Italian food is known as comfort food, and generally that comfort comes in the form of dairy and meat. But this time we've rounded up some plant-based versions of the classics for you, from soup to dessert.
You won't sacrifice any flavor or richness with these vegan Italian recipes, though, which should set you up for a great dinner party or date night.
Italian Wedding Soup
This soup recipe from TikTok creator Ashley (@eatfigsnotpigs) combines simple vegan meatballs, rich pesto, kale greens, and a whole lot of garlic. It's savory enough to be a meal in itself, but still easy to make anytime you get a craving for soup. Find the full recipe here on the Eat Figs Not Pigs website.
@eat_figs_not_pigs When that late night soup craving hits 😮💨 #GorgeousGorgeousGirlsLoveSoup #ItalianWeddingSoup #SelfCare #VeganSoup #DateNight #GoodSoup ♬ Bound 2 - Kanye West
Stuffed Shells
Mario Fabbri (@mariofabbrichef), host of the Roku TV show Trying Vegan with Mario, shared his personal spin on his grandma's classic stuffed shells on Instagram. To make it easy he uses pre-made pasta sauce. It's as simple as mixing together the 'cheese' blend, stuffing the shells, and baking them with the sauce. See the full recipe in the caption below.
Carbonara
Giuseppe Frederici (@sepps_eats) is a British-Italian cook who dishes up mouthwatering vegan versions of classics like this carbonara. He uses tofu, cashews, and a few other touches to recreate the creamy sauce and subs in tempeh in place of bacon. Check out this TikTok to see how it's done.
@sepps_eats This shit is creamier than cravendale 🇮🇹 🍝🤌🏼 #vegan #carbonara #veganrecipes #italianfood #italianchef ♬ Beggin' - Måneskin
Bolognese
Bolognese is typically a very meaty dish, but Bello (@cookingwithbello) shows us that making a veggie-based version really isn't hard. Instead of ground beef, pork, or veal, he uses lentils and chopped veggie chunks to create the thick, comforting tomato sauce. You can see Bello making it in action below and his full recipe here.
@cookingwithbello VEGAN BOLOGNESE 😍 Written recipe and measurements on the link! 🥰❤️🇮🇹 #vegan #pasta #italian #italianfood #foodontiktok ♬ That's Amore - Dean Martin
Tiramisu
Is there a more classic Italian dessert than tiramisu? Tatayana Figueiredo (@tatytable) shows us a creative vegan and gluten-free spin on the decadent dessert, which keeps all the flavor and indulgence of the original by using coffee, vegan mascarpone, and a good helping of coconut cream.
@tatytable Reply to @yegblueberry Taking the classic Italian dessert to a veganlicious level‼️🤤 This recipe is #vegan , #glutenfree and has only #healthy sugars 🍰☕️ #plantbased #dessert #tiramisu #vegandessert #glutenfreedessert ♬ original sound - Tatyana Figueiredo
Now that you're equipped with plant-based versions of Italian dishes, it's time to invite someone special over and serve them comfort food you can feel good about. All that's left to say is Buon appetito.
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