Walnuts are one of the most useful and versatile of commonly available nuts. Here are 25 walnut recipes— some savory, others sweet, and all of them vegan. You’ll find baked goods, desserts, pastas, salads, pesto dishes and more, making ample use of this versatile nut.
The flavor of walnuts — sweet with a slightly bitter undertone — makes them compatible with both sweet and savory preparations. On the sweet side, walnuts are often used in cookies, cakes, granola, and the like.
Walnuts are also welcome in salads, grain pilafs, and more. As you’ll see, they’re amazing as an ingredient used in homemade plant-based meatless ground.
Their plethora of nutrients and valuable Omega-3 fatty acids makes them a welcome addition to any well-rounded repertoire (unless, of course, there’s a tree nut allergy to consider. Find out a lot more about this beloved nut in this site’s Guide to Walnuts.
Salads with Walnuts
Summer Plum and Beet Salad with Pecans or Walnuts: A plum and beet salad is offbeat, but somehow the combination works! As a midsummer small plate, it’s a cross between a savory salad and fruit salad.
Quinoa and Fennel Salad with Walnuts and Cranberries: Quinoa and fennel salad features the anise-flavored vegetable, and is made festive with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries.
Grain dishes with walnuts
Lemony Bulgur Pilaf with Green Beans and Mushrooms: Here’s a hearty bulgur pilaf with a lilting lemon flavor, embellished with green beans, white beans, fresh herbs, and nuts.
Couscous Pilaf with Dried Fruits, Apple, and Nuts: Here’s an easy couscous pilaf, studded with dried fruits, nuts, and apple, that makes a perfect side dish with vegetable curries. It’s also a great choice for stuffing vegetables. While the photo shown uses almonds, the recipe gives the option of swapping in walnuts.
“Meaty” plant-based dishes using walnuts
Hot tip! Walnuts are a fantastic ingredient to use for making your own plant-based ground. Here are just a few super-tasty recipes.
Skillet Tempeh Hash: A hearty tempeh hash is a fantastic savory weekend breakfast or brunch. This one makes great use of tempeh, transforming it easily into vegan chorizo-style crumbles embellished with walnuts.
Walnut & Tempeh Taco Filling: Two high-protein foods team up to make a tasty walnut and tempeh taco filling. A cousin to vegan burger crumbles, this recipe goes a long way
Walnut & Mushroom Vegan Taco Crumbles: These beefy-textured vegan taco crumbles are made with walnuts, mushrooms, and either bulgur or quinoa.
Korean Beef-Less Rice Bowl: Classic Korean Beef Bowl is an easy recipe to convert to a completely meatless version. And here we have it — a vegan Korean beef-less bowl.
Walnut Pesto & Pesto Pastas
Dairy-Free Arugula Pesto: Here’s a bold and fragrant arugula pesto made without the usual Parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast is optional but highly recommended to give it a hint of cheesy flavor.
Kale Pesto Pasta with Mushroom “Bacon”: Kale pesto goes a lot farther than using a bunch of basil, the traditional ingredient in pesto — and maybe you’ll find that it tastes even better.
Pasta with Leafy Greens Pesto: Leafy greens pesto using spinach, arugula, and/or watercress is a lighter, greener sauce for pasta, potatoes, and more.
Sweet dishes & baked goods
Vegan Banana-Walnut Pancakes: These dense, oat-based vegan banana-walnut pancakes have a fabulous flavor. They rise best when the batter is spread thin.
Unbaked Strawberry & Blueberry Crisp: Two favorite spring-to-summer fruits come together in this dessert that’s as pretty as it is easy to make. For this unbaked strawberry and blueberry crisp, make sure to use the best possible strawberries.
Unbaked Peach Crisp with Summer Berries: When you want a lovely and easy summer fruit dessert that’s ready in no time, this vegan unbaked peach crumble with lush berries will do the trick.
Stovetop Apple and Blueberry Crisp: Summer meets fall in this fresh, fruity apple and blueberry crumble, a vegan dessert made in a skillet, right on the stovetop.
Apple or Pear Crumble: A simple vegan apple or pear crumble is a wonderful way to highlight fresh fruit in the cooler months. With an easy-to-prepare oat crumble topping, it’s as wholesome as it is delicious.
Zucchini Muffins and Quick Bread: Tender vegan zucchini muffins make a great snack, and a welcome change-of-pace from sandwiches for school lunches
Easy Vegan Banana Bread: Wholesome yet seductively rich-tasting, vegan banana bread is quick and easy to make.
Vegan Jam Bars: Richly sweetened with all-fruit preserves, these vegan jam bars are an enjoyable treat for kids and adults alike.
Cranberry Carrot Cake: This vegan cranberry carrot cake is festive and luscious, yet features a minimum of fat and a plethora of fresh fruit (and a vegetable!).
Cranberry-Orange Muffins: The flavors in these vegan cranberry orange muffins are citrusy and naturally sweet, making a wholesome treat or snack for any time of day.
Vegan Blueberry Baked Oatmeal: Made with fresh or frozen berries, vegan blueberry baked oatmeal is a cross between a dessert and a meal.
Oat and Blueberry Breakfast Cake: This simple-to-assemble vegan oat and blueberry breakfast cake makes a satisfying and deliciously sweet breakfast treat any day of the week.
Unbaked Vegan Chocolate Brownies: You won’t believe how easy it is to make these unbaked vegan chocolate brownies, rich with nuts and sweetened with dates.
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies: Using both chocolate chips and cocoa powder, these delectable vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are an easy-to-make treat.
No-Bake Date-Nut Cookies: No flour. No sugar. Yes to tasty treats! With just a few choice ingredients, these no-bake date nut cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth, guilt-free.
Homemade Crunchy Granola: With more than a slight nod to the kind of granola that took off in the sixties and never faded away, this homemade crunchy granola just might become your go-to recipe.
For lots more walnut recipes, visit California Walnuts, but keep in mind, a lot of them won’t be vegan (though many would be easy to veganize!)
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