In 2022, a non-profit group called Veganuary set out to change the world one month at a time. Banking on the fact that the new year often comes with a group of resolutions, the founders challenged people who wanted to make a positive switch to consume a vegan diet for that month of January. Veganuary has witnessed its pledge numbers increase each year, and in 2022, over 400,000 people spread over virtually every country on earth signed up for the 31-day campaign.
In the past few years, the trend towards a far more plant-based diet continues to be centered on three things-improving personal health, improving the health from the planet, and improving animal welfare. Whatever a person is seeking to improve by opting out of animal products, one thing's for sure-it doesn't have to be hard! The world is filled with flavorful vegan cuisine that satisfies every craving. Prepare to create a grocery list because these global plant-based dishes are ready to make their way into your rotation.
10 Muhammara – Syria
Nothing beats a good dip, and Middle Eastern Muhammara ticks every box. Broiled red peppers provide the dip its smoky flavor. The peppers are pulsed with breadcrumbs, toasted walnuts, essential olive oil, and tahini for a satisfying mouth-feel, and a pinch of Aleppo chili flakes adds a pleasant kick of warmth. Muhammara is topped with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses along with a sprinkling of arils. The end product is tangy-sweet and savory and pairs perfectly with warm pita bread.
9 Ajapsandali – Georgia
A bowl of hearty soup or stew is particularly satisfying throughout the winter months, and Georgian Ajapsandali is guaranteed to warm its eaters internally. This one-pot meal all comes together quickly and is full of antioxidant-rich vegetables ideal for warding off seasonal colds.
Sautéed onions and garlic are coupled with tomato paste, eggplant, green and sweet red bell peppers, jalape~no, and diced tomato. Because it cooks, the vegetables soften and release moisture to create a chunky stew. Ajapsandali is topped with a healthy sprinkling of cilantro for many freshness to round out the dish. An important feature about it's that it's even better the following day following the flavors have married and equally delicious when eaten cold.
8 Chana Masala – India
The complex flavors of Indian cuisine have been in full force in vegan-friendly Chana Masala. Basics of protein-rich, nutrient-dense chickpeas is stewed with a purée of onions, garlic, tomatoes, ginger, chili powder, and turmeric. If that is not enough flavor, keep on reading.
A gravy created using cinnamon, clove, garam masala, cardamom, and tomato paste combines using the chickpea mixture for another multi-dimensional layer of flavor. It makes sense an abundant and saucy curry that's impeccably filling when served on the generous helping of rice.
7 Buddha's Delight
No you will judge whenever a person dates back for a second or third helping of the delicious Chinese dish known as Buddha's Delight. Your food was created by Buddhist monks whose tenant to do no harm led them to adopt a vegetarian diet.
The versatile dish is about the sauce-a thickened, slightly sweet mixture of vegetable stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a sweetener like sugar or honey. Eaters can pick any veggies they like to stir fry, but popular choices are shiitake mushrooms, Napa cabbage, tofu, baby corn, and bamboo shoots.
6 Tabbouleh – Lebanon
The fresh flavors of Tabbouleh are sure to brighten the spirits of anyone who decides to test it. Cooked bulgur wheat is mixed with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onion. The heavens from the show are vitamin-packed parsley and refreshing mint, that are finely chopped and stirred in to the mix. A dressing made from essential olive oil, fresh garlic, and the zest and juice of lemon finishes the salad, and each bite is as bright because the last.
5 Mayak Gimbap – South Korea
South Korean Mayak Gimbap is the best healthy snack or light meal. The most popular street food consists of rice, julienned daikon radish and carrots, and sautéed spinach covered with a sheet of iodine-rich nori seaweed. The mini rolls are lightly brushed with sesame oil for another dimension of flavor and dipped in a simple sauce made from rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, and sugar.
4 Dal Bhat – Nepal
The delicious dish Dal Bhat is really a staple in Nepal. A side of rice accompanies a lentil stew flavored with coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and red chili powder. The dish is traditionally served having a vegan-friendly vegetable curry and papadums, a deep-fried dough as satisfying like a potato chip.
3 Carciofi Alla Giudia – Italy
Diners can't overcome the delightful crunch from the Roman-Jewish dish Carciofi Alla Giudia, or fried artichokes. Trimmed artichokes soaked in lemon water are lightly fried, their leaves pulled apart to resemble rosebuds, and tossed back into the oil before the edges turn a beautifully crisp golden color. Served with lemon wedges for an additional hit of flavor, Carciofi Alla Giudia is a simply delicious appetizer certain to impress.
2 Gado Gado – Indonesia
Like Buddha's Delight, Indonesian Gado Gado is definitely an easily tweakable dish which will satisfy the cravings of even the pickiest eaters. Strips of protein-packed tempeh, a meaty-textured, slightly nutty-flavored fermented soy product, are fried until crispy and served alongside the eater's selection of vegetables (popular choices are spinach, potatoes, and bean sprouts.) The dish comes alive with the sauce, a blend of creamy peanut butter, red curry paste, soy sauce, coconut milk, and lime juice. Topped with a few chopped peanuts for an extra crunch, Gado Gado packs some serious flavor punch.
1 Gazpacho – Spain
Gazpacho is a refreshing pick-me-up with centuries-old roots in Spain. The standard cold soup features a blend of raw tomato, onion, garlic, cucumber, and green pepper thickened with bread crumbs that has been enhanced with a splash of essential olive oil and vinegar. You will find all kinds of gazpacho available these days, including mango, watermelon, and sweet corn (simply to name some.) In any of their forms, gazpacho is a straightforward method of getting those vitamins in.
