Sauces Archives | Stephanie Dreyer

July 9, 2019

These Falafel Burgers might just be my favorite Trader Joe’s meal hack yet! Using their falafel mix as a base, I added in some of my favorite Greek condiments to make a tasty burger (that tastes like an oversized falafel). I topped it with a quick DIY garlic dill aioli and easy pickled red onions for a Mediterranean burger that is bursting with flavor. I’d serve these with homemade steak fries, seasoned with Penzey’s Spice’s Greek seasoning and a drizzle of red wine vinegar. Yum!

But these Falafel burgers aren’t just for inserting between buns or pita pockets – crumble them on salads, chop them in Mediterranean bowls or layer them in a Greek casserole. I’m excited about all the ways to use these in all kinds of ways! This recipe makes a big batch and they freeze well so store them to reinvent into new recipes again and again.

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Falafel Burgers with Garlic Dill Aioli & Pickled Onions (Vegan)

Servings 30 burgers

Ingredients

For the Falafel Burgers

1 box Trader Joe's Falafel Mix
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup spinach chopped
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Kalamata olives coursely chopped
15 pita bread rounds

For the Garlic Dill Aioli

1/4 cup dairy-free mayo such as Wildwood Garlic Aioli
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried dill
1 clove garlic grated

Pickled Onions

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 red onion sliced in rings

Instructions

For the Falafel Burgers

Combine the falafel mix and water. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. If batter is too thick, slowly add in up to a half cup more of water until desired consistency is reached.
Stir the remaining ingredients into the burger "batter".
Using a cookie scoop, spoon a full scoop onto a greased baking sheet. Flatten the scoop so that it looks like a hamburger patty. The patties will be looser than traditional veggie burgers, but they should stay together and not be runny. Continue with the rest of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
To serve, slice a pita in half. Spread with the Garlic Dill Aioli. Insert a falafel burger and a few of the Pickled Onions.

For the Garlic Dill Aioli

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir well.
For the Pickled Onions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes (the longer, the better).

by Stephanie Dreyer

June 25, 2019

As much as I love a good veggie burger, I love to change it up on the grill. Vegetable steaks are one of my go-to foods to cook up for a crowd. I keep it simple with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of a good salt and pepper. But, the magic happens in this chimichurri. My brother-in-law is from Argentina, where this is served tableside on everything. When he taught me how to make it, he didn’t use measurements. It was “a little of this and that.” I’ve refined the recipe just a tad so I can share it with you! My brother-in-law chops everything by hand but I suppose you could throw everything in a blender or food processor if you want to save yourself some prep time. I personally love the process of the chopping as the chimichurri all comes together. For maximum flavor, make it a couple of hours in advance to allow everything to meld together.

I love this on everything – grilled tofu, Portabello mushrooms, cauliflower steaks, roasted vegetables, grilled bread, corn on the cob…there really isn’t anything that isn’t delicious with chimichurri on it!

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Chimichurri Sauce

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

1 bunch parsley finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 lemon juiced
1 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp salt

Instructions

Combine the parsley, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl.
Pour in the olive oil and salt. Stir to mix.

Tell me how you’re going to serve this Chimichurri Sauce in the comments below!

Grilled Vegetable-Steaks-and-Chimichurri

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 28, 2018

I know it’s pumpkin season but do yourself a favor and say hello to butternut squash! It’s the star ingredient in this Fall Bowl and is the base of the savory sauce drizzled on top.

I am a bit obsessed with this squash this season. It’s sweet but savory and full of robust flavor that even the kids can love.

Fall-Bowl

Batch cook the veggies and sauce on the weekend so you can throw this bowl together for lunch or dinner when you’re short on time. I used raw kale, but it would also be good sauteed in some vegetable broth. The spinach is an easy swap for kale too.

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Fall Bowl with Butternut Squash Cream Sauce

Ingredients

For the bowl:

4 cups chopped kale
1 medium butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 cups cremini mushrooms cleaned and quartered
½ cup steamed lentils
4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Butternut Squash Cream Sauce

1 cup butternut squash peeled and cubed
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup cashews (soaked overnight if not using a high speed blender
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 garlic cloves roasted
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°.
Spread squash, mushrooms and garlic on a sheet pan. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning. Toss to combine and evenly coat the vegetables. Roast for 30-40 minutes until squash is tender.
For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble, place two cups of kale in two bowls, Top each with half of the vegetables. Spoon ¼ cup lentils into each bowl.
Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each bowl. Store the rest in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Makes 2 bowls

Fall-Bowl

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 15, 2018

These Pizza Roll Ups quickly became a favorite with my kids! I made them on a whim and now Jake keeps asking for them every week!

With just 4 ingredients, they are so simple that I made them while I prepped dinner. You could also batch cook them on the weekend and reheat them in the morning. I packed them in a thermos and the kids told me they were still warm at lunch.

This Vegan Pizza Roll Ups are a fun twist on a kid favorite - pizza! Batch cook them on the weekend and serve with more pizza sauce for dunking. Fun and delicious!

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Pizza Roll Ups

Ingredients

1 refrigerated pizza dough
⅓ cup marinara or pizza sauce
½ cup dairy-free Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, such as Follow Your Heart or Violife
⅛ cup sliced black olives

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface.
Spread the marinara sauce over the crust, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge of the circle.
Sprinkle with the cheese and top with the olives.
Start on the side closest to you and roll the dough into a log, sealing it on the bottom and stretching it out it’s about 1-inch in diameter.
Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 1-inch rounds. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Serve with marinara sauce.

Recipe Notes

Makes about 12 roll ups

Serve them with more marinara or pizza sauce for dunking. These Pizza Roll Ups are so much fun to eat! Hooray for a new option for the school lunch menu rotation!

This Vegan Pizza Roll Ups are a fun twist on a kid favorite - pizza! Batch cook them on the weekend and serve with more pizza sauce for dunking. Fun and delicious!

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 9, 2018

Give me a savory sauce and I can usually get my kids to try any vegetable! This Dill Tahini Sauce is one of my faves.

I love it poured over vegan bowls for lunch or spooned simply over roasted veggies. You can use this Dill Tahini Sauce as a dip with crudite or a dressing. Add more garlic or dill to your liking!

This Dill Tahini Sauce is a delicious dip for veggies or the perfect dressing drizzled over your favorite vegan bowl. Customize the garlic and dill to your liking!

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Dill Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup tahini
¾ cup water
Juice of 2 small lemons or 1 large lemon
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and mix until smooth.

Recipe Notes

Makes 1 1/2 cups

This Dill Tahini Sauce is a delicious dip for veggies or the perfect dressing drizzled over your favorite vegan bowl. Customize the garlic and dill to your liking!

by Stephanie Dreyer

October 2, 2018

This recipe is the only way I can get my kids to eat tempeh. They tell me it’s a texture thing. So, what’s a mom to do? I pulse it up into a rich and hearty tomato sauce and serve it over their favorite pasta. They’re not super excited about it, but they eat it!

I made this recently on a busy weeknight in 30 minutes. It’s also a great recipe to batch cook on the weekend and pull out when you’re short on time. Just boil some pasta and make a salad while the spaghetti cooks. It freezes really well so I usually reserve half to serve up another time.

This Tempeh Bolognese is the only way I can get my kids to eat tempeh. It's crumbled in a rich tomato sauce with onion, garlic and veggies and simmered until tasty! Serve over your favorite pasta for an easy meatless weeknight meal.

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Tempeh Bolognese

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped celery
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 8 ounce package tempeh
1 28 ounce can of marinara sauce
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes undrained
½ cup of red wine optional

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, oregano, basil and garlic, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until vegetables are browned, stirring often.
Break the tempeh into small crumbles with your hands, and stir into the vegetables.
Add in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, and wine (if using).
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe Notes

Makes about 4 cups

This Tempeh Bolognese is the only way I can get my kids to eat tempeh. It's crumbled in a rich tomato sauce with onion, garlic and veggies and simmered until tasty! Serve over your favorite pasta for an easy meatless weeknight meal.

by Stephanie Dreyer

February 8, 2018

I love a good creamy sauce to pour over my family’s favorite pasta. This Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce is smooth and luscious with just a few ingredients — and your blender. Make it in minutes. Instead of milk, this dairy-free sauce uses cashews to achieve its silky velvet texture. It all comes together in just minutes, and is easy clean up with only the blender to wash!

My kids love this over farfalle, jumbo shells, or regular spaghetti. Sometimes, I will cook penne, toss it with broccoli and the sauce and bake for 20 minutes for a baked dish that has some extra plant power.

You won't miss the dairy in this creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce - perfect for pouring over your family's favorite pasta! #vegan #dairyfree

This Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce is my go-to cream sauce for my recipes. Leave out the sun-dried tomatoes and add roasted red peppers for a twist or leave out the tomatoes all together for a creamy white sauce that is delicious in its own right. Enjoy!

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Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

2 cups cashews soaked for 2 hours or overnight and drained
2 cups vegetable broth
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained
¼ cup lemon juice about 1 lemon

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and mix until smooth.