Basics Staples

Basics Staples
Hereā€™s your go-to space for all the essential vegan recipes. These are the building blocks of a plant-based kitchenā€”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 youā€™re just starting with plant-based cooking or looking to level up your everyday meals, youā€™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.
šŸ‘‰ Think of this page as your vegan essentials toolboxā€”ready whenever you are.

A glass jar labeled ā€œBALSAMICā€ sits on a white plate, filled halfway with healthy balsamic vinaigrette. A wooden spoon rests inside the jar. The dark background makes the homemade balsamic vinaigrette stand out clearly.

Healthy Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

A clear glass pitcher filled with a creamy orange sauce sits on a light gray countertop; the sauce appears speckled with herbs. In the foreground, part of a small dish with a glossy brown sauce is visible. The background is softly out of focus.

Chipotle Ranch Dressing (Easy Homemade Recipe)

A glass bowl with creamy Greek yogurt sauce, mixed with chopped dill, sits on a pink surface. A wooden-handled spoon rests inside. Nearby are four mini cucumbers and a halved lemon with visible seeds.

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (Greek Yogurt Cucumber Sauce in 10 Minutes)

A close-up of an open Instant Pot filled with cooked pinto beans in liquid, perfect for making instant pot refried beans. A metal ladle scoops some beans; the background features part of a wooden cutting board and white countertop.

Cook your beans in an Instant pot

A beige bowl filled with creamy #InstantPotBeans refried beans, topped with chopped fresh cilantro and sunflower seeds. The bowl sits on a white surface, partially wrapped in a red and white striped cloth, with scattered herbs nearby.

Instant Pot refried beans

A white cup pours vibrant red homemade Chipotle BBQ sauce into a black cast iron skillet filled with sautƩed 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 tomatilloā€”perfect ingredients for Calabacita salsa recipe inspiration. Fresh cilantro leaves rest in the foreground.

Zucchini Salsa Recipe (salsa taquera)

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