5 Delish Ways to Enjoy Seafood Flavor without Eating Any Fish!

Seafood flavor is one of the easiest meals to “veganize”. The great thing is, you’re not taking in any mercury from fish and you’re contributing to a better environmental cause. You’ll also be completely satisfied since most recipes are incredibly filling and luckily, easy to make too. Here are five delicious that will knock your socks off:

1. Make Vegan Shrimp

Shrimp is virtually fat-free, but it’s incredibly high in cholesterol and sodium, making the vegan version so much healthier for you. To make vegan shrimp, utilize sweet potatoes, which are a starchy root vegetable that will help everything bind together better. Then, opt for either coconut flour or a wheat gluten to help thicken it up further and give it that fried taste that fried shrimp has. Here’s a yummy vegan shrimp recipe to get you started, and also check out this Tofu ‘Shrimp’ Scampi.

2. Utilize Tofu, Beans, and Veggies For Crab Cakes

Tofu is great for making vegan seafood because it absorbs the flavor of whatever you pair it with. Veggies like zucchini are also very mild in taste and will absorb other flavors. Plus, squash helps food bind together better without the need for eggs, which is perfect for crab cake recipes. To flavor your crab cakes, use vegan mayo, Old Bay, mustard, spices, and breadcrumbs. You can also use flax instead of breadcrumbs to get the same results. Try these Vegan Crabcakes with Sweet Balsamic Mayo or these Tempeh ‘Crab’ Cakes with Horseradish-Dill Mayo and you’re sure to never miss the real thing again.

3. Use Tofu to Make Vegan Fish Sticks

One of the most popular seafood dishes in the United States is fish and chips, and fish sticks are a popular favorite of kids everywhere. To make fish sticks vegan, you need nothing more than some healthy flour to coat firm tofu with, along with some amazing seafood seasonings. Try this cleaned up version of fish and chips and you’ll be shocked you’re not eating the real thing, not to mention it’s  much better for your body and the planet.

4. Use Chickpeas to Make Tuna Salad

I adore the way chickpeas make the perfect veggie burger, but they also make one heck of a mean tuna salad too. They’re very soft and creamy so they pair great with some vegan mayo, pickles, onions, mustard, and relish to make tuna salad. You can also use almond meal instead, but I find chickpeas have a better  flavor and they are easier to digest. Try this yummy vegan version to get your fill of “tuna” salad in a few delicious bites!

5. Learn to Make a Killer Vegan Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is one of the most popular condiments today in the foodie world, but most brands aren’t vegan. Lucky for you, we’ve got a fantastic vegan fish sauce recipe that will blow your mind and take your vegan seafood dishes from good to amazing with just a few dips!

For a complete list of vegan seafood recipes, try some of our favorites and be sure to let me know if you have one of your own.

Lead image source: Vegan Fish-and-Chips (a Cleaned-Up British Classic)