Lengthy ingredient lists and complicated processes can put us off attempting vegan recipes. But you really don’t have to spend hours shopping for esoteric ingredients or own a tofu press in order to whip up quick and delicious vegan grub, as Calum Harris’s new book The 20 Minute Vegan shows. Packed with super-simple recipes that don’t scrimp on flavour, we’ve chosen three of our favourites that will deliver the perfect weeknight dinner win. 

Described by Harris as “avocado on toast’s better-looking cousin”, this dish packs a real punch, nutrients-wise. And who doesn’t have a pack of frozen peas languishing in their freezer?

“I love this recipe because it incorporates that protein-packed boost we need at any time of the day,” says Harris. “It is also less expensive to make than avocado toast. It’s fresh and creamy, and I guarantee you’ll keep a pack of peas in the freezer to repeat this. I also really recommend using this as a dip or adding it into salads and so on – the options are endless.”

Ingredients 

100g frozen peas

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp runny tahini

Pinch of fresh parsley

Juice of 1 lime, plus extra to serve

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 slices of sourdough bread

Salt and pepper

Pinch of dried chilli flakes, to serve (optional)

Method 

1. Defrost the peas. This only takes a minute or two, but I recommend putting them into a heatproof bowl, covering them in boiling water and letting them defrost that way.
2. Drain the peas, then remove the garlic clove from its skin by bashing it with the flat side of the knife. Put the peas, the bashed garlic clove and the rest of the ingredients (minus the bread and chilli) in a food processor and blitz till smooth. It should actually resemble mashed avocado.
3. Toast your bread then serve it all up. Add a pinch of chilli flakes on top if you fancy it, and maybe an extra squeeze of lime.

What’s not to love about this creamy, satisfying dish?

“Firstly, miso is just brilliant,” enthuses Harris. “It’s a fermented food which is great for gut health. Gnocchi is the love-child of potatoes and pasta, and this miso butter sauce gives it a new lease of life. The greens are a really lovely addition to round off the flavour – add some lemon, and honestly it is one of my go to dishes. I can eat it all year round.”

Ingredients

4 spring onions

3 garlic cloves

150g tenderstem broccoli

light olive oil, for frying

1 tbsp red miso paste

1 tbsp agave syrup

1 lemon, zest and juice 

80g frozen edamame beans (or garden peas)

150ml boiling water

2 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

250g gnocchi di patate

(basically, potato gnocchi that’s already prepared)

5g fresh tarragon (if you can’t get it, Thai basil works great)

salt and pepper

Method

1. Make sure you have two frying pans at the ready. Chop up the white part of the spring onions into slices, and finely dice the garlic and broccoli. Add a drizzle of oil into one of the frying pans, then fry all the veg you’ve just chopped (putting the green spring onion bits aside for later) on a medium heat.
2. Once the veg has softened and is starting to crisp up, chuck in the miso paste, the agave syrup, half the lemon juice and zest and the edamame or peas. Give it a stir to make sure everything’s come together, then season with salt and a touch of pepper. Reduce the heat, add the boiling water and tahini, stir until the tahini combines properly with the water and let it bubble away on the lower heat until thickened.
3. Now to the second pan. Stick it on a medium heat and pour in the extra virgin olive oil. Gently put the gnocchi in the oil and fry for 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds to make sure they cook evenly and none of the gnocchi sticks to the pan.
4. Once golden and toasted, pop the gnocchi into the thickened miso sauce and season to taste. You might need to add a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick.
5. Chop up the fresh tarragon and the green parts of the spring onion. Finish off with the zest and juice of the other half of the lemon, a few slices of the spring onion greens and a touch of tarragon.
6. Tuck in.

“Based on the beloved spicy dan dan noodles, this version contains delicious and somewhat underrated shiitake mushrooms. Really easy to get hold of in the supermarket, these are an amazing source of antioxidants and are great for immune health. The edamame adds a hit of protein and, again, makes a quick and easy ingredient to throw in.”

Ingredients

40g shiitake mushrooms

vegetable oil, for frying

4 spring onions

2cm (¾in) piece of ginger

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp Chinese five-spice

50g frozen edamame beans

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp white or red miso paste

1 tbsp agave syrup

juice of ½ a lime

300g ready-to-wok udon noodles

To serve 

Handful of fresh coriander

Crunchy chilli oil (entirely optional)

Sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Method 

1. Chop up the mushrooms into small cubes. 
2. Pop them into a hot large frying pan over a medium heat with a little vegetable oil and fry for about six minutes until the mushrooms are golden and crispy. 
3. Meanwhile, slice the spring onions, peel and grate the ginger and garlic and put that into a little pile. Add the onions, ginger and garlic to the mushrooms and, at the same time, reduce the heat to medium-low. After about two minutes, add the Chinese five-spice and the edamame beans into the mix and fry for about three minutes, until everything’s cooked. 
4. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, miso paste, agave syrup and lime juice together until smooth. 
5. Boil some water in a kettle, then remove the udon noodles from their packets and put them in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the noodles and let it sit for two minutes. 
6. Drain the noodles and pop them into the frying pan, along with the sauce and a splash of hot water. Mix until everything has come together and you’re left with some sweet, sweet noodles.  
7. Chop the coriander and top the noodles with it. Finish with some chilli oil (if using), and sesame seeds too, and a final season with salt and pepper. 
8. Enjoy!

Images: Haarala Hamilton