While Western media obsesses over the latest vegan burger, billions of people have been eating plant-based meals for centuries without making it a thing.
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There's something funny about the way we talk about plant-based eating in the West. We treat it like a new invention, something that requires special products, dedicated restaurants, and a whole lifestyle rebrand. Meanwhile, huge portions of the world have been eating this way forever. They just call it dinner.
The truth is, many traditional cuisines evolved around plants out of necessity, geography, and cultural practice. Meat was expensive, refrigeration didn't exist, and vegetables grew abundantly. These food traditions stuck around because they work. They're delicious, nutritious, and sustainable.
Yet somehow, when we discuss the global rise of veganism, these cultures rarely get mentioned. Let's fix that. Here are eight countries where plant-based eating isn't a trend. It's just how things have always been done.
1. Ethiopia
Ethiopian cuisine might be the most accidentally vegan-friendly food tradition on the planet. Thanks to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, millions of Ethiopians observe fasting periods that prohibit animal products for up to 200 days per year. That's more than half the calendar spent eating plants.
The result? An incredible repertoire of dishes built around lentils, split peas, chickpeas, and vegetables. Injera, the spongy sourdough flatbread that serves as both plate and utensil, is naturally vegan. Top it with misir wot (spiced red lentils), gomen (collard greens), or shiro (chickpea stew), and you've got a feast.
Ethiopian restaurants typically have entire sections of their menu dedicated to fasting foods. No substitutions needed, no awkward conversations with the server. The infrastructure for plant-based eating has existed here for centuries.
2. India
India has the largest vegetarian population in the world, with estimates suggesting that anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of the country doesn't eat meat. Religious traditions in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism have shaped a food culture where plants take center stage.
But here's what's interesting. Even among Indians who do eat meat, plant-based meals dominate daily eating. Dal, roti, sabzi, rice. These staples form the backbone of most home cooking. Meat is often reserved for special occasions or eaten in small quantities alongside vegetables.
The regional diversity is staggering. South Indian dosas and idlis, Gujarati dhokla, Rajasthani dal baati. Each region has developed its own plant-forward specialties. India proves that vegetarian food doesn't have to be boring or repetitive. It can be endlessly varied and deeply satisfying.
3. Lebanon
Middle Eastern mezze culture is a plant-based paradise hiding in plain sight. Walk into any Lebanese restaurant and you'll find hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, falafel, fattoush, mujadara, and stuffed grape leaves. Most of these dishes contain zero animal products.
Lebanese cuisine developed around the concept of abundance through variety. Instead of one big protein centerpiece, meals feature dozens of small dishes meant for sharing. This approach naturally lends itself to vegetables, legumes, and grains.
The climate helps too. Lebanon's Mediterranean location means olive oil flows freely, fresh vegetables are available year-round, and herbs like parsley and mint grow everywhere. When your ingredients are this good, you don't need to dress them up with meat. They shine on their own.
4. Japan
Before Western influence arrived in the late 1800s, Japan had a largely plant-based food culture. Buddhist traditions discouraged meat consumption for over a thousand years. The result was shojin ryori, the sophisticated vegetarian cuisine developed in Zen temples.
Even today, traditional Japanese eating patterns remain heavily plant-focused. Rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, tofu, seaweed, and seasonal produce form the foundation of daily meals. The concept of ichiju sansai (one soup, three sides) typically features more plants than animal products.
Japan also gave us some of the most versatile plant proteins on earth. Tofu, tempeh's cousin natto, and countless preparations of soybeans have been perfected here over centuries.
The Japanese approach to vegetables, treating them with the same respect and technique as any other ingredient, offers lessons for plant-based cooks everywhere.
5. Mexico
Mexican food gets stereotyped as cheese-and-meat heavy, but that's the Tex-Mex filter talking. Traditional Mexican cuisine, especially in rural and indigenous communities, has always centered on the holy trinity of corn, beans, and squash.
These three crops, known as the "three sisters," have sustained civilizations for thousands of years.
Tacos don't require meat to be authentic. Some of the most beloved street foods are plant-based by default. Tacos de papa (potato), rajas con crema (roasted peppers), nopales (cactus), and hongos (mushrooms) are everywhere. Black beans, pinto beans, and countless regional varieties provide protein at nearly every meal.
The salsas, moles, and chiles that define Mexican flavor are almost entirely plant-derived. When your cuisine has this much depth in its seasonings, vegetables become genuinely exciting. A simple taco de frijoles with fresh salsa verde can be transcendent.
6. Thailand
Thai cuisine has a secret weapon for plant-based eaters: jay food. During the annual Vegetarian Festival, millions of Thai Buddhists eat exclusively vegan for nine days. This tradition has created a parallel food infrastructure where almost any Thai dish can be made plant-based.
Look for the yellow flag with red Chinese characters outside restaurants and street stalls. That's the symbol for jay food, and it means everything served is vegan. Pad thai, green curry, tom yum soup, papaya salad. All of it can be made without animal products and taste incredible.
Thai cooking relies heavily on aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and Thai basil. These flavors do the heavy lifting. Coconut milk provides richness, tofu and mushrooms add substance. The cuisine was practically designed for plant-based adaptation.
7. Georgia
The country of Georgia, nestled between Europe and Asia, has a food culture that deserves way more attention. Georgian Orthodox fasting traditions mean that plant-based dishes are deeply embedded in the national cuisine.
During fasting periods, which can total over 200 days annually, Georgians eat lobio (bean stew), pkhali (vegetable pâtés), and badrijani (stuffed eggplant).
Walnuts are the secret ingredient here. Ground walnuts form the base of countless sauces and spreads, providing richness and protein without dairy. The walnut-garlic sauce called bazhe transforms simple vegetables into something special.
Georgian cuisine also features incredible bread traditions and a wine culture dating back 8,000 years. The combination of hearty bean dishes, walnut-based preparations, and fresh vegetables makes it surprisingly easy to eat plant-based while exploring this underrated food destination.
8. China
China's Buddhist vegetarian tradition, known as su cai, has been refined over two thousand years. Temples developed techniques for creating mock meats from wheat gluten, tofu, and mushrooms that remain unmatched today. That "vegan duck" at your local Chinese restaurant? It traces back to ancient monastic kitchens.
Beyond the Buddhist tradition, everyday Chinese cooking features enormous variety in vegetable preparation. Stir-fried greens, braised tofu, cold cucumber salads, mapo tofu (easily made vegan), and countless noodle dishes can be entirely plant-based. The wok technique makes vegetables taste better than they have any right to.
Regional diversity matters here too. Sichuan's bold spices, Cantonese dim sum, Shanghai's sweet and savory flavors. Each region offers distinct plant-based possibilities. China's sheer culinary creativity with vegetables and soy products has influenced plant-based cooking worldwide.
Final thoughts
What strikes me about all these cuisines is how normal plant-based eating feels within them. There's no special menu, no asterisks, no apologetic substitutions. Plants aren't the backup plan. They're the main event.
These food traditions developed over centuries through necessity, religious practice, and simple common sense. Meat was scarce and expensive. Vegetables were abundant and cheap. Cooks got creative, and delicious traditions emerged.
The lesson here isn't that we need to appropriate these cuisines wholesale. It's that plant-based eating doesn't require reinventing the wheel.
The techniques, flavor profiles, and approaches already exist. They've been tested across generations and proven to satisfy.
Next time someone tells you that vegan food is limiting or boring, point them toward any of these eight countries. Billions of people have been eating this way all along. They just never felt the need to announce it.
