Vegetarian Recipes

Vegan Fish Tacos

By request! Vegan fish tacos. Or maybe it needs to be vegan “fish” tacos. Either way, here’s why I’m sharing the details today. A few weeks back I published the coleslaw recipe I’ve been making on repeat all year. In the post I mention one of my favorite ways to enjoy it – piled into these tacos. Specifics were requested, and here we are! The recipe is a bit of a weirdo, and came together one day when I was pulling things from the fridge – slaw, tofu, tortillas. This was a meal without much of a plan, and it has since become one of my favorite ten-minute lunches. Quick-marinated slabs of tofu are coated in a dusting of cornstarch and cooked until you get a golden crust. Tacos are assembled with a good slather of avocado, the tofu, tempeh bacon (if you want to double down), and finished after browning in a pan with a couple generous scoops of this spicy sesame coleslaw.

Each component can be prepped ahead of time, and will last for days in your refrigerator. When it’s taco time – cook up the tofu and/tempeh, assemble your taco, and finish with the slaw. I’ll also add another photo down below. I sometimes make a bowl-situation with the components of the vegan “fish” tacos swapping out tortillas for soba noodles.

Tofu: Puffy vs. Not

Tofu steps in for the fish component in these tacos. I use a strong, simple marinade plus a quick pan-fry. I should mention, on occasion, I’ll sometimes make a more puffy, beer-battered version of these – where you coat the tofu with a much thicker batter and then fry it in more oil than you see in todays recipe. But, the process is messier, a lot more decadent, and for an average weekday lunch or dinner, I prefer this version. I suspect you might too? It’s lighter and you get a lot of interesting flavors from the spicy sesame coleslaw dressing as well as the tofu marinade.

Can I Bake the Tofu?

Yes! If your oven is already going, and you don’t want to cook the tofu in a pan, bake it. Rub the pan with a bit of olive oil, skip the cornstarch step, and bake at 350F until the tofu is golden and bouncy in texture. Flip once along the way. You won’t get as much crispiness, but it’s still all good.

Vegan “Fish” Tacos: Make Ahead Components

The three main components for these tacos are the tofu, the coleslaw, and the tortillas. Tempeh bacon is optional, but I actually really love it in this recipe. It lends a nice smoky depth to the whole taco. Wayne often buys it, and the brand is Lightlife. If you don’t have it, or can’t get it, just leave it out – still so good! I make these often without the tempeh, but love them extra extra much when I have it.

Coleslaw: this is the coleslaw I’m talking about. It’s the only one I use for these tacos. The spicy sesame dressing is the magic that pulls everything together. Don’t skimp, pile on the slaw. The spicy sesame creaminess from the slaw dressing, the sweetness of the apple, and crunchiness of the cabbage is what makes these tacos special. Slaw can be used up to 4 or 5 days after making. So, slaw made on Sunday can be used throughout the week.
Tofu: You can whip up the marinade and add the tofu up to 3-4 days in advance. Or, start some on Sunday, and use throughout the week.

I hope you try these and enjoy them as much as I do! let me know if you play around with any variations.

Continue reading Vegan Fish Tacos on 101 Cookbooks

Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1 lemon $0.89
8 oz. pasta* $0.67
1 cup frozen peas $0.50
1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
1 Tbsp butter $0.11
1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.