cooked pasta between bowls. Garnish with a few basil leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if you like. Enjoy!

Ravioli in Ginger-Fennel Broth

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4

A somewhat unconventional pairing: cheesy ravioli with spicy, freshly grated ginger, mushrooms, and fragrant fennel. This dish is a take on the classic tortellini en brodo. It brings back memories of my time in Bologna, where I ate tortellini en brodo for the first time. Instead of being served with a thick sauce, little pillows of fluffy tortellini (or ravioli, in this case) are served in a clear broth. The pairing of extra-rich ravioli against the light, bright broth makes for an exceptional dinner. Feel free to swap the ravioli with tortellini or even gnocchi, depending on what vegan options are available to you. If you can find a vegan butternut squash ravioli, it would pair well with the warming gingery undertones.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon neutral oil

2 bulbs fresh fennel, bulbs cored and thinly sliced; stalks and fronds reserved for another use

Salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces beech mushrooms or 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps sliced and stems discarded

1 (2-inch) knob ginger, peeled and minced

6 cups water or vegetable stock

1 pat plant-based butter, optional

1 (9-ounce) package vegan ravioli

3 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the fennel broth: Heat the neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the fennel and cook, stirring regularly, for 8 to 10 minutes until it softens. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in water or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until the broth reduces by about 1 cup. You should have enough broth to serve approximately 1¼ cups broth with 3 ravioli. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the broth from reducing too quickly. Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings as needed. If you want the broth to have a bit of extra richness, add a pat of plant-based butter right before turning off the heat.

2. Cook the ravioli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli according to package instructions, then drain. Divide the ravioli between four bowls.

3. To serve: Ladle the hot fennel-ginger broth over each bowl of ravioli. Garnish with scallions. Enjoy!

Lemony Orzo & Kale Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

This orzo epitomizes a weeknight wonder recipe. It’s easy to prepare with a punch of lemon and crushed red pepper that work perfectly with fragrant summer basil. If you make this during cooler months, substitute summer basil with a seasonal herb like thyme, tarragon, or sage. This soup is amenable to all sorts of additions like white beans or plant-based protein like sausage or chicken.

If you and your family plan on eating all the soup during one dinner, you can boil the orzo right in the soup. But if you intend to have leftovers, you’ll want to boil the orzo separately to prevent swelling in the broth. If boiling the orzo separately, serve out what you intend to eat and store the rest separately from the broth in the fridge. I like to drizzle the remaining orzo with extra-virgin olive oil to prevent it from sticking or clumping overnight. The next day, ladle the broth over the orzo and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

6 cups water or vegetable stock

Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste

5 ounces baby kale

1 ounce fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced; a few leaves reserved for garnish

1 lemon, juiced and zested

8 ounces dry orzo or acini di pepe

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. You want it to sweat and just barely begin to soften.

2. Simmer the broth: Pour in the water or stock and season it liberally with salt and pepper. Add crushed red pepper if you’d like. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Hard simmer for 20 minutes until it reduces and deepens in flavor, then taste and season again to your preferences.

3. Finish the broth: Add baby kale, sliced basil leaves, and lemon juice. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the kale wilts. Taste and season again to your preferences.

4. Prepare the orzo: As the broth cooks, bring a large pot of salted water and cook the orzo until al dente. Drain and divide the orzo between shallow bowls.

5. To serve: Ladle the hot broth over the orzo. Garnish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and lemon zest if you like. Enjoy!

Paccheri with Basil Cream

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Caramelized onions, pasta, and basil cream turn a simple pasta dish into a luxuriously comforting dinner. I like to serve the basil cream under the pasta instead of adding it to the sauce so that it doesn’t lose any of its gorgeous green colors before serving. Any leftovers can be mixed together and stored in the refrigerator in one container.

This dish is such a sweet, aromatic, creamy celebration of one of summer’s best herbs. If you want to pump up the vegetables, try adding halved cherry tomatoes, diced zucchini, or sliced mushrooms to the caramelized onions before adding the pasta cooking water. For protein, plant-based sausage crumbles or cooked white beans can be added to the caramelized onions before adding the cooking water.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup loosely packed basil, divided; a few leaves reserved for garnish

1 tablespoon neutral oil

1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces plant-based cream cheese

16 ounces dry paccheri

Extra-virgin olive oil, optional, for finishing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the basil: Roughly chop the basil and set it aside.

2. Caramelize the onion: Heat the neutral oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 25 to 30 minutes until caramelized. Stir regularly and adjust the heat as needed to prevent the onions from burning. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Prepare the basil cream: As the onion cooks, combine the cream cheese and half the basil in a food processor. Pulse until completely blended. Add water as needed in tablespoon increments until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You will likely need 2 to 3 tablespoons of water in total. Season with salt to taste.

4. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add in the paccheri and cook until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set it aside. Add the pasta cooking water to the caramelized onion and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Add the remaining basil and the pasta and cook for another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.

5. To serve: Spoon the basil cream onto plates and smooth it out with the back of your spoon. Pile the pasta on top of the cream and garish with a few additional basil leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if you like. Enjoy!

Lemon-Basil Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4

One of the keys to creating exciting five-ingredient recipes is using ingredients in more than one way. In this recipe,