Creamy Vegan Saag Paneer (With Tofu)

The wonderful thing about saag paneer—the Indian staple of greens and fresh cheese in a creamy sauce—is that, in my experience, it's almost universally loved by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. But what if we wanted to make a completely dairy-free version?

The Food Lab's Creamed Spinach

The bare bones of this creamed spinach recipe are pretty straightforward and classic: The spinach is cooked low and slow to gradually concentrate its juices. Combined with a creamy béchamel sauce, it reduces into a rich, thick coating with a near pudding-like texture. The only minor embellishments I include here are a doubling-up of the alliums and a last-minute shot of crème fraîche for a final dose of creaminess and fresh flavor.

Smooth and Silky Cauliflower Purée

This simple cauliflower purée is the perfect choice when you want a flavorful side that's still restrained enough to let the other parts of your dinner do the talking.

Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This vegan version of a classic spinach and artichoke dip harnesses the power of cauliflower and cashews to create a rich, thick, and creamy base for the vegetables. Nutritional yeast, mustard, lemon juice, and garlic in two forms come together to pull off the tangy, savory flavors of sour cream and cheese.

Rich and Nutty Roasted-Cauliflower Purée

By roasting the cauliflower for this purée, we bring out deep, nutty flavors. The resulting dish has a complex flavor that's suited to more of a starring role in a dish—say, as a bold accompaniment to a simple piece of protein, like steamed or poached fish or chicken. Alternatively, you could go all in on its more robust flavor, serving it with something that can stand up to it, like a thick, juicy steak with a deeply seared crust.

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

How do you make a vegan version of fettuccine Alfredo when you can't use any butter, cheese, or cream? The secret is cauliflower, which can be transformed into a silky and rich purée with the help of some cashews and nutritional yeast.

Steakhouse-Style Creamed Spinach

Bring a steakhouse classic home with this easy Creamed Spinach recipe. It's the perfect side dish for your favorite steaks, seafood, and more. 

Spiced cauliflower salad

This spiced cauliflower salad recipe is a favourite at home for a light dinner or as a side for a friends and family lunch. 

Creamy, Dreamy Cauliflower Soup

You don't need cream to make a healthy, creamy cauliflower soup! Only 190 calories for a HUGE bowl, easy and very fast to make.

Vegan Italian-American Lasagna With "Ricotta"

Classic Italian-American Lasagna with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and more is a difficult dish to make vegan without those essential dairy ingredients. The secret to this convincing version is to offer up familiar textural and flavor cues so that you're less likely to notice what's not there.