How to make Julia Child’s signature French recipes vegan: Tips from a top chef

It’s been over 60 years since Julia Child was published. Master the art of French cooking, However, her influence can still be seen in American kitchens today. The chef, who studied at Le Cordon Bleu, the prestigious culinary school in Paris, is credited with making complex French cooking techniques understandable to American audiences and, in turn, revolutionizing home cooking across the country. However, although iconic, most of Child’s recipes, such as boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, and French onion soup, were loaded with animal products such as beef, chicken, eggs, and cheese. . However, many of these dishes can be enjoyed without animal ingredients. We’ve gathered advice from top chefs on how to make Julia Child’s most iconic recipes vegan. Plus, below you’ll find unique plant-based takes on some classic dishes from culinary icons.

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How to make Julia Child’s famous recipe vegan, according to a top chef

Child was a master of French cooking, and French cuisine is still famous for its heavy reliance on meat and dairy products today. Take boeuf bourguignon, for example. This dish originates from the Burgundy region of central-eastern France and features beef braised in red wine and beef stock. This is one of Child’s most famous recipes and is still frequently republished on the internet. To make this popular meat dish vegan at Equinox, a plant-forward restaurant in Washington, D.C., executive chef Todd Gray, a James Beard semifinalist, turned to mushrooms. He says he is. “Beef is clearly a beef substitute,” he told VegNews. “We make this dish using button mushrooms as an earthy, umami alternative.”

Lynn Gilbert/Wikimedia Commons

Gray takes a similar approach to another Child’s classic, coq au vin, which refers to chicken braised in a wine-based casserole. “You can recreate a rich, creamy sauce with vegetable stock and red wine, along with root vegetables that are tough enough to withstand simple simmering,” he says. “Think turnips, carrots and onions.” Gray says that while Child’s cream-filled recipes abound (like chicken breast with mushroom cream sauce), his go-to vegan versions include silken tofu and “It starts with coconut milk or almond milk,” which is blended, he added. . “It has no flavor, but it gives weight and creaminess to the sauce,” he says.

And finally, when it comes to replacing eggs in dishes like crepes and crème brûlée (two other kids’ staples), Gray says it’s hard to beat Just Egg. “We launched this product in restaurants many years ago and it worked beautifully,” he says. “We use it wherever we need a plant-based alternative, like in crème brûlée or frittatas. It’s also great for easy breading with flour and breadcrumbs.”

7 Vegan French Recipes Inspired by Julia Child

For more information on how to make French-inspired vegan dishes and vegan dishes for kids, check out our favorite recipes below, from bourguignon to hollandaise.

Vanessa K. Reese

1 Vegan boeuf bourguignon with red wine sauce

Child’s uses beef and Gray’s uses mushrooms, but this recipe by Miyoko Sinner uses homemade seitan to create a delicious and hearty version of the meaty French stew. Mixed with mushrooms, soy sauce, stock, red wine, garlic, and wheat gluten, the soft seitan is satisfyingly tender.
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claire power

2 3 step vegan french crepes

children’s books Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom They introduced the simple crepe recipe to America, and now the popular French crepe is a common brunch staple across the country. To make vegan crepes, you can make the batter using dairy-free milk instead of cow’s milk, as this easy recipe from Healthy French Wife shows.
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andrea hannemann

3 Easy Vegan French Niçoise Salad

Originating in the French city of Nice, the Nice Word salad is usually made with boiled eggs and fish, but it can easily be made vegan. This recipe is over-treated plants The cookbook forgoes eggs entirely and uses protein-rich chickpea tuna instead of fish.
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Four Silky vegan chocolate avocado mousse

Children’s versions of chocolate mousse are much loved, and for good reason. It’s rich, chocolatey, and incredibly luxurious. However, you can get delicious results even without eggs and butter (an important part of the children’s version). This recipe uses avocado to achieve the same silky-soft texture.
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Five Vegan potato leek soup with broccoli gremolata

Potage parmentier, or potato and leek soup, is another classic child fan favorite. Use this recipe to make a hearty, hearty, and satisfying vegan version of him. show up to eat a salad The cookbook uses waxy yellow Yukon potatoes for a super creamy finish.
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lauren toyota

6 Vegan tofu benedict with hollandaise

Traditional hollandaise is a mixture of egg yolks, melted butter, and lemon juice, so it’s far from vegan-friendly. Instead, this recipe Hot for Food Comfort Classic The cookbook uses plant-based ingredients like vegan milk, nutritional yeast, and blanched almonds to create delicious, creamy alternatives.
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Alex Sitzman

7 Vegan white chocolate creme brûlée

Try one of Child’s most iconic dessert recipes: Creme Brûlée. This recipe is Wait, is that vegan? This cookbook shows you how to make an equally delicious and addictive vegan version using cashews and coconut milk.
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Charlotte is a writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on England’s south coast.