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Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (January 9 – 15)

When you’re craving comfort food, your mind probably turns to dishes like pot roast, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, beef stroganoff and pasta Alfredo. This week, we’re seeking to prove that plant-based dishes can give you the same warm, cozy feeling as their meat- and dairy-based predecessors. Read on for seven dinners starring seasonal produce and vegan alternatives that will change the way you eat this winter.

45 Whole-Food, Plant-Based Recipes That Are Clean (but Taste Naughty)


what to cook this week january 9 15 shopping list
Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

Shopping List

Produce
6 garlic cloves
3 lemons
3 heads cauliflower
1 large ripe plantain (or 1 small sweet potato)
2 avocados
One 1-inch piece ginger
4 European cucumbers
3 large carrots
2 large yellow onions
2 stalks celery
2 large russet potatoes
1 pint mushrooms, such as cremini, Portobello or shiitake
3 ounces spinach
2 tomatoes
1 red onion
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
20 ounces butternut squash, peeled and cubed (or one 3-pound butternut squash)
2 bunches cilantro
1 bunch basil
1 bunch scallions
1 bunch rosemary
1 bunch thyme

Grains
4 corn tortillas
8 ounces sushi rice
6 ounces polenta
1 pound elbow macaroni

Canned and Packaged Goods
Sesame seeds
6 ounces raw cashews
48 ounces vegetable broth
12 ounces canned corn
5 ounces basil pesto
6 ounces firm tofu
4 ounces soy milk
10 ounces seitan
32 ounces vegetable stock
2 ounces panko breadcrumbs

Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, smoked paprika, rice vinegar, nonstick spray, sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, bay leaves, freshly ground black pepper, avocado oil, all-purpose or whole-wheat flour, garlic powder, ground cumin, hot sauce, dried rosemary, miso paste, dried tarragon, dried sage, onion powder, chickpea flour, vegetable oil, sugar, cayenne pepper, dried chile flakes, dried oregano, ground allspice

Monday: Cauliflower and Plantain Tacos with Lemony Pesto Dressing

Plantains are starchy and slightly sweet, so the citrusy blender pesto is the ultimate foil. Feel free to substitute broccoli or even cabbage steaks for cauliflower if you’d prefer.

Tuesday: Vegan Sushi Cups

Don’t sweat the rolling and special tools—this fish-free take on sushi is made in a muffin tin instead of on a sushi mat. Serve them with miso soup or yakisoba to make the meal even more filling.

Wednesday: Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Corn Chowder

Homemade cashew cream is the key to this chowder’s decadent texture. Top your bowl with everything from vegan cornbread croutons and chives to plant-based bacon and smoked tofu.

Thursday: Soft Polenta and Mushroom Bowls

Polenta doesn’t need to be drenched in melted butter and cheese to be delicious. Here, it’s stirred with avocado oil and topped with tender, golden-brown mushrooms and pesto instead.

Friday: Crispy Baked Cauliflower Wings

If you want the “wings” to be as close to the real thing as possible, use melted butter if you’re vegetarian (or dairy-free butter if you’re vegan) in the sauce instead of olive oil. And if you want to minimize the spice, use sweet chile sauce in place of hot sauce.

Saturday: Vegan Butternut Mac and ‘Cheese’ with Smoky Shiitake ‘Bacon’

Behold the definition of vegan comfort food. The sauce doesn’t have a drop of dairy in it: As it turns out, butternut squash makes a rich, uncanny substitute that any cheese stan will fall for.

Sunday: Vegan Kentucky Fried Chick’n

The Colonel is shaking in his boots. You won’t believe how satisfying this seitan (a high-protein, wheat-based dough) is, thanks to an impeccably spiced coating and a chickpea-based batter that crisps up like a charm when fried.

15 Vegan Dinner Ideas Even Carnivores Will Love


Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.


taryn pire

Food Editor

  • Contributes to PureWow's food vertical
  • Spearheads PureWow's recipe vertical and newsletter
  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College