(Image Sabich – Israel)
Whether you’re vegetarian or not, you probably still have to admit, there are some delicious vegetarian dishes out there. And if you’re looking for something new to try or are just now experimenting with vegetarian foods, we have some for you to check out. Many countries throughout the world are vegetarian or have a large population of vegetarian people, and therefore, have mastered meatless cuisine.
Palak Paneer – India
One of the first countries that come to mind when we think of delicious vegetarian dishes is, of course, India. Paneer is an Indian cheese you will find in vegetarian dishes. A plate you will see in Indian restaurants or you can make in the comfort of your home is called Palak Paneer. It consists of paneer, which you can buy or make yourself, spinach, onions, chiles, tomato, ginger garlic paste, dried fenugreek leaves, and cashews. Over at Indian Healthy Recipes, you can find a great recipe to follow and try it out on your own.
Falafel – Lebanon
If you’ve never had falafel, you are missing out on a tasty, light dish. It is a dish you can find throughout Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries, and it’s pretty easy to make, which is what you want to hear when you’re trying to cook something new. Falafel is a chickpea-based dish that is fried, crispy, and so delicious. Check out Little Ferraro Kitchen for a recipe you’ll want to save and keep on your rotation.
Scallion Pancakes – Taiwan
Who doesn’t love pancakes? If you’re mostly familiar with sweet pancakes, that’s alright, because you’re in for a treat; savory Taiwanese scallion pancakes are a dish everyone will love. They’re a light meal that you can pair with other foods or have them all on their own. Chez Jorge has a recipe that will make your mouth water. The basics of a scallion pancake are scallions and flour, and once they’re ready, have them with a good dipping sauce.
Nopales – Mexico
You might be surprised to learn that Mexico has a high population of vegetarians. In true Mexican fashion, they have created appetizing and flavorful dishes. Nopales – or cactus – is an ingredient that you can use in a variety of dishes, vegetarian and not. In this case, a great vegetarian dish to try is grilled nopales. You won’t need much, simply nopales, cheese, tomato, onion, and oil. Mexico in My Kitchen has an easy recipe to make grilled nopales. You can also make salads, tacos, and so many other foods with nopales as your meat substitute.
Sabich – Israel
The Middle East is full of delicious vegetarian options – as we mentioned above, they brought us the falafel! Sabich is another great vegetarian dish you can find specifically in Israel that you can make at home. The sabich consists of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, Israeli salad, and condiments that are stuffed into a pita and topped with tahini sauce and amba. You can find step-by-step instructions for how to make and put together a sabich over at My Jewish Learning.