These 5 Savory Maple Dishes Will Make You Enjoy Fall on A Whole New Level

There’s a lot to love about fall. The cozy, thrifted sweaters with outdated patterns that don’t work, but kind of do. The leaves changing from bright green to vibrant hues of red, orange, and yellow. The satisfying sound of walking through a pile of fallen leaves (not to mention the “crunch” you get when you go out of your way to step on that one leaf in particular.) And of course, all the flavors of fall. Apples, pears, sweet winter squash, pumpkin spice, and more.

One fall flavor that has been overlooked in the past is maple, but this year, it seems to be more popular. After all, Starbucks recently launched a new drink, the Maple Pecan Latte (or the “MPL”), a blend of real maple syrup, pecan, and brown butter topped with whipped cream and praline. Unfortunately, the drink can’t be made vegan without altering the flavor, but we think it might be a sign of a new fall flavor trend on the horizon.

Maple syrup is a tasty addition to brunch and desserts (and it can also be used as a sweetener in some desserts), but it also pairs well with savory flavors, too. Think smoky, spicy dishes punctuated by sweet, caramel-like notes. Yum. Since we love maple so much, we searched the Food Monster App for some of our favorite, savory recipes that pair sweet and savory:

1. Maple-Glazed Tofu

This Maple Glazed Tofu by Natalie Tamara is simple and delicious. To make it, tofu is marinated in a sticky maple-ginger sauce with fragrant cloves and black pepper. It’s simple, yet full-flavored. Serve this entrée alongside roasted vegetables or mash potato and cabbage.

2. Southern Fried Tofu With Maple Dill Sauce

These Southern Fried Tofu Strips by Marieke Gruwel can turn any tofu hater into a tofu lover. They are crunchy and indulgent are made even tastier when dipped generously into the maple dill sauce. Boring, bland tofu no more!

2. Maple Chipotle Meatball Grinders

These Maple Chipotle Meatball Grinders by Heather Poire are sweet, savory, and a bit spicy. They have green onions, maple syrup, and Chipotle chilis – a fusion of Asian and Mexican flavors. You can opt to make homemade meatballs for these grinders, or use pre-made ones if you want to speed up the whole process!

4. Maple Tempeh Sandwich With Caramelized Onions

In this Maple Tempeh Sandwich by Genevieve Yam, maple-marinated tempeh is sandwiched between two slices of sourdough bread, then topped with a cashew cheese, and caramelized apples and onions. This sandwich is the perfect balance of sweet and savory and is truly delicious. Serve this sandwich with the perfect side: a bowl of creamy tomato soup.

5. Maple-Glazed Mushroom and Lentil Loaf

This hearty Maple-Glazed Mushroom and Lentil Loaf by Liz Martone will remind you of that Sunday evening meatloaf so many of us grew up with. Made from mushrooms and lentils, it’s dense and meaty, with a delicious maple ketchup glaze that sinks in as it bakes. This loaf is tender, moist, and full of these beautiful savory flavors that paired so perfectly with the sweet bite of the ketchup glaze.

For even more sweet and savory maple dishes, browse through our vegan maple recipes page!

We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

Lead image source: Maple Tempeh Sandwich