RECIPES BY OLIVIA ROSZKOWSKI ✷ PHOTOGRAPHS BY RIKKI SNYDER
We all frequent our favorite sandwich shops. But that was before you tried these handheld vegan packages of deliciousness. Our Chef Olivia dreamed up spreads and fillings that are easy, hearty, and packed with plants, making them a nutritious (and downright exciting) alternative to meat and mayo. Make the fillings ahead of time for lunch prep or to bring to a summer picnic or barbecue. You can also up your sammie game another notch with mix-and-match breads, toasts, wraps—or make a platter with crackers and vegetables. Bonus: These inventive recipes showcase pro-level kitchen techniques—from caramelizing to quick-pickling—that will inspire you to come up with your own creations.
Preserved Lemon & Dill Tofu ‘Egg’ Salad
Yields 3 cups
Gather
1 firm tofu block
(about 14 ounces)
1 preserved lemon
3 scallions
1 small bunch dill
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon black salt (kala namak)
¾ cup vegan mayonnaise (we love Vegenaise)
To Make
Chop tofu into small irregular pieces. Squeeze out excess liquid in between your palms.
Place pieces in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well, squeezing out excess moisture. Cool for a few minutes.
Slice preserved lemon and discard any seeds. Chop into small pieces (approximately ¼ cup).
Slice scallions (approximately ½ cup).
Destem and roughly chop dill (approximately 1/3 cup).
In a medium bowl, combine tofu, preserved lemon, scallions, dill, turmeric powder, black salt, and vegan mayonnaise.
Fold gently to combine and refrigerate until chilled.
Deli Style ‘Chicken’ Salad
Yields 3 cups
Gather
2 cups button mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
115-ounce can white beans
2 ribs celery
1 small bunch parsley
1 shallot
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (we love Vegenaise)
To Make
Wipe mushrooms with damp towel to remove dirt. Dice caps and stems into small pieces.
Drain and rinse beans (leaving 1½ cups of beans).
Place steamer basket in a pot. Fill with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and add cut mushrooms and beans to basket.
Cover and steam vegetables for 15 minutes on high heat.
Cool for a few minutes, and transfer to a medium bowl.Cut celery into small dice (approximately 1 cup).
Destem parsley. Roughly chop (about 1/3 cup).
Finely chop shallot (about 1/3 cup).
Stir in cut celery, parsley, and shallot to bowl with mushrooms and beans.
Fold in Dijon mustard, sea salt, and vegan mayonnaise.
Chill before serving.
Battered Watermelon Rind With Quick Pickled Tomatoes
Yield: 12 battered pieces; 1 1/2 cups pickled tomato slices
TO MAKE BATTERED WATERMELON RIND
Gather
1 small whole watermelon
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons shichimi togarashi (or favorite chili powder blend)
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 organic eggs
1½ cups fine shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
½ cup avocado oil
To Make
Use a knife to trim top and bottom of watermelon.
Using a peeler, carefully take off peel and discard.
Use a knife to cut off rind into strips (approximately 12 pieces).
Place rind pieces in a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Wait 5 minutes, and blot pieces dry with towel.
Mix shichimi togarashi and flour onto plate. Beat eggs in bowl. Spread coconut flakes onto separate plate.
Dip each piece of rind in flour, egg mixture, and coconut flakes.
Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.
Working in batches, fry battered rind pieces for 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Garnish with additional shichimi togarashi.
TO MAKE QUICK PICKLED TOMATOES
Gather
2 medium green tomatoes (substitute tomatillos)
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch red chili flakes
To Make
Slice tomatoes and place in a bowl.
Add apple cider vinegar, sea salt, maple syrup, chili flakes, and ¼ cup filtered water to a pan.
Bring to a boil, turn off heat and pour over sliced tomatoes. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Balsamic Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Halloumi
Yields 2 cups mushrooms; 1 ½ cups onions
Gather
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
1 yellow onion (about 2 cups)
¼ cup olive oil
4 portobello mushrooms (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 block halloumi cheese (approximately 8 ounces)
To Make
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
Add balsamic vinegar to a wide pan over medium heat. Reduce for 10 minutes over medium heat, until slightly thickened. Mixture should then yield approximately ¼ cup and will continue to thicken as it cools.
Cut onion in half. Slice onion halves thinly into half-moons. Spread onto half of lined baking tray.
Wipe mushrooms with damp towel. Destem, slice thinly, and spread onto the other half of tray. Place halloumi block onto center of tray.
Drizzle vegetables and halloumi with olive oil. Sprinkle salt onto vegetables.
Bake mixture for 15 minutes. Toss vegetables, flip cheese, and cook for additional 10 minutes.
Slice halloumi into 8 pieces, and drizzle balsamic reduction onto mushrooms.
Cashew Pimento Spread
Yields 3½ cups
Gather
2 cups cashews
2 red bell peppers
½ cup refined coconut oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 8-ounce jar pimento peppers
To Make
Place cashews in a heatproof bowl. Boil 4 cups of water and pour over cashews. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and drain.
Destem and deseed red peppers. Remove white pith. Cut into a rough dice (approximately 3 cups).
Peel and smash garlic cloves.
To a blender, add soaked cashews, diced red peppers, coconut oil, salt, garlic cloves and nutritional yeast and process until completely smooth.
Drain and rinse pimento peppers (approximately 1/2 cup). Pat dry and chop. Fold into cashew mixture.
Cover and chill spread in refrigerator before serving.
Walnut ‘Sloppy Joes’ & Fridge Slaw
Yields 3 cups ‘Sloppy Joes’; 2 cups slaw
TO MAKE WALNUT ‘SLOPPY JOES’
Gather
3 cups walnuts
2 shallots
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
To Make
Chop walnuts into small pieces. Place in mesh strainer and rub gently to shake out any loose skins and excess crumbs.
Transfer walnuts to heatproof bowl. Boil 4 cups water and pour over pieces. Soak for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse.
Peel and cut shallots into a small dice (approximately 1 cup).
To a large pan over medium heat, add walnut pieces, shallots, olive oil, sea salt, and chili powder. Cook walnut mixture for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Lower heat if too much browning starts to occur.
Reduce heat to low. Add in tomato paste, maple syrup, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for additional minute, stirring the entire time to evenly distribute the paste.
TO MAKE FRIDGE SLAW
Gather
6 cups shredded vegetables
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
To Make
Place shredded vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt, massage gently, and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Squeeze out liquid and return vegetables to bowl.
Mince garlic (or pass through a garlic press). Fold in garlic, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and maple syrup to pressed vegetables.
Chill slaw until ready to serve.
Hickory Carrot ‘Bacon’ BLT With Aquafaba ‘Mayo’
Yields 1½ cups ‘bacon’; 1 cup ‘mayo’
TO MAKE CARROT ‘BACON’
Gather
2 large carrots, peeled
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon organic corn starch
To Make
Peel carrots. Using peeler, cut carrots into long strips. Place carrot ribbons in a large bowl and gently massage with sea salt.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes and squeeze out all excess liquid with hands.
Toss carrot ribbons with liquid smoke, olive oil, maple syrup, and corn starch.
Place in large nonstick pan, and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Set oven on broil function. Spread carrot ribbons on wire-lined baking tray.
Broil for 2 minutes or until some pieces are blistering, checking often to avoid burning carrots. Note: For crispier ‘bacon,’ cook carrot ribbons in air fryer at 375°F for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with additional pinch of salt.
TO MAKE AQUAFABA ‘MAYO’
Gather
1 can chickpeas
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup avocado oil (or substitute any neutral-tasting oil)
To Make
Drain chickpeas; retaining the aquafaba and reserving chickpeas for another use.
Mince garlic clove (or pass through a garlic press).
Add ¼ cup aquafaba, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt to food processor (alternatively, use immersion blender).
Pulse until combined.
Slowly stream in avocado oil while food processor is running, until mixture is emulsified.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
