Snap Kitchen, the health-focused takeaway chain that was founded in Austin, recently released six additions to its current line of vegan offerings. These creative additions span the gamut from Creole "crab cakes" to spicy dan dan noodles to veggie pot pie, and are all gluten-, dairy- and meat-free.

CEO Dave Kirchhoff says that these meals are designed for both vegans and vegetarians as well as people who are interested in going meatless just a little more often.

"Vegan has always been part of Snap's menu, but there's been a lot of interesting innovation around making vegetarian meals more flavorful, innovative and comforting to eat," said Kirchhoff. "We've been seeing a tremendous and ongoing increasing interest in plant-based meals, and we're happy to be able to help show the world that you can eat plant-based meals that can be every bit as satisfying and comforting as what you would get from a meat dish."

Here’s an overview of the six new dishes:


Apple Oat Crisp: Breakfast wouldn’t be hard to make a habit with this convenient serving of baked oatmeal. Toasted oats are baked with apple, cranberries, raisins and pistachios and served with a side of “anglaise” — a slightly runny cashew-based cream laced with orange zest and vanilla. With 330 calories, 15g of fat, 7 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber, this hearty offering is almost guaranteed to keep you full all morning.


Sweet Potato Black Bean Sliders With Veggie Frites: Even though the shredded appearance of the black bean sliders doesn't look like much, the parsley and chile powder-laced patties are phenomenally tasty. Golden deep-fried fries the planks of roasted zucchini and carrots are not, but they add a delicious, fiber-filled way to bulk up the meal. Topping out at 11 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein with 370 calories, this is a well-balanced and tasty meal addition for any diet.



Meatless Meatballs With Marinara: The meatballs come showered in what looks suspiciously like parmesan cheese but is actually a vegan cheese composed of almond flour and nutritional yeast. The powerful Italian seasoning infused through these meatballs could almost fool most people into thinking these are actual meatballs until the tell-tale starchy aftertaste of the legumes base hits. Still, this is an incredibly satisfying vegan entrée with an impressive 17 grams of protein for a 400-calorie meal.


Creole Fab Cakes With Broccolini and Red Peppers: These faux crab cakes were added to the menu after a Snap Kitchen chef discovered how freakishly similar heart of palm-based patties looked and tasted to conventional crab cakes. Thanks to a roll in almond flour and a flavor base incorporating shallots, mustard seed, coriander and more, these crab cakes are both texturally pleasing and almost addictive in flavor. Balanced with a side of roasted broccolini, this dish clocks in at 410 calories with 12 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber, and was one of my favorite dishes.


Spicy Dan Dan Noodles: The advertised “spice” in this dish is more like a mild burn that even spice noobs will appreciate. The noodles come mixed with a generous amount of vegetables (shiitake mushrooms, bell pepper, napa cabbage and carrots) and a tahini-based sauce that adds an unctuous richness to the dish. A little container of dry-roasted cashews adds crunch, protein and fat for a total of 430 calories, 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.


Veggie Pot Pie: This vegan interpretation of pot pie features a flat round of rosemary cornbread atop a mishmash of vegetables studded with little cubes of tempeh, a form of fermented soybeans that is high in protein, fiber and vitamins. Lacings of Granny Smith apples and salty undertones of miso play off the sweet, slightly grainy cornbread for a sweet and salty entrée that is wholly satisfying at 390 calories and 13 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber.