I recently travelled to Japan with my spouse and another couple. I love Japanese cuisine, and the four of us often sought out vegetarian and vegan food. When we found it–which wasn’t easy at times–it tended to be unique and delicious, taking us to neighbourhoods that we wouldn’t have explored otherwise. So it was a treat to have the opportunity to review Vegan Japan by Julia Boucachard, owner of the Mori Café in Paris, which serves Japanese vegan cuisine.

The art by Sanae Nicolas in the book is simple and whimsical, and lends a distinct look. The book includes traditional Japanese food, street food, and yōshoku (Japanese takes on Western dishes).

I made three recipes.

Curry Rice: Amazing! So amazing and easy that I’ve made it twice already. I used those ubiquitous Japanese curry rice cubes and added potatoes and carrots. This was a hit served with short grain Japanese rice.

Eggplant Dengaku: I love eggplant and miso, so why not combine them? The Miso Glaze recipe is provided in the “Basics” section, and it’s a five minute endeavour. After overcooking the eggplant on the first try, I adjusted the cooking time and it was perfect. I’ve also made this recipe twice, and it is so very simple and tasty.

Melon Pan: When in Japan this spring, my spouse's goal was to eat a “melon pan” from the 7-11. It’s a brioche bread with a sugary crumb on top that resembles a melon, kind of. When I saw it included here, I obviously had to try my hand. The brioche was tasty, but I need to practice my proofing because they were a little dense. That said, they disappeared pretty quickly 😆

There are so many more recipes I want to make. This will be a staple book on my shelf, as I love Japanese food. I can see making the curry a couple of times per month!

Thanks to The Experiment and NetGalley for a gifted copy for review.

A very good Japanese cookbook that just happens to be vegan too. Each recipe is well written and mostly easily accessible ingredients. The pictures are beautiful.

"Vegan Japan" by Julia Boucachard is a beautifully crafted cookbook that reimagines comforting Japanese dishes as plant-based delights. Drawing from her Japanese-French heritage, Boucachard offers a diverse selection of recipes, from classics like Miso Butter Ramen to veganized takes on meat and seafood favorites. The book’s thoughtful organization, stunning photography, and attractive illustrations make it both practical and fun. This cookbook is perfect for anyone eager to explore vegan Japanese cuisine, whether a novice or an experienced cook.

Vegan Japan is a well written and tantalizing collection of plant based recipes with a Japanese flavor profile developed and curated by Julia Boucachard. Released 15th Oct 2024 by The Experiment, it's 160 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is a colorful and versatile cookbook which is vegan/vegetarian friendly. The author does a good job of introducing the ingredients and special prep methods as well as giving the recipes a solid Japanese flavor profile and aesthetic.

The introduction includes a primer on pantry staples and ingredients, followed by recipes arranged thematically: basics, main dishes, side dishes, street foods, and desserts. Ingredients are listed in a bullet point sidebar, with descriptions, yields, and step by step instructions. Ingredient measurements are listed in imperial (American) units, with metric measures in parentheses (yay!).

Nearly all the recipes are accompanied by color photos.The styling is appealing and appropriate. Additionally, there are colorful pastel illustrations scattered throughout the book. Graphically it's beautifully done.

Four and a half stars. This would be an excellent choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, or gift giving.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Book Review: Vegan Japan: 70 Comforting Plant-Based Recipes by Julia Boucachard

Rating: 4 Stars

As a fan of Japanese cuisine, I was excited to dive into "Vegan Japan" by Julia Boucachard. This cookbook is a delightful exploration of comforting Japanese recipes that have been lovingly transformed into vegan versions. Boucachard, a Japanese French chef, draws on her childhood memories and culinary expertise to bring us an array of warming soups, slurpable noodles, refreshing vegetable sides, and even indulgent street foods—all without any animal products.

The book does an excellent job of showcasing the versatility of Japanese cuisine while emphasizing seasonality and balance in flavors. I was thrilled to find beloved classics like Kabocha Stew, Miso Butter Ramen, and Gyoza among the pages. But it's not just about the well-known dishes; Boucachard also introduces us to Yoshoku—Western dishes with a playful Japanese twist—and cleverly veganized takes on meat and seafood favorites like Karaage. Plus, there's an entire section dedicated to homemade sauces and condiments, which is a game changer for anyone looking to elevate their cooking.

One of the standout features of "Vegan Japan" is its layout. It’s not just beautiful; it’s thoughtfully organized, making it easy to navigate through the various recipes. Each page is adorned with mouthwatering photographs that make you want to dive right into the kitchen. The charming illustrations sprinkled throughout add a touch of whimsy, making the cookbook a joy to leaf through.

Moreover, Boucachard goes above and beyond by providing valuable insights into the ingredients and supplies needed for each dish. I particularly appreciated her attention to detail regarding the seasons in which certain recipes shine. This thoughtful touch caters to those of us who enjoy celebrating plant-based eating in tune with nature’s rhythms.

"Vegan Japan" is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in exploring plant-based Japanese cuisine. Whether you're a seasoned chef or just starting out in the kitchen, this cookbook has something to offer everyone. With its easy-to-follow recipes and beautiful visuals, it's a four-star gem that I highly recommend for anyone looking to bring a little taste of Japan into their home cooking—vegan style!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I received a copy of the eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I don't know what half of this recipes are but the look and sound yummy. I don't know much about Japanese foods but I've always enjoyed what I have had the chance to try. This cookbook explores Japanese foods while being vegan which I appreciate. The descriptions of what the food were was helpful to me since I didn't know what the titles meant. I look forward to trying some of these recipes.

This book sounded so promising because I am a vegan who loves Asian food. The pros are that it includes a list of common Japanese ingredients at the beginning, it includes recipes for dips and sauces. The cons are that a lot of the recipes seemed like restaurant foods rather than things the average person would make at home. Some of the ingredients are literally impossible to find - like the tofu pouches. I've searched Asian grocery stores and even Amazon with no luck There were tons of recipes for soups and stews, but I am not a soup person.

I loved the detail of each ingredient, it really made me realise what each ingredient can bring to the dish. There are so many beautiful recipes that I cannot wait to try. These recipes are also explained in a succinct way which made it easy to follow.

Some very exciting vegan recipes for Japanese cuisine which I thought would be hard to adapt to but this author has done a fantastic job in doing so..

My husband and I are both vegan and we had our honeymoon in Japan! While we found several amazing vegan restaurants in Japan, we also at times struggled to stay strictly vegan. There were so many amazing Japanese dishes that we wish we could have tried but couldn't because of our veganism. How thrilled I was to see this book!! Bouchchard has a perfect balance of memoir meets cookbook. Her personal experiences and knowledge of Japanese culture is woven in naturally with each recipe. In cookbooks I find the personal stories that precede each recipe are sometimes too long or irrelevant, and I am tempted to skim them. Not with this one! I learned so much from this book, and not just about food. I am so excited that this book was written, and that my husband and I can finally enjoy Japanese cuisine!

Vegan Japan is a cookbook that is filled with just that vegan Japanese dishes.

While the cooking techniques are relatively easy, the ingredients may be a challenge if you don’t live in a large city. My daughter who lives near Los Angeles had no problem finding the ingredients in her local Asian store. However, many ingredients puzzled even the storekeepers of my local rural/suburban Asian market.

The few recipes that I tried were very good and easy to follow. However, there is some prep work required that is not included or only mentioned briefly in the separate Essential Ingredients chapter. This may be a stumbling point for new chefs.

All of the recipes included scrumptious looking color photos. I just wish nutritional information was also included.

Overall, Vegan Japan is best for intermediate level chefs familiar with either vegan recipes, Japanese cuisine, or both. I could see this book becoming very popular with vegans looking for something different from the usual stews and burrito bowls. 4 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and The Experiment for providing me with an advanced review copy.

I visit Japanese restaurants regularly and find that there are vegan appetizers but they are missing vegan main dishes on their menu. Another problem is meat is hidden in many dishes. Julia solves this by finding vegan substitutes for all her dishes. I have always hated cooking Asian food at home because there is too much sodium in the sauces sold in Asian food stores. I was happy that this book has given me a solution by having homemade low sodium recipes for popular essential sauces and noodles. If the author were to add more to this book I would add more homemade sauce recipes. There are lots of irresistible recipes. The illustrations are high quality and authentic. Real pictures that display the outcome of each recipe.

My husband is vegan and I'm trying to eat a more plant-based diet. We both love Asian cuisine and I was excited to get my hands on Vegan Japan by Julia Boucachard. The cookbook is definitely for someone who wants authentic Japanese recipes that offer vegan alternatives. Many of the recipes call for ingredients that aren't typically found in your neighborhood supermarket, such as aburage and tonikatsu sauce. Thankfully, we have an Asian market near by. If you don't, you may either be ordering a lot of items on Amazon or forgoing many of the recipes. But, ultimately, the cookbook has very impressive vegan recipes.

I perhaps foolishly had the impression that Japanese food was highly reliant on fresh fish and rice. When I saw this cookbook Vegan Japan, I was intrigued and excited when I was approved for this ARC. The recipes in this book that I tried were all delicious and really opened my eyes to the variety within Japanese cuisine.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The illustrations and photography in this cook book are amazing! I really appreciated the descriptions of the different Japanese ingredients and basic recipes at the beginning of book for easy reference while making the more complex recipes. I'm very excited to make more of these recipes, I love Japanese food but its a tough cuisine for vegans. I am a little disappointed that there are no sushi recipes as I was hoping for some sushi inspiration,

As a vegetarian myself, loved the recipes on this book; most of which are made with easy to find ingredients and simple instructions to make.
I am always on the lookout for vegan dishes to try out; there many on this book.
I was pleased to find a variety of recipes that will Impress any fancy eater. (There are many in my
Family)
The pictures also make receipts appealing and there are nice tips to give that special Japanese touch.
I definitely will get it.

Thank you for the opportunity to review - the file acctually didn't have the full book in but from what I saw a great selection of recipes and recipes were straightford and easy to follow. Will definitely be looking out for a physical copy of this book in the near future.

Vegan Japan
Love this! There are so many great Japanese recipes that are a great alternative for vegans or those who are looking for a meatless meal. Some ingredients are hard to find in everyday grocery stores and will either need to be purchased at an Asian Market/Store or ordered.
Our household loves Japanese foods and we know how to make a few dishes, but this cookbook has given us a few more recipes for dishes we love. I can’t wait to make the Udon, Dango and sauce, and Okonomiyaki.

At the beginning, there is a description of some of the essential ingredients used, recipes for different sauces, and how to make udon noodles. Then at the end there is an index with the page numbers where you can find the different recipes.

The concept and content for this one was great, but the cover art needs to be improved for this to stand out.

This beautiful cookbook covers the basics such as rice and sauces to much more complex recipes. This would be a great book to cook your way through to master some excellent vegan recipes. Beautiful photographs accompany recipes.