• CONSUMERS
  • BROKER LOCATOR
  • CONTACT

Marzetti

Add a dressing

  • Products
    • Dressings & Sauces
    • Breads, Bagels & Rolls
    • Noodles & Pasta
    • Flatbreads
    • Croutons
    • Dairy Products
    • Dips
    • Custom Formulations
  • Recipes & Inspiration
    • Recipes
    • Signature Ideas
      • Videos
      • Pairing with Greens
      • +1 Ranch Ideas
      • +1 Blue Cheese Ideas
      • Dressing Ideas
      • Frozen Vs Dry
      • Simply Dressed
      • Bold Blends
  • Culinary Services
    • Custom Formulations
    • Special Dietary Needs
    • Ask Our Chefs
  • Who We Serve
  • WHO WE ARE
    • History
    • Brands
    • Distribution
    • Sustainability
    • Food Safety
  • ON YOUR PLATE BLOG

Give it a whirl: plant-based purées on the menu

November 26, 2018

EdamameDip2

Animal protein, that old culinary standard, is moving away from the center of the plate and making way for colorful, tasty vegetables. The reason? We’re ready to eat in a different way. According to the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, two out of every three Americans are eating less of at least one type of meat. The survey also reported that 55 percent of Americans said they are reducing their consumption of processed meat and 41 percent are cutting back on red meat.

Beyond baby food

One of the quickest, easiest ways to address this decrease in meaty meals is by adding plant-based purées to your menu. “You might be thinking ‘baby food,’ but in fact you can use plant-based purées to make dishes creamy and rich with much less dairy, butter and cream,” says Robin Asbell, a chef and cookbook writer whose latest book is Plant-Based Meats: Hearty, High-Protein Recipes for Vegetarians, Flexitarians, and Curious Carnivores. “There’s something really comforting about purées, and people always enjoy them. Plus, it can be fun to present vegetables in a different way.”

One of the great benefits of making purées is that they allow you to capitalize on in-season produce bargains and create an easy-to-freeze product. Purées are also a great way to reduce food waste and keep expenses in line. “If you have an overabundance and things are about to go bad, just trim up the veg, roast or boil, and then you’re ready to purée away,” Asbell says. “Spread the finished mixture in half sheets and freeze it, then repackage, or freeze it in portions.”

Quick tips

Her tip: “Make it as thick as possible, and don’t add liquid, because that gives you more possibilities when you want to use it later,” she says. “If you hold off on adding garlic and onion, you’ll have more versatility in serving options, too.”

Your “money in the bank” plant purée will be ready to add to soups, stews and sauces, or as a colorful base for a larger entrée. Some of Asbell’s favorite purees include pumpkin, parsnips and sweet potato, which can be sweet or savory. Colorful vegetables like red peppers make a great “swirl” for the base of a plate. You can add purée to soup to give it body, or cream it with stock and diary or nondairy product.” Purées also can be used as spreads on sandwiches, or layered with yogurts for a sweet or savory parfait.

Resources

Chef Robin Asbell

Read more

Use Bean Purees to Boost Salad Protein
Plant-Based Purees Insights
Plant-based purées deliver vegan and vegetarian options

Recipes

White Bean, Spinach and Parmesan Dip
Edamame Dip


« Hot honey’s sweet moment
Warm up winter with colorful fruit »

MAKE IT
MEMORABLE

Customize grilled chicken, shrimp, steak or salmon with Marzetti® Caesar Dressing.

logo

T. Marzetti Foodservice

dressingup-icon

dressingup-icon

marzetti_footer-icon

marzetti_footer-icon

sistershuberts-icon

sistershuberts-icon

marzettipasta-icon

Marzetti Frozen Pasta

newyork-icon

newyork-icon

flatout-icon

flatout-icon

bantam-icon

bantam-icon
  • ABOUT MARZETTI
  • FAQ
  • CONTACT
  • BROKER SITE
  • SITEMAP
  • PRIVACY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • TMARZETTICOMPANY.COM
  • CAREERS
A Lancaster Colony Company All content © 2017 T. Marzetti Company. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Blogger

Blogger

youtube

youtube

Linkedin

Linkedin

Twitter

Twitter

Instagram

Instagram
CONNECT WITH US