The right tools and ingredients make vegan cooking dramatically easier. Without them, you're working against yourself. With them, you can make restaurant-quality plant-based food in 20 minutes. Here are the 10 things worth prioritising as a new vegan.
This list is split into ingredient essentials (things to always keep stocked) and tool essentials (equipment that pays for itself in the first month). Start with whatever you don't already have.
Ingredient Essentials
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast ("nooch") is deactivated yeast with a cheesy, nutty, umami flavour that nothing else quite replicates. Sprinkle it over pasta instead of parmesan, stir into sauces for a cheesy depth, add to popcorn, or use it to make vegan cheese sauces. Fortified varieties also provide B12. A bag lasts months and costs very little.
🧀 Flavour + NutritionFirm Tofu
Tofu is the most versatile vegan protein. Crumble it for scramble, cube it for stir-fries, slice it for pan-frying, blend silken tofu for creamy sauces. The key is pressing the water out first and marinating it — plain tofu is bland. Pressed and marinated tofu is genuinely delicious. Buy in bulk and store in the fridge in water, changed daily.
💪 Protein WorkhorseCanned Legumes (Chickpeas, Lentils, Black Beans)
These are the backbone of hundreds of quick vegan meals — chana masala, lentil bolognese, black bean tacos, chickpea stir-fry, hummus. Canned versions are just as nutritious as dried and take zero prep time. Keep at least 4–6 cans of different legumes in your pantry at all times.
🫘 Cheap + VersatileMiso Paste
White or yellow miso paste is a fermented flavour bomb. A teaspoon adds deep savoury richness to soups, dressings, marinades, and sauces. It's especially useful for replacing the umami depth that meat often provided. It keeps in the fridge for months and costs very little per use.
🍜 Umami BoosterSmoked Paprika + Kala Namak
Two spices that transform vegan cooking. Smoked paprika adds a deep, smoky flavour that replaces what bacon or chorizo used to do. Kala namak (black salt / Himalayan black salt) has a natural sulphurous taste that mimics eggs — essential for tofu scramble and vegan egg dishes. Both are cheap and available online or in Indian grocery stores.
🧂 Flavour SecretsCheck labels before any new ingredient.
Miso paste, soy sauce, and other condiments sometimes contain hidden fish or dairy. Photograph any label with Food Check AI for an instant verdict. Free on iOS and Android.
Tool Essentials
High-Speed Blender
A good blender is the single most-used tool in a vegan kitchen. It makes: cashew cream (the base of most vegan cream sauces), smoothies, soups, sauces, vegan mayonnaise, nut milks, and more. A mid-range blender (NutriBullet Pro, Ninja) is sufficient. You don't need a Vitamix to start — though if you use it daily, it becomes worth it.
🔄 Use DailyTofu Press
Pressing removes excess water from tofu so it crisps rather than steams. Without pressing, tofu stays soft and bland. With pressing and a 30-minute marinade, tofu comes out golden, flavourful, and satisfying. Basic tofu presses are inexpensive and make a bigger difference than most kitchen gadgets. Alternatively, wrap tofu in a clean cloth and press under a heavy pan for 30 minutes.
📦 Game ChangerFood Processor
A food processor makes vegan burgers (blending beans and grains), hummus (in seconds), energy balls, nut butter, and vegetable prep dramatically faster. If you cook regularly, this pays for itself in time saved within weeks. A mid-range processor handles everything a new vegan needs.
⚡ Speed Up PrepCast Iron Skillet or Good Non-Stick Pan
Tofu needs high heat and a good surface to crisp properly — a flimsy pan will make it stick and steam. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet or a quality non-stick pan is essential. Cast iron holds heat better and lasts a lifetime; non-stick is easier to start with and clean. Both work — pick based on your cooking style.
🍳 Crispy Tofu HeroInstant Pot or Rice Cooker
Batch-cooking legumes and grains is the secret to sustainable, cheap vegan eating. An Instant Pot cooks dried chickpeas from scratch in 40 minutes (versus 90+ on the hob), and you can make 6 portions at once. A basic rice cooker is even simpler — set it and walk away. Either significantly reduces the effort of a plant-based diet.
⏱️ Batch Cook EverythingWhat You Don't Actually Need
A few things are often recommended but aren't necessary for most new vegans:
- Spiralizer — fun, but zucchini noodles can be made with a peeler
- Dehydrator — useful for raw vegans; not needed otherwise
- Every vegan meat substitute — these are expensive and processed; real whole-plant cooking is cheaper and healthier
- Expensive nut milks — a high-speed blender lets you make your own oat or almond milk for pennies
One more essential: Food Check AI
Stock your kitchen with confidence. Photograph any ingredient list and know instantly if a product is vegan — hidden dairy, E-numbers, and all. Free on iOS and Android.
