Cooking with Beer: 7 Vegan Recipes for Beer-Infused Dishes

You’ve heard of cooking with wine, but what about cooking with beer? The popular hoppy drink has entered the food-trend scene, and for good reason: it’s delicious. From moist stout cupcakes and beer-battered tofu tacos to chocolate stout brownies and beer macaroni and cheese, we’ve rounded up a list of the most delicious beer-infused vegan dishes to whet your appetite. So, raise your glass, but don’t take a sip. Instead, enjoy beer cooked into your meal. Cheers!

But first, which beers are vegetarian?

Before you start cooking, it’s important to check that the beer you’re using is actually vegan. Sometimes animal products, such as casein or gelatin, are used as fining or clarifying agents in the manufacturing process. But also, some brands use animal products in their beers. (Stouts, for example, are sometimes made with lactose, which comes from cow’s milk.) If you’re not sure which beers are vegan, before you hit the grocery store, check out our Ultimate Guide to Vegan Beer.

7 Vegan Recipes for Beer-Infused Food

Once you’ve found the right beer, it’s time to cook. Try to resist drinking all the beer as you go!

Thyme and love

1 Vegan Bear Brats

With baseball season in full swing, beer-infused brats are the perfect addition to any Beer Day celebration. Like Thyme & Love and cook your favorite Beyond Meat Brats in a bath of your go-to summer brew for a taste you won’t soon forget. Served between soft pretzel buns and loaded with all the fixings, dress up this classic with potato salad (or even baked beans!) for the ultimate meal.
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Vegan Yak Attack

2 Thai BBQ Cabbage Cans with Beer Daikon Slaw

If you’re the kind of person who likes to experiment with your food, try these innovative sliders from cookbook author (and VegNews contributor) Jackie Sobon. Packed with barbecued beer cabbage (which involves rolling up a cabbage, adding beer to it, and slowly grilling the beer-stuffed cabbage until tender and hoppy goodness), the sandwich’s Asian-inspired barbecue sauce and bright daikon slaw make for an incredible makes handheld
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Vegan Yak Attack

3 Beer and brat mac ‘n’ cheese

Another delicious culinary discovery from Jackie Sobon’s kitchen, this Oktoberfest-appropriate macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. The cashew-based sauce is totally rave-worthy thanks to its luxuriously creamy texture and added oomph from the golden ale beer. We’d slather it on almost anything, but Sobon pairs it with hearty portions of perfectly cooked pasta and vegan seitan bratwurst.
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The minimalist baker

4 Vegan beer chili

Is it okay to pour beer in a pepper pot and drink it alone? We say yes, which is why the minimalist baker’s one-bowl wonder is a staple of our nights curled up on the couch. Although the recipe serves eight, we think it’s best suited for a single lifestyle. Simple ingredients? check Easy preparation? Yes (less than an hour). Freezer-friendly? You bet! Also, the beer gives it a strong flavor, and the beans give this soup substance. Serve it in a pint glass for a festive touch and enjoy your party.
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hot for food

5 Vegan Beer and Cheddar Bread Bowl Dip

Beer and cheese are the harmonious grown-up equivalent of peanut butter and jelly, which may explain why Hot for Food created the perfect magnet for a movie night, cheesy, plant-based dip (seamanship, anyone?). The dip relies on potatoes and cashews for its classically thick consistency, while beer, spices and pickled jalapeños enhance its bold, complex flavor. The dip is poured into a bread pan and topped with vegan cheddar, green onion, and coconut bacon, so ditch the accoutrements and start picking this bowl apart.
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healthy happy life

6 Crispy Bear-Battered Tofu Tacos

Anyone who says they don’t like tofu has clearly never had Kathy Patalski’s beer-pit creation. Blogger Sawyer transforms these smooth bricks into tempting, beer-soaked bites that are simple yet satisfying when paired with pickled onions, cabbage, avocado, vegan chipotle mayonnaise, and hot sauce. The tofu is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and delicious inside the warm tortilla. We are making extra to add to our salads, sandwiches and Buddha bowls.
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Chocolate Covered Katie

7Chocolate Stout Brownies

Stout is an acquired taste, but everyone can learn to love its chocolate accent, thanks to these decadent vegan brownies. Created by healthy vegan dessert blog Chocolate Covered Katie, these guilt-free brownies are fudgy, filled with chocolate chips, and a guaranteed delight. Note: Katie recommends letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving, so plan ahead and make it the night before. We won’t judge if you eat pita and celebrate a day earlier.
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