Craving the fun and flavors of hot pot but eating plant-based? We feel your frustration. Many hot pots contain meat, seafood or bone broth – not exactly vegan friendly. But you can still enjoy this tasty communal dining experience. With a few simple substitutions, hot pot transforms into a totally vegan meal while keeping all the cozy, mouthwatering goodness you love.
The key is to swap the traditional animal-based ingredients for plant-powered options. Rather than bone broth, create a flavorful vegan broth using mushrooms, onions, garlic and aromatic spices. Skip the meat and go for plant-based proteins like tofu, seitan or tempeh. Load up on fresh veggies like bok choy, mushrooms and broccoli. Vermicelli rice noodles, glass noodles or spiralized veggies provide satisfying noodles. Garnish with fresh herbs, chili oil and soy sauce.
With easy ingredient tweaks, vegans can immerse themselves in steaming, fragrant hot pot along with friends. The bubbling broth lets you cook bite-sized morsels perfectly. Take a plant-based approach to this popular pastime without sacrificing the interactive fun or mouthwatering flavors. A vegan hot pot satisfies your comfort food cravings and leaves you feeling nourished. Let’s get cooking!
What Is Hot Pot?
For those new to it, hot pot involves cooking thinly sliced meats, vegetables, and noodles in a shared simmering broth at the table. Traditional versions use meat, seafood and bone broth. But the basic concept works perfectly for vegan hot pot.
Why Try Vegan Hot Pot
Hot pot offers fun and flavors vegans will love:
- Interactive experience – Cooking bite-sized morsels is engaging
- Flavorful broth – A complex, aromatic broth is the key
- Healthy – It’s loaded with vegetables and plant-based protein
- Customizable – Cook what you like in the broth
- Perfect for gatherings – A shared social meal
- Satisfying – From the cozy broth to the variety of tastes
With a few tweaks, anyone eating vegan can enjoy this meal.
Tips for Vegan Hot Pot
Creating amazing vegan hot pot is easy when you:
Use a Vegan Broth
Skip the bone broth. Instead make your own veggie broth.
Simmer mushrooms, onions, carrots, garlic, ginger and aromatics for a few hours to extract flavor.
Season with soy sauce, miso paste, chili oil, rice vinegar, hoisin or five
Strain and use the super flavorful broth as your hot pot base.
Add Plant-Based Protein
Take your pick of satisfying vegan protein:
- Extra firm tofu – Delicious when very fresh
- Seitan – Wheat gluten has a meaty texture
- Tempeh – Fermented soybeans are nutty
- Edamame – Filling and nutritious soybeans
- Mock meats – Try vegan chicken, pork, beef or shrimp
Thinly slice into bite-sized pieces. Let guests cook their own in the pot.
Use Vegan Noodles
Many traditional noodles contain egg. Switch to vegan friendly options:
- Rice vermicelli – Soak in broth until softened
- Glass noodles – Made from mung beans or potato starch
- Zucchini noodles – Spiralize fresh zucchini into healthful strands
- Shirataki noodles – Low carb konjac yam noodles
- Rice noodles – Check ingredients to ensure no egg
Load Up On Veggies
Pile your hot pot plate high with all your favorite veggies. Great choices include:
- Mushrooms
- Bok choy
- Napa cabbage
- Broccoli florets
- Bell peppers
- Asparagus
- Green beans
- Snow peas
- Baby corn
- Water chestnuts
- Carrots
- Daikon radish
- Onions
- Spinach
- Bean sprouts
Dip veggies in the simmering broth until perfectly cooked.
Sample Vegan Hot Pots To Try
Get inspired with these tasty vegan hot pot ideas:
Japanese Style Vegan Hot Pot
- Kombu broth with miso, sake, mushrooms
- Tofu
- Shirataki noodles
- Nori, greens, sprouts
Thai Coconut Curry Vegan Hot Pot
- Coconut milk broth seasoned with red curry paste, lime, cilantro
- Seitan
- Vermicelli rice noodles
- Mushrooms, bok choy, chili peppers
Szechuan Spicy Vegan Hot Pot
- Chili oil broth with garlic, ginger and five
spice - Tempeh
- Glass noodles
- Bok choy, broccoli, carrots
- Garnish with peanuts
Zen Vegan Hot Pot
- Mellow broth of mushrooms, kombu, garlic
- Tofu
- Zucchini noodles
- Spinach, mushrooms, edamame
- Scallions and sesame seeds
Make Vegan Dipping Sauces
Whisk up flavorful vegan dipping sauces:
- Chili oil, vegan fish sauce, vinegars, tamari as the base
- Ginger, garlic, scallions, citrus for flavor
- Mango, ponzu, hoisin, sriracha or sambal oelek to taste
- Cilantro, basil, mint, chives to finish
Plan a Vegan Hot Pot Meal
To stay energized, plan your day:
- Breakfast – Overnight oats with fruit
- Lunch – Grain bowl with chickpeas, avocado, tahini
- Dinner – Vegan hot pot!
This well rounded plan gives you carbs, protein and healthy fat.
Tips for Vegan Hot Pot Success
Follow these tips:
- Make a flavorful vegan broth for the base
- Choose your favorite plant proteins like tofu and tempeh
- Load your plate with a rainbow of vegetables
- Use vegan noodles like rice noodles or zucchini noodles
- Whip up zesty vegan dipping sauces
- Go easy on starchy veggies like potatoes or corn
- Sip the hot broth to stay hydrated
Enjoy Vegan DIY Cooking
With a few easy substitutions, you can savor hot pot alongside friends, even as a vegan. Simply swap the traditional animal products for plant-based alternatives. The communal experience remains, but now it’s fully vegan. From the steaming, fragrant broth to the rainbow of vegetables, vegan hot pot satisfies your cozy comfort food craving. Get creative with flavors and let the cooking begin!
