Vancouver-based cookbook author and blogger Bri Beaudoin shares her expert advice for making a vegetarian meal into something even a carnivore will crave. (She also shared some incredible vegetarian comfort food recipes with us… check them out here!)

Vegetarian Cooking Tip #1: Taste as You Go

“A lot of cooks will under-season. Taste as you go, and add salt in small increments.”

Vegetarian Cooking Tip #2: Amp Up the Fat

“When you’re cooking with meat, it already has fat in it. To get that same depth of flavour with plants, you need to be prepared to add fat, umami and often a bit of salt.”

Vegetarian Cooking Tip #3: Embrace Acid

“What people love about a restaurant dish, but may not realize, is the acidity. Adding a spoonful of acid to a sauce or a tangy garnish can make a huge difference. Think lemon juice or pickled veggies.”

Vegetarian Cooking Tip #4: Stock Your Pantry Right

“Soy sauce, dried mushrooms and parmesan (or nutritional yeast) are vital to have on hand for adding umami; for acid, keep stocked with pickled red onions, tzatziki sauce and lemon.”

Take your vegetarian cooking even further and check out Evergreen Kitchen: Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone by Bri Beaudoin, available at booksellers across Canada now. 

Western Living

Western Living

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