EHL Ingredients creates blends for vegan Christmas dishes

EHL Ingredients has developed a new range of herb and spice blends for vegan Christmas dishes under its Lähde foodservice brand in the UK.

The products are designed to add different flavours and textures to plant-based Christmas dinners and tap into consumers’ interest in world flavours and alternative ingredients.

The blends can be used to spice up meat-free dishes such as roasted cauliflower, pulled jackfruit tacos, nachos and slaws, sweet potato katsu curry, root vegetable wellington, and squash-based dishes.  

EHL also offers chefs and caterers seasonings for vegan paté or ‘faux-gras’, veggie black pudding, and stuffing for meat-free sausages and plant-based pigs in blankets, including a spicy cranberry, and a nutmeg and cassia mix.  

Meanwhile, the sweet mixed spice blends are suitable for vegan Christmas puddings, cakes, biscuits and bars, stollen and tiffins, dairy-free chocolate tortes and spiced fruit bakery items. 

For drinks, the Lähde glühwein and cider blend includes a combination of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper and ginger.  

“This year has been huge for the vegan food and drink market, especially within foodservice, with diners often following an animal-free, or flexitarian diet, to cut back on meat consumption,” said Kath Davies, new product development manager at EHL Ingredients.

“There’s no need for vegan offerings to be boring or difficult as long as you have good quality ingredients and look to international foods for inspiration. Perceptions towards plant-based foods are changing and operators should embrace this and get creative with Christmas fayre.”

She added: “While there are consumers following vegan diets and lifestyles, there are also groups of people cutting back on meat and animal products, and they want interesting choices on their Christmas menu. Modern Brits’ tastes are changing and people are looking for variety, new flavour combinations, and unusual dishes at Christmas group gatherings.”