Greasy Vegan Recipes to Impress Your Friends on Game Day

Let’s face it — when it comes to vegan food, most people think raw carrots, gross fake meat, and a severe lack of protein. Certainly, that is ONE way to eat vegan, but another is to have a well-balanced meal. 

Most meat, cheese, and dairy ingredients have a plant-based counterpart that can be substituted for a remarkably similar experience. Will it be exactly the same? Of course not. Is bacon still the irreplaceable holy grail? Of course it is. But our love of food comes from a few different sources, namely the fat content and the different flavors. 

Now, just because it’s vegan doesn’t always mean it’s healthy. You can still get that greasy, spicy, fatty party food while staying 100% plant-based. Here are a few tips on how to make some fantastic vegan food for your next birthday party.

“Cheese” sauce

When it comes to plant-based diets, one of the hardest things to replicate is cheese. However, this recipe comes pretty darn close. This vegan cheese sauce recipe will open up so many new doors for you and your upcoming party. In a few simple steps, you will have a bucket of hot, sticky sauce that looks and tastes like a creamy cheddar cheese blend.

This vegan cheese sauce is great because the more you cook it, the thicker it gets. It can be used in a variety of recipes, including grandiose grilled cheeses, fully loaded nachos, stuffed peppers, and cheesy fries. How can you beat that? Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• ½ cup cashews
• 1 medium-sized carrot sliced into ½ inch thick coins
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp tapioca starch
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp turmeric

Step 1: Boil carrots and cashews in a pot until they are soft.

Step 2: Transfer cashews, carrots, and 1 cup + 2 tbsp of the water it was boiled in into a food processer. Discard extra water.

Step 3: Add all remaining ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth.

Step 4: Pour mixture back into the pot and stir on low heat until it reaches your desired consistency (stretchy and thick).

Step 5: Enjoy!

Obviously, feel free to add additional spices as you see fit to reach the flavor that works for you. Once you have this phenomenal sauce, do some experimenting. You’ll undoubtedly discover countless ways to incorporate it into classic pub-style food.

Nachos 

Try your new cheese sauce on this recipe!

Ingredients 

• Vegan cheese sauce (see recipe above)
• Tortilla chips
• Sliced jalapenos
• Black beans
• Sweet corn
• Diced red onions
• Guacamole
• Chopped tomatoes

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400° F. 

Step 2: Place chips evenly on a large oven-safe pan or baking tray. Cook for 7 minutes. 

Step 3: Remove baking tray from oven and drizzle warm cheese sauce over the chips.

Step 4: Add the jalapenos, beans, corn, and onions to the nachos. Feel free to substitute or add any additional toppings to make your perfectly unique nachos.

Step 5: Place tray back in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes or until everything is heated to perfection.

Step 6: Top with guacamole and fresh tomatoes

Step 7: Enjoy!

Stuffed jalapeno poppers

Or you can take that cheese sauce and spice things up a bit with jalapeno poppers!

Ingredients

• Cheese sauce (see recipe above)
• Jalapeno poppers (see recipe below)

Jalapeno popper breading:

• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp cornmeal
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• pinch of salt and pepper
• ½ tsp of cayenne pepper 

Jalapeno popper batter:

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup unsweetened oat milk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Step 1: Cut tops off of the jalapenos. Remove all the seeds and innards from the peppers. Set peppers aside.

Step 2: To make the batter, start by making vegan buttermilk. In a bowl, mix the oat milk and lemon juice. Then add the flour and corn starch. Mix thoroughly.

Step 3: To make the breading, mix all of the breading ingredients into a bowl. 

Step 4: Make sure cheese sauce is thick and not runny. Fill the peppers with cheese sauce about ¾ of the way.

Step 5: Coat the peppers in batter, then roll them in breadcrumbs until fully coated.

Step 6: If you are going to fry them, boil a few cups of oil in a pot and carefully set the poppers into the oil. Make sure they are fully submerged, or you can flip them halfway through. Once golden brown, remove from oil and place on a paper towel bed. If baking, place on a pan in the oven at 425° F for 30 minutes.

Step 7: Enjoy!

 

Alt Text: A large delicious spread of vegetables and cheese sauce on a wooden table. Two chefs are present and one is cutting lettuce.

Find the perfect private party venue for the big game

Now that you’ve got some vegan recipes to try, it’s time to start searching for a private party venue to take things to the next level.

Sure, you could host your friends at your home. But between cleaning your house and cooking before the party, watching the game, and the post-party cleanup, you’ll have a lot of responsibilities!

Make things easier for your guests (and yourself) by booking a private party venue where you can all watch the game together. You’ll find an array of venues that come equipped with a full kitchen. Which means you can impress your friends with your new vegan treats without having to worry about cleaning up.

Ready to host a game day party that your friends will never forget? Start searching for private party venues near you today. Bonus points if your spot has a kitchen where you can try recreating these recipes!