Vegan in Vienna – sophisticated, cosy, cosmopolitan

The letter B can be confusing. The simplest B is for Biskotte (biscuit). But it also stands for:

• BEUSCHEL: As a meat dish it consists of finely sliced offal in a creamy sauce. Interestingly, a vegan version has become popular in many Viennese restaurants using, instead of animal organs, fine vegetables, mushrooms and seitan to simulate the texture. Add a little cider vinegar, lemon and/or capers and you have a modern take on an Austrian speciality. Try our vegetable Beuschel.

• BLUNZ‘N: As meaty as it gets. Blunz’n, which incidentally is also used as an insult, is a kind of blood sausage, so not a word vegans need necessarily know.

• BUCHTELN: Finally, something sweet and appetising for vegan fans. These small, soft yeast cakes are usually filled with Powidl or plum jam and baked until they’re light and fluffy. In Bavaria, they are known as Rohrnudeln (pipe noodles). B for baking Buchteln too, therefore.

E stands for the interesting and tasty ERDÄPFELKAS or potato cheese: Contrary to expectations, this spread doesn’t contain cheese, but potatoes, sour cream and spices. With a good sour cream alternative, it quickly becomes a vegan, Austrian treat.

Linguistically and culinarily, the letter K also has a lot to offer in Vienna:

KRAUTFLECKERL: a typical pasta dish made of small, square pieces of dough („Fleckerl“) mixed with caramelised white cabbage.

KIPFERL is the local word for a croissant or other sweet or savoury pastry. including the incomparable vanilla kipferl.

KLETZENBROT, a type of fruit bread with dried pears (Kletzen) and other dried fruits.

P also includes my absolute favourite, both linguistically and in terms of taste: the POWIDL-TATSCHKERL. These are sweet dumplings filled with Powidl, a dark plum puree that does not require sugar. Fruit heaven! The combination of the words „Powidl“ and „Tatschkerl“ is almost a tongue twister for non-Austrians.

Similarly sonorous is T for TOPFENGOLATSCHN. Pronounce it correctly at a Viennese bakery and you will get a quark turnover. But we prefer to bake them at home using vegan ingredients.

Finally in our Viennese ABC for gourmets, we reach Z for ZWETSCHKENKNÖDEL. We’ll take a closer look at these dumplings later on.

1. VIENNESE SCHNITZEL
There are schnitzel fans all over the world, and this world-famous speciality originated in the Austrian capital.

• Original version: Made from veal, breaded and deep fried.
• Vegan version: Instead of meat you can use soya schnitzel, seitan, lupine or celery slices. The breading remains traditional with breadcrumbs but without egg, and using plant-based milk and flour. Vegan schnitzel versions can already be found in several restaurants in Vienna.
• Our recipe

2. TAFELSPITZ

• Original version: Boiled beef with apple horseradish and chive sauce.
• Vegan version: Try a base of cooked celery, parsnip or beetroot. Meat alternatives based on jackfruit or seitan are particularly suitable. Serve with a vegan sauce made from yoghurt alternative, apple sauce or horseradish, for example from Lieblingsraden.

3. FIAKER GOULASH

• Original version: A spicy beef stew with peppers, egg, cucumber and sausages imported from Hungary. It is just one of many goulash variations including Szégediner, Andrassy, etc. It probably dates back to a time when coachmen could not afford much meat, so they ’stretched‘ the dish with sausage.
• Vegan version: Seitan, soya cubes or lupine meat alternative as a base, with classic paprika sauce and vegan sausage alternative. It can be topped with a plant-based „fried egg“ made from egg yolk and egg white substitute.
• Our recipe – sure to make your mouth water…

4. BACKHENDL (FRIED CHICKEN)

• Original version: Crispy fried chicken pieces
• Vegan version: The base is either firm natural tofu (cut into „chicken“ pieces, pressed dry and marinated) or soya medallions, chicken tenders or small vegan schnitzel pieces. If you make your own crispy breading, use a little plant-based dairy alternative instead of egg to bind the flour and breadcrumbs. Season your breading mix with a pinch of salt, paprika powder or herbs to taste. Serve with potatoes or coleslaw.

5. DUMPLINGS – EVERYTHING FROM BREAD DUMPLINGS AND NAPKIN DUMPLINGS TO APRICOT DUMPLINGS
Similar to South Tyrol and Bavaria, Austria is a country of dumplings. In Vienna too they come in many different forms.

• Original version: Bread dumplings with eggs and milk, apricot and plum dumplings with potato or quark-butter dough.
• Vegan version: For bread dumplings, why not experiment with soya flour and plant-based milk instead of egg and regular milk, or a convenient vegan pre-made dough; for apricot and plum dumplings – with an apricot or plum placed in the centre – try a vegan potato or quark-alternative oil dough. One speciality is the napkin dumpling, which originated in Bohemia. Its name comes from the fact that the dough is traditionally wrapped in a cloth napkin and then boiled or steamed. It is prepared in an elongated shape, sliced after cooking, and served with a fine „Schwammerlsoß“, i.e. mushroom sauce.
• A masterpiece – our napkin dumpling recipe!

Vienna has a famous and long-standing Kaffeehaus or coffee house tradition. It all started with Turkish influences at the end of the 17th century following the second Turkish siege of Vienna. That’s how coffee arrived in Europe. And it soon found favour with Viennese society. Vienna’s first coffee house opened in 1685 and they soon became important meeting places for artists, writers and intellectuals. Their relaxed atmosphere and the custom of letting guests stay for hours, even with just a small order, shaped their character. In addition to their legendary rather grumpy but elegantly dressed waiters, culinary highlights are also part of the coffee house culture. On the one hand, there are the various types of coffee:

• MELANGE – a long espresso (or originally a mocha) with steamed milk, similar to cappuccino but milder. Here, you’ll find the full range of milk alternatives for the perfect vegan topping.
• EINSPÄNNER – a black coffee in a glass with a big dollop of whipped cream. Pairs perfectly with cream alternatives.
• KLEINER SCHWARZER AND GROSSER SCHWARZER – single (klein) or double (groß) espresso or mocha without milk.
• VERLÄNGERTER – a simple espresso diluted with hot water.
• KAPUZINER – a small black coffee with whipped cream.
• MARIA THERESIA – a black coffee with a shot of orange liqueur and whipped cream, elegantly served.
• FIAKER – a mocha with a shot of rum or kirsch, often served with whipped cream.

The list of delicious desserts, pastries and confectionery is particularly long in Vienna. The love of elaborate desserts was refined at the imperial court, where the finest confectioners worked. Here you can discover some famous creations and, most importantly, veganise them! Our challenge: Who has the best vegan Viennese pastry recipes?

1. KAISERSCHMARN

• Original version: Fluffy egg pancakes dusted with sugar and raisins.
• Vegan version: Flour, plant-based milk, baking powder and aquafaba (chickpea water) as an egg substitute, fried in plant-based margarine. For those in a hurry, there is also a fine vegan Kaiserschmarrn cake mix.

2. PALATSCHINKEN

• This is the Austrian version of pancakes, with a name derived from Hungarian. They are thinner than pancakes, turn out wonderfully with plant-based butter and milk, and can be filled with either savoury or sweet fillings.
• Our recipe

3. ALTWIENER GUGELHUPF

This classic coffee snack cake is refined with grated almonds or nuts, raisins, a dash of rum or a little cardamom and dusted with powdered sugar. It is also available as a marble or yeast cake.

4. Speaking of yeast, don’t miss GERMKNÖDEL!

• Original: A fluffy yeast dough dumpling filled with Powidl or other jam, steamed and sprinkled with melted butter and a mixture of poppy seeds and sugar, traditionally served with vanilla sauce.
• Vegan version: Use plant-based milk and margarine in the dough and a good alternative to butter for the topping. The vanilla sauce can also be made with a cream alternative.

5. More for poppy seed fans: MOHNNUDEL

Mohnnudel (poppy seed noodles) are typically made from potato dough and, after cooking, are rolled in ground poppy seeds, sprinkled with sugar and often drizzled with a little butter. They taste just as good with egg-free dough, such as vegan potato dumplings or gnocchi, and with vegan butter alternatives.

Vienna has become a very vegan-friendly city. Plant-based alternatives are increasingly being used in traditional dishes, and vegan dining concepts are thriving. There are vegan bakeries and cafés such as Pure Freude, Simply Raw Bakery and NomNom Vegan Bakery, and the Veganista vegan ice-cream chain. Several cooking schools, such as the Vegan Academy Vienna, offer vegan cooking workshops. As a vegan foodie, the following events in the Austrian capital could be of interest to you:

VEGANMANIA: An annual vegan street festival in June with food stalls, sustainable products and live entertainment.

SLOW FOOD WIEN events featuring sustainably produced food, often with a vegan focus.

POP-UP DINNERS AND FOOD FESTIVALS: Pop-up concepts with a strong vegan theme, such as Asian cuisine or gourmet street food, regularly appear in Vienna.