Tuesday March 1st is Mardi Gras! This religious festival, of Christian origin, marks the last day of a period when it was customary to eat “fat” before the start of Lent. Today, this festive day is mainly known for the carnival and the gastronomic specialties that accompany it. Every French region has its reference pastry for the occasion, but the three most common are donuts, waffles and pretzels. To make Mardi Gras a holiday for people and animals alike, we invite you to discover 3 vegan recipes to prepare for the occasion. Don’t panic, the gluttony and the “fat” will be there!
Vegan carnival donuts
Donuts are THE reference specialty for Mardi Gras. These ancient dishes, already present in the time of the Romans, are available in all forms and in different recipes, depending on the regions of France. Oreillettes, Bugnes, Nun’s Pets… These local specialties are distinguished by their name, but the basics remain the same: milk, flour and yeast! To delight young and old on March 1, we offer you an ultra-simple and 100% vegan recipe for carnival donuts worthy of the name. To make this Nuts and Food recipe you only need four ingredients:
- 160 g plant-based milk
- 140 g jam of your choice
- 250 g wheat flour
- 5 g baker’s yeast
To know how to prepare and cook donut dough, you can follow the video instructions:
Sweet vegan pretzels
Another Mardi Gras specialty: the pretzel. Originally from Alsace, this large knot-shaped brioche bread can be eaten in a sweet or savory version, depending on your preference. For the glutton, it can even be topped with candied fruit, jam or spread. For an original carnival snack, we recommend making vegan pretzels in a sweet version according to a recipe by Cyrielle Cha. To make it you will need:
- 550 g wheat flour
- 65 g full sugar
- 50 g margarine
- 30 cl lukewarm soy milk
- 20 g fresh baker’s yeast
- 20 g sugar sprinkles
- 1.5 liters of water
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
You can watch the video below to follow the preparation instructions:
vegan waffles
Head north for one last Mardi Gras specialty pastry, waffles. Tasty and crispy, the authentic Nordic waffles are made with butter, eggs and milk, but don’t panic, they can be easily prepared without any animal ingredients. For a gourmet snack, we bring you a recipe for light, vegan yet crispy waffles, spotted on the Miamance YouTube channel. Jam, icing sugar or chocolate… All you have to do is choose the ideal filling for your carnival waffles! To make a vegan waffle batter you will need the following ingredients:
- 150 g flour
- 35 g cornflour
- 15 g sugar
- 200 ml plant-based milk
- 10 ml neutral oil
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Thanks to these simple and delicious recipes, you can celebrate the “last day of fat” in the best possible way: with fun and without ingredients of animal origin. And if you’re more of the Mardi Gras pancake team, we bring you 3 vegan recipes to discover by clicking here.