Kitchen Essentials List

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Small appliances, kitchen gadgets, cookware and more on this Plant Based Kitchen Essentials List to make creating delicious plant based meals easy and fun. Put these on your holiday wish list or buy them as gifts for your friends and family.

All year I’m thinking of gift ideas for the people on my Christmas list.  I keep a running list on my phone of things I would like, too. There are always kitchen items on there.

Some people might think getting a kitchen appliance for Christmas is incredibly unromantic and quite dull. I feel no such thing! I love to cook regardless, but the right cooking utensils, appliances and gadgets can make it so much easier to enjoy your time in the kitchen.

Today, I’m giving you a Kitchen Essentials list of some of my favorite kitchen items. These are items I own, use and love so I can vouch 100% for their awesomeness.

*This Plant Based Kitchen Essentials List contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you. 

Check out an even more extensive list of items I love in my Amazon Shop!

Cutting and Chopping

Knife Block Set

My number one recommendation on a plant based kitchen essentials list would be a knife block set. If veggies, fruits and nuts are going to be staples of your diet, you need a quality way to julienne, dice and chop them. There are plenty of gadgets out there to help you in this area too, but I much prefer to just use a knife!

A lot of people will say you need a top quality (read: expensive) knife set to last a lifetime. While that is not a bad idea, I will admit that I bought my first knife set at Ikea of all places and it lasted about 10 years. As long as you keep them sharpened (easy to do with the included knife sharpener) I think you will be good to go.

If you want to go with the best, Wusthof is a good choice.

If you want to save some $$, I suggest J.A. HENCKELS . This is the brand I currently use and I love them.

Large Cutting Board

You need a place to do all that cutting and chopping, and a proper cutting board is just the thing for you. This extra large bamboo cutting board is anti-microbial, won’t damage your knives, has a built in groove to catch juice from fruits and vegetables, and even has side handles so it could double as a serving board.

Small Appliances

High Speed Blender

I use my high speed blender almost every day. You can make so many yummy things in it.  Sauces, spreads, dressings, soups, smoothies (try my award winning Probiotic Pumpkin Pear Smoothie), ice cream, nut butter, dips, etc. A high speed blender is so versatile. You will not be sorry if you get one!

The Vitamix Professional Series 500 Blender is my #1 pick. I was lucky enough to purchase it used from a friend for less than half the price.

You can also find a refurbished one on Amazon for much less $: Vitamix Certified Reconditioned Standard Blender.

I also own a Kitchen Aid K400 Series Blender and it is every bit as good as the Vitamix at crushing ice and blending drinks to smooth perfection. It’s about half the price of a Vitamix.

Although, I don’t personally own one, I have also heard great things about the Blendtec Total Blender.

Food Processor

Another appliance that I use nearly every day in my kitchen is the food processor. I have the Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor. In addition to making nut butter, sauces, spreads, dips, dough and banana “ice cream” (like my Creamy Dairy Free Chocolate Ice Cream), I use it to easily combine ingredients for veggie burgers, grind oats and other grains into flour, and shred veggies (like for my Veggie Potato Fritters) with the included shredding discs in seconds.  Truly a handy kitchen appliance to have and a must for your Kitchen Essentials List!

Instant Pot

I got an Instant Pot several years ago and it quickly became one of my most loved kitchen appliances. It performs 7 different functions (pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sauté, and warmer) which means this one pot can replace several of your other appliances saving space in your kitchen!

It’s easy to use and easy to clean. I love mine so much I also bought one for my mom! Try my Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup for a delicious, comforting, yet easy, dinner!

Slow Cooker

If I didn’t convince you that you need an Instant Pot on your Kitchen Essentials List, then at least consider a slow cooker, because let’s face it, even the most enthusiastic cook sometimes wants a day off from preparing food. Throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning and serve up an amazing meal (like my Slow Cooker Red Lentil Stew with Chickpeas and Orzo) come dinner time.

I got rid of mine after I bought an Instant Pot, but I loved this Crock Pot Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker. This is especially handy if you take your slow cooker full of deliciousness to parties and holidays – the locking lid will ensure that everything stays put inside with no leaking.

Coffee Pot

This Cuisinart 12-Cup Coffee Pot has a built in grinder to ensure perfectly fresh coffee every time. There is an option to turn the grinder off if you’re using pre-ground coffee. It’s easy to use, digital, and fully programmable. I love waking up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting up the stairs. Good morning! Compared to many Grind & Brew coffee pots, this one won’t break the bank.

Coffee Grinder

I have the coffee maker, above, with a built in grinder, but a small coffee grinder is a great idea for grinding small batches of nuts, seeds or grains. Of course, it’s great for grinding coffee, too, if you don’t have a coffee maker with the capability to grind and brew. I have the Cuisinart Grind Central Coffee Grinder and I love that the inner bowl is removable for easy cleaning.

Single Serve Coffee Maker

With my full size coffee pot, I found I was drinking nearly the whole pot myself daily. Since I apparently have no self control, I recently bought a single-serve coffee maker to control the amount of coffee I drink. This Keurig Mini brews a cup (6 oz to 12 oz) in just 2 minutes and its small profile fits perfectly on my kitchen counter without taking up much space at all.

Don’t forget to grab some K-cup coffee pods while you’re at it. I am partial to Guatemalan coffee.

You can also get K-cups that come in varieties like Coffee with Superfoods and Probiotics, dairy-free Dark Hot Chocolate and Decaf.

Juicer

This kitchen appliance is only a necessity if you like fresh juice, like my Spicy Tomato Juice or my Green Vegetable Juice that you’ll actually WANT to drink!  This Breville Juice Fountain is the one I have and I absolutely love it!  It makes quick work of fruits and veggies and it’s really easy to clean as well.

You can also get a Refurbished Breville Juice Fountain for much less $.

Air Fryer

Air Fryers are all the rage these days, allowing for up to 85% less fat than traditional deep frying while maintaining the same delicious taste. It makes the perfect gift for family, friends, or even yourself!

This one from Cosori comes with 11 easy presets, cooks food faster than a conventional oven, is BPA free and easy to clean!

Gadgets

Salad Spinner

Admittedly, this one takes up a bit of space and really only has one use. But, if you eat a lot of salad and greens, it’s great for easily rinsing and spinning them dry. Plus, the kids love to get in on the action by pressing the top and seeing how much water they can spin out. We use our salad spinner several times a week at least, so it’s definitely worth it.

Immersion Blender

If you have a blender, you don’t technically need an immersion blender. However, I do use mine all the time.  If I want to puree some, or even all, of a soup I have cooking in a big soup pot on the stove (like my Butternut Squash Apple Soup), it’s much easier to get out this small tool then to transfer all of that hot liquid to a large blender batch by batch and then pour it back into the soup pot.

I also used my immersion blender often when I made baby food for all three of my kids.  I would steam the fruits/veggies on the stove and then use the immersion blender to purée them right in the same pot.

A lot of them come with several accessories like a whisk and a blending cup, but, personally, I don’t think you need those. I would stick with an inexpensive basic model like the Proctor-Silex Hand Blender. It’s the one I use and I’ve had it for over 15 years!

Colander Set

Another item I use in the kitchen nearly every day is a colander. A large one is great for draining pasta, a medium one is useful for rinsing grains, and a small one is perfectly kid-friendly for rinsing berries or grapes. There are plenty of choices out there, but make sure to find one with holes small enough so that grains and spaghetti noodles don’t fall through. This set is useful, BPA free, and colorful.

Cookware

Big Stock Pot

A large capacity stock pot is also a good idea.  Obviously, you can use it to make large batches of veggie broth or soup (which freeze really well if you have leftovers), but it’s also great when making pasta.  To cook pasta correctly, you need a lot of water and a lot of space for the noodles.  One of the biggest problems people have with pasta is that it turns out gummy or sticks together…this is most likely due to not enough space and water while your noodles are cooking.  Get yourself a big stock pot!

I have this Le Creuset Stock Pot and I love it! It comes in a variety of colors so you’ll be sure to find one to suit your decor as well.

Non Stick Skillets

I love my non stick skillets for making pancakes (like my Easy Eggless Pancakes), quesadillas, veggie burgers, etc. What I love most is that you don’t need any oil. A lot of people seem to be moving toward the trend of cooking with no oil, so these skillets should be on your wish list! They truly are non stick and clean up is a breeze! You can get a whole set with different size pots and pans, but these Scanpan skillets are my favorite!

Stainless Steel Cookware Set

I love this set for all-purpose, do it all cooking with even heat distribution. It comes with a variety of sizes, all equipped with tight-fitting lids and cool grip handles. It’s even oven and dishwasher safe!

Bakeware

Mixing Bowls

This mixing bowl set is made from BPA-free plastic with easy grip handles and non-skid bottoms. They come in a set of three, are dishwasher safe and will bring a cheery pop of color to your kitchen.

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Of course anyone who cooks or bakes on a regular basis must have measuring cups and spoons.

Measuring spoons and cups for dry ingredients are all pretty much the same if you ask me, but I’m kind of obsessed with collecting pretty ones. I have 4 sets of spoons that I can think of off the top of my head. Currently, I’m loving this 8 piece set from The Pioneer Woman.

If florals aren’t you’re thing, maybe you’ll prefer these cute gray kitties or maybe just a basic stainless steel set.

My favorite for liquids is this OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set.

My favorite for sticky ingredients is this OXO Good Grips Adjustable Measuring Cup.  I bet you didn’t even know you needed a different cup for your sticky ingredients. Truth is, you don’t, but you will LOVE this if you have it. It’s perfect for maple syrup, molasses, and nut butters. You fill it with your ingredient and then push up the bottom so you can scrape it ALL right off into your bowl/pot/whatever.  In a regular measuring cup you are sure to leave some behind.

Casserole Dishes

Every kitchen needs a few casserole dishes. Holidays beg for casseroles on the table, am I right? A large size is perfect for lasagnas, stuffing, roasting veggies or casseroles.  A smaller size is ideal for brownies (or my Cinnamon Chickpea Blondies), homemade granola bars, cornbread, or layered taco dip.  The possibilities are endless.

These Le Creuset Stoneware Rectangular Bakers would be the perfect choice. I have used them for years and they come in a variety of colors.

I also am in love with my Revol bakeware. I won a gift card to Revol when my Chai Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake won Reader Favorite and this is what I bought. I love how simple, yet elegant it looks and it cleans up beautifully!

Rimmed Baking Sheets

My rimmed baking sheets gets tons of use from roasting vegetables and chickpeas and making easy Baked Tofu. Of course, you’ll also need one for baking delicious cookies, like my perfect vegan and gluten free Cinnamon Sugar Cookies! These baking sheets are super versatile and they’re non-stick!

Donut Pan

Ok, so maybe this item isn’t quite essential. BUT, these donuts pans are inexpensive and vegan donuts are so easy to make (try my Chocolate Vegan Donut Recipe!, it just makes sense!

Storage

Glass jars w/ lids

Glass jars with lids are incredibly versatile and will last a lifetime.  I use them in the fridge to store homemade nut butters, overnight oats, homemade salad dressings (like my Vegan Ranch Dressing), pasta sauces and pestos.  I also use them in the panty to store dried beans, grains, dried fruit, fresh nuts and seeds and homemade flours (for ex: from oats or almonds). There are so many different ones to choose from, but these vintage blue Ball Jars with Lids look so pretty. They come in pint and quart sizes.

Glass Storage Containers

I recently switched out all of my plastic storage containers for glass ones and I couldn’t be happier. I got this set, which comes with 12 containers and 12 lids. They are BPA-free, stain-resistant, dishwasher and microwave safe (the containers, not the lids!). The containers are also safe for the oven and freezer!

Table Setting

Gorgeous Dishes

Pretty dishes may not be a necessity, but we eat with our eyes first, and food looks better on pretty plates! Therefore, it goes on my Kitchen Essentials List!

This handmade dinnerware from Off Your Rocker Pottery is both functional and beautiful. I go into greater detail about it in this post, but here are a few reasons you’ll love it:

• Microwave, Oven, and Dishwasher Safe
• Cups & plates designed to stack easily in your cabinets
• Bottoms of all pieces sanded & hand polished to ensure they don’t scratch your table
• Ergonomic handles on all cups/mugs
• Custom made in the Chicago area

There are several sizes and colors of plates, cups, and bowls. the flat bowls are my absolute favorite! There are also pitchers, berry bowls, and vases. Grab one or grab a set! Bonus: Use code “veggie” for a 10% discount!

Kids Dishes and Cutlery

Ok, obviously, you can walk into just about any store and buy some inexpensive kids cutlery, but I actually do have a preference here. I randomly found these kids utensils and plates/bowls at Ikea one day and I bought them on a whim.  I love them…and so do the kids.  They are BPA free, dishwasher safe and inexpensive. Perfect for serving up this kid friendly, and reader favorite, Vegan Mac and Cheese!

Cookbooks and Food

Meatless Monday Family Cookbook

What kitchen essentials list is complete without a cookbook you can turn to time and time again? My cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook, has over 100 delicious and easy plant based lunch/dinner recipes the whole family will love! It even contains tips and tricks to get your kids involved in the kitchen and cooking process with you. Here you can read more details about this fully plant based vegan cookbook.

Superfoods

The term “superfood” refers to foods that boast exceptional nutrient density and have potential health benefits. They are incredibly high in micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants, enzymes, and healthy fats.

Some of them are easy to get your hands on, like blueberries, kale, and chia seeds. Others may be only found in health stores and come with a high price tag, like baobab, guarana, and lucuma.

If you’re used to filling in nutrient gaps with a multi-vitamin or supplement, it’s time to up your game! These superfood powders from Your Super are made from REAL WHOLE FOODS that are either naturally dried or freeze dried directly after harvesting to maintain the highest amounts of vitamins and minerals.

They are ALL certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, 100% plant based, soy free, and contain NO additives, sweeteners or flavorings.

You can easily add a sprinkle to smoothies, drinks, yogurt, oatmeal, snacks, soups, salads, dips, whatever you want!

Use this link for 15% off your order!

As always, check with a doctor if you have any health concerns.

Vegan Meal Delivery Service

As much I love being in the kitchen and cooking up healthy meals for my family, sometimes I need a break! I have sampled quite a few vegan meal delivery services and my favorite, by far, is Splendid Spoon! (<- that link gives you $10 off your first order!)

Splendid Spoon offers smoothies, soups, grain bowls, and noodles that are ready-to-eat. All of the meals are vegan, gluten free, soy-free, GMO-free, and low in sodium and sugar. All of the packaging is recyclable, as well.

These meals taste like they came straight out of your own kitchen because they are made with healthy whole foods! No preservatives, fillers, or additives. You may customize the meals you receive each and every time, skip weeks you don’t need a delivery, or cancel at any time!

They are perfect for grab-n-go breakfasts, heat and eat lunches, or afternoon pick-me-ups!

Some of my favorites are the Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl, Carrot Lentil Curry, Tangy Ginger Noodles, Strawberry Goji Smoothie and AB&J Smoothie.

They even have gift cards available so you can give someone you love the gift of healthy eating and time off from their kitchen, as well!

Clean Up

DustBuster

Last, but not least on the kitchen essentials list, you are going to need something to easily clean up all those messes you are going to be making in your fabulous plant based kitchen.  I could not live without my DustBuster (and yes I did ask for this one Christmas and was super excited when I received it!)

Black & Decker Dustbuster Cordless Hand Vacuum

Cordless Vacuum

As much as I love my DustBuster, sometimes the entire kitchen floor is full of crumbs (#momlife) and I need to break out the big guns. That’s where this Dyson Cordless Vac comes in handy. It’s lightweight and versatile, able to suction on any type of flooring. It makes quick work of any mess!

More Plant Based Diet Resources

• All About a Plant Based Diet
• Plant Based Diet Grocery List
• The Ultimate Guide to Packing a Vegan Lunch Box
• Best Vegan Recipes – Reader Favorites!
• Vegan Christmas Cookies

I hope you love these items as much as we do! If you have used any of them, please leave a comment below with your feedback. Or let me know if there are any additional items you would put on your Kitchen Essentials List.

Be sure to sign up for my FREE Newsletter to be the first to get my NEW recipes! You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!