Ultimate Guide: Vegan Super Bowl Recipes

To be honest, I’m in it for the commercials and the food. Nachos, pigs in a blanket, wings, crudites and dips galore.

If you’re hosting a viewing party or attending one, here are a few recipes from Plant-Based Culinary Arts Chef-Instructor Rich LaMarita that are sure to delight. Course them out as an appetizer, main and dessert (on Super Bowl Sunday or any other day of the week), or serve them up all together as small bites.

Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe with Pumpkin Seed Blue Cheese Dip

Baking instead of frying this app makes it easier and healthier. The battered cauliflower is very sticky, so make sure to use parchment paper and oil to ensure it doesn’t stick to the tray. 

The mock blue cheese dip is the wild halftime performance that everyone’s going to be talking about the next day (instead of the game). Though it’s hard to mimic the sharp, moldy tang of blue cheese, Chef Rich incorporates toasted nori for a fishy flavor, apple cider vinegar and mustard for their sharpness, and umeboshi paste, a spread made from pickled plums that adds the perfect sour, umami-rich note.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

Tofu ricotta recipes are a popular vegan cheese alternative, and this one does not disappoint. Start with firm tofu and make sure to press it so the new flavors can seep in — if there’s too much water it won’t be able to absorb anything. 

Miso and umeboshi pastes contribute to the fermented, cheesy taste while lemon juice, garlic and olive oil round out the “ricotta.” Chef Rich likes to use royal trumpet mushrooms for their flavor and meaty texture, but any mushroom will work here. You can be the quarterback of this lasagna and make your own moves by substituting or adding eggplant, pepper and zucchini to the vegetables that are incorporated into the ricotta mixture.

Related:Protein Options for Plant-Based Diets

Vegan Chickpea Brownies

This adaptable recipe is a modern take on the classic brownie.

Since each square is filled with fudge flavor, your guests might not even suspect the brownies are made with chickpeas and aquafaba, which takes the place of eggs to bind the dough. Swap in any nut for the walnuts or any nut butter for cashew butter to make this recipe your own.

The key to perfect brownies, Chef Rich says, is to grease the pan and line it with overlapping parchment paper. The dough is very sticky at first, and after it bakes, let it sit for about five minutes in the pan, then lift it out and leave it to cool for about an hour to firm up. Since dates are the only source of sugar in the recipe, you can add a tablespoon or two of coconut sugar — though if you have sweetened cocoa powder you may not need it.

Even if you don't win Super Bowl squares, everyone's a winner with these brownies.

Regardless of whether you’re vegan or not, or if your team wins or loses, these recipes will make your game day memorable and delicious. Get the recipes from Chef Rich below. 

Recipe

Vegan Super Bowl Recipes

Ingredients

Buffalo Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seed Blue Cheese Dip

Serves 4 — 6 people

For the Buffalo Cauliflower:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite size florets
• Buffalo hot sauce, for brushing
• Pumpkin seed dip on side

For the Pumpkin Seed Dip:

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 4 oz. firm tofu, pressed
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon umeboshi paste
• 1 teaspoon crushed nori
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Lasagna Roll Ups

Serves 6 — 8 people

For the Lasagna: 

• 4 lasagna sheets
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 1/2 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 1/2 oz. royal trumpet mushrooms, sliced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 oz. baby spinach
• 12 oz. tofu ricotta (recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 cups tomato sauce

For the Tofu Ricotta:

• 1 lb. firm tofu, pressed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon umeboshi paste

Vegan Chickpea Brownies

Yields about 12 brownies

• 1 cup Medjool dates
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained
• 3 tablespoons aquafaba, from canned chickpeas
• 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
   

Directions

Buffalo Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seed Blue Cheese Dip

For the Cauliflower:

1. Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment and drizzle with oil. 
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the cauliflower and stir to coat.
3. Take the cauliflower out of the batter, allowing excess to drain. Arrange the cauliflower in one layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip once and then bake for another 10 minutes.
4. Remove the cauliflower and brush with hot sauce. Bake for another 10 – 15 minutes. The cauliflower should be dark and crispy. 
5. Serve immediately with dip.

For Pumpkin Seed Dip:

1. Toast the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet on in a pan on medium-high heat until lightly toasted and fragrant, usually 3 — 5 minutes.
2. Combine pumpkin seeds, tofu, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, miso, umeboshi paste, and nori in food processor. Puree. Add salt to taste.

Lasagna Roll Ups

For Tofu Ricotta:

1. Mix the tofu, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, miso and umeboshi paste in a food processor until creamy like ricotta cheese. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.

For Lasagna:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Boil lasagna sheets in a pot of water for 6 – 8 minutes, until soft. Lay the cooked sheets on a sheet pan with oil. Cut the sheets into squares, about 3” x 3”. Set aside.
2. Heat a sauté pan then add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add mushrooms, season with salt & pepper, and sauté until browned. Add shallot and finish cooking for another minute. Remove the mushrooms and shallots and set aside in a bowl.
3. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic. Let garlic cook until aroma emerges. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted. Add to the mushrooms.
4. Add tofu ricotta, parsley, basil, and pine nuts to the vegetables. Season to taste.
5. To assemble, place lasagna sheet on a cutting board. Put a spoonful of filling on the pasta and roll up. In a casserole dish, drizzle olive oil on bottom. Layer sauce, then the roll ups, and top with sauce.
6. Bake in the oven until heated, about 30 minutes. Let it set for 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan Chickpea Brownies

For the Brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a square 8” baking dish with parchment paper, so it overlaps the dish.
2. Place the dates and water in a food processor and blend until it is a smooth paste. Add the chickpeas, aquafaba, cashew butter, and cocoa. Process until smooth.
3. Add chocolate chips and walnuts and pulse until incorporated. 
4. Scoop the batter into the baking dish and smooth down the top with a spatula. Press down on the batter to even out the top. Sprinkle some more chips and walnuts on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes. 
5. Remove from the oven and let the brownies for 5 minutes before lifting it from the baking dish and placing them on a rack to cool. Let it rest at least 30 minutes before slicing.