7 Lemongrass-Flavoured Vegan Recipes For Your Kids
7 Lemongrass-Flavoured Vegan Recipes For Your Kids
Introduce your kids to the refreshing taste of lemongrass with these delightful vegan recipes! Lemongrass adds a unique, mild citrus flavour that's fun and nutritious, making it perfect for kids' meals.
From smoothies to stir-fries, these dishes are packed with healthy ingredients to satisfy young taste buds. Add a fresh edge to your family's menu with these simple, kid-friendly lemongrass dishes!
How To Buy Lemongrass
Lemongrass in cooking has long, thick, green leaves and yellow-white stems resembling grass. The outer leaves can be particularly tough and challenging. As its name implies, lemongrass has a citrus flavour akin to lemons but without acidity and a more floral aroma.
Use it sparingly in dishes, as it can be overpowering. Most supermarkets now carry fresh lemongrass; if not, check your neighbourhood Asian market for the herb. Although it is more common, dried lemongrass lacks flavour. Lemongrass tea is also readily available.
To determine freshness, look for pretty supple stalks when shopping, ideally with the green leaves still on them (the greener, the better).
Avoid using stalks that feel dried out or withered because they are not as fresh; however, you can revive limp stalks by soaking them in ice water for a few minutes before using them.
Storing Lemongrass
Keep fresh lemongrass loosely wrapped in just-damp paper towels in the refrigerator for a week to ten days.
The herb freezes beautifully for longer-term storage. Trim the leaves and root ends, place whole stalks on a cookie sheet, and freeze, giving them room to spare so they don't stick together. After freezing, transfer to a freezer-safe container. In the same manner, freeze lemongrass slices.
Additionally, you can prepare and store lemongrass paste by blending trimmed, thinly sliced lemongrass with a small amount of water, then pouring the mixture into ice cube trays and freezing them until solid.
For long-term storage, transfer your lemongrass cubes to a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Lemongrass can also be dried and used in soups or teas.
Lemongrass Nutrition Facts
One ounce of lemongrass contains:
- Calories: 30
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 7 grams
- Fibre: 0 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams
Lemongrass also contains iron, calcium, and vitamin C. Iron is essential to hemoglobin, which transfers oxygen from your lungs to your blood.
Vegan Lemongrass Recipes
1. Vegan Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi Recipe
You can serve this vegan lemongrass tofu banh mi on a fresh loaf of wheat flour bread. However, the light, crisp-shelled baguettes famous in Vietnam are frequently produced with rice flour.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients For The Tofu Banh Mi
- Smoked tofu: 400 g, sliced
- Red chillis: 2, finely chopped
- Garlic: 3 cloves, finely chopped
- Fresh ginger root: 1-inch
- Lemongrass stalks: 2, trimmed and finely sliced
- Vegetarian “fish” sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Palm sugar: 1 tablespoon
- White pepper: ¼ teaspoon freshly ground
- Peanut oil or other flavourless oil: 1 tablespoon
- Small baguettes: 2
- Vegan mayonnaise: 3 tablespoons
- Small cucumber: ½, sliced on the diagonal
- Quick Vietnamese Pickles: 1 batch
- Sea salt: ½ tablespoon or to taste
- Cilantro: 1 small bunch, chopped
Ingredients For The Vietnamese Pickles
- Unrefined superfine sugar: ½ cup
- Sea salt: ½ teaspoon
- Rice wine vinegar: 180 ml
- Carrots: 200 g, peeled and shredded
Ingredients For The Vegan Fish Sauce
- Dried mushrooms: ¼ cup
- Sea salt: 2 tablespoons
- Umeboshi plums: 2
- Miso paste: 1 teaspoon
- Light soy sauce: ⅓ cup
Method For The Banh Mi
- With paper towels, completely dry the tofu slices. If you have the time, a bowl should combine with the “fish” sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chillies.
- Set aside 30 minutes while lightly sprinkling with salt and white pepper. Set a sizable frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. The tofu mixture should be added after the oil. Slices should be glazed and caramelized after being seared for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Get rid of the heat.
- Warm the baguettes thoroughly on a low broiler, rotating them frequently until the edges are crisp and the interiors are warm. The warm baguettes should be split apart and then cut in half to create four split pieces. Spread more vegan fish sauce inside before adding cucumber slices and mayonnaise.
- Put some tofu, a few cilantro sprigs, and a lot of drained pickles.
- Serve this vegan lemongrass tofu banh mi hot and drizzle with any remaining pan juices.
Method For The Pickles
- Stir until the sugar dissolves; add the sugar, salt, and vinegar to ½ cup (100 ml) of water in a bowl. After adding the vegetables, wait two hours.
- The pickles can either be refrigerated for two to three weeks or drained and consumed at this point (rinse them for an even milder flavour). The longer days pass, the stronger their flavour will be.
Method For The Vegan Fish Sauce
- With a spoon, roughly mash the mushrooms, beans, plums, and miso paste after covering them with ¾ cup (200 ml) of freshly heated water.
- Ten minutes should be set aside to soak. Add the soy sauce after pressing firmly through a fine strainer to extract the soaking water.
- Place the vegan fish sauce in a fresh jar and seal. It will keep for a few weeks if you chill it.
2. Vegan Tempeh With Lemongrass And Broccoli Coconut Curry Recipe
This vegan tempeh with lemongrass and broccoli coconut curry recipe contains protein from tempeh and edamame and includes vegetables like broccoli, potatoes, and green beans. Lemongrass elevates the coconut broth, providing depth and layers of subtle flavours.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 60 minutes | Servings: 7
Ingredients For The Curry
- Broccoli florets: 1 cup
- Small potatoes: 3
- Green beans: 1 cup
- Edamame: 1 cup
- White onion: ½
- Tempeh or tofu: ½ block
- Coconut milk: 1 can
- Curry powder: 1 tablespoon
- Turmeric: 1 tablespoon
- Ginger or ginger powder: 1 teaspoon
- Lemongrass: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Soy sauce or tamari: 1 tablespoon
Ingredients For The Topping
- Red cabbage
- Red pepper
- Black sesame seeds
Ingredients For Serving
- Basmati or jasmine rice (optional)
Method
- Potatoes should be boiled for 10 minutes, and edamame for 3 minutes.
- The tempeh is cooked on all sides and then set aside. With a splash of water, sauté the small-cut onion until it turns translucent. Put all the spices in now. Once the time has passed, pour the coconut milk. After allowing it to come to a boil, add all the veggies, including the potatoes and the soybeans from the edamame pods.
- Add the soy sauce and a teaspoon of salt.
- Simmer it for about half an hour to reduce the coconut milk. When finished, incorporate the tempeh pieces, red cabbage, red pepper, and black sesame seeds.
- Combine with rice (optional). Enjoy!
3. Vegan Peach And Lemongrass Shrub Recipe
This zingy vegan peach and lemongrass shrub makes the perfect mocktail base for a warm summer night. The mild citrus flavour of the lemongrass balances out the sweetness of the peaches and maple syrup, while an assertive tang from the apple cider vinegar unites everything. Additionally, shrubs (drinking vinegar) are excellent for your gut's health and digestive system.
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 70 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Peaches: 2-3, diced
- Lemongrass: 2-3 stalks
- Maple syrup: ⅔ cup
- Apple cider vinegar: 1 cup
- Sparkling water to serve
Method
- Place the apple cider vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat to start warming it. After adding the lemongrass, crush it with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon in a clean, quart-sized jar.
- Add the maple syrup and peaches. Mash the fruit with the muddler to break it down. When the vinegar steams, pour it over the fruit and syrup combination. After the shrub has had a chance to cool for 30 minutes, cover it with a lid, shake it quickly, and put it in the fridge for at least 24 hours—or longer if you have the time.
- When the shrub is ready to use, drain off any fruit solids and then throw them away or compost them. To enjoy, combine the vegan peach and lemongrass shrub with sparkling water in a 1:1 ratio.
4. Vegan Lemongrass Pho Recipe
This sleek, light vegan lemongrass pho is incredibly refreshing and perfect for feeding a large group. This pho's wonderful flavour is enhanced with the ideal combination of lemongrass and ginger, and the substantial rice noodles are then topped with flavourful broth.
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes | Servings: 10
Ingredients
- Water: 8 cups
- Yellow onion: 1, sliced
- Garlic: 3 cloves, peeled and sliced
- Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
- Mushrooms: 3, sliced
- Green onion: 3 stalks, diced
- Jalapeño: ⅓ sliced
- Ginger: ½-inch, peeled and sliced
- Lemongrass: ⅓ stalk, sliced
- Himalayan sea salt: ¾ teaspoon
- Lime juice: ½
- Thick rice noodles
Method
- Slices of yellow onion are cooked in hot oil until they appear transparent.
- Bring the mixture to a boil after adding water and bouillon.
- Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, salt, lime juice, jalapeño, and mushrooms after lowering the heat to a simmer.
- For ten minutes, let it simmer.
- Rice noodles and green onions should be added before turning off the heat.
- Once the noodles are soft, serve the vegan lemongrass pho.
5. Vegan Lemongrass Tofu Burger Recipe
These lemongrass tofu burgers are the ideal illustration of the pleasure that results from the fusion of two cuisines! This burger has a conventional appearance, but despite having a lot of bamboo shoots and wasabi mayo on the buns, it has Eastern Asian elements. Yum!
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients For The Lemongrass Tofu
- Firm tofu: 7 oz
- Lemongrass: 2 tablespoons freshly minced
- Ginger: 1 teaspoon, freshly minced or grated
- Olive oil or sesame oil: 4 tablespoons
- Maple syrup: 4 tablespoons
- Rice vinegar: 1 tablespoon
- Lemon pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Soy sauce: 1 teaspoon
Ingredients For The Wasabi Mayo
- Vegan mayonnaise: 3 tablespoons
- Wasabi powder or paste: 2 teaspoons
Ingredients For The Assembly
- Sesame burger buns: 2
- Lots of pea shoots or alfalfa sprouts
Method
- After draining, press the tofu between two pieces of paper towel. In a bowl, combine lemongrass, ginger, oil, maple syrup, vinegar, pepper, and soy sauce. Cut the tofu into pieces and add it to the marinade. Let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb the marinade.
- Mix the ingredients for the mayonnaise in the interim. Gradually add the wasabi to customize the flavour to your liking. Turn on medium-high heat in a skillet. Add slices of tofu and olive oil to the pan. Leave a few pieces of lemongrass and ginger behind.
- When the tofu has been completely removed from the marinade, pour it through a small sieve or strainer. Keep the pure marinade, throw away the chunks, and drizzle it slowly over the tofu in the pan.
- Cook each side for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Toast two hamburger buns. Generously spread both sides with wasabi mayonnaise. Top the lemongrass tofu burgers with tofu slices and heaps of pea shoots, and serve.
6. Vegan Coconut Lemongrass Ramen Recipe
Coconut milk, lemongrass, and kaffir lime flavour this thick, savoury, and creamy vegan coconut lemongrass ramen. With hints of star anise, ginger, and lemon-lime.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Neutral-flavoured oil such as coconut oil: 2 tablespoons
- Fresh ginger: 1-inch, finely chopped
- Garlic: 3 cloves, finely chopped
- Cremini mushrooms: 1½ cups
- Vegan meat substitute: 1 cup, crumbled
- Kosher salt: ½ teaspoon
- White onion: ½
- Lemongrass stalk: 1
- Miso paste: 2 tablespoons
- Kaffir lime leaves: 6
- Whole star anise: 4
- Full-fat coconut milk: 1 cup
- Water: 6 cups
- Sea salt: ¾ teaspoon
- Ramen noodles: 2 blocks
- Extra firm tofu: 14 oz
- Tamari or low-sodium soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
Method
- Set the oven to 425°F. Use silicone baking mats or parchment paper to line a baking pan. Drain and press the tofu. Place the tofu on the baking sheet after cutting it into small cubes. Bake the crisps for 35 minutes. Make the broth while the tofu bakes. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. Salt to taste and add crumbled vegan sausage. Stir. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the sausage and mushrooms are golden brown and fragrant.
- If the mixture feels dry, deglaze it with 1 tablespoon of water. Hit the lemongrass core with a mallet or rolling pin to bruise it. Add the onion to the pot.
- Mix miso paste and 4 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Add the pot's star anise, coconut milk, water, salt, and lime leaves. Boil the soup for a few minutes, lower the heat to medium, cover it, and simmer for 30 minutes. Adding salt is optional.
- Place a sizable glass bowl on top of a mesh sieve. Carefully pour the broth over the sieve to separate the liquid from the particles. Refill the pot with the liquid. Once the soup comes to a boil, add ramen noodles. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the noodles are thoroughly heated. One tablespoon of oil with a neutral flavouring is heated in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon tamari and baked tofu. Give it a quick toss, cook for only 2 minutes, caramelize the edges, and get a little crunch on the tofu.
- Serve this creamy vegan coconut lemongrass ramen with sesame seeds, chopped vegetables, fresh cilantro, and baked tofu.
7. Vegan Green Curry Lemongrass Risotto Recipe
This vegan green curry lemongrass risotto is a traditional Italian risotto with a Thai twist. It uses coconut milk, green curry paste, and tons of vegetables.
Use full-fat coconut milk in this recipe because the combination of the Arborio rice's inherent creaminess and the coconut milk's creaminess is divine.
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes | Total time: 65 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Coconut oil, divided: 2 tablespoons
- Yellow onion, diced: ½
- Garlic, finely chopped: 2 cloves
- Fresh lemongrass: 2 tablespoons
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Black pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Arborio rice: 1½ cups
- Green curry paste: 3 tablespoons
- Vegetable broth: 4 cups
- Full-fat coconut milk: 13½ oz
- Red bell pepper: 1 medium
- Frozen peas: 1 medium
- Scallion: 1
- Fresh cilantro: 2 tablespoons
- Lime Juice: ½ lime
- Chopped basil: 1 tablespoon
Method
- Liquify 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a big, deep skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When the onion is transparent and beginning to turn brown on the edges, add it to the pan with garlic, lemongrass, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. For 3 to 4 minutes, add the Arborio rice and curry paste, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Turn up the heat to high, add 2 cups of vegetable broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. As the liquid is absorbed, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Stirring regularly is essential. Add the remaining 2 cups of rice once the mixture has absorbed all the liquid.
- Once the rice mixture has absorbed all the liquid, add the remaining 2 cups of vegetable broth. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Once the broth has been absorbed, add the coconut milk and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the rice is creamy and soft.
- While the rice is cooking, combine the bell pepper, zucchini, carrots, remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon of black pepper in a large nonstick skillet with the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Until the vegetables are soft but still somewhat crisp, sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the peas and stir until heated through 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the basil, lime juice, cilantro, and scallion. Add more black pepper and salt to taste. Add extra cilantro, basil, and lime wedges to the vegan green curry lemongrass risotto before serving.
Conclusion
Lemongrass is a beautiful way to introduce kids to new flavours while keeping meals healthy and fun. These vegan recipes are tasty and nutritious, perfect for growing bodies.
Lemongrass can add a bright twist to your family's meals, whether in a zesty stir-fry or a refreshing smoothie.
Enjoy exploring these delicious recipes together and watch your kids develop a love for fresh, wholesome foods!
Do you only have a small garden area or live in an apartment? You can still grow lemongrass. Please check out my blog about the Easy Steps To Grow Lemongrass In A Container.
I trust you enjoyed this article about the 7 Lemongrass-Flavoured Vegan Recipes For Your Kids. Please stay tuned for more blog posts soon. Take care!
JeannetteZ
>>>Please click here to read my Vegan Travel Guides To World Destinations<<<
>>>Want To Learn How To Create Delicious, Cruelty-Free, Healthy AND 100% Vegan Meals? Try These Awesome Vegan Cooking Courses With A Free 7-DAY MEMBERSHIP<<<
Your Opinion Is Important To Me
Do you have thoughts, ideas, or questions? I would love to hear from you. Please leave me your questions, experience, and remarks about this article on the 7 Lemongrass-Flavoured Vegan Recipes For Your Kids in the comments section below. You can also email me at Jeannette@LivingTheVeganLifestyle.org.
Disclosure
This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate and other affiliate programs. Please read my full disclosure.
Here are links to some of my favourite articles:
6 Best Vegan Meyer Lemon Recipes For Your Kids
8 Delicious Vegan Hearts Of Palm Calamari Recipes For Your Kids
5 Delicious Vegan Lavender Recipes For Your Kids
6 Healthy Vegan Ginger Recipes For Your Kids