Do vegan Ukrainian recipes exist? Although traditional Ukrainian dishes love their salo, sour cream and cottage cheese, there are actually plenty of ideas on how to make them vegan.
While working on my list of vegetarian recipes from Ukraine, I came across several vegan ideas you should absolutely try!
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Let’s see how we can turn traditional recipes plant-based.
🌱Best Vegan Ukrainian Recipes
This beet soup is part of the Ukrainian Christmas food tradition as it’s prepared without any meat or sour cream.
You get a bowl of veggie goodness flavored with aromatic spices—very comforting and even better the next day.
This version of Ukrainian soup is low in calories and you’d probably want to add something to it for a complete meal. To give it more protein, I suggest adding some beans or, if you’re feeling daring, lentils or chickpeas.
Another option is to make small dumplings called vushka which you can fill with mushrooms. My grandma makes them for every Christmas Eve dinner (Sviata Vecheria).
This beet salad is mostly referred to as vinaigrette in Ukraine. It’s an originally vegan recipe which only contains boiled veggies and a light olive oil dressing.
The vegetables here are carrots, beets, potatoes, pickles and red onions. I also love adding red or white beans because that’s how my mum always made it.
The dressing is super simple—just olive oil, salt and black pepper.
I couldn’t not include eggplant caviar in this list. It’s such an amazing appetiser, perfect for spreading on toast or crackers.
Although I was more familiar with squash caviar growing up, eggplant caviar has actually become my favorite.
Some recipes have all the ingredients mushed together, but I prefer a bit of texture in mine. Just try it on a piece of toasted bread—yummy!
You can serve eggplant caviar at themed parties along with some other popular party foods from Ukraine.
Paska is a traditional Ukrainian bread everyone makes for Easter. I love this holiday bread so much because when my grandma makes it, the whole house smells amazing.
For a vegan version of Paska, you can easily substitute the eggs and butter with plant-based alternatives. This version uses vegan butter and coconut milk.
Vegan paska makes such a wonderful healthy recipe and I can’t wait to impress my family with this idea next Easter.
Check out my article on Ukrainian Easter dishes for more ideas!
🥗More Ukrainian Recipes You Can Make Vegan
Vegan Holubtsi (Cabbage Rolls)
Make delicious cabbage rolls by using mushrooms instead of meat in the classic recipe. You can also stuff them with grated or mashed potatoes—another popular thing here in Ukraine.
It’s the ultimate Ukrainian comfort food so enjoy it this way if you’re vegan.
Vegan Deruny (Potato Pancakes)
The original recipe includes eggs to bind the ingredients together. You can easily make vegan potato pancakes by using a flax egg instead.
It’s also possible to make crispy potato pancakes without eggs at all and just rely on flour and the starch from the potatoes.
Pampushky (Garlic Bread Rolls)
It’s very easy to make fluffy garlic bread rolls without dairy. I often simply use water instead of milk and they turn out just as great.
No borshch is complete without pampushky. And if you can make borshch vegan, you can make pampushky vegan too!
Try out my vegan pampushky recipe below!
Ingredients
- 1 cup lukewarm plant-based milk (such as almond, soy, or oat milk) (250 ml)
- 1.5 tsp sugar
- ½ tbsp active dry yeast
- 2.5 tbsp oil (sunflower or olive oil)
- 3.5 cups flour (420 g)
- ¼ tbsp salt
For brushing:
- ½ tbsp maple syrup (or agave syrup)
- ½ tbsp water
Garlic Glaze:
- 1 oz oil (30 ml)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tbsp sea salt
- 2.5 tbsp fresh dill
Instructions
- Begin by combining lukewarm plant-based milk, sugar, and active dry yeast in a mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.1 cup lukewarm plant-based milk, 1.5 tsp sugar, ½ tbsp active dry yeast
- Whisk in the oil until fully combined.2.5 tbsp oil
- In a separate bowl, mix the salt and flour. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, either using a stand mixer or kneading by hand until the dough becomes elastic. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for about an hour.3.5 cups flour, ¼ tbsp salt
- Grease a baking pan with oil. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces, shaping each into a ball. Arrange the dough balls on the baking sheet with about 1-inch of space between them.
- Cover the dough balls with a towel and let them rise for approximately 30 minutes, or until they double in size. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup (or agave syrup) and water for brushing. Brush this mixture over the tops of the dough balls.½ tbsp maple syrup, ½ tbsp water
- Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the pampushky are golden brown.
- While the bread is baking, prepare the garlic glaze by combining oil, minced garlic, dill, and sea salt in a small bowl.1 oz oil, 3 cloves garlic, ½ tbsp sea salt, 2.5 tbsp fresh dill
- Once the pampushky are done baking, brush the warm bread with the garlic glaze. Serve immediately and enjoy!
💪How to Add Protein to Vegan Ukrainian Recipes
If you’re looking for vegan Ukrainian food, you might consider these protein sources to make them more filling:
- Beans: Add beans to soups like borshch or salads like vinaigrette for a protein boost.
- Lentils: Lentils are a great addition to soups and stews, adding both protein and fiber.
- Nuts and seeds: Sprinkle some nuts or seeds on top of your dishes for added texture and protein.
- Whole wheat bread: We Ukrainians love bread and bread buns, so opt for whole wheat versions to go with your soups or spreads.
Whether you’re a vegan or simply exploring, enjoy Ukrainian cuisine with these delicious recipes.
Check out more traditional foods from Ukraine and let me know what you think!