16 stunning vegan appetizers

The basics of the vegan aperitif

If you try your hand at vegan cooking, here are some ingredients that will save the day, as an aperitif.

Legumes

Lentils, chickpeas, peanuts and beans… All are part of the large family of legumes, which are often considered the best friends of vegetarians and vegans. Excellent sources of fiber and protein, they offer a wide range of possibilities in terms of recipes. Spreads, legume pancakes, falafels, nothing can resist them. Not to mention that the juice contained in the jars, aquafaba, allows you to do without eggs. As an aperitif, we use it to make vegetable mousses or vegan mayonnaise, to dip fries and raw vegetables.

Tofu and its derivatives

Cooking tofu well is an art. However, we assure you that once it is mastered, it is used in many recipes. For appetizers, for example, we make skewers of marinated tofu or tempeh (another product derived from soy), while silken tofu is useful to replace the traditional quiche. There is also seitan, often used in plant-based cooking. On the other hand, being made from wheat gluten, it is not suitable for people with intolerances.

The imitations

Do you know imitation leather, this fabric reproducing the appearance of leather? In cooking too, there are imitations: imitation meat and imitation cheese (or similar cheeses). They have the appearance, texture and taste very close to meat and cheese, but are made without animal products. If a few years ago, they were only sold in specialized grocery stores, today, plant-based cold cuts and cheeses can be found in most supermarkets. As an aperitif, these products are very practical for preparing vegan pizzas or skewers. The only drawbacks are their high prices and often long lists of ingredients. To overcome these problems, you can, for example, make vegetarian sausages yourself, or make your own legume steaks. In this case, it is better to cook in large quantities and freeze the excess. This will save you time the next time you have dinner over.

How to prepare gourmet vegan appetizers?

When it comes to the vegan diet, clichés die hard! So, many imagine that an aperitif without meat or cheese is only composed of a sad platter of raw vegetables. Fortunately, this is not the case, because if a vegan aperitif does indeed contain vegetables, it also gives pride of place to gourmet recipes such as plant-based burgers and vegan quiches. Also, traditional rillettes and terrines are revisited with lentils or nuts. There are even certain recipes for vegan foie gras or “faux gras”, made with cashew nuts. Stunning, isn’t it?
Finally, don’t forget the chips and aperitif biscuits, absolutely essential for an aperitif worthy of the name.

Also read: Ideas for a vegetarian barbecue

Our recipe ideas for a vegan aperitif

Vegan puff pastry, hummus, spring rolls… Let yourself be seduced by 16 vegan appetizer recipes. I promise, you will be won over.