10 Gifts That Instantly Take Vegetarian Cooking to the Next Level

We’re tired of the cliché that vegetarians only eat salad. Vegetarian cooking is so much more than chopping lettuce and concocting a fresh vinaigrette. Living life without consuming meat, or sometimes without eggs or dairy, can be challenging and unfortunately bland. Not only do vegetarians and vegans have a hard time finding restaurants that accommodate their no-meat diets, but cooking at home can be difficult as well. Instagram-worthy vegetarian recipes tend to require special equipment to get the job done beautifully and efficiently. Here are 10 tools every vegetarian chef will appreciate.

1. Vegetable Spiralizer: You don’t have to be a vegetarian to love zoodles. This Spiralizer 5-Blade Vegetable Slicer ($30) makes veggies into healthy, curly pasta that makes anyone cutting back on gluten say, “yum.”

2. Nut Milk Bag: Some vegetarians are also dairy free, but store-bought almond milk can be loaded with sugars. This mess-free Ellie’s Best Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag ($9) is great for skimming out pulp for a smooth and creamy homemade almond milk. It also works for juice! Make sure to send this veggie-friendly gift along with a fresh batch of organic almonds and a Libbey Glass Milk Bottle ($10).

3. Garlic Chopper: All foodies, especially veggie foodies, have probably racked up hours chopping garlic. This incredible GarlicZoom Garlic Chopper from Chef’n ($12) doesn’t just slice; it also chops your garlic to a fine mince or a coarse dice.

4. Cast Iron Dutch Oven: A quality dutch oven has so many uses, like one-pot pastas, stews, and soups. Plus its enamel coating makes it easy to clean. This Lodge Red Dutch Oven ($50) has more than 5,000 five-star reviews.

5. Food Processor: Every vegetarian or vegan cook has encountered an amazing recipe that they could not do because it required a food processor. An inexpensive mini one like this KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Mini Food Processor ($50) is perfect when you’re cooking for one or two people.

6. Tofu Press ($20): Squeezing excess liquid from tofu can be tedious but necessary. This handy EZ Tofu Press ($20) gets that liquid out so your tofu is ready to soak up some flavor.

7. Dehydrator: Dried fruit or veggies can be a great healthy snack for vegetarians and vegans who want to avoid food additives in packaged snacks. The Presto Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator ($60) makes dehydrating food easier and faster than using the oven.

8. Soymilk Maker: Usually, veggie-friendly folk grab soymilk at the grocery store, but what fun would it be to make their own from scratch? The SoyaJoy Sow Milk Maker ($140) can make milk from beans, grains, and seeds without the additives that most store-bought soymilk contains. It’s also a handy tool for making soup.

9. Peeler: The one thing every vegetarian cook should have in their kitchen is a good veggie peeler. The Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler ($10 for three) is a top seller on Amazon, and it’s colorful, just like your kitchen.

10. Vegetarian Cookbook: There are so many great vegetarian cookbooks out there. However, if you are going to buy one book for your veggie-friend’s kitchen, this one is amazing. The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone cookbook is written by Deborah Madison ($34), who has been dubbed the “Julia Child of vegetarian cooking.” You can’t get a better endorsement than that.

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