Are man-made vegetables vegan? Yes, and 6 you can buy, from Broccolini to Bt sweet corn
Yes. Bred or engineered, these 6 are plants, with no animal gene in any file we read. Broccolini is our pick; Bt sweet corn is the one vegans argue about.
Ingredients
Ingredients is the aisle behind the aisle. Monoglycerides, nigari, carob, nutritional yeast: the words on the back of the pack that make people put things back on the shelf. For each one I cover what it is, whether it’s vegan (sometimes the honest answer is “depends on the source, and the label won’t tell you”), and what to swap it for, in what ratio. There are storage notes too, since half my spice drawer is older than some of your houseplants.
Verdicts come from how an ingredient is made, what manufacturers state and which certifications they carry. They don’t come from me licking a spoon and nodding thoughtfully. When the sourcing is unclear, I say it’s unclear instead of guessing in your favour.
Start here: Monoglycerides · Nigari, the tofu maker · Nutritional yeast · How long onion powder lasts · Carob vs chocolate
Tofu that tastes like chicken: freeze it for days, not a night, and 8 products checked
Freeze firm tofu for days, thaw it cold, tear it and simmer it in vegan chicken-style broth. 8 products checked; Knorr's chicken bouillon has chicken fat.
Chestnuts vs acorns: roast one, leach the other, and 8 products checked
Chestnuts and acorns differ: chestnuts roast and eat, acorns need their tannins leached out first. 8 products checked, one with tuna in the sauce.
Can you eat cucumber leaves? Yes, from a plant that isn’t bitter, and 6 seed varieties checked
Yes, young cucumber leaves can be cooked, if they don't taste bitter; heat won't remove cucurbitacins. 6 seed varieties checked; our pick is Marketmore 80.
Is sugar vegan? Bone char, the lot code on the bag, and 8 sugars checked
Sugar is vegan unless the cane went through bone char. Beet, USDA organic and Certified Vegan sugar skip it; on Domino or C&H, only lot 1, 4 or 6 is clear.
Why do chia seeds become gelatinous? The seed coat, the chia egg ratio and 7 bags compared
Chia gels because its seed coat holds mucilage. Chia egg: 1 tbsp seeds to 3 tbsp water. 7 bags compared; our pick is Terrasoul's black chia seeds.
Baking without butter: 9 swaps with ratios, and the water nobody measures
Use 3/4 cup oil per cup of butter, shortening or vegan sticks cup for cup in creamed bakes, and applesauce for half the butter. 9 swaps, fat and water compared.
Is tofu plant-based? Yes, except egg tofu
Yes. Plain tofu is soybeans, water and a mineral or acid coagulant. The exception is egg tofu. Seven packs and a tofu press, checked label by label.
Can you microwave tofu? Yes, and the pick is a block you don’t have to press
Yes, you can microwave tofu. House Foods says its tofu is safe from the container, and Hodo says its tofu is fully cooked. Heat it in a covered dish.
Carob vs chocolate: vegan and caffeine-free, but carob powder is about half sugar
Carob powder is vegan and caffeine-free, and about half sugar by weight; cocoa is under 2%. How to swap it for cocoa, and 7 carob powders and chips compared.
Is onion powder the same as onion? No, and the jars disagree on how much makes one
Onion powder is vegan dried onion, not a spoon-for-spoon swap: makers' ratios differ nearly 5 times. 9 jars compared; McCormick's onion dip mix has buttermilk.
Nutritional yeast: vegan every time, B12 only when the label lists it
Nutritional yeast is vegan, but its B12 is added, not natural. Of 6 bags, Bragg lists 15 mcg per 2 tbsp; Sari and Frontier's 1 lb large flakes list none.
Does onion powder go bad? It fades, it cakes, and 6 jars compared
Onion powder fades rather than spoils, and makers date it at 1 to 4 years. Steam is what turns it to a rock. 6 brands compared on ingredients and price.
Are monoglycerides vegan? Sometimes, and the label rarely tells you which
Sometimes. Mono- and diglycerides (E471) come from plant oils or animal fat, and the label rarely says which. A vegan claim settles it; we checked 5 products.
Nigari or gypsum: what the coagulant does to your tofu, brand by brand
Nigari is magnesium chloride from seawater, and it is vegan. Which US tofu brands use nigari, which use gypsum, what each does to calcium, and where to buy it.
