Expert Chef Danny G. Alberto Shares How to Cook on a Vegan Diet

It's actually quite easy to cook on a vegan diet, according to North Carolina-based personal chef Danny G. Alberto. Wanting to enjoy delicious meals should not be an obstacle to making compassionate and healthy food choices. Read on to discover Danny’s secrets to a delicious and fulfilling vegan diet: 

The Elements of Vegan Cooking

Vegan cooking is based on relatively simple principles. Although it takes a little more creativity to cook this way, many say that they enjoy eating more on a vegan diet and find the food they eat more varied and more flavorful. 

Although you can eventually learn complicated dishes, the basis of many vegan meals is a starch. Consider buying whole grains rather than white rice or bread, and leave skins on potatoes for extra fiber and nutrients. Try adding one of the following elements to a simple starch for a well-balanced and environmentally friendly meal: 

Umami

“Umami” is the fifth flavor recognized by the taste buds; it was recently discovered by Japanese scientists and is often described as “meaty” or “savory”. Monosodium glutamate, an unhealthy but common food additive, is the purest form of this flavor. However, umami flavors can also be found in shiitake mushrooms, fermented black beans, miso or fermented soy, and soy sauce.

As the umami flavor comes mostly from meat in an omnivorous diet, when you cook on a vegan diet it's worth getting comfortable with using these ingredients.

For example, for a vegan alternative to ground beef, cook 1 cup of lentils with 2 ⅔ cups of water and ⅓ cup of soy sauce. Next, add about a tablespoon of dried shiitake mushrooms. Once you’ve made this base, add it spaghetti sauce, use it as a filling for tacos, or use it in your favorite dish. 

Other sources of the umami flavor include tomatoes, onions, okra, aubergines, spinach, as well as legumes like peanuts, chick peas and broad beans. These foods will become a staple in your balanced vegan diet.

Herbs, Spices and Salt

Regardless of whether you are vegan, to be a good cook, it's important to have an ample understanding of how to use herbs, spices and salt. However, those who eat a meat-based diet sometimes can “get away” with not learning how to use them, as meat's strong flavor often doesn't need much supplementation. Those who eat a vegan or vegetarian diet will find their ability to use herbs and spices more in demand.

As a basic principle, chef Danny Alberto recommends using no more than 2 herbs or spices in a dish. These spices should be selected with consideration of how they interact with other flavors. For example, bitter herbs like oregano often complement sweet vegetables such as red pepper. Spicy condiments like cayenne pepper often complement dull vegetables such as cauliflower. Lively flavors like ginger can help pick up heavy meals such as a bean stew. Visualize the combination of tastes in your mouth as you create your dish and aim to use both contrast and harmony to make a lively meal out of whatever you cook.

On the subject of condiments, salt is worth a mention. Vegan food in particular will taste bland without the correct amount of salt, as salt intensifies the flavor of many foods. You can learn how much salt to add with practice and lots of taste testing. Start with a small amount to be cautious and add to taste.

Dense Foods

Most vegan meals need a dense food item to make up for the lack of meat. “Dense” foods include legumes (beans, chickpeas, peas or lentils), nuts, seeds, and artificial meat substitutes like tofu, seitan, or tempeh. Get to know all of these and choose your favorites.

Vegetables

Finally vegetables are important in any dish. As well as flavor, think about color, texture and the extra satiation which vegetables can bring. These elements are often overlooked but can be the difference between a mediocre meal and a great one.

Cooking on a Vegan Diet

Although a vegan diet is often thought of as restrictive, many people who adhere to a vegan diet claim that it increases their range of ingredients to explore. Instead of four or five different meats used repeatedly, they have a vast range of nuts and legumes to try and will be more likely to expand their repertoire of vegetables and starch. 

Learning how to cook on a vegan diet can add a new dimension to your cooking. If you put time, effort, and love into your cooking, you’ll eventually find your friends incredibly eager to eat at your place!