Bring on the Heat! 15 Fiery Vegan Recipes That Will Set Your Taste Buds on Fire

We are all familiar with the taste sensations sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami … but what about spice? Surprisingly, spiciness itself can not be categorized as a taste; instead, it is actually a pain sensation. Hot foods actually stimulate pain receptors that are also responsible for responding to minor abrasions, pinches, and temperature fluctuations. This helps explain why spicy food “burns” and how while some people can tolerate tons of heat in their foods, others can handle almost no heat at all. Despite the fact that hot and spicy foods are “painful,” we can’t get enough of them!

There are so many ways to add a spice and heat to your dishes; the ever-popular Sriracha, fresh hot peppers, and a lot more interesting ingredients that you’re going to have to read on to discover!

You may think the summer weather is hot, but we assure you that these recipes are even hotter. Here are some of our favorite kickin’ recipes from the Food Monster App!

1. Easy Spicy Peanut Tofu Bites

Easy Spicy Tofu Bites get their kick from a savory chili garlic sauce that is balanced by the addition of salty peanut butter and sweet maple syrup. People who don’t like tofu have never tried these tofu bites. You can throw these in pretty much any dish and make it ten times better. Or eat them alone! Whatever suits your fancy.

2. Gochujang Kimchi Sausages 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with gochujang, a fermented Korean red chili paste, you have to try out these Gochujang Kimchi Sausages so you can love it as much as we do. The best part about these sausages is that you can throw them into whatever dish you want to add protein, heat, and an unbeatable sour flavor. They come in handy in veggie bowls, Korean-style soft tacos, kimchi fried rice, and many more.

3. Cajun-Spiced Jackfruit Sandwiches 

Cajun food is known for ability to bring a mild, herbaceous heat to its classic dishes. These Cajun-Spiced Jackfruit Sandwiches have a heaping pile of roasted jackfruit in a homemade Cajun spice rub that contains a generous amount of cayenne pepper and paprika. To contrast the heat, the sandwiches are topped with a creamy vegan ranch dressing and finished with some lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

4. Chinese Sweet Potato Steamed Buns With Spicy Surinamese Filling

These Chinese Sweet Potato Steamed Buns pay homage to both Creole and Chinese cuisine by infusing the concept of steamed buns with a filling inspired by Surinamese cooking. The filling is made with celery leaves and adjuma peppers, two common ingredients in Surinamese cuisine, and is enveloped in a tender sweet potato dough. Adjuma peppers are similar to habaneros, and both are great for adding a natural spiciness to dishes.

5. Fettuccine With Muhammara Sauce

Muhammara is a Middle Eastern hot pepper spread that is used in place of a conventional tomato sauce in this Fettuccine With Muhammara Sauce. If you try this recipe out and fall in love with the savory, peppery sauce (and we promise you will), it also goes great with roasted vegetables, layered on sandwiches, and in your grain bowls.

6. Spicy Black Bean Onigiri 

Onigiri are a traditional Japanese food that consists of sushi rice wrapped around a filling, then wrapped around nori seaweed. While these bear-shaped Spicy Black Bean Onigiri look adorably sweet, but once you bite through the sticky rice you taste the heat from the hot pepper and black bean filling. Visually appealing, delicious, and wonderfully spicy!

7. Sweet and Spicy Golden Chia Pizza 

The red chili and maple syrup sauce on this Sweet and Spicy Golden Chia Pizza is what gives the dish its descriptive name. Layer the sauce on the homemade chickpea-chia crust and then top with vegetables and plenty of basil to freshen it up. It’s a simple recipe: just grab some chickpea flour, turmeric, and chia seeds and you’re halfway to pizza time.

BONUS Recommendation: Download the Food Monster App

If you enjoy articles like this and want more, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App. For those that don’t have it, it’s a brilliant Food app available for both Androidand iPhone. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to cut out or reduce allergens like meat, dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, grains, and more find awesome recipes, cooking tips, articles, product recommendations and how-tos. The app shows you how having diet/health/food preferences can be full of delicious abundance rather than restrictions.

The Food Monster app has over 8000+ recipes and 500 are free. To access the rest, you have to pay a subscription fee but it’s totally worth it because not only do you get instant access to 8000+ recipes, you get 10 NEW recipes every day! You can also make meal plans, add bookmarks, read feature stories, and browse recipes across hundreds of categories like diet, cuisine, meal type, occasion, ingredient, popular, seasonal, and so much more!

8. Sriracha Tofu Bowl

How did we get this far down in the list without mentioning Sriracha once? It’s no secret that the hot chili sauce has skyrocketed in popularity over the past couple years (there’s now even a bunch of Sriracha flavored goodies in stores!). Let’s get back to this Sriracha Tofu Bowl that cleverly uses Sriracha to season both the chickpeas and the potatoes. Every bite is as satisfying as the last, and when your plate is empty, though your mouth may be on fire, you’ll be reaching for seconds.

9. Spicy Zucchini Fritters 

These 6-ingredient Spicy Zucchini Fritters are the easiest recipe on this list to make and possibly the most delicious, but we’re not going to play favorites! The zucchini is coated in a batter seasoned with red chili powder and turmeric to up the spice level. Pair these fritters for a creamy non-dairy dressing if you are looking to cut through the heat or slather them in some hot sauce if you’re feeling daring.

10. Mini Brown Rice Lentil Burgers With Harissa 

We’ve talked about gochujang, muhammara, Sriracha, and now it’s time to introduce you to harissa; that is, if you haven’t met already. Harissa is a hot chili paste most frequently associated with Tunisian and Libyan cuisines. The spicy paste is spread on top of these Mini Brown Rice Lentil Burgers With Harissa to add heat to an otherwise more umami filled meal. Made with brown rice and lentils, this is a protein-rich patty that you can rest assured will not fall apart.

11. Edamame Wasabi Noodle Salad 

If you’ve only experienced wasabi with your sushi, then you are missing out on culinary gems like Edamame Wasabi Noodle Salad. This noodle salad is filling, easy to make, and super low-fat so you can feel great about eating it. The bean noodles are tossed with some fresh peppers and edamame and then finished off with a soothing yet spicy tofu and wasabi sauce that is to die for.

12. Sweet Chili Habañero Glazed Cauliflower Wings

These Sweet Chili Habañero Glazed Cauliflower Wings are the perfect appetizers for potlucks and parties. The cauliflower florets are battered in an elegant tempeh batter, lightly fried, and then tossed in a tangy, spicy, habañero chili sauce that is out of this word. While these are perfect to share with guests – they’re so delicious you may not want to.

13. Grilled Jalapeño Arepas 

Have you ever tried arepas? They’re scrumptious patties made from ground corn that, depending on the region, are frequently stuffed with meat, cheese, or veggies. These Grilled Jalapeño Arepas pack a punch thanks to the fresh jalapeño that you can add at your own discretion. Grilling the arepas give them a smoky layer of flavor and, of course, the oh-so aesthetically pleasing grill marks.

14. Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

Spicy, Buffalo dip has become a classic at many barbecues, parties, and game day celebrations. Buffalo Cauliflower Dip is a healthy rendition of the beloved dish that is much healthier than the dairy-laden original. On top of the hot sauce and roasted cauliflower base is a creamy blue cheese dressing made from tofu and artichokes. This recipe is a must-have because it is basically the iconic vegan buffalo cauliflower wings in a scoopable form.

15. Refried Bean Enchiladas 

These simple Refried Bean Enchiladas are packed with refried beans, tangy black olives, and green salsa. The rolled tortillas are then covered with spicy enchilada sauce and baked until warm and bubbly. Served with a simple side of rice seasoned with cilantro and summer squash, these bean enchiladas are a knockout.

Is your mouth on fire yet? If not, time to whip up one or more of these spicy meals.

Lead Image Source: Sweet Chili Habañero Glazed Cauliflower Wings