3 Vegetarian Recipes to Fuel You on the Trail
Going meatless shouldn’t mean going hungry. These protein-packed vegan recipes will satisfy any hiker.
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Coconut Cashew Curry
Who says backpacking food has to be bland? Serves 2
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup chopped mushroom
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 4 Tbsp. coconut milk powder
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
- ½ tsp. sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 ⅔ cup water
- 1 cup instant rice
- 4 tsp. coconut oil
- ½ cup roasted cashews
At home: Combine vegetables, bouillon, curry powder, coconut milk powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, sugar, and salt in a zip-top bag. Package rice, coconut oil, and cashews separately.
In camp: Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add rice, cover, and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Boil the remaining water and stir in vegetable-curry mix. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add oil. Pour curry sauce over rice, top with cashews, and serve.
Weight* 8 oz.
Protein 19 g
Calories 635
Black Bean Chili
This version is a delicious spin on the beef-based classic. Serves 2
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
2 Tbsp. tomato powder
1 cup instant black beans
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced carrot
3 cups water
4 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
At home: Combine dry ingredients, TVP, onion, and carrot in a zip-top bag. Pack oil, salt, and pepper separately.
In camp: Bring water to a boil, then empty contents of bag into pot. Stir, then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until TVP is rehydrated to the consistency of cooked ground beef. Add oil, salt, and pepper and serve.
Weight 5 oz.
Protein 22 g
Calories 501
Mushroom Stroganoff
Chickpea noodles will fill you up after a long day. Serves 2
2 cups chickpea pasta
4 Tbsp. chopped dried mushrooms
2 Tbsp. dried mushroom powder
2 tsp. beef-flavored vegetable bouillon
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. dried coconut milk powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
3 cups water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
At home: Combine pasta and chopped mushrooms in one zip-top bag and remaining ingredients in another. Pack oil, salt, and pepper separately.
In camp: Boil pasta and mushrooms for 7 to 10 minutes then drain and set aside, reserving 3 tablespoons of liquid. Return pasta water to the pot and add remaining ingredients, simmering until it forms a sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour sauce over pasta and mushrooms and serve.
Weight 3 oz.
Protein 30 g
Calories 532
