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Vegan Store Cupboard: Recommended Ingredients

Vegan in 15 by Kate FordIf you're all set to try out some recipes from Vegan in 15 and would like a little help with working out what's vegan and what's not, here is a list of all the store cupboard ingredients used in the recipes, with guidance where necessary of which brands from UK supermarkets are and aren't vegan.

To make things as clear as possible, I've listed products under a traffic-light system:

  • Vegan means that the product is vegan (usually confirmed by manufacturer or supermarket)
  • No Animal Products but risk of cross-contamination means that whilst the product doesn't contain any non-vegan ingredients, it may be produced in a factory where non-vegan products are also handled.  Many vegans are happy to eat such products, some aren't - so it is up to you to do a bit more research or contact the manufacturer for more information.
  • Not Vegan means that the item contains animal products.

Please note that this list is for guidance only, and is not exhaustive.  It has been compiled from information I was able to find at the time of posting.  Ingredients and factory production lines change, and supermarkets change the information available on their websites, so please do always check labels for yourself and if necessary contact the manufacturers directly if you have concerns.

And do get in touch if you discover more vegan ingredients to add to any of the lists, or equally if an item I have listed is now no longer vegan.  Thank you!

Baking Supplies

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  • Chickpea (gram) flour
  • Cocoa powder
  • Custard powder 
    • Vegan Bird's Custard Powder, Tesco Custard Powder, Morrisons Custard Powder, ASDA Chosen by You Custard Powder,
    • Not Vegan Bird's Instant Custard, Tesco Instant Custard Mix, Morrisons M Savers Instant Custard Mix, Morrisons NuMe Instant Custard, ASDA Chosen by You No Added Sugar Instant Custard Powder,
  • Dried apricots
  • Golden syrup
  • Maple syrup
  • Sugars (caster, icing, demerara and light brown)
  • Plain/dark chocolate 
    • Vegan Lindt Excellence 70%, 85%, 90%, and 99% Cocoa Dark Chocolate, Montezuma's Dark Chocolate, Chocolate & Love 80% Extra Dark and 71% Rich Dark Chocolate, Willie's Cacao Dark Chocolate, Kinnerton Luxury Dark Chocolate, Plamil Organic Dark Chocolate 87%,
    • No Animal Products but risk of cross-contamination Green & Blacks Organic 70% and 85% Dark Chocolate and Dark Cooking Chocolate, Waitrose Continental Plain Chocolate, Waitrose 1 Dark Chocolate 65%, Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients Dark Chocolate 70%, Divine 70% and 85% Dark Chocolate, Sainsbury's Tate the Difference Belgian Fairtrade 85% Dark Chocolate and 85% Dark Chocolate, Sainsbury's Belgian Cooking Chocolate - Dark, Tesco Finest Swiss 85%, Swiss 72% and Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate, Morrisons The Best Dark Chocolate,
    • Not Vegan Waitrose Belgian Dark Chocolate, Tesco Everyday Value Plain Chocolate and Rainforest Alliance Rich Plain Chocolate, Sainsbury's Dark chocolate - Fairtrade, ASDA Smart Price Dark Chocolate, ASDA Dark Chocolate Bar, Menier Chocolat Patissier Dark Cooking Chocolate, Ritter Sport Extra Fine 73% Dark Chocolate, Cote D'Or Dark Chocolate,
  • Plain/dark chocolate chips 
    • Vegan Dove's Farm Plain Chocolate Chips, Noble Choice Dairy Free Chocolate Chips,  
    • No Animal Products but risk of cross-contamination Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients Dark Chocolate Chunks, Sainsbury's Dark Chocolate Chips and Taste the Difference Belgian Dark Chips, Morrisons Dark Chocolate Chips, Guittard Extra Dark Baking Chips,
    • Not Vegan Dr Oetker Plain Chocolate Chips and Extra Dark Chocolate Chunks, Tesco Plain Chocolate Chips,
  • Plain flour
  • Porridge oats
  • Self-raising flour
  • Vanilla extract

Dried Herbs & Spices

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  • Chinese five spice
  • Curry powder (medium or hot)
  • Garam masala
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground cumin
  • Oregano
  • Paprika & Smoked paprika
  • Turmeric
  • Za’tar

Dried pasta & noodles

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  • Mini-shells (Conchigliette) or other small soup pasta
    • Vegan All brands of dried mini shells or soup pasta
  • Fusilli
    • Vegan All brands of dried fusilli 
    • Not Vegan All brands of fresh (egg) fusilli
  • Linguine 
    • Vegan All brands of dried linguine 
    • Not Vegan All brands of fresh (egg) linguine
  • Macaroni 
    • Vegan All brands of dried macaroni 
    • Not Vegan All brands of fresh (egg) macaroni
  • Orecchiette 
    • Vegan All brands of dried orecchiette, Casa Milo Organic Orecchiette Fresh Pasta, 
    • Not Vegan All other brands of fresh (egg) orecchiette,
  • Orzo 
    • Vegan All brands of dried orzo
  • Tagliatelle
    • Vegan Essential Waitrose Tagliatelle, Sainsbury's Tagliatelle, Tesco Tagliatelle and Free From Tagliatelle, Napolina Tagliatelle, ASDA Chosen by You Tagliatelle and Free From Tagliatelle, Morrisons Tagliatelle, Casa Milo Organic Italian Fresh Tagliatelle, Garofalo Tagliatelle, Jamie Oliver Tagliatelle Nests, Mr Organic Tagliatelle,  
    • Not Vegan Essential Waitrose Fresh Tagliatelle, Sainsbury's Fresh Tagliatelle, Tesco Fresh Tagliatelle, ASDA Fresh Egg Tagliatelle, Morrisons Egg Tagliatelle (dried), Morrisons M Kitchen Italian Tagliatelle (fresh), Giuseppe Artigiano Egg Pasta Dried Tagliatelle, Reflets de France Dried Pasta Nests,
  • Spelt Spaghetti
    • Vegan Biona Organic Spelt White or Wholegrain Spaghetti, Sainsbury's Wholegrain Spelt Spaghetti,
  • Fine rice noodles 
    • Vegan Thai Taste rice noodles nests, Mama rice vermicelli noodles, Sainsbury's Rice Noodles. ASDA Rice Noodles, Co-op Rice Noodles, Mekong Rice Vermicelli, Eskal Authentic Rice Noodles Vermiccelli,
  • Soba noodles 
    • Vegan Clearspring buckwheat soba wheat free noodles, King Soba Organic Buckwheat Noodles, Yutaka Soba Noodles, Tesco Ingredients Soba Noodles,
  • Thai flat rice noodles 
    • Vegan Thai Taste folded rice noodles, Eskal Authentic Rice Noodle Sticks,
  • Wholewheat noodles
    • Vegan Blue Dragon Wholewheat Noodles, Sainsbury's Wholewheat Medium Noodles, Everprosper Whole Wheat Organic Noodles
    • Not Vegan Sharwoods Wholewheat Noodles,

Jars

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  • Artichoke hearts
  • Ready-chopped garlic / garlic purée
  • Ready-chopped ginger / ginger purée
  • Vegan mayonnaise
    • Vegan Mr Organic Free From Mayo, Biona Egg Free Mayonnaise, Granovita Mayola Dairy and Egg Free Mayonnaise, Probios Dairy Free Mayonnaise, Chippa May-O, Plamil Egg Free Mayonnaise,
  • Passata (plain, with basil, and with onion and garlic)
  • Peanut butter (crunchy)
  • Preserved lemons
  • Sun dried tomatoes
  • Dijon or English Mustard
  • Wholegrain Mustard
  • Capers
  • Gherkins
  • Olives (black and green, pitted)
  • Roasted peppers
  • Sliced Jalapeños

Alcohol

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  • Amaretto 
    • Vegan DiSaronno Amaretto, Soiree Amaretto, Amaretto Veroni, Aldi Amaretto Bellucci
    • Awaiiting Confirmation Tesco Amaretto,
  • Sherry 
    • Vegan Waitrose Amontillado Sherry, Tio Pepe Sherry, Sainsbury's Pale Dry Fino Sherry, Sweet Pale Cream Sherry, Amontillado Dry Sherry, and Taste the Difference Sweet Pedro Ximenez, Manzanilla Superior Sherry,  Tesco Cream Sherry, Medium Dry Sherry, Fino Sherry, Pale Cream Sherry, 
  • Red wine 
  • White wine 

Nuts & Seeds

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  • Almonds (whole and flaked)
  • Hazelnuts
  • Cashews
  • Pine nuts
  • Shelled pistachios
  • Peanuts (dry roasted and chilli-coated)
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sesame seeds
  • Walnut pieces
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Ground Flax and/or Chia Seeds

Oils & Vinegars

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  • Coconut oil
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Olive oil
  • Rapeseed oil
  • Sesame oil
  • Sunflower oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • White wine vinegar

Pastes

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  • Chipotle paste 
    • Vegan Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients Chipotle Paste, Sainsbury's Chipotle Chilli Paste, Tesco Chipotle Chilli & Paprika Paste, Gran Luchito Mexico Smoked Chipotle Chilli Paste, Santa Maria Chipotle Paste,
    • Awaiting Confirmation ASDA Chipotle Paste, 
  • Harissa Paste 
    • Vegan Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients Harissa Paste, Belazu Rose Harissa, Sainsbury's Harissa Paste, Co-op Harissa Paste, Al'Féz Harissa, Bart Spices Harissa Paste, 
    • Awaiting confirmation Creative Cook Harissa Paste, Tesco Ingredients Harissa Paste, ASDA Harissa Paste,
  • Vegan pesto
    • Vegan Zest Pesto, Sacla Gluten & Dairy Free Pesto, Mr Organic Basil Pesto, Biona Organic Green Pesto, Le Conserve della Nonna Pesto, Meridian Free From Pesto, Organico Vegan Pesto, Tideford Organic Vegan Basil Pesto,
  • Curry pastes (korma and rogan josh)
  • Tahini
  • Thai curry paste (green or red) 
    • Vegan Thai Taste Green Curry Paste and Red Curry Paste, Blue Dragon Thai Green Curry Paste Pot and Red Curry Paste Pot (NB jars are not vegan), Tesco Thai Green and Thai Red Curry Pastes, Tesco Ingredients Thai Green and Thai Red Curry Pastes, Co-op Thai Red and Thai Green Curry Pastes, 
    • Awaiting Confirmation ASDA Chosen by You Green and Red Thai Curry Paste, 
    • Not Vegan Bart's Thai Curry Pastes, Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients Thai Curry Pastes, Blue Dragon Thai Green and Red Paste (Jars), Sainsbury's Thai Green and Red Curry Pastes, Morrisons Red Thai Curry Paste, Creative Cook Thai Panang Paste,
  • Tomato purée

Rice, Grains & Pulses

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  • Couscous
  • Freekeh (pre-cooked pouch) 
    • Vegan Merchant Gourmet Ready to Eat Freekeh,
  • Puy lentils (pre-cooked pouch) 
    • Vegan Merchant Gourmet Read to Eat Puy Lentils, Waitrose Love Life Puy Lentils,
  • Quick-cook polenta
  • Quinoa
  • Pouches of pre-cooked rice (basmati, brown, long grain, pilau, thai jasmine) 
    • Vegan Tilda Basmati, Brown Basmati, Pilau, Waitrose Microwaveable Basmati, Wholegrain, Pilau, Long Grain, Sainsbury's Microwave Rice Basmati, Brown, Long Grain, Pilau, Tesco Basmati, Wholegrain, Long Grain, Morrisons Basmati, Long Grain, Pilau, Co-op Basmati, Brown Basmati, Long Grain and Pilau, Aldi Microwave Basmati, Long Grain, Pilau, Veetee Microwave Basmati, Brown Basmati, Pilau,
    • Awaiting Confirmation Uncle Bens, ASDA,
  • Spelt (pre-cooked pouch) 
    • Vegan Merchant Gourmet Ready to Eat Spelt
  • Wholewheat giant couscous 
    • Vegan Waitrose Love Life Giant Wholewheat Cous Cous, Merchant Gourmet Wholewheat Giant Couscous, Sainsbury's Giant Cous Cous, ASDA Good & Balanced Giant Wholemeal Cous Cous, Morrisons Giant Couscous, Artisan Pearl Cous Cous, Holland & Barratt Toasty Toasted Cous Cous

Sauces

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  • Black bean 
    • Vegan Waitrose Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce, Cooks' Ingredients Black Bean Sauce, Sainsbury's Black Bean Cooking Sauce, Tesco Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce and Black Bean Cooking Sauce, Lee Kum Kee Black Bean Garlic Sauce, ASDA Grower's Selection Black Bean Stir-Fry Sauce, ASDA Black Bean Cooking Sauce, Morrisons Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce, Amoy Aromatic Stir Fry Black Bean Sauce, 
    • Awaiting Confirmation Sharwood's Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce, Blue Dragon Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce, 
    • Not Vegan Wing Yip Black Bean Sauce
  • Brown
  • Soy
  • Sweet Chilli
  • Tomato Ketchup

In the Fridge

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  • Dairy-free margarine 
    • Vegan Pure Dairy-Free Sunflower or Soya Spread, Biona Organic Sunflower Vegetable Margarine, Waitrose Avocado Oil Spread, Rapeseed & Coconut Oil Spread, Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil Spread, Stork Original Baking Block, Vitalite Dairy Free Spread, Flora Freedom Spread Dairy Free, Sainsbury's Deliciously Free From Spread, Tesco Avocado Spread, Tesco Coconut Spread, KoKo Coconut Dairy-Free Spread,
  • Pre-cooked beetroot
  • Vegan parmesan 
    • Vegan Violife Prosociano
  • Extra Firm Tofu
    • Vegan Cauldron Original Tofu Block, Taifun Organic Traditional Tofu, Dragonfly Gluten Free Organic Marinated Tofu, The Tofoo Co Naked Organic Tofu,
  • Marinated Pre-Cooked Tofu 
    • Vegan Cauldron Organic Marinated Tofu Pieces, The Tofoo Co Oriental Diced Tofu, 

Tinned Foods

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  • Baked Beans
  • Chickpeas
  • Chopped Tomatoes
  • Lentils (green)
  • Coconut Milk (full or reduced fat)
  • Beans (borlotti, black beans, butter beans, haricot, cannellini)
  • Refried Beans 
    • Vegan Santa Maria Spicy Refried and Refried Beans, Old El Paso Refried Beans, Tesco Refried Beans,
  • Sweetcorn

Miscellaneous

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  • Vegetable stock cubes 
    • Vegan Kallo Organic Vegetable Stock Cubes, Yeast Free Stock Cubes and Low Salt Stock Cubes, Marigold Organic Yeast Free Vegetable Bouillon Cubes, Sainsbury's Basics Vegetable Stock Cubes, 
    • No Animal Products but risk of cross-contamination Sainsbury's Vegetable Stock Cubes, 
    • Not Vegan OXO Vegetable Stock Cubes, Tesco Vegetable Stock Cubes, Everyday Value Vegetable Stock Cubes, Morrisons Vegetable Stock Cubes, 
    • Awaiting Confirmation Knorr Vegetable Stock Cubes, ASDA Chosen by You Vegetable Stock Cubes,  
  • Vegetable stock powder
    • Vegan Kallo Vegetable Stock Powder, Marigold Vegan Organic Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder, Knorr Organic Vegetable Stock Powder, 
    • Not Vegan Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder (green pot)
    • Awaiting Confirmation ASDA Vegetable Bouillon Stock Mix
  • Nutritional Yeast Flakes 
    • Vegan Marigold Engevita Nutritional Yeast Flakes
  • Spring roll wrappers
    • Vegan Blue Dragon Spring Roll Wrappers
  • Dried porcini mushrooms
  • Oreo cookies
  • Silken tofu 
    • Vegan Blue Dragon Tofu Firm Silken Style, Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Firm, Clearspring Organic Japanese Silken & Smooth Tofu, Yutaka Japanese Style Silken Tofu, Satono Yuki Tofu, 

In the freezer

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  • Dairy-free vanilla ice cream 
    • Vegan Swedish Glace Non Dairy Frozen Dessert Smooth Vanilla, Booja Booja Organic Keep Smiling Vanilla M'Gorilla Ice Cream, Almond Dream velvety vanilla non-dairy ice cream, Sainsbury's Deliciously Freefrom Coconut Vanilla Ice Dessert,
  • Frozen peas
  • Frozen broad beans
  • Frozen Thai ingredients 
    • Vegan Waitrose Cooks Ingredients Frozen Spicy Thai Mix
  • Frozen char-grilled aubergine 
    • Vegan Waitrose Frozen Grilled Sliced Aubergine
  • Frozen summer fruits
  • Breadcrumbs

Spreads, Milks, Cream & Cheese Substitutes

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  • Soya
  • Nut (almond, hazelnut or cashew)
  • Oat
  • Coconut
  • Dairy-free single cream (oat, soya or nut) 
    • Vegan Alpro Soya Cream Alternative, Alpro Coconut Cream Alternative, Oatly Organic Oat Cream Alternative, Valsoia Soya Cream, Provamel Organic Soya Alternative to Cream
  • Ready-made dairy-free custard 
    • Vegan Alpro Vanilla Soya Custard, Oatly Vanilla Custard, Provamel Soya Long Life Custard,
  • Vegan cream cheese 

On the windowsill or in the garden

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  • Flat-leaf parsley
  • Coriander
  • Basil
  • Thyme
  • Mint

Kitchen Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • Stick blender and mini-chopper
  • Microwave
  • Kettle
  • Frying pans (large and small)
  • Lidded saucepans (large and small)
  • Non-stick baking trays
  • Sharp knives (at least a large chef’s knife, small paring knife, serrated bread knife)
  • Chopping board
  • Mixing bowls
  • Colander
  • Sieve
  • Tongs
  • Spatula
  • Slotted spoon
  • Peeler
  • Grater
  • Measuring jug
  • Measuring spoons
  • Scales
  • Tin opener
  • Rolling Pin
  • Corkscrew & Bottle Opener

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