If your local Chinese restaurant isn’t offering takeout during the coronavirus pandemic or you’d just prefer to cook for yourself, don’t worry! This vegan broccoli and garlic sauce recipe delivers the same great flavors and is super easy to make at home.
Of course, support local businesses during these difficult times, but cooking at home has the added benefit of easily substituting ingredients. If you’re gluten-free, replace the soy sauce with tamari. If you have a nut allergy, simply remove the cashews. And to cut down on calories, replace the olive oil with vegetable broth. Slowly add the broth throughout the cooking process to ensure the vegetables don’t burn or stick to the pan.
Image Credit: Kelly Pitts
The easy substitutions makes this is a great recipe to use up vegetables about to spoil in your refrigerator too! If you don’t have snap peas but do have a green bell pepper only days from going bad, use that instead. Feel free to experiment as well. Replace the broccoli with cauliflower or brussel sprouts. Swap out the carrots for parsnips or squash. The possibilities are almost endless.
The best part is that you’ll feel satisfied but not guilty after chowing down on this vegetable-heavy meal. And it’s naturally vegan!
Let the cooking begin.
VEGAN BROCCOLI AND GARLIC SAUCE RECIPE
Image Credit: Kelly Pitts
INGREDIENTS
1 Head of Broccoli, roughly chopped
2 Medium Carrots, sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 Vidalia Onion, roughly chopped (or onion of choice)
1/2 Cup Snap Peas
1 Handful of Cashews (or preferred nut)
2 Tbs Olive Oil*
1 Handful of Green Onion, roughly chopped (optional)
Sesame Seeds (optional)
Salt, to taste
For the Garlic Sauce
2 Cups Vegetable Broth**
1/3 Cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
2 tsp Ginger, finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tbs Cornstarch, mixed with equal amount of water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
- Add soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and sugar. Allow to cook for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, place large pan over medium-high heat, add salt and olive oil.
- Once hot (the olive oil will run quickly when you tilt the pan), add onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook for 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and snap peas. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbs of cornstarch with equal amounts of water until no clumps remain. Add to sauce and stir.
- Pour sauce into broccoli mixture, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the sauce reaches desired thickness.
- Add olive oil to a small pan, and cook cashews for 1 to 2 minutes on either side.
- Serve over rice with green onions and sesame seeds.
NOTES
*Try an olive oil infusion — garlic is popular, but I used white truffle.
**I used Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base and water.
