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The Vegan Chinese Kitchen: Recipes and Modern Stories from a Thousand-Year-Old Tradition
100+ fresh, plant-based, umami-packed recipes that show the range of traditional and modern Chinese vegan cuisine from the creator of The Plant-Based Wok.
ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Simply Recipes
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Saveur, Vice, Epicurious, Library Journal
When Hannah Che decided to become a vegan, she worried that it would separate her from the traditions and food that her Chinese family celebrated. But that was before she learned about zhai cai, the plant-based Chinese cuisine that emphasizes umami-rich ingredients and can be traced back over centuries to Buddhist temple kitchens.
In The Vegan Chinese Kitchen, through gorgeous photography, stories, and recipes, Hannah Che shows us the magic of this highly developed and creative tradition in which nearly every dish in the Chinese repertoire can be replicated in a meatless way, such as Blistered Dry-Fried String Beans or Sweet and Sour Tofu. You'll also find recipes that are naturally plant-based and as irresistible as they are nourishing, such as flaky scallion pancakes, corn stir-fried with peppers and pine nuts, or pea shoots braised in a velvety mushroom broth made with sesame-oil roux.
This book will delight vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike, inviting you to explore a whole world of flavors and ingredients.
ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Simply Recipes
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Saveur, Vice, Epicurious, Library Journal
When Hannah Che decided to become a vegan, she worried that it would separate her from the traditions and food that her Chinese family celebrated. But that was before she learned about zhai cai, the plant-based Chinese cuisine that emphasizes umami-rich ingredients and can be traced back over centuries to Buddhist temple kitchens.
In The Vegan Chinese Kitchen, through gorgeous photography, stories, and recipes, Hannah Che shows us the magic of this highly developed and creative tradition in which nearly every dish in the Chinese repertoire can be replicated in a meatless way, such as Blistered Dry-Fried String Beans or Sweet and Sour Tofu. You'll also find recipes that are naturally plant-based and as irresistible as they are nourishing, such as flaky scallion pancakes, corn stir-fried with peppers and pine nuts, or pea shoots braised in a velvety mushroom broth made with sesame-oil roux.
This book will delight vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike, inviting you to explore a whole world of flavors and ingredients.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published September 13, 2022
266 people are currently reading
1116 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 15, 2023
Absolutely fantastic -- a joy to read cover to cover. The Vegan Chinese Kitchen has absolutely everything I could want in a cookbook: a diverse array of recipes predominantly comprised of fresh produce, beautiful photos, and interesting essays and reflections between chapters. I enjoyed reading about the histories of veganism in China, the author's experiences in culinary school, and a number of individuals who work in various capacities in food-related businesses in China. The book is well organized and easily navigable with tables of contents at the beginning of each chapter, and it contains everything someone new to Chinese cooking would need to know to get started (including recommended cooking equipment, types of tofu, and techniques for preparing common components like seitan from scratch). I was initially a bit nervous I'd struggle with this cookbook due to being allergic to a food that is both common in Chinese cuisine and the theme of an entire chapter of this book (mushrooms), but I will be able to make the very very vast majority of the recipes. Highly recommend.
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October 27, 2022Made: Dry-pot cauliflower, pan-fried tofu with pickled topping, fish-fragrant eggplant.
August 21, 2024
cannot recommend more highly, the recipes turn out DELICIOUS
July 6, 2024
I keep coming back to this book.
The recipes are easy to follow, the ingredients aren't terribly hard to find (even in my small east coast US town), and the results are always delicious. The stories are thoughtful and I enjoyed reading about Hannah's process of becoming a vegan chef. Most importantly, the food is DELICIOUS. I left China several years ago but still crave certain comfort foods. They're included in this book and they taste far better than anything I've found in restaurants around here. If you're new to making Chinese food, that's no problem. Hannah gives plenty of tips to make sure the dish is successful. I also appreciate the fact that none of the ingredients go to waste. If you buy a pantry item for this book, you'll use it in just about every chapter. I personally dislike when books recommend you buy an ingredient that's only mentioned in one or two recipes. I've borrowed this book from the library four different times. At this point, I'm just going to buy it.
The recipes are easy to follow, the ingredients aren't terribly hard to find (even in my small east coast US town), and the results are always delicious. The stories are thoughtful and I enjoyed reading about Hannah's process of becoming a vegan chef. Most importantly, the food is DELICIOUS. I left China several years ago but still crave certain comfort foods. They're included in this book and they taste far better than anything I've found in restaurants around here. If you're new to making Chinese food, that's no problem. Hannah gives plenty of tips to make sure the dish is successful. I also appreciate the fact that none of the ingredients go to waste. If you buy a pantry item for this book, you'll use it in just about every chapter. I personally dislike when books recommend you buy an ingredient that's only mentioned in one or two recipes. I've borrowed this book from the library four different times. At this point, I'm just going to buy it.
December 27, 2022
I borrowed this book from the library and it was excellent! I made an entire dinner (six dishes! phew that was a lot of chopping) out of it for my parents. My dad, who is notoriously picky about Chinese food (we never cooked it at home growing up because no one could replicate grandma's flavors) loved it. He complimented the authenticity of the dishes (good adaptions to being vegan) and that each of the six dishes had a distinct flavor profile, it wasn't the same set of things over and over. "I could be vegan if all food tasted like this!" - pretty high praise from a grumpy old meat-loving Chinese man. (He got a copy of the book for Christmas!)
My one complaint is that some of the cook times are optimistic, in particular the black bean kabocha recipe says to cook the kabocha until fork tender, 4-5 minutes... that isn't happening. Similarly the black sesame dessert needed a longer cook time for the raw rice taste to fully go away.
I made: Black bean kabocha, 5 spice tofu skin, braised wintermelon, wilted lettuce, smashed cucumber salad & the black sesame soup dessert. (Sorry I don't remember the exact dish names from the book)
My one complaint is that some of the cook times are optimistic, in particular the black bean kabocha recipe says to cook the kabocha until fork tender, 4-5 minutes... that isn't happening. Similarly the black sesame dessert needed a longer cook time for the raw rice taste to fully go away.
I made: Black bean kabocha, 5 spice tofu skin, braised wintermelon, wilted lettuce, smashed cucumber salad & the black sesame soup dessert. (Sorry I don't remember the exact dish names from the book)
June 18, 2023
Love this book! Wish I owned a copy of it! It has so many timeless recipes catered to a specific audience… what more can we want? I was hoping to see more Vegan recipes like the kind you only get to eat in Vegan restaurants in Chinatown NY. More vegetable recipes in the book coz there are so many you see in a Chinese store. There are so many yams… bitter melon, lotus seeds, etc. They didn’t make it to the book. I was left wanting for more!
October 17, 2022
Incredible cookbook on all fronts: the recipes are amazing; the stories about Chinese culture and vegetarian culinary history are engaging; the photos are beautiful. Have been reading it cover to cover since I bought it. One of my new favorite cookbooks.
December 25, 2022
First cookbook I’ve read cover to cover. Work of art!!
August 10, 2023
I enjoyed all the interesting things about the food and family as well as the recipes. This cookbook made.me hungry!😋
January 24, 2024
So good. I learned so much!
January 21, 2023
This book contains all the words to describe yourself as a vegetarian in Mandarin, the first book I've ever seen to do so. That in itself gave me the vocabulary I longed for during the year+ I spent in China with one of the most important parts of my identity completely lost in translation.
Also, every recipe slaps.
Also, every recipe slaps.
February 13, 2024
I’ve made a dozen dishes so far and they are incredible. The pan fried tofu with the olive brined greens? Amazing. Tofu skin with chili sauce melts in your mouth. I assumed the dry fried potatoes would stick to the pan and they didn’t! Some ingredients are difficult to find … I spent ages looking for the olive brined greens at a large Asian grocery. Found someone posted a picture on Reddit and then I found the same bottle! I’m making something from this once a week until I run out of recipes.
October 3, 2022
Che's book is everything that you want in a cookbook. A beautiful hardcover with background to the recipes & a beautiful colourful picture for every recipe. It features a lot of Chinese recipes from all over China that have been veganized for North American cooks.
January 7, 2026
I don't really love to read, and honestly the last time I read a novel was in 2015. I do, on the other hand, really love food, culture, language, travel, the whole shebang. I never thought I would read a cookbook FRONT TO BACK as if it were some sort of story with a plot, yet that is exactly what this book made me do. Hannah Che wrote more than a simple, encyclopedic cookbook here—and don't get me wrong, the book is very satisfyingly organized, is chock-full of recipes, and a truly helpful reference. But the recipes themselves aren't even necessarily what gripped me. The Vegan Chinese Kitchen felt very personal and special to read.
Inserted thoughtfully throughout the book are these little stories. Che shares valuable learning experiences as a student of the culinary arts, but with a personal touch to the stories that made my eyes water a couple times. Yes, I cried at a cookbook. There was something quietly sublime about the way she really highlights the beauty of Chinese tradition, and how vegan and vegetarian cuisine is so deeply intertwined with the culture and history of China.
One of the most thought-provoking parts for me personally, was in the introduction, where she talks about her experience as a child of immigrants, and how choosing to be vegan in college was perceived as "choosing" to abstain from the culture, to not participate in family traditions. This sent Che on a journey which taught her that being vegan could actually bring her even CLOSER to the culture and tradition she originally thought she would have to miss out on. And she shares little snapshots of that journey in this book.
TLDR; Hannah Che provides more than fantastic recipes in this beautifully designed book—she also shares the beauty and meaningfulness of the traditions in a way that is touching and inspiring.
P.S. I did buy my first wok and give it its first seasoning yesterday!
Inserted thoughtfully throughout the book are these little stories. Che shares valuable learning experiences as a student of the culinary arts, but with a personal touch to the stories that made my eyes water a couple times. Yes, I cried at a cookbook. There was something quietly sublime about the way she really highlights the beauty of Chinese tradition, and how vegan and vegetarian cuisine is so deeply intertwined with the culture and history of China.
One of the most thought-provoking parts for me personally, was in the introduction, where she talks about her experience as a child of immigrants, and how choosing to be vegan in college was perceived as "choosing" to abstain from the culture, to not participate in family traditions. This sent Che on a journey which taught her that being vegan could actually bring her even CLOSER to the culture and tradition she originally thought she would have to miss out on. And she shares little snapshots of that journey in this book.
TLDR; Hannah Che provides more than fantastic recipes in this beautifully designed book—she also shares the beauty and meaningfulness of the traditions in a way that is touching and inspiring.
P.S. I did buy my first wok and give it its first seasoning yesterday!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2023
Just perfect. I admit, I have just the e-book version therefore I can't yet enjoy the pictures and the heaviness of flipping pages and discovering new curiousities for my eyes.
Yet, I devoured every anecdotal part of the book, savouring the experience of the author and the centuries of knowledge of a culture that is not mine but that somehow I am attracted to and try to relate to and respect as much as I can.
Really, history of tofu skin? Memories of the teachers during her culinary school time?
Sign me up, because cuisine is not just about the food. It's about a legacy, a tradition, a story that makes you want to continue this path.
I read in the same month "Kitchen Confidential" by the late Bourdain, and I feel this book tells the exact opposite kitchen story, or better, Story: kitchen as serving others, as letting people nourish their body while respecting the lives and principles of other living beings, a kitchen experience that stems from the passing down from generation to generation of a knowledge that knows how to evolve itself, not for a money-thirsty business. And, moreover, calm. Full of trust. Full of love, I'd say: from teh author's family, teachers, friends, even readers and clients.
Overall, I think it will be my cornerstone for vegan kitchen for a long time.
Yet, I devoured every anecdotal part of the book, savouring the experience of the author and the centuries of knowledge of a culture that is not mine but that somehow I am attracted to and try to relate to and respect as much as I can.
Really, history of tofu skin? Memories of the teachers during her culinary school time?
Sign me up, because cuisine is not just about the food. It's about a legacy, a tradition, a story that makes you want to continue this path.
I read in the same month "Kitchen Confidential" by the late Bourdain, and I feel this book tells the exact opposite kitchen story, or better, Story: kitchen as serving others, as letting people nourish their body while respecting the lives and principles of other living beings, a kitchen experience that stems from the passing down from generation to generation of a knowledge that knows how to evolve itself, not for a money-thirsty business. And, moreover, calm. Full of trust. Full of love, I'd say: from teh author's family, teachers, friends, even readers and clients.
Overall, I think it will be my cornerstone for vegan kitchen for a long time.
August 17, 2023
Hannah Che has taken the exotic and made it approachable with this fantastic book. It’s exactly what it says it is but so much more - yes, there are tofu recipes, but there are a lot of recipes that don’t rely on tofu. Che has used both everyday and unusual ingredients - some of which she provides recipes for in the book - to create a medley of vegetable-based recipes. I don’t even want to call it vegan since it feels like so much more; rather than substituting for meat in traditional recipes, she’s got numerous dishes that stand on their own. I actually made a whole Chinese brunch (mostly vegan, but not entirely) with recipes from here that I adjusted to be gluten free - sesame spinach, smashed cucumber, steamed eggplant, sesame noodles, cabbage & vermicelli salad…there are definitely foods here that are outside my comfort zone, and things that I can’t make gluten free (here’s looking at you, wheat gluten!) or kosher (preserved black beans) but there is still so much room to experiment and expand my own cooking horizons. Che punctuates the recipes with both short headnotes and longer essays between chapters. All in, it’s wonderfully written and a great addition to any cookbook collection.
October 3, 2023
This book is an exceptional resource for anyone eager to delve into the captivating realm of Chinese cuisine, whether a novice or a seasoned home chef. The author provides an extensive and insightful guide to various aspects of Chinese cooking, making it an invaluable asset.
The book offers detailed instructions on food preparation, acquaints readers with the essential ingredients commonly used in Chinese cuisine, explores the intricacies of textures and flavours in ingredients, and goes the extra mile in unravelling the world of Chinese ingredients.
Personally, I found the latter aspect particularly captivating. From page 134, the book describes tofu not merely as an ingredient but as a rich and multifaceted component of Chinese gastronomy. It explores the history of tofu, elucidates the diverse textures found in various types of tofu, and presents a plethora of tantalising recipes tailored to each type of tofu, be it firm, soft, shredded, braised, spiced, and more.
I wholeheartedly recommend acquiring this book, whether as a thoughtful gift for a fellow culinary enthusiast or an essential addition to your reference library. It's a surefire way to elevate your skills in the art of Chinese cooking, unlocking a world of delectable possibilities.
The book offers detailed instructions on food preparation, acquaints readers with the essential ingredients commonly used in Chinese cuisine, explores the intricacies of textures and flavours in ingredients, and goes the extra mile in unravelling the world of Chinese ingredients.
Personally, I found the latter aspect particularly captivating. From page 134, the book describes tofu not merely as an ingredient but as a rich and multifaceted component of Chinese gastronomy. It explores the history of tofu, elucidates the diverse textures found in various types of tofu, and presents a plethora of tantalising recipes tailored to each type of tofu, be it firm, soft, shredded, braised, spiced, and more.
I wholeheartedly recommend acquiring this book, whether as a thoughtful gift for a fellow culinary enthusiast or an essential addition to your reference library. It's a surefire way to elevate your skills in the art of Chinese cooking, unlocking a world of delectable possibilities.
September 29, 2023
I will confess that I have *not* read all the narratives that the author has spread throughout the book--I went straight for the recipes. And I have cooked many of them, venturing into new cooking territory by using ingredients that I have eaten but have never cooked. And of those with familiar ingredients, there are several recipes that are in the rotation now....
I lately rarely keep never mind purchase cookbooks because I never think there are enough recipes in a book to justify the precious bookshelf space... but this one is a keeper.
Hope to get to the narrative sections some time...
I lately rarely keep never mind purchase cookbooks because I never think there are enough recipes in a book to justify the precious bookshelf space... but this one is a keeper.
Hope to get to the narrative sections some time...
June 4, 2024
This is a very enjoyable read, especially for the background stories, explanations, and histories of different foods and cooking methods. One small item of note: in the section on gluten, the author refers to an association of glyphosate and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. On checking a number of available references, it seems that any evidence is highly suspect and controversial – more like a theory not backed up with trusted experimental results. I would be extremely cautious in trying to use an organic gluten source (as the author suggests – to avoid glyphosate) and assuming that it would be OK for non-celiac gluten sensitive people.
August 22, 2023
This is as close as it comes to a perfect cookbook! Some of the recipes feel adventurous, but are always approachable. Everything I've tried so far has come out incredible and full of flavor. Many of the ingredients repeat throughout the book as well, so one initial trip to the store should take you pretty far. I love the beautiful photography, rich cultural history, and even personal touches shared by the author. I'd recommend to anyone!
December 29, 2024
Hannah Che's The Vegan Chinese Kitchen is a stunning and inspiring cookbook that bridges the gap between tradition and modern plant-based cuisine. The recipes are creative, accessible, and packed with umami-rich flavors, while the photography and storytelling elevate the experience. I found it incredibly motivational, and I’m excited to try many of the dishes. A must-read for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone curious about Chinese cuisine.
November 21, 2023
Every once in a while a cookbook comes out that both illuminates a cultural food tradition that is for the most part unexplored and also adds a fresh elevated sense of topical taste and discovery. This is that book. Bravo for having an entire chapter on tofu skin as well as tofu. Bravo on the congee selections. Bravo on the history of vegan vegetarian cooking in china. Well done, thank you.
January 11, 2025
i absolutely adore this cookbook! i think a lot of people think chinese cooking is very meat heavy which it is in some sense but it’s quite diverse and there are quite a few things that are traditionally vegan or can be easily vegan. recommend this book for anyone interested in chinese cuisine in general!
April 24, 2023
Gorgeous pictures and it’s also easy to read too! So many things I’d like to try but few I’d have the ingredients for but this book still made me hungry enough to eat just looking at the luscious photos.
August 6, 2023
Ethan sweetie was right - reading Che's commentary on ingredients and the philosophy of her cooking approach are the best things about this book. Oh, and the beautiful photos - want to cook just about very dish. Looking forward to another E+Y dinner.
June 8, 2024
Super informative piece, not just a recipe book but full of knowledge about traditional Chinese cooking and ingredients. Inspiring & mouth watering!
Will borrow again from the library to try more recipes.
Will borrow again from the library to try more recipes.
March 22, 2025
It may jot QUITE be as pretty as the Korean vegan Cookbook, which I to this day hold as the perfect present for any cook, regardless of "vore" status but it is almost as pretty. it is a bit technical looking , possibly due to the TCM aspect. but it is VERY very pretty
November 30, 2022
Super interesting, purchased for my bookshelf.
December 18, 2022
Easily a new favorite. This is a brilliant book and I can’t wait to try many of these recipes.
December 27, 2022
I very much enjoyed the cultural history elements throughout the book. I would like to learn and read more about Chinese vegetarianism and veganism.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews