Vegan in Amalfi, Pompeii and Naples

Being vegan in Amalfi, Pompeii and Naples, is very similar to Sorrento and Capri - covered in my last post, the options are pretty similar and the food is delicious. Have a read of what we did, what we ate and my top tips for picking the best restaurants whilst travelling.

Amalfi

You can get to Amalfi from Sorrento via ferry or via coach, the ferry is quicker and probably the most pleasant way to get there, but the last one back is around 4/5pm, so isn't ideal if you'd like to spend a bit more time exploring Amalfi. The ferry also stops at Positano on the way and runs twice a day from Sorrento, we also saw some other boats, which give you two hours in Positano before taking you to Amalfi. The town is just a few minutes from the port and beyond this is thousands of lemon trees, then 3KM uphill from the town is a lovely walk through the woods, via some ruins to a waterfall, with many little waterfalls along the way.

Head straight up through the main square and up the streets and follow the steps up to Valle delle Ferriere, at the top there's a little organic cafe/farm shop with lemonade slush (made with their own lemons), fresh fruit and veg and only biodegradable cups. Another 45 minutes or so uphill from here you'll reach the top of the waterfall - or as far as you can go; you'll see a gated off area with some steps across the waterfall and further up, but as this is part of the national park, it's closed for nature preservation. Our favourite site was about 20 minutes from the top, there was a little building in ruins, which we went into and under a little archway to reveal a stunning waterfall from a little viewpoint. 

Vegan in Sorrento & Capri

Since I first visited over 10 years ago, I've always loved Italy, the scenery, the culture, the food and something I most recently learned to appreciate...the red wine (and limoncello!). There's just something about Italy and that's why I wanted to see more of it, having previously visited the main cities and lakes, mostly in the north.

This time around we visited Sorrento and the Amalfi coast, with a brief half-day stop in Naples before our flight and it was the best birthday present I could ask for, so thank you to my parents who I had the best week away with! This being my first trip to Italy since going vegan, I'd almost anticipated to eat a marinara pizza for every meal, which, when you're going to the place that pizza was invented and the specialty is a cheese-less one, you can't really complain, but I was pleasantly surprised with the accidentally vegan choices there were! Keep reading for a list of accidentally vegan menu options in Sorrento! 

Sorrento

We had 5 full days in Italy, we were based in Sorrento and took trips to Capri, Amalfi, Pompeii and finished our holiday in Naples. The whole week was filled with plenty of walking, some incredible food, sunshine and a healthy amount of red wine and limoncello, all in the presence of great company. Cheers to that!

Harissa Mushroom Bowl & Turmeric Aioli

I've been checking out a lot of the vegan food scene in London since I moved here just over 4 months ago and I'm sure I'm not even 2% of the way through trying all the incredible vegan options London has to offer. One place I've eaten at a couple of times is Ethos, a pay-by-weight veggie buffet with tons of vegan options from salads & curries to BBQ seitan ribs and the most delicious garlic and lemon turmeric aioli.

Feeling inspired by the spread at Ethos, I made these harissa mushroom veggie bowls, with a herby quinoa base, topped with my version of the garlic turmeric aioli. These bowls serve 4 as a main meal, but are also perfect as a side for a BBQ, the vibrant veggies - with a bit of a spicy kick, rich glazed mushrooms and vibrant, sunny aioli just scream summer. 

Thai Chickpea Burgers with Peanut Sauce

When the sun is shining and it feels like summer, you want to eat something fresh, vibrant and packed full of flavour, like this incredible burger. A Thai spiced chickpea and sweetcorn patty with creamy peanut sauce, topped with gherkins and pickled slaw, served on a crisp, toasted bun, it's a party in your mouth, with sweet, spicy & tangy flavours all perfectly complementing one another, with a delightful combo of crunchy, creamy and chewy textures. This is not your average veggie burger.

You might think that the combo of peanut butter sauce and pickles sounds a bit strange, but the tangy, acidic notes of the pickles perfectly cut through that rich, creamy peanut-coconut sauce. Trust me, this combo is an absolute winner and I would happily be served something this exciting in a restaurant (or this actual burger). I used crunchy peanut butter for my sauce, I love the added texture, but of course you can use your favourite - are you a crunchy or smooth peanut butter kinda person? Let me know in the comments below!

Garlic & Lemon Tagliatelle

Pasta has always been one of my favourites, there are so many different kinds, all perfect for various sauces. This next dish is one I found myself making often, cooking everything up in my cast iron and swirling through the cooked tagliatelle, so the silky sauce coated each al dente strand of pasta.

Flavoured with the incredible aromatics of garlic, lemon, chili and fresh herbs and given an extra umami punch from dried porcini mushrooms and a shaving of vegan parmesan, this pasta dish is the perfect spring meal. Making the most of the beautiful spring asparagus, Tenderstem broccoli, peas and baby leeks, this incredible dish can be pulled together in under 15 minutes and is best enjoyed in the sunshine (isn't everything?!).