Vegan Kung Pao Chicken Recipe: Authentic Taste with Plant-Based Meat
You might be thinking, “Wait, what!” How can this dish be called vegan Kung Pao chicken? Let me clarify. I am going to cook this dish in the same style as Kung Pao chicken. But I will replace the chicken with vegan options, such as lotus root, carrot, and cucumber. You can use other vegan options as well.
Here is my vegan Kung Pao chicken recipe, without the chicken. It has a combination of soft and crunchy texture along with a spicy kick. This refreshing dish can be your go-to choice any day. Let’s make some tasty vegan Kung Pao.
Table of Contents
Vegan Kung Pao Chicken Recipe Overview
As I am using only a few vegetables, the preparation won’t take much time. The following chart has the necessary information about the recipe.
| Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Medium | ||
| Total Time: 30 minutes | |||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories |
| 2 persons | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 220 kcal |
Ingredients Needed for Vegan Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Besides the vegetables, I will use some roasted peanuts to bring that authentic Kung Pao flavor. Here is the full list of ingredients you will need for this dish.
You Can Also Try: Soy Milk Drink Recipe
Main Ingredients for the Recipe
- Lotus Root: This will substitute the chicken in this recipe. Use one lotus root or about 200g of lotus root.
- Carrot: I used one large carrot of about 100g.
- Cucumber: One cucumber of about 100g will be enough.
- Peanut: Use about 50g of roasted peanuts. The peanuts should be peeled.
- Bean Paste: About 1 tbsp of bean paste
- Starch: 10g of cornstarch or potato starch
- Vegetable Oil: 1tsp
- Sesame Oil: 1 tsp
Sauces and Seasonings for the Recipe
- Salt: 1/2 tsp
- Sichuan Peppercorn: About 10g of Sichuan peppercorns
- Red Chili Pepper: 8-10 red chili peppers
- Oyster Sauce: I am using about 2 tsp of Matsutake vegetarian oyster sauce for this recipe.
- Vinegar: About 1 tsp of mature vinegar
- Matsutake Seasoning: 1/2 tsp. This will enhance the sweetness and the savoriness of the dish.
Vegan Kung Pao Chicken Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
The cuts of vegetables can greatly impact the overall flavor and texture of this dish. Let me show you the simplest ways of making this taste like traditional Kung Pao chicken.
You Can Also Try: Thai Basil Chicken Curry Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Lotus Root
As the lotus root takes most of the time, I will start with it. Cut the lotus root in half lengthwise. If there is any dirt or mud around the core, wash it off. Then, pat the root dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the lotus root into quarters. Then, cut them into cubes. Each chunk should be roughly 1 inch.
You Can Also Try: Chinese Garlic Shrimp Recipe
Step 2: Cut the Carrot and Cucumber
Peel the carrot and the cucumber first. Slice the carrot into quarters and then cut into cubes, just like the lotus root. Remove the seeds of the cucumber and cut it into cubes as well.
Step 3: Fry the Bean Paste
Heat a pan on medium flame and put about 1 tsp of vegetable oil in it. Once the oil is hot, put the bean paste. The bean paste has a raw smell that you need to eliminate.
You Can Also Try: Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Stir-fry the bean paste on low flame until it releases oil. At this point, the bean paste will emit a nice aroma. Be careful not to over-fry the bean paste. Otherwise, it will have a bitter flavor.
Step 4: Add the Peppers
Both the chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns will now go to the pan. Keep frying them until the chili peppers change color lightly.
Step 5: Fry the Lotus Root and Carrot
As lotus root and carrot take more time to cook, I am adding these two earlier. Mix all the spices with the vegetables and stir-fry the vegetables for a few minutes.
Step 6: Put the Sauces and Simmer
Next goes the Matsutake oyster sauce. You should cook it a bit to unlock its fragrance. Add a few splashes of boiling water to the pan and simmer for about two minutes.
Step 7: Add the Special Seasoning and Cucumber
Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of Matsutake seasoning to enhance the taste of the lotus root. Once the sauce thickens up a bit, you can put the cucumber in. You don’t want to cook cucumbers for too long. Otherwise, the cucumbers won’t feel crunchy.
Step 8: Pour Some Mature Vinegar and Starch Slurry
Pour the mature vinegar along the edge. Then, mix the starch with water to make a slurry and pour it into the pan. Mix everything well and cook for just one or two minutes. Once the sauce thickens up, the dish is ready.
Step 9: Garnish and Serve
Transfer the vegan Kung Pao chicken to the serving dish and serve with any rice or noodle dishes. You can also serve some vegan soups with it.
Nutrition Facts of Vegan Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
As this dish has multiple vegetables, you will get a lot of essential nutrients from it. Here is the list of nutrients in vegan Kung Pao chicken.
- Total Carbohydrates: 15g
- Protein: 13g
- Total Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 6g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Total Sugar: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 605mg
- Potassium: 73mg
- Calcium: 42mg
- Iron: 2mg
Vegan Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- As the lotus root takes most of the time, I will start with it. Cut the lotus root in half lengthwise. If there is any dirt or mud around the core, wash it off. Then, pat the root dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the lotus root into quarters. Then, cut them into cubes. Each chunk should be roughly 1 inch.
- Peel the carrot and the cucumber first. Slice the carrot into quarters and then cut into cubes, just like the lotus root. Remove the seeds of the cucumber and cut it into cubes as well.
- Step 3: Fry the Bean Paste
- Heat a pan on medium flame and put about 1 tsp of vegetable oil in it. Once the oil is hot, put the bean paste. The bean paste has a raw smell that you need to eliminate.
- Stir-fry the bean paste on low flame until it releases oil. At this point, the bean paste will emit a nice aroma. Be careful not to over-fry the bean paste. Otherwise, it will have a bitter flavor.
- Both the chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns will now go to the pan. Keep frying them until the chili peppers change color lightly.
- As lotus root and carrot take more time to cook, I am adding these two earlier. Mix all the spices with the vegetables and stir-fry the vegetables for a few minutes.
- Next goes the Matsutake oyster sauce. You should cook it a bit to unlock its fragrance. Add a few splashes of boiling water to the pan and simmer for about two minutes.
- Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of Matsutake seasoning to enhance the taste of the lotus root. Once the sauce thickens up a bit, you can put the cucumber in. You don’t want to cook cucumbers for too long. Otherwise, the cucumbers won’t feel crunchy.
- Pour the mature vinegar along the edge. Then, mix the starch with water to make a slurry and pour it into the pan. Mix everything well and cook for just one or two minutes. Once the sauce thickens up, the dish is ready.
- Transfer the vegan Kung Pao chicken to the serving dish and serve with any rice or noodle dishes. You can also serve some vegan soups with it.
FAQs
If you want to know more about this recipe, you can check the following answers to some commonly asked questions.
Q: What kind of sauce is good with vegan Kung Pao chicken?
You must cook vegan Kung Pao chicken with the special Kung Pao sauce. It is generally made by cooking bean paste, chili pepper, Sichuan peppercorn, vegan oyster sauce, and slurry together.
Q: Can I use tofu, tempeh, or seitan in this recipe?
Of course. All of these ingredients are excellent substitutes for chicken. You can use any or all of these items to make vegan Kung Pao chicken. Tempeh or seitan is even better than tofu as it absorbs a lot of flavor.
Q: Are there gluten-free options for making vegan Kung Pao chicken?
The recipe I showed you is already gluten-free. This recipe just contains vegetables, starch, and some seasonings. So, it can be a suitable dish for people who want to eat gluten-free.
Q: Can I use other nuts instead of peanuts in vegan Kung Pao chicken?
Yes, you can. In fact, using cashews can be a great idea. I prefer roasted cashews as they taste better than peanuts. They also give a better mouthfeel.
Conclusion
Whether to stop cruelty to animals or to live a healthier life, many people are choosing a vegan lifestyle these days. I thought why should they miss the fantastic flavor of authentic Kung Pao chicken? Especially when there are multiple plant-based substitutes for chicken.
I tried to keep the recipe as traditional as I could. You might experiment with it a bit by using your preferred vegetables or a few other seasonings. The glaze of the thick Kung Pao sauce on the vegetables is worth noting here. You will simply love the sweet and savory taste of vegan Kung Pao chicken. Make this dish today and take love from my side!
