4 Delicious Vegan French Recipes

Hannah Sunderani, who writes the Two Spoons blog, creates super vegan and plant-based recipes for French foodies. Here she presents some easy-to-make dishes from her inspiring new cookbook.

Green Beans Amandine

Serves 4 | Vegan | Gluten-free | Grain-free | Soy-free | No Sugar Added | Refined sugar-free

Green beans amandine is a simple dish of sautéed green beans and garlic, toasted almonds and a squeeze of lemon. It is bright, citrusy and nutty for a healthy side dish worth sharing. My family loves this classic recipe.

Ingredients

½ cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 lb (450g) green beans, trimmed
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring often, until fragrant and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. (Keep a close watch on the almonds, as they can quickly go from lightly brown to burnt.) Set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened, 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Increase the heat to high and add the green beans, salt, and pepper. Sauté the green beans until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the lemon juice, and sprinkle with the toasted almonds and lemon zest. Toss to combine. Serve hot.

Chickpea Salade Niçoise

Serves 4 | Vegan | Gluten-free | Grain-free | Nut-free | Soy-free | No Added Sugar | Refined sugar-free

This niçoise is fully loaded with hearty potatoes, seasoned chickpeas, colourful vegetables, and crispy lettuce. It is summery, crunchy, and full of flavours you would typically find in a salade niçoise from the South of France – one of my favourite places to visit. The freshness of this salad takes me back to the morning markets in the Old Town of Nice, where I used to buy the ingredients to prepare this vibrant salad. We loved to pack it in containers and picnic on the stony beach. Enjoy as a delicious healthy meal or side salad.

Ingredients

Lemon Dijon dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1½ teaspoons agave
½ teaspoon white miso
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Chickpeas
1 can (14 oz/400 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (see Tip)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of fine sea salt

Salad
7 oz (200g) green beans, trimmed
7 oz (200g) baby potatoes, colour of choice, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
¼ cup pitted mixed Greek olives
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
¼ cup drained capers
Pinch of fine sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Do Ahead: The lemon Dijon dressing can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Store in a jar in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature and shake before using.

Method

1. Make the lemon Dijon dressing: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, shallots, garlic, agave, miso, salt, pepper, and oregano. Whisk to combine. Set aside to allow the flavours to meld together.

2. Prepare the chickpeas: In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, mustard, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.

3. Make the salad: Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high, add the green beans, and cook until the beans are vivid green and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the green beans and submerge them in the ice water. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes and rinse under cool running water. Drain the green beans. Pat dry the potatoes and green beans.

4. Spread the romaine lettuce on a large serving platter. Evenly arrange the green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion over the romaine. Sprinkle with the seasoned chickpeas, chives, capers, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Serve the lemon Dijon dressing on the side for drizzling. (Alternatively, you can toss all the ingredients together in a large salad bowl and toss with the dressing to taste just before serving.)

Tip

If you prefer to cook chickpeas from scratch, you will need to soak and cook ½ cup dried chickpeas to get 1½ cups cooked (the equivalent of 1 can).

Summer Rainbow Ratatouille

Serves 4 | Vegan | Gluten-free | Grain-free | Nut-free | Soy-free | No Added Sugar | Refined sugar-free | One-pot

This ratatouille might look like an intimidating dish, but it’s a simple veggie stew made with colourful tomato, courgette, aubergine, summer squash and fragrant herbs baked in a cast-iron skillet or casserole dish until soft and bubbling. Ratatouille is a classic summer dish originating from Provence, in the South of France. Leave it to the French to make a simple stew so impressive! We absolutely love this French-inspired rainbow ratatouille for dinner, and often include it in our weekly rotation. I especially like to serve it with toasted baguette slathered with my vegan blue cheese or topped with a dollop of refreshing ricotta cheese.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cans (28 oz/800 ml each) crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
½ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, more for garnish
1 green courgette, sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 yellow summer squash, sliced into ½-inch rounds (or another green courgette)
1 aubergine, sliced into ½-inch rounds
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch rounds
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, and ¾ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened, usually about 10 minutes.

3. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with the herbes de Provence and 2 teaspoons of the thyme. Cook at a low simmer until the sauce has slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the basil and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

4. Starting from the outer edge of the skillet and working your way to the middle, arrange the sliced veggies over the tomato sauce, snugly upright but slightly angled, and alternating the colours (zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, and tomato). Fan them apart slightly, if needed, to cover the entire pan with no large gaps. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the black pepper.

Mousse au Chocolat

Serves 6 to 8 | Requires chill time | Vegan | Gluten-free | Grain-free | Oil-free Option | Raw/No-bake

This chocolate mousse is thick, rich, and velvety. The recipe uses silken tofu, which is a stellar ingredient in desserts as it gives a creamy and luscious texture. Its mild flavour also allows for other ingredients to shine – in this recipe, chocolate! This is one of my husband, Mitch’s, all-time favourite desserts and one that convinced him, in those early transition days, that we could still enjoy our favourite recipes on a plant-based diet.

Ingredients

2 bars (7 oz/200 g each), 70% dark chocolate, broken into chunks
1 teaspoon coconut oil
2 blocks (12 oz/340 g each) silken tofu
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 to 6 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, more as needed
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Oil-Free: Omit the coconut oil when melting the chocolate. The mousse will not be quite as silky smooth, but it will still be near perfect!

Do Ahead: The chocolate mousse can be made up to 1 week in advance. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Method

1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a low simmer over low heat. Place a small heatproof glass bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Add the dark chocolate and coconut oil and melt the chocolate, stirring often, until completely smooth. Keep over low heat until ready to use. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals.) Optional: reserve a chunk of the chocolate and cut it into 1 to 2 tablespoons of fine shavings for a garnish to sprinkle over just before serving.

2. Transfer the silken tofu to a nut milk bag (or a thin kitchen towel, gathering the corners to form a small sack). Squeeze the bag with your hands to remove most of the water. (You should not have to squeeze too hard to release the water. Once it becomes difficult to squeeze, you can stop.)

3. Transfer the squeezed tofu to a food processor. Add the maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt, and the melted chocolate. Pour in 4 tablespoons of the almond milk and blend together until smooth. Add more almond milk, a little at a time, if the consistency is too thick. It should be puddingy. It will thicken slightly as it chills.

4. Scoop the mousse into a medium bowl and cover with reusable wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. To serve, scoop into small bowls or glass cups and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and the reserved chocolate shavings, if desired.

Tips

1. Squeezing the tofu to remove excess water will result in a thicker mousse. You might have to squeeze the tofu in two batches, especially if using a kitchen towel.

2. You can make this mousse in a high-speed blender instead of a food processor if that’s all you have in your kitchen. It might require more almond milk for blending – try using the tamper while blending on medium speed for the best result. If you do not have a tamper, stop the blender from time to time and stir with a wooden spoon to help the blending process.

The Two Spoons Cookbook – More Than 100 French-Inspired Vegan Recipes by Hannah Sunderani, is published by Penguin Canada.
Food photography by Hannah Sunderani.

From France Today magazine