While stereotypical American dishes like hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and mac and cheese are popular across the US, these days, many consumers love to sample flavors from all over the world. According to research from Grand Canyon University, some of the most popular cuisines in the US include Chinese, Greek, Indian, Mexican, and Thai.
But when there are so many options, it can be hard to decide what to eat. Enter: fusion recipes. Below, we’ve compiled some of our favorite vegan dishes that celebrate the flavors of more than one cuisine. Gone are the days when you had to choose between the flavors of Mexico or Italy—just have both.
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What is a fusion meal?
A fusion meal refers to a dish that combines elements or ingredients from different culinary traditions, cultures, or regions. It involves blending flavors, cooking techniques, and ingredients from diverse backgrounds to create an innovative dish. For example, combining Mexican tacos with Chinese hoisin sauce (as seen in one of the delicious recipes below) results in a unique, flavor-packed dinner option. Essentially, fusion meals offer an exciting culinary experience by bringing together the best of multiple culinary traditions into one dish.
13 tasty vegan fusion recipes to try
Find some of our favorite vegan fusion recipes below.
1 Vegan Jamaican Beet and Feta Panzanella Salad
This vibrant, flavorful dish combines earthy beets, crispy Jamaican white bread, fresh mint, savory vegan feta, and a tangy, garlicky dressing. Inspired by Jamaican cuisine, it’s a delicious twist on traditional Italian Panzanella salad.
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Eric Isaac
2 Cheesy Vegan Tex-Mex Tofu Tacos
Tex-Mex is a fusion by design. It is, of course, a mix of Texan and Mexican cuisine, originating from the Texas-Mexico border region. This dish, which offers a vegan spin on breakfast migas, is a great way to enjoy the flavors of this delicious cuisine.
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Wade Hammond
3 Vegan Miso Mac and Cheese
A creamy bowl of mac and cheese is already cozy and comforting, but adding umami-rich miso, a traditional Japanese seasoning made with fermented soybeans, takes the dish to the next level.
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Wade Hammond
4 Vegan Spicy Korean BBQ Tofu Satay
Satay is a popular Indonesian street food, usually made with meat. But these tofu skewers are just as delicious, especially when combined with smoky-sweet Korean BBQ flavors.
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Hollan Hawaii
5 Curry-Spiced Vegan Tofu Scramble
If you love the warming flavors of curry powder, but you don’t fancy cooking a curry for breakfast, you need this tofu scramble recipe in your life. Best served with roasted potatoes and toast, this hearty dish is bursting with flavor.
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Barb Musick
6 Easy, Cheesy Vegan French Bread Pizza
For a quick, easy, kid-friendly lunch, combine a baguette (which, of course, comes from France) with traditional Italian pizza ingredients like marinara sauce, oregano, and vegan mozzarella.
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Emily Lavieri-Scull
7 Vegan Seafood Pasta in a Tangy Asian-Style Dressing
Umami-rich mushrooms and briny capers are ideal vegan ingredients for replicating classic Northeastern seafood flavors. But they’re arguably even better when combined with a tangy Asian-style dressing.
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Sara Stevens
8 Tempura Zucchini Burgers With Avocado Buns
This delicious, nutritious fusion of Western and Asian flavors—with crispy zucchini patties, sweet-and-spicy miso mayo, and salty nori—makes for a unique and tasty appetizer with a twist.
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Robin Robertson
9 Creamy Vegan Thai Mac
Featuring Thai basil, peanuts, red pepper flakes, and lime, this Asian fusion dish elevates the ultimate dinner favorite (we’re talking about comforting, creamy mac and cheese) to new heights.
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Mixed & Measured
10 Crispy Hoisin Tofu Vegan Tacos
Crispy tofu with hoisin sauce, a thick, flavorful, tangy sauce commonly used in Cantonese cuisine, and fresh quick-pickled cucumbers are the ultimate taco filling. Add more touches of Mexican cuisine by serving with chilies and guacamole.
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Luke Albert
11 Vegan Grillable Katsu Burgers With Wasabi Mayo
Combine BBQ with the flavors of Japan with this delicious grilled burger recipe, which features a tofu patty coated in smooth katsu sauce, crisp panko breadcrumbs, and a touch of wasabi mayo.
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Micah Siva
12 Simple, Creamy Vegan Tomato Hummus Pasta
Hummus, a creamy spread or dip made primarily from cooked and mashed chickpeas, is a popular dip in the Middle East. But while it’s usually eaten with pita, it also works beautifully as a pasta sauce with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil.
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13 Vegan Cajun Coconut Sweet Potato Rigatoni With Kale
This decadent pasta recipe combines Cajun spices—which typically includes a combination of ingredients such as paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic—with creamy sweet potato purée, nutritious kale, and rigatoni. The result is a creamy, flavor-laden dish that’s set to become one of your new go-to dinners.
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For more on vegan cooking, read:
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
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