As a result of how difficult it can be to find something like a vegan restaurant at a holiday destination or anywhere else that constitutes someplace “normal” where “normal people” go, there is no doubt about the fact that vegan dishes make up what is a specialised culinary niche. We definitely have to work harder just to get our fill, but that’s in the case of wanting ready-meals or meals which are prepared for us by other people.

As a result of that, most people who practice hedonistic eating habits are convinced that any dish a vegan ever eats tastes horrible, is bland, or is devoid of any real natural flavour. That couldn’t be further from the truth though and so I’d like to share some of my own personal favourites in vegan dishes.

Peanut Butter Soup

I first came across the use of peanuts as more of an ingredient to go into a main course meal as opposed to be being a snack in Thailand, where peanuts are put inside what I can only refer to as a sub-tropical salad. The peanuts add a really rich flavour to the salad which otherwise has green beans, strips of carrots, some lettuce and maize, all doused in a brown vinegary salad. I don’t think it’s outright brown vinegar though. Anyway, I knew there had to be something more to the use of peanuts as a cooking ingredient and it turns out I was right.

In the West African region there’s what has grown to become one of my favourite vegan dishes in Peanut Soup or Peanut Butter Soup. I guess it explains why you can eat peanut butter with a mere spoon, like you would eat dessert or some other treat of that sort.

It’s a guilty pleasure no more with peanut butter soup!

It’s a rather nourishing soup with just the right amount of creaminess, made out of peanut butter, collard greens and tomatoes. Those are the main ingredients which perhaps make for a taste that is surprisingly good, and I know you’re probably saying those ingredients should never work together. The rest of the ingredients include vegetable broth (low in sodium), red onion, fresh ginger, garlic cloves, salt, actual peanuts (for garnishing, really), and a hot sauce for what would be the missing zing.

Avocado Butternut Squash Chilli

Oh my goodness! My mouth waters just thinking about this dish and I’ll let you in or a little secret too – meat lovers who would probably be happy with Roast Beef as the dish which is substituted by this one for vegans actually love this avo butternut squash chilli! Not that it needs their approval, but it’s a case in point with regards to how vegan dishes are often considered to be makeshift in many ways.

You get to enjoy the sweet and spicy vegan chilli with ingredients that include olive oil, red onion, red bell peppers, butternut squash, garlic cloves, chilli powder, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaf, black beans, tomatoes, vegetable broth, avocados, tortillas, and table salt.

Sweet Potato, Kale and Chickpea Soup

I’m a real fan of soups as far as vegan foods go, simply because of how filing and nutritious they can be, so it’s no surprise then that the sweet potato, kale and chickpea soup makes the list of my all-time favourite vegan dishes.

Everything cooks rather easily in just one pot with this dish, making for great leftovers as well. In addition to the sweet potato, kale and chickpeas, the ingredients for this dish include extra-virgin olive oil, yellow onion, red bell pepper, red curry paste, salt, kamut or suitable whole grain sub, vegetable broth, and cayenne pepper.

You can switch things up a bit here, as is probably the case with pretty much every vegan dish, in this instance perhaps using a roast pepper instead of a fresh red bell pepper.

Otherwise these are indeed my top three, all-time favourite vegan dishes which are not only filling, but are very delicious and nourishing as well. I would love to know how you mixed and matched some of the ingredients to produce slightly different tastes or perhaps even completely different dishes.

Stay healthy and remember, vegan doesn’t mean tasteless!