Basics & Vegan Staples

Basics & Vegan Staples

Here’s your go-to space for all the essential vegan recipes. These are the building blocks of a plant-based kitchen—simple, reliable, and full of flavor. From homemade milks and sauces to everyday staples like beans, rice, and dressings, these are the recipes I come back to again and again.

Whether you’re just starting with plant-based cooking or looking to level up your everyday meals, you’ll find easy, no-fuss recipes to keep in your rotation. Most of them use pantry-friendly ingredients and take just a few minutes to make.

👉 Think of this page as your vegan essentials toolbox—ready whenever you are.

A white cup pours vibrant red homemade Chipotle BBQ sauce into a black cast iron skillet filled with sautéed brown mushrooms, releasing steam. The neutral, light background highlights this vegan cooking process.

Homemade Chipotle BBQ Sauce (Easy + Vegan)

A creamy, beige tofu crema is being poured from a blender into a speckled ceramic cup. A wooden spoon rests beside the cup on a white surface. The liquid forms gentle swirls as it fills the cup in this bright, minimalistic scene.

Vegan Mexican Crema (Tofu-Based)

How to Cook Brown Rice

A glass jar filled with colorful pickled vegetables, including carrots, green beans, peppers, onions, and zesty Mexican pickled jalapenos. The jar sits on a pink napkin atop a speckled white plate with a brown leather loop, against a bright white background.

Mexican pickled jalapenos (chiles en Vinagre)

A glass mason jar filled with yellow simple vinaigrette, with seasoning settled at the bottom and a spoon inside. The jar sits on a wooden surface, metal lid beside it, and blurred lettuce leaves in the background as sunlight streams in from the left.

Healthy Homemade Vinaigrette

A skillet filled with homemade refried beans sprinkled with cheese sits on a woven placemat. A wooden spatula rests in the pan. Next to it, a gray bowl holds crispy tortilla chips, all on a white marble countertop.

How to Reheat Canned Refried Beans (And Make Them Taste Homemade)

A glass bowl of green soup with a wooden spoon sits on a beige plate. Behind it are two zucchinis, one sliced, and a green tomatillo—perfect ingredients for Calabacita salsa recipe inspiration. Fresh cilantro leaves rest in the foreground.

Zucchini Salsa Recipe (salsa taquera)

aquafaba whipped cream3

How to Substitute Eggs in Recipes

An authentic speckled ceramic bowl brims with vibrant pico de gallo on a light surface. The lively mix includes diced red tomatoes, chopped white onions, green cilantro, and jalapeños. A wooden spoon is partially immersed in the fresh ingredients, offering a rustic touch.

Authentic Pico de Gallo

A stack of freshly made homemade flour tortillas wrapped partially in a white cloth with red and blue stripes. The flatbreads have a light golden-brown color with darker brown spots, indicating they were cooked on a hot surface, and are placed on a light marble countertop.

Homemade Avocado Oil Flour Tortillas

mermelada de chia

Easy Berry Chia Seed Jam

A ceramic bowl filled with vibrant red salsa, featuring diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños. The bowl is on a white surface with tortilla chips and sliced jalapeños nearby. A small wooden spoon lies to the right of the bowl.

Salsa Ranchera