Cashews soak, tofu presses, and dinner still feels slow? Let’s fix that.
We’ve all been there—standing in the kitchen, cashews soaking, tofu pressing under a stack of books, and somehow still feeling like dinner will take hours.
Going vegan simplifies many things (goodbye, chicken-handling anxiety) but it can complicate others—think endless chopping, sauces that never quite get silky, and trays that glue vegetables on as if with superglue.
Over the years I’ve found that a handful of low-profile gadgets can turn that friction into pure glide.
Some cost less than a café lunch, others require a tiny investment, but they all earn permanent counter or drawer real estate in my house.
Ready to cook faster, cleaner, and with a little flair? Let’s dive in.
1. Immersion blender
Last winter, after a muddy trail run, I craved creamy carrot-ginger soup but couldn’t face ladling boiling liquid into my stand-up blender.
Enter the stick blender. I plunged it straight into the pot and had velvety soup in ninety seconds—no splash marks on the ceiling this time.
As the editors at Serious Eats put it, “An immersion blender … offers convenience for quick blending tasks without the hassle of using a bulky countertop blender.”
Beyond soup, I use it to whirl soaked cashews into Alfredo-style sauce, blitz chickpeas for hummus, and even froth oat milk right in my coffee mug.
Clean-up is a rinse under the tap. If counter space is tight or you cook in small batches, this handheld wonder saves time, dishes, and your sanity.
2. Microplane zester
Ever wonder why restaurant veggies taste brighter than yours at home? The secret might be the zest.
A razor-fine grater turns lemon peel, frozen ginger, garlic, or even nugget-size nutmeg into fragrant confetti.
I sprinkle citrus zest over roasted broccoli, shave frozen tofu into stir-fries, and dust dark chocolate onto chia pudding for a grown-up dessert.
Because the teeth are so fine, flavors explode without chunks or fibrous bits.
The tool is smaller than a wooden spoon and doubles as a mini-cheese grater for plant-based Parmesan or Brazil nuts pulsed with nutritional yeast. It’s a powerhouse hiding in plain sight.
3. Silicone baking mat
Quote someone at your potluck who’s still scrubbing caramelized sweet-potato syrup off a cookie sheet, and you’ll hear the gospel of silicone mats.
These flexible sheets replace parchment and spray oil, and they pay for themselves after a couple of rolls of baking paper.
Silicone mats “work much like parchment … are heat resistant, food-grade, easy to clean, and best of all, they are reusable,” notes sustainability site Fork in the Road.
I rely on mine for oil-free roasted veg, aquafaba meringues, and sticky maple-glazed tempeh—nothing sticks.
A quick swipe with soapy water and they’re ready for round two. Bonus: they roll up into a drawer, so apartment-dwellers don’t lose precious shelf space.
4. Tofu press
Before I bought a dedicated press, I balanced a cast-iron pan over tofu wrapped in dish towels.
Inevitably the tower slid and soaked the counter.
A $25 spring-loaded press changed everything. In 15 minutes, enough liquid drains to leave spongy blocks as firm as halloumi.
Pressing means faster browning, deeper marinades, and no sad, watery stir-fries. I even freeze-then-press blocks for a chicken-like chew that wins over omnivores.
Some presses double as a marinating box—two wins for one gadget.
5. Nut milk bag (or fine-mesh bag)
I once used a T-shirt to strain almond milk; detergents flavored the batch like lavender latte gone wrong.
These days I swear by a reusable nylon or hemp bag. It filters out gritty pulp and doubles as a cold-brew strainer and even a juice extractor if you don’t own a juicer.
Food52 reminds us that “the ideal ratio is 4 cups of water to 1 cup nuts” for silky milk every time. Use that guideline, blend, and squeeze.
The pulp dries into flour for cookies or crackers, meaning zero waste.
6. Digital kitchen scale
Can a scale really change your cooking? Absolutely.
Eyeballing 200 grams of chickpea flour can swing your socca from crepe-thin to door-stop dense.
A scale nails ratios for seitan dough, gluten-free baking, and nutrient-packed energy bars where precision means the difference between chewy and chalky.
I also portion bulk staples into jars—no more half-used bags of quinoa spilling in the pantry.
Because most models tare to zero, I stack ingredients in one bowl and skip extra dishes. Once you cook by weight, cup measures feel like dial-up internet.
7. Mandoline slicer
“Far from being a tool for fancy chefs only, a mandoline simplifies making dishes like potato gratin and elevates everyday vegetables,” writes Serious Eats.
Thin, uniform slices roast more evenly and pickle in record time.
I use mine to shave beets for raw salads, slice cucumbers paper-thin for tofu banh mi, and turn sweet potatoes into chips that actually crisp instead of burn.
Safety tip: ditch the wobbly finger-guard and use a cut-resistant glove or a folded kitchen towel for better grip and fewer ER visits.
8. Cookie scoop
Stay with me—this spring-loaded ice-cream-style scoop is my stealth MVP.
I portion falafel mix, black-bean “meatballs,” and even oat-banana cookie dough in seconds. Everything emerges from the oven uniform, so it cooks evenly and stacks neatly for meal prep.
The scoop also shapes mashed avocado into café-worthy quenelles for brunch plates (luxe without the culinary-school tuition).
Choose a medium size—around 40 mm—for maximum versatility, then watch your friends wonder how your food always looks so professional.
Final thoughts
If you’re counting, none of these gizmos require a mortgage or an extra cupboard—yet they shave minutes (and stress) off daily meals.
The key is picking tools that multitask: press tofu and marinate, blend soups and cashew cream, zest lemons and imperceptibly grate garlic.
So, next time you’re tempted to buy another novelty gadget, ask: Will it earn a spot on this list one day?
If the answer’s maybe, you’ll probably use it twice and forget it. But if it solves more than one vegan pain point, let it in.
Your Wednesday-night self will thank you, and so will the person doing the dishes.
