20 Authentic Taiwanese Vegan Foods in Taiwan

by guest author Nick Kembel

Taiwan is one of the most vegetarian and vegan-friendly countries in Asia. The country has a long Buddhist vegetarian tradition. Recently, the younger generation and health-conscious locals are also abstaining from meat. There are ample Taiwanese vegan food choices in Taiwan’s street foods, breakfast places and night food markets. You just need to know how to find them.

In this article, Nick Kembel from nickkembel.com introduces 20 authentic and totally vegan Taiwanese dishes, including breakfast foods and desserts. Because Taiwan is especially known for its street food and amazing night markets, most of these are snacks and small dishes rather than large restaurant meals.

Having lived in Taiwan for over a decade and eating a mostly vegetarian diet, these are dishes that I have come to love and crave constantly. I hope this helps vegetarians or vegans planning a trip to Taiwan and wondering what they are going to eat there!

How to Find Taiwanese Vegan or Vegetarian Food in Taiwan

While there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan foods in Taiwan, first-timers may have difficulty knowing where to find them or which dishes are OK to eat. For those reasons, it’s extremely beneficial to learn how to recognize a few characters and say a few things in Mandarin.

Taiwan has many vegetarian and vegan restaurants, ranging from traditional Taiwanese noodle shops and vegetarian buffets to modern international fare. You can easily find those using vegetarian apps or even GoogleMaps. So in this article, I focus on foods that you will find on the street, in night markets, or in hole-in-the-wall restaurants. 

Characters for Vegetarian & Vegan

The character 素 (su) means vegetarian, and it is often prominently displayed on vegetarian restaurants and food stall signs. Traditional Buddhist vegetarian restaurants also often display the Buddhist swastika 卍 and Buddhist imagery.

Veganism is trickier because Taiwan didn’t traditionally have this concept. What they do have is Buddhist vegetarianism, which forsakes garlic and onions, but some Buddhist vegetarians occasionally eat dairy and even eggs.  純素 (chun su, or “pure vegetarian”) usually means vegan but isn’t commonly used, while 全素 (quan su, or “all vegetarian”) means Buddhist vegetarian and is a commonly understood term. 

However, there is some debate about the exact meaning of these terms, and most locals don’t know the difference.

How to Ask for Vegan and Vegetarian food in Taiwan

Here are some important survival phrases when asking for vegan and vegetarian food in Taiwan. Because there is some confusion about the term used for ‘vegan’ in Taiwan, it is better to just say what you don’t eat. 

On the plus side, creamy foods are rare, and egg is usually very visible when it’s present. Also, even if you just say you are vegetarian, they will often assume you don’t eat eggs either, or at least they will ask.

Following are some common phrases you should learn or have at hand –

I am vegetarian/vegan – (我吃素/純素) wo chi su/chun su.
I don’t eat meat, eggs, and dairy – (我不吃肉、蛋、奶) wo bu chi rou, dan, nai.
Is this vegetarian? –(這是素的嗎？) Zhe shi su de ma? 
I don’t want meat/eggs – (我不要肉/蛋) Wo bu yao rou/dan.
Do you have anything vegetarian? – (有素的嗎) You su de ma?

Common Taiwanese Vegan Dishes in Taiwan

1. Dougan (Dried Tofu/豆乾)

There are many different types of tofu in Taiwan, but one of the most popular is dougan (literally “dry tofu”). Dougan is a popular street food that is usually cubed and marinated in soy sauce and spices like cinnamon, star anise, and more.

Dougan can also come in jerky-like strips with various flavors (and usually sweetened), which you can find at grocery stores and convenience stores. Dougan is especially associated with Daxi village in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan.

Find vegan Dougan in grocery shops and Daxi village in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan.

2. Green Onion Cakes (蔥抓餅)

Originally from China, Taiwanese green onion cakes are large, round, flat cakes that are usually served with toppings that commonly include egg, fresh Asian basil, and other ingredients. For a vegan version, simply say no to the egg.

Green onion cakes are often sold from pushcarts on the street or in night markets in Taiwan, but you can also find them in breakfast shops.

Find vegan Green onion cakes in night markets and breakfast shops in Taiwan

3. Grilled Mochi (烤麻糬)

Mochi is a popular Taiwanese vegan treat made from pounded sticky rice. It originates from Japan but there are also Taiwanese versions of it. One that you are likely to see in night markets around Taiwan is grilled mochi.

Logs of the mochi are pierced with skewers and barbecued until they become warm and gooey inside. You then get to choose from a variety of toppings; vegan choices include peanut powder or terriyaki sauce.

Find Taiwanese Grilled Mochi in night markets around Taiwan

4. Mock Meats (素肉)

Whether you like them or not, Taiwan is famous for its faux meats, and many of them are shipped to Asian restaurants and supermarkets around the world. They come in all shapes, sizes, flavors, and forms. Ingredients vary but often include soy, wheat gluten, seaweed, or mushrooms.
 
The place you are most likely to encounter mock meats is in local vegetarian noodles shops, where they may be added to noodle soups, or be served as an optional side dish. They are prominently featured at vegetarian buffet restaurants, where you choose whatever you want and pay by weight. One cool thing is that mock meats allow vegans and vegetarians to try some traditional Taiwanese dishes that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to eat.

Find Taiwanese Mock Meat in vegetarian noodles shops and vegetarian buffets

5. Vegetarian Sushi (素壽司)

Sushi can be pretty boring for vegans in Taiwan; most of the time you will be limited to cucumber rolls. Unless you go to Shuiwen (水問蔬食園), a fully vegetarian conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Taipei! Besides all varieties of sushi, they offer vegetarian versions of various traditional dishes, such as barbecue pork buns.

The plates in the sushi restaurant are color-coded as vegetarian or vegan, so you won’t even have to ask! I must admit the rubbery texture of some of the vegan versions of seafood was a little off-putting for me, but I’m really glad this restaurant exists!

Find Taiwanese vegan sushi in Shuiwen, a vegetarian conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Taipei

6. Fried King Trumpet Mushrooms (炸杏鮑菇)

Deep-fried foods are the quintessential late-night snack in Taiwan. At a typical fried food stall, you can find various vegan items, including many kinds of tofu and vegetables. You should be aware, however, that they will cook it in the same oil that is used to cook meats.

One particular deep fried vegetable, though, is so delicious that it often gets its own dedicated food stall, and that is king trumpet mushrooms. These huge hunks of mushroom are heavily battered and deep fried to steamy perfection.

Find fried king trumpet mushrooms in Taiwan’s night food stalls

7. Tofu Burger (豆乾爆)

Forget about burger patties made from tofu. In this veggie burger, the bun itself is made of tofu! A huge hunk of marinated dougan (see #1) comes stuffed with pickled mustard greens, cilantro, peanut powder, and more.

This is a street food snack that is a little harder to find, but there’s an excellent stall serving it at Fenqihu, a small mountain village on the way to Alishan National Scenic Area, Taiwan’s most famous mountain resort.

Find Taiwanese tofu burger in the town of Fenqihu.

8. Oil Rice (油飯)

Don’t let the simple name fool you; oil rice is a highly fragrant dish made of sticky rice slow cooked with soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms. It sometimes includes pork, but the vegan version is always sold outside temples in little takeaway boxes. The best place to try is outside of Xingtian Temple in Taipei City.

Oil rice also has an interesting tradition associated with it. When a baby turns one month old, parents give away boxes of oil rice to all of their family members and close friends.

Find Taiwanese Oil Rice near Xingtian Temple in Taipei City.

9. Pan Fried Buns (水煎包)

These hot, pan-fried & steamed buns are sold from hole-in-the-wall shops and night market stalls all over Taiwan. Most stalls have veggie and meat pan-fried buns together. You’ll want to ask for the vegetable (cai bao/菜包) or chive (jiu cai/韭菜) ones. Make sure to add some sweet soy sauce and spicy sauce before you walk away!

Find Pan-Fried buns in hole-in-the-wall shops and night market stalls all over Taiwan.

10. Cold Noodles (涼麵)

On a hot summer day in Taiwan, nothing beats chilled noodles for lunch. The dish is usually made with chewy wheat noodles, strips of carrot & cucumber, garlic, and a delicious sesame sauce (or sometimes peanut sauce in Southern Taiwan).

You can find cold noodles in many restaurants, but my favorite is at 阿鴻豆花 in Taipei. For a Burmese version that includes tamarind vinegar and crispy fried shallots, head to Myanmar Street in Zhonghe, New Taipei City.

Find Cold Noodles in restaurants and a Burmese version on Myanmar Street in Zhonghe, New Taipei City.

Vegan Taiwenese Breakfast Foods

Taiwanese love to eat out for all meals, even breakfast. Every morning, breakfast shops with huge menus open on what seems like every street in the country. Some breakfast shops are even open 24 hours a day! Luckily, they offer several vegan options. 

11. Youtiao & Soy Milk (油條豆漿)

This very simple and traditional Taiwanese breakfast consists of a long stick of deep fried batter (sometimes called a “Taiwanese donut”) and a cup of soy milk to dip it into. In winter you can go for warm soy milk, and you can also choose between sweetened and non-sweetened.

A lot of Taiwanese breakfast shops make their own soy milk fresh every day or buy it from places that do. Another delicious morning drink to try is mijiang, a thick sticky rice drink with peanut flavoring.

Find Youtiao in breakfast shops across Taiwan.

12. Steamed Buns (包子)

At the entrance of most breakfast shops, you will see a steamy, enclosed shelf with rows of steamed buns. Vegan choices include plain (mantou/饅頭), vegetable buns (cai bao/菜包), red bean buns (dou sha bao/豆沙包), and taro buns (yutou bao/芋頭包).

You can also find steamed buns in most convenience stores, often next to the baked sweet potatoes (another tasty and super healthy vegan snack in Taiwan!)

Find Steamed Buns in most convenience stores.

13. Sticky Rice Roll (fantuan/飯糰)

This very traditional Taiwanese breakfast dish consists of a big wad of sticky rice stuffed with various ingredients that usually include salted radish and pickled mustard greens. Pork floss (rousong/肉鬆) is also usually added, so make sure to say “bu yao rousong”.

You can also ask for them to add a youtiao (see #11) for some added crunch.

Find Taiwanese Sticky Rice Rolls in breakfast shops.

14. Turnip Cake (蘿蔔糕)

Giant white turnips are a very common ingredient in Taiwan and are used in many ways. To make turnip cakes, turnips are mixed with flour and formed into a thick cake, sometimes with crispy shallots, and served with a sweet soy sauce in breakfast restaurants.

Just beware that sometimes it has pieces of ham in it, so it’s best to ask first.

Find Taiwanese Turnip cakes in breakfast restaurants.

15. Shao Bing (燒餅)

Shao Bing are super flaky pastries are made in-house in some breakfast shops and come with a choice of sides. The vegan choice usually comes with various fruits and veggies, such as lettuce, apple, sprouts. You can also get a plain shao bing with youtiao (#11). They are often pre-made and displayed at the counter.

Find vegetarian Shao Bing in breakfast shops in Taiwan.

Authentic Vegan Desserts in Taiwan

Vegans will be happy to know that lots of traditional desserts in Taiwan are vegetarian and dairy-free. This is because dairy was traditionally not a big part of Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine. Also, there was no refrigeration when some of these desserts were first developed back in the day. No one likes spoil milk.

16. Douhua (豆花)

One of the most traditional and popular desserts in Taiwan is douhua, or tofu pudding. This is soft dessert tofu that is usually served in black sugar syrup with peanuts or red beans. The cold version is very refreshing in summer, while warm versions heat your belly in winter.

Douhua is usually served from small hole-in the-wall shops, or from small trucks that drive around neighborhoods. These Taiwan’s version of ice cream trucks. 

Find Taiwanese vegan Douhua in small hole-in-the-wall shops or little trucks that drive around neighborhoods.

17. Aiyu Jelly (愛玉)

Of the many types of traditional jelly enjoyed in Taiwan, aiyu is one of the most popular. It is made with seeds of a fig tree and usually served with lime juice and honey. It is very refreshing and the locals are always lining up for it. 

You’ll see huge vats of vegan aiyu dessert in front of aiyu shops, usually with limes and big chunks of ice sitting on top.

Find Taiwanese Aiyu jelly huge in vats in front of aiyu shops.

18. Shaved Ice (剉冰)

Speaking of refreshing treats, nothing beats a heaping bowl of sweet shaved ice in summer. This dessert is traditionally vegan in Taiwan. Shaved ice usually comes with your choice of 3-5 ingredients (like beans, tapioca balls, jelly, and other squishy things) and doused in black sugar syrup.

However, modern versions often of shaved ice also includes non-vegan ingredients like sweetened condensed milk and ice cream, so it’s best to ask.

19. Jiufen Taro & Sweet Potato Balls (九份芋頭地瓜圓)

Jiufen Old Street is one of the most popular day trips from Taipei. The town has a famous specialty, the Jiufen Taro, which is totally vegan and authentic Taiwanese dessert. Jiufen taro are thick, chewy balls made from taro and sweet potato. They are served in a hot sweet soup or chilled with ice and sugar syrup. Their flavor is mild, but it’s all about the texture!

In Taiwan’s night food markets, also keep an eye out for deep-fried taro and sweet potato balls (地瓜球), a totally different thing. They are smaller, crispy on the outside, and chewy inside.

Find Taiwanese Jiufen in the town of Jiufen. Find deep-fried taro with sweet potato balls in Taiwan’s night food markets.

20. Traditional Vegan Ice Cream (芋冰)

Traditionally, ice cream in Taiwan was non-dairy. The Taiwanese ice cream has a soft consistency, almost like sorbet, and is really delicious. The typical Taiwanese vegan ice cream flavors include taro, lychee, pineapple, plum, and peanut. You can find it at Beimen Fengli Bing (北門鳳梨冰) or Yongfu Ice Cream (永富冰淇淋) in Taipei, or at many tourist places in Taiwan.

A very interesting dish made using this ice cream is peanut ice cream wraps (花生冰淇淋捲), a thin wrap containing ice cream, peanut brittle shavings, and cilantro. It might sound like an odd combination, but it’s super delish! 

There are also many modern ice cream shops in Taiwan that do vegan ice cream as well.

Find Taiwanese vegan ice cream in touristy places in Taiwan.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy a vegan feast in Taiwan!

About the Author

Nick Kembel has lived in Taiwan for over 10 years. He is the author of Taiwan in the Eyes of a Foreigner and has covered Taiwan for CNN, National Geographic Traveller, and more. He blogs about Taiwan at nickkembel.com and provides free Taiwan travel advice in this Facebook group.

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