Black cooks have long turned modest ingredients into memorable meals, and vegan soul food is part of that tradition. Long before mainstream grocery stores carried extensive plant-based options, neighborhood restaurants and home cooks were creating favorites like collard greens, mac and “cheese,” pies, and dairy-free ice cream without animal products. My father worked at one of Atlanta’s first vegan eateries, Soul Veg, in the 1980s, and that legacy of resourceful, delicious plant-based cooking lives on.
Soul Food
Search “vegan soul food” and you’ll find numerous blogs, cookbooks, and restaurants reimagining this classic cuisine without animal products. It’s worth noting that many traditional dishes worldwide are already plant-forward—relying heavily on vegetables, legumes, and grains. Historically, African and Southern U.S. foodways were shaped by gardens and seasonal produce, giving us staples like collard greens, candied yams, cornbread, red rice, and gumbo. Turning these recipes fully plant-based is often straightforward; the creative challenge is keeping them vibrant, soulful, and unforgettable.
Chicken and Waffles
Vegan chicken and waffles demonstrates how adaptable soul food can be. Many plant-based swaps exist—cauliflower, tofu, seitan, or mushrooms can stand in for chicken—but the goal here is to honor the original dish’s soul while keeping it entirely animal-free. This version features double-breaded oyster mushrooms fried until crisp and juicy, served over tender, fluffy waffles. A drizzle of real maple syrup and a splash of Southern hot sauce finish the plate, delivering sweet, savory, and spicy in every bite.
Serving Suggestions
Pair these chicken and waffles with classic vegan soul food sides for a full meal, such as collard greens, vegan mac & cheese, braised cabbage, sweet potato biscuits, or a black-eyed pea salad.
More Vegan Soul Food Recipes
Main Dishes
Vegan Fried Chicken
Main Dishes
Vegan Red Beans and Rice
Side Dishes
Corn Ribs | Finger Lickin’ Good
Salads & Bowls
Vegan Potato Salad
Vegan Chicken and Waffles
Ingredients
Vegan Waffles
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 4 tbsp water
- 1¾ cups soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or vegan, gluten-free flour mix)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Non-stick cooking spray
Vegan Buttermilk Fried “Chicken”
- ¼ cup unsweetened plain soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or brown rice flour)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 8 large oyster mushrooms, tough base removed
- 5 cups safflower oil (or other frying oil)
- Maple syrup and hot sauce, for serving
Instructions
Vegan Waffles
- Combine flax and water in a large bowl to make a flax “egg”; set aside to thicken.
- Pour soy milk into a bowl and add the vinegar; set aside.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in another bowl.
- Stir the flax egg into the soy milk, then pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Preheat the waffle iron and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Ladle about ½–¾ cup batter per waffle and cook until done, about 3 minutes.
- Keep waffles crisp by placing them on a cooling rack or in a 200°F oven while you finish the rest.
Vegan Buttermilk Fried “Chicken”
- Combine soy milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients—flour, arrowroot powder, spices, and nutritional yeast—in another bowl.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or fryer to around 350°F.
- Dip each mushroom first in the wet mixture, then in the dry mixture using one hand for wet and one for dry. Dip back into the wet, then into the dry for a double coating.
- Carefully lower the coated mushrooms into the oil, cooking in batches without overcrowding. Fry until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
- Drain fried mushrooms on paper towels, continue with remaining mushrooms, then serve hot over waffles with maple syrup and hot sauce.
Notes
- This recipe can be made gluten-free by using brown rice flour for the mushroom batter and a gluten-free flour mix for the waffles.
- If oyster mushrooms aren’t available, try substituting cauliflower or another sturdy vegetable.
- King oyster mushrooms can work as well; remove as much tough base as possible and proceed with the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 335 kcal | Carbohydrates: 42 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 16 g | Sodium: 446 mg | Fiber: 4 g
Spicy Fried Cauliflower “Chicken”
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sweet or smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup hot sauce
- ¼ cup unsweetened plain soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 5 cups safflower oil (or other frying oil)
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour, arrowroot (or cornstarch), salt, and spices including nutritional yeast.
- Whisk together hot sauce, soy milk, and Dijon mustard in a separate bowl until smooth.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or fryer to about 350°F.
- Dip each cauliflower floret into the wet mixture, then coat in the dry mixture using one hand for wet and the other for dry. Repeat the dip for a double coating.
- Fry coated cauliflower in batches until golden, about 4–5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.