Pesach main dish suggestion for vegans?

[Diane in Bexley]

My nephew is vegan and I am at a loss trying to figure out what to make that he can eat for Pesach? I bought vegetable broth to sub for chicken broth in matzo farfel dish, he can have dilled cucumber salad, grilled asparagus with EVOO and lemon and the fruit from the dessert. He can also have some of the charoset for an appetizer. But I would like something small I can make for him to have for main dish - soy, rice, beans are all out for Pesach - any recipes/suggestions? Thanks!

[mamaleh]

Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash Stew
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[samiam13]

These are all great ideas, but none of them are protein options. Is there such a thing as kosher for pesach proteins for vegans?

[noya]

the only ones I can think of involve kitniyot: legumes and nuts

[queenscook]

Nuts are not kitniyot (other than peanuts).

Quinoa also has protein, and many are eating that these days, as well.

[ferret]

Quinoa is one of the "complete protein" grains, containing the spectrum of essential amino acids. It has more protein by weight than any other grain.

[lburrell]

Nuts are not kitnyot per se except peanuts. Depending on the rabbi you follow you can buy nuts that are unprocessed or with hecshers for pesach. Also, quinoa is now accepted by all the major rabbis and can be bought before pesach and checked. OU approves buying the trader joes' quinoa that is processed gluten free and has an OU. You have to rinse it before you use it or it will taste bitter. I'm making an acorn squash stuffed with a quinoa mixture with mushrooms and asparagus on the side. There are many quinoa recipes available on the internet that will work for pesach. You will also find that potatoes with their skins and mushrooms do have some protein. And a small handful of nuts does pack a lot of protein. I hope this helps. There are a number of vegan sites that offer recipes for pesach some of which do have protein. And remember, you probably don't need to worry about protein deprivation with restrictions lasting only 8 days. Happy Pesach

[quirkydeb]

Thanks for reminding me--I forgot that when I made the Epicurious' Moroccan (Lamb &) Eggplant Matzo Pie with Spicy Tomato Sauce, I subbed chopped nuts (walnuts & almonds) for the lamb. With all the other ingredients, maybe it ended up to be a dish with complete protein. Quinoa certainly would solve that problem (and be more affordable than nuts). In fact, thanks to this thread, I'm going to be using quinoa for my vegetarian entree. I'm thinking portobellos stuffed with the Spiced Carrot & Zucchini Quinoa someone suggested up above.

Thank you for starting this, Diane!

[quirkydeb]

I once made Epicurious' Moroccan (Lamb &) Eggplant Matzo Pie with Spicy Tomato Sauce without the lamb for a vegan entree. It was like a tasty, spicy lasagna. Sort of. But it really was good and a little exotic. I also made my own ras-el-hanout for it.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[koshergirl]

I was thinking of making a veg. main too because we're having a vegetarian guest over. I am leaning towards making a vegetarian "shepard's pie", don't have an exact recipe but something like mushrooms/and or eggplants + onions sauteed as the "meat" part and topped with mashed potato top as a "crust"... could decorate the top with some roasted peppers and pine nuts....

[DeisCane]

BTW, did anyone mention letcho?

[noya]

sounds delish! might just have to make this myself!

[p.j.]

Hi Diane,
I made a delicious curried quinoa dish last year, also because we had several vegetarian guests. I will search for the recipe tonight: haven't cracked open the Pesach recipe file yet!
Take care, p.j.

[p.j.]

Diane,
Sorry, I was traveling. The recipe is called Carrot and Zucchini Quinoa. It's from the Epicurious website. Deliciousl I am making it again this year.
p.j.

[lburrell]

I am vegan. I have found a number of invaluable cookbooks for passover cooking: Here they are in order of frequency of use: Vegan Pesach Cookbook (Kalechofsky); Jewish Vegetarian Year (recipes are all vegan)(Also Kalechofsy) No Fat Holiday Cookbook, (Bryanna Clark Grogan) No Cholesterol Passover Recipes (Debra Wasserman); Vegetarian Celebrations by Nava Atlas has seder menus. Several of the dishes are not vegan. However, her later books are all vegan. Quite likely her website (google her name) has some vegan pesach recipes. Nuts are a great help and so are potatoes and mushrooms.
By the way all these books are very inexpensive, usually in paperback. Also, like Grogan's Holiday cook book a number of vegan cookbooks do have special holiday sections that include Pesach. ( Vegan Table is one). If you don't want to keep the vegan cookbook you use (I suggest you do, by they way. The recipes tend to be low fat and healthful); it would make a nice gift to your nephew, or maybe a donation to your shul's library. If you don't want to invest buy a book, there are recipes on many websites, especially vegan organizations' sites, like Vegetarian Resource Grou. I'd be happy to post one or more if you have specific ingredients you want to use. Happy Pesach>
lburrell

[queenscook]

One of my favorite recipes for Pesach is a Butternut Squash Ratatouille that appears in the New York Times Passover Cookbook:
2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 tsp. oil, divided
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup leeks, chopped
1 cup zucchini, diced
1 cup Golden Delicious apples, peeled and diced
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 cup broth
2 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the squash in a roasting pan and toss with 2 tsp. oil. Roast until just tender, tossing from time to time, about 25 minutes.

Heat the remaining teaspoon oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add the roasted squash and the carrots and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the leeks and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the zucchini, apples, and shallots and cook for 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Stir in the vegetable broth and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until the vegetables are tender but not too soft, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

I always say I'll make it at other times than Pesach, but somehow never do. Well, at least it makes it special for the chag!

[DeisCane]

We also make letcho on Pesach, which is a kind of Hungarian ratatouille.

[ferret]

Ahh, reminds me of mom....

[lburrell]

Thanks for this recipe. it sounds delicious. I've added it to my Pesach file. I think I'll use granny smith apples, though.

[noya]

great thought--made this and turned out very well. thanks!

[Diane in Bexley]

Thanks, I didn't think of ratatouille, which will work really well. I will make enough for everyone, hate making separate dishes, too much patchkerei. He is not so kosher, he suggested bringing tempeh for himself. What is tempeh? Is it soy based?

[GilaB]

It's a fermented soy product, sometimes with grains (rice or wheat) or beans mixed in. Definitely kitniyos, possibly chametz.

[azna29]

Yes, I believe its made out of soybeans and it does often have wild rice or other grains mixed in. Its shaped into a bar and then you can broil or bake it with sauce and use it as you would a protein. I would be skeptical unless it has a reliable kosher for passover certification.

[vallevin]

Diane, I would also strongly suggest anything with eggplant or squash. My family always like to do chocolates, nuts and dried fruit for dessert .

I would also second GilaB's comments below.

[ferret]

FYI, the tabbouleh has been a runaway hit the last few years. Finely dice cucumbers, red peppers and tomatoes. Then take about 3 bunches of curley and/or flat leaf parsley and/or cilantro and/or mint and finely chop by hand or in a food processor. Combine all the vegetable ingredients, add 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice and about 2 packages of quinoa (cooked in broth or water, broth is better). Blend, salt and pepper to taste, let cool and serve.

There is no wrong way to make it and once you do it you can figure out what to add/delete for the next time.

[ferret]

I usually do a quinoa tabbouleh as well as some version of ratatouille (cubed eggplant, onions, celery, mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes in a tomato sauce). Root vegetable goulash is also good (potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, etc).

[koshergourmetmart]

why don't you ask him/parents what he likes to eat on pesach. he might be able to give you some pointers in the right direction

[azna29]

You can do a rattatouille gratin. Broil slices of eggplant, zucinni and onion with a little olive oil, salt and pepper until lightly browned. Layer eggplant, zucinni, onion and tomato slices in a baking dish. Sprinkly with olive oil and some crushed matzo & italian seasoning on top. Bake for 20 minutes until its warmed and cooked through. You can makea smaller portion and stack the vegetables higher so that its more substantial on the plate and serve some mashed or roasted potatoes on the side.

[noya]

We're vegetarians, and one of our favorites for Pesach (and year-round) is a pareve leek cauliflower and/or broccoli kugel. It's delicious and satisfying. Easily google-able, or let me know if you'd like the recipe...

Another fabulous option is spinach patties, which I've adapted from the Olive Trees and Honey cookbook. I add chickpeas for bulk/protein (we eat kitniyot) but if you don't, add potatoes.

Vegan egg substitute is pretty easy to find.

Hope you find something that not only your vegan guest enjoys!

[harr]

I'd love to see the recipe for the pareve leek cauliflower dish if you wouldn't mind.. thank you!!

[cheesecake17]

What about strips of roasted acorn squash or beets over a potato kugel or gratin?
Or sauteed string beans with shallots and garlic over mashed potatoes? Or if you want to do the potatoes in advance you can do a mashed potato cake.

For dessert, you could also do some type of meringue cookies. The whole family could enjoy that.

[marissaj]

cheesecake- i think most kugels and meringues are made with eggs..... speaking of which i just realised my options of adding cheese wouldnt work either! but the cheeseless portabello mushroom could still be a good way to go ;)

[cheesecake17]

I definitely wasn't thinking when I said meringues!!

I don't make kugel- never have- but I know a friend's mom has made some kind of kugel without egg.

[marissaj]

something with potatoes.. baked potato (with cheese if not serving fleshig) or a big portobello mushroom filled with marina sauce (again can be topped with cheese dependant on flesihig/ milchig situation)

[DeisCane]

We have a similar challenge. Having mostly vegetarian guests over, but want to make some meat too, so no milchig options.

We're looking into baked eggplant/squash and quinoa with roasted vegetables.

[cheesecake17]

You could scoop out a smallish eggplant and stuff each half with sauteed eggplant, peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil and quinoa. I make this throughout the year- didn't think of it for Pesach. Serve with a green salad on the side.