Slow cooking mushrooms in ginger and garlic broth gives this vegan hot and sour soup a deep and delicious flavor. Perfect crock pot meal!
My poor slow cooker has spent most of its life gathering dust on a shelf, but lately it is getting a workout thanks to Kathy Hester’s new book, The Vegan Slow Cooker. With easy recipes, a clean layout, and lovely photos, it’s enticed even a last-minute cook like me to think ahead a little and get my crock pot going in the morning so that when dinnertime comes the meal is already done. Fortunately, Kathy’s publisher sent me two copies of her book, so I have one to share with a lucky reader–maybe you! [Update: A winner has been drawn. Thank you to all who entered. See the end of the post for details.]
When you open The Vegan Slow Cooker, the first thing you’ll notice is the layout: each recipe has its own page (no turning back and forth between ingredients and instructions) with ingredients on the left and instructions on the right. Kathy breaks the instructions down into two parts, what to do the night before and what to do in the morning, so that the recipes come together quickly in the morning when you’re likely to have less time. And if you’re a visual person, you’ll be happy to know that there are large, professionally shot photos of about 40 of the 150 recipes. Most recipes are easy and call for ingredients that are not hard to find in supermarkets.
Many of the recipes do use seitan and soy, but Kathy offers substitutes and includes recipes for making your own seitan (“Chick’n” and “Beefy”) as well as a gluten-free apple sage sausage, homemade ketchup, and low-sodium “chickeny” bouillon. Soy-free and gluten-free recipes are marked with symbols, and asterisks indicate substitutes for soy and gluten.
Though many of the recipes contain a little olive oil or vegan margarine, there are several recipes that are fat-free as written, including Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto, Caribbean Mango Black Beans, and Chile-Chocolate Black Bean Brownies (includes walnuts). Most of the oil that is used is easily removed by sauteing with water or broth, though the recipes that include vegan cheese may be a little harder to adapt for low-fat dieters.
You can get a taste of Kathy’s recipes for yourself at her blog, Healthy Slow Cooking. She has also contributed several to the main Fatfree Vegan Recipes site, where they’ve become some of the most popular recipes. You can see them all on this page.
I had a hard time deciding which recipe to test from the book–both the Pumpkin Lasagna and the Caribbean Mango Black Beans had me intrigued–but the decision was taken out of my hands when my husband saw the Hot and Sour Soup recipe. It’s a soup he’s been craving ever since he became vegetarian, and I just haven’t found a recipe he really likes.
Kathy’s version, however, was a huge success. Though it wasn’t exactly what he remembered, it was so flavorful due to the long-cooking of the mushrooms in garlic and ginger-flavored broth–we both loved it.
Though the recipe says that it makes 4 servings, they are very big servings, and since we were eating it as part of a meal that included stir-fried vegetables and rice, we actually enjoyed leftovers for two more meals. I didn’t think the 1 teaspoon of chile sauce (I used Sambal Oelek) would be very spicy, but it turned out too hot for E, so spicy-haters beware and use a little less. With the chile sauce on the side, this soup will be a regular in our house.
Kathy's Slow-Cooker Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 1 10-ounce package sliced mushrooms (280g)
- 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms stems removed and caps sliced
- 1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained and jullienned (225g)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15-ounce package firm or silken tofu, cubed (420g)
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger, divided (16g)
- 4 cups water (940ml)
- 2 tablespoons vegan chicken-flavored bouillon (16g)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari, for gluten-free) (30ml)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil plus extra for drizzling (Susan's note: I didn't need the extra)
- 1 teaspoon chili paste
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (30ml)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas (225g)
Instructions
- The Night Before: Store the cut-up mushrooms, bamboo shoots, garlic, and tofu in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the prepared ginger in another airtight container in the fridge.
- In the Morning: Combine the mushrooms, bamboo, shoots, garlic, tofu, 1 tablespoon (8g) of the ginger, water, bouillon, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, and vinegar in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.
- A few minutes before serving, add the peas and the remaining 1 tablespoon (8g) ginger and stir to combine. Taste the broth and add more vinegar or chili if needed. Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil on top of each serving. If you like it milder and your friends like it hot, serve the chili paste on the side.
- Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 6 to 8 hour(s)
- Number of servings (yield): 4
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please pin and share!
betsy
Direction for conventional cooking for those of us without storage space for a crock pot?
Heather
My fave is making BBQ jackfruit. It gets so yummy in flavorful after a long cook!
I feel like I don’t use my slow cooker nearly enough though so I would really really like to have this book:)
Mary
Looks so amazing!
My favourite slow cooker recipe is chili and it’s also the reason I would love a copy of this book – it’s really the only thing I ever make in my slow cooker!
Lisa A.
I noticed this book on Amazon a few days ago and I would love to have it, so I could use my slow cooker more often and hopefully save some time in the kitchen. My favorite slow-cooker recipe for the only dish I ever cook in my slow cooker is black bean chili.
Leah Adamowicz
I need me a new vegan cookbook!!! 😉
Allison White
I’ve been eying that cookbook for days now. nom nom.
Carol
I love slow cooking! I have three in my house and use them nearly daily. My favorite thing to make is lentil soup – lentils, onions, carrots, veggie broth. Cook on high for four hours and you have a great lunch.
Paula
I have never found vegan slow cooker recipes and this book sounds like a dream come true. Even if I don’t win the book, I plan to put it on my Christmas list of dream gifts.
Joelle
I just found my grandma’s slow cooker in her basement and this book would be a great way to finally use it!!
Emily
My current favorite is a black lentil recipe from The Indian Slow Cooker by Anupy Singla.
Sarah
I have a slow cooker. I use it for mulled apple cider and that is about it. I don’t know how to cook with it. 🙁
Anna
Vegetable stews, for sure! I love crock-pots and smelling the root vegetables cooking all day.
Colleen
I was just looking at this book a couple days ago, & thougt it looked like a great book! Your stamp of approval is a great endorsement. I’d love a copy! Thanks for all the work you do in your blog 🙂
Heidi
Un-fried Beans for Tacos
Our very easy and probably favorite crockpot use is when I discovered that you don’t have to soak beans or cook them on the stove. So: rinse a pound of pinto beans in the morning. Put them in the crockpot (I have a bigger one). Fill it with plenty of water–about 3/4 of the crockpot full. Turn it on low and leave for the day.
When you come home, drain as much water off as you need to; add liquid smoke, taco seasoning, and anything else that you want to make them yummy. Sometimes I mash up a cup’s worth or so to make them creamier. With the right seasonings, these are soooo yummy!
We have them with the usual taco toppings (for us: nutritional yeast, good salsa, onions, corn, cilantro.)
I agree with other commenters that it’s hard to find really good vegan crockpot recipes!
Fiona
Thanks for this recipe – I will be trying this because I love tacos!
Kate
I love using the slow cooker to cook dried beans, make seitan, and cook chili and stews! This way I’m not stuck in the house attending to things all day.
Melissa
I’d like to have a copy of this book because I am constantly cooking 2 meals – one for the vegans, one for the omnivores – and this would help me do them at different times!
Karen
Great looking recipe, will be trying it soon. I would love this cookbook because I use my crockpot at least twice a week and new recipes are always fun to try.
thanks
Susan
Thank you for what you do with this great electronic venue . Having been a vegetarian for over 10 years , with half of those years living in Florida. Down here it’s difficult to find good Vegan/Vegetarian eateries without getting a curious look. I have been doing most cooking at home as a result, & have had my slow cooker tucked way in the back on my top shelf. I thought my Wok was the way to quick, healthy family suppers. I would love, love , love to use my slow cooker again to create a warm simmering meal after long day at work in an Oncology office.
The miso soup recipe looks fabulous. I attended a macrobiotic cooking workshop to learn how to make miso soup. Well, it didn’t quite come out as I had hoped. Thanks for the opportunity to fall in love with slow cooking again as I throw my hat into the ring for the Vegan Slow Cooker cookbook. With gratitude, Susan Wright
Kelly
I would love, love, love to win a copy of this wonderful book because my big, beautiful, stainless steel slow cooker has been so lonely since I turned vegan seven years ago! Thanks!
Michelle
My favorite slow cooker recipe is any kind of stew or chili…a necessity for keeping me warm and happy during cold midwestern winters!
Amanda
My fav slow cooker recipes are chili and crockpot apple cider….
I’d love a copy of this book. I’m pretty new to the vegan thing and learning to slow cook (vegan) this fall for the family 🙂
Gwen Z
The cookbook sounds awesome! I’ve only recently gone vegan but use my slow cooker for a number of items, mostly soups and chilis. My most exciting discovery of slow cooker use, however, was learning that I can cook sweet potatoes in it. They turn out so tender and juicy and I don’t have to turn on the oven!
Lisa
I’d love to win a copy because I have a slow cooker I’ve never used and I need inspiration! So many times I go looking for recipes and only find chili-type dishes, which I’m not a fan of. This book seems to have a lot more variety.
karen lyles
I’d really like this cookbook. I am looking for books that have alternatives to soy since I overreact to soy in an unpleasant way. I love hot and sour soup too, but avoid the tofu!
Diane Bonaccorsi
I have never used a slow cooker since so many of the slow cooking cookbooks were all about meat, but after seeing the recipe for hot and sour soup I am more then interested in getting a slow cooker and would love a copy of this book.
Jess
Thank you for the chance to win this book! I love french onion soup out of the slow cooker!
Laura B
YUMMY! I’ve been looking for ethnic vegan crockpot recipes!
Thank you for the wonderful ideas! I’ll be trying this soon.
Caroline
Kathy, I’m so glad you’ve started posting slow cooker recipes since the rainy season has just started here in Oregon. It can get pretty rainy and cold and there is nothing better than a nice hot bowl of soup or stew from the slow cooker. I will be trying this Hot and Sour soup recipe to jump start a season of slow cooking vegan dinners. Yum!
Laura B
With a household of kids coming and going at all hours (2 in college), using a slow cooker/crock pot is a great way to have a meal available for hours without an extra fuss. I make a few meals repeatedly in a crockpot during the fall and winter – they get pretty boring – mostly soups/stews – and I’m looking for some fresh ideas for my hungry brood. I’m sure they would appreciate a change, too!
I can’t wait to try this soup. It looks wonderful! My family would appreciate some new meal ideas!
Mitzi
I’d like a copy of that cookbook because I used to enjoy coming home to the delicious smell of good food cooking in the crockpot, but since going on a healthier eating plan, most of those old recipes are history. Chili will still work, and some soups, but I’d like a broader repertoire going into writing a dissertation this winter and spring. (Ph.D., cell biology and biochemistry)
Jaclyn
1. Chicken Tortilla Soup. All you have to do is dump everything in, set it on low for 6 hours, and out comes the best tasting soup known to man.
2. I haven’t used my slow cooker since I became Vegetarian a year ago and I miss using it. I am hoping to pull it out again soon to discover new Fall and Winter recipes!
Linda Lewis
This recipe looks so delicious and healthy. I would love to have copy of your book for at least 3 reasons. One, I have been a vegan for over a year and a half for health reasons. I was a lacto vegetarian before that for 31 years. I am thrilled with being veagn. I wish I had done it sooner. I am so much healthier. second I love using my slow cooker already so having your cookbook would be a delight with so many all vegan recipes! I cook for my husband and I. But I did raise 6 boys and have 3 grand-children so of course it happens fairly often I cook for the kids to. Finally it is such a pure compassionate and even spiritual way to eat. Thank goodness for folks like you showing the world how fun and good tasting vegan eating is.
Patrick D
Hi Susan! Just wanted to say thank you for this awesome cite. I’m new to the world of vegan cooking and I’m so happy there is someone out there who doesn’t want to dump oil and margarine into every recipe. The cookbook would be a fantastic way to start off my vegan cooking journey!
Nichole
I love that she organized the recipes by “the night before” and “the day of.” That’s the kind of organization and forethought I need when planning meals in my slow-cooker. I’m in grad school, with super long hours and it’s amazing when dinner’s already ready for me when I get home!
Tina
I would love a copy of this book. I am vegan, but cook for meat eaters, meaning I cook 2 meals every time I cook. It would be great to have lots of vegan options to put in the crock pot to reduce my time in the kitchen. Thanks!
Mb
i want to start using my slow cooker more
Carolyn F Jurgens
Vegan, breastfeeding mother of 6 month old needs help getting nourishment… dinner prep time is also bedtime, so slow cooking offers the ideal solution. I would LOVE this book to make things easier and yummier (I used to cook up a storm, now I get to eat alot of baked potatoes with avocado!)
Laura Faye
Hello! I’d love to win a copy because I want to use my slow cooker more so that I don’t heat up my apartment with the oven or stove. It’s still hot down here in Florida!
Joan
My son-in-law loves hot and sour soup so I’m going to have to make this for him and hopefully convince him that vegetarian/vegan foods ARE good. My favorite slow cooker recipes are ones I’ve adapted from Hannah Keeley’s website – Stop Light Stew, Coleslaw Soup and Lasagna. Meat eaters are surprised when I tell them “there’s no meat!”
Thanks for this recipe!
Melissa S
This hot and sour soup sounds like something I would love to try. I love cooking with a slow cooker and enjoy mixed flavors from the ingredients when done. I would also love to try the Caribbean Mango Black Bean soup. It sounds yummy too.