Must-Have Kitchen Tools for Vegan Cooking

From peta.org

Whether you’re a seasoned vegan chef or just starting out, having a well-equipped kitchen can jump-start your meals. Learn which tools make all the difference when cooking vegan meals. 

Cows, chickens, pigs, fish, and other animals exploited for food are individuals who feel pain and fear. Cows produce milk for the same reason humans do—to nourish their young—but workers take calves on dairy farms away from their mothers when they are just one day old. Instead of nourishing their babies, mother cows’ milk is used in things like milk and cheese, which are included in many non-vegan recipes. By cooking with vegan, animal-free ingredients, you’re helping prevent immense suffering and showing that compassion belongs in every kitchen.

These Kitchen Gadgets Make Vegan Cooking Easy

Blenders

Vitamix Blender

A powerhouse blender perfect for creamy nut-based cheeses, smoothies, soups, and sauces. Its high speed and durability make it a staple for serious vegan cooks.

Nutribullet Blender

Compact, quick, and easy to clean—perfect for smoothies, dressings, and sauces without the Vitamix price tag.

Ninja Blender

More affordable than high-end models, this reliable blender has enough power for frozen fruits, soups, and nut butters.

Air Fryers

This appliance makes foods taste deep-fried with just a tiny bit of oil, making it better for you but just as delicious. You can use air fryers to cook vegan chicken, French fries, veggie chips, and more.

Ninja Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer

This dual-basket air fryer lets you cook two dishes at once, and the device will even finish them simultaneously. Try it with crispy tofu in one, and Brussels sprouts in the other!

Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer

A budget-friendly air fryer that crisps up tofu, tempeh, fries, and veggies with little or no oil—perfect for fast, healthy vegan meals.

Tofu Presses

Tofu is a protein-rich staple of vegan meals, but if it’s soggy, it won’t crisp up or absorb marinade. Pressing it first is the secret to firm, flavorful tofu—and this gadget makes it easy.

Tofuture Tofu Press

This tidy little gadget makes removing excess water from big blocks of tofu easy and mess-free.

Mixers

Whether you’re baking vegan cookies or delicious bread dough, mixers save time and energy in the kitchen.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

From whipping aquafaba (chickpea water) to kneading dough, this versatile mixer takes the effort out of baking and mixing.

Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer

Great for mixing vegan batters and whipping ingredients without taking up counter space.

Cooking Dishes

The right pots and pans are essential for everything from simmering stews to pan-searing tofu.

Le Creuset Dutch Oven

This enameled cast iron pot retains heat, adds elegance to your kitchen, and is ideal for slow-simmered vegan stews, soups, and one-pot meals.

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

This pre-seasoned and virtually indestructible skillet is perfect for stir-fries, pancakes, tofu scrambles, and more.

Cooking Utensils

Spatulas, whisks, and ladles are the unsung heroes of any kitchen. The proper utensil set makes vegan meal prep smoother, faster, and easier on your cookware.

Stainless Steel Utensil Set

This set of stainless steel spatulas, ladles, whisks, and more can do everything from mashed potatoes to stew.

Multipurpose Bamboo Utensils

Heat-resistant and gentle on your cookware, this bamboo cooking tool set has you covered no matter what you’re cooking.

Chopping and Coring Tools

Vegan meals are often veggie-heavy, so great cutting tools are key. A good knife, peeler, and corer make prepping fruits and veggies safer, faster, and more fun.

Global Knife Set

These ultra-sharp, well-balanced knives make chopping, slicing, and dicing veggies faster, safer, and more enjoyable.

Wüsthof Knife Set

These German-engineered knives are sharp, durable, and built to last a lifetime. This set is a worthy investment for anyone serious about vegan cooking.

OXO Good Grips Y-Peeler

An ergonomic favorite that glides effortlessly through tough veggie skins, saving prep time and your wrists.

Fruit Corer, Zester, and Spiralizer Set

If you have kids—or are a kid at heart—this peeler set adds creativity to your meals with curly veggie noodles, citrus zest, and neatly cored apples or bell peppers.

Rice Cookers

Perfect rice, quinoa, lentils, and beans every time—no guesswork needed. Some models double as pressure cookers, steamers, and even yogurt makers.

Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1

A multi-tasker with more than two dozen unique program settings, this cooker is great for one-pot vegan meals.

BLACK+DECKER Rice Cooker

This rice cooker is straightforward—just add rice and water and press start. You can also steam some veggies while your rice cooks in the handy steamer basket.

Time to Get Cooking!

Ready to use those new kitchen tools to make a difference for animals, one meal at a time? Check out PETA’s full collection of vegan recipes and our friends at World of Vegan’s recipe database to keep the compassion and creativity flowing in your kitchen.

https://www.peta.org/living/humane-home/kitchen-tools-for-vegan-cooking/