M&S Plant Kitchen Range: My Honest Thoughts (2024)

M&S Plant Kitchen Review (my honest thoughts)

When M&S asked if I’d like to review some of the Plant Kitchen products, I naturally jumped at the chance. While I wouldn’t normally include these kinds of products in my regular grocery shop, I’m keen to show just how delicious and satisfying a vegan diet can be, especially to those who still think vegans only eat salad (yup, they exist).

Of course, I also wanted to try out the range for myself, so you could say this review is also rooted in purely selfish reasons. 😉

The Plant Kitchen products included in this review are (click to jump to each item):

• Lasagne
• No Chic’n nuggets
• No Pork Sausoyges
• Dirty Fries
• Sticky Teriyaki Tofu
• BBQ Jackfruit pizza
• Cauliflower Popcorn.

EDIT 8/06/19: This article has since been edited to include reviews of the following additional products:

• Cashew Mac
• ‘Notzarella’ Sticks
• Churros
• Chocolate Mousse
• .

EDIT 15/09/20: This article has now been edited to also include reviews of the following products:

• Mushroom Pie
• No-Chicken Kiev
• No-Duck Hoisin Spring Rolls
• Roasted Mushroom Stroganoff
• No-Meat Meatballs
• Country Vegetable Pie
• Coleslaw
• Potato Salad
• Rainbow Veg Sushi Wrap
• No Turkey Feast Sandwich
• Sweet potato Biriyani Wrap
• Instant Porridge.

There are, of course, plenty more delicious, mouthwatering dishes in the range, which are listed at the end of this post.

Lasagne

This particular lasagne from M&S ticks all of the boxes. Using tender soy mince and a rich Italian tomato sauce as the base, it provides all the taste and texture one would want from a traditional lasagne, with much less saturated fat and none of the cholesterol.

The béchamel sauce was surprisingly great too – rich and creamy, with no ‘fake’ taste about it as can often be the case for many vegan dairy alternatives. Instead of using a plastic-tasting vegan cheddar for the topping, it uses more of the creamy white sauce, which has just right hint of cheesiness without being overpowering. The soft pasta sheets and juicy tomatoes ensured this dish was bursting with flavour and richness, and my boyfriend (who is usually averse to veg-based lasagnes) loved every bit of it.

This is one Plant Kitchen product I believe is well worth the money, as you get a decent portion that’s rich and satisfying. It’s also perfect for omnivores too, as the hearty soy ragu keeps it from tasting like your average veggie dish. We served it with some vegan garlic bread and a green salad.

No Chic’n Nuggets

I always thought M&S did a great ‘chicken’ nugget as part of their normal veggie range, way before the Plant Kitchen range came out.

Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like they’ve made any noticeable changes to these nuggets – just a simple rebrand to make them part of the Plant Kitchen range. The result is now a more clearly labelled ‘chicken’ nugget, that both vegans and vegetarians can enjoy.

And enjoy we did! With a crispy, gluten-free crumb coating on the outside, and tender, flavourful soy protein on the inside, they taste every bit like the chicken nuggets I enjoyed when I was a kid, but with none of the cruelty.

Enjoyed with fries or dunked into ketchup, these babies are a real treat. My only complaint is that the box only includes eight nuggets and it’s supposed to serve two people. That means just four nuggets each!! I am not sure where M&S are getting their portion sizes from, but let’s just say, I think we all need more than four nuggets per person in our lives. Am I right??!

No Pork Sausoyges

Besides the fun play on words here, I really enjoyed these vegan, meat-free sausages!

Both the taste and the texture are what you’d expect from any classic pork sausage, meaning these sausages would be great on a BBQ, on hotdogs, in pasta, on sandwiches, or part of any veggie fry-up.

Though I can’t say they beat my favourite Linda McCartney sausages, I’d definitely place them as a close second as far as store-bought, meat-textured sausages are concerned. Both Christian and I approved of them and enjoyed them both on toast and in pitta breads with lots of salad and ketchup.

One more thing I will mention about these sausages is that their main ingredient is soy protein isolate. While soy in general is certainly not bad for you, this highly refined variant of soy has been found to have negative health effects when consumed in excess. It’s for this reason I’d suggest saving these sausages only as an occasional treat, or look for an alternative vegan sausage that doesn’t contain soy protein isolate, like Linda McCartney’s.

Dirty Fries

I wasn’t really aware of it before, but ‘dirty’ fries are becoming a thing these days, particularly in expensive burger joints where the aim seems to be to make everything as indulgent as possible.

Needless to say, these fries are normally far from vegan-friendly, as they are coated in everything from bacon to cheese to mayonnaise. But thanks to M&S, vegans can now enjoy their own version of this junk food dish, and in the comfort of their own home too!

These thick, chunky, warming chips are nestled within a rich, juicy tomato and creamy béchamel sauce, before being baked and emerging crisp and bubbling from your oven. It’s not a combo I ever would have thought about trying before, but damn, it WORKS. I just could not get over how delicious and rich these flavours were, it was incredible. Like with the lasagne, the béchamel is rich and creamy and tastes just like how I remember it from my omnivore days.

The box serves two, which I actually found to be just about right for Christian and me. However I’m not going to lie and say I couldn’t have eaten the entire thing!

Sticky Teriyaki Tofu

The Teriyaki Tofu is one of the more ‘ready meal’-type dishes in the Plant Kitchen range, ideal for when you need a quick and speedy supper.

I did really enjoy the zingy, sweet flavours of this Asian-inspired dish. The sauce was bright, sweet and slightly spicy, and there were plenty of tofu and mushrooms packed in. However, as a whole it was probably my least favourite dish of the bunch, for a few reasons.

Firstly, it looks a bit of a mess when you open it, as obviously the contents get all mixed up inside the box and look nothing like the picture on the outside. (As a result, it was really hard to get it to look good for these photos!)

Secondly, the portion size is very small, so it didn’t fill me up, and it also uses white rice, which also isn’t going to be as filling as brown.

The ready meals are also not meant for freezing, which is something I didn’t realise so I ended up doing exactly that. Though I don’t think it changed the flavour of the food in any way, I do think maybe that’s why it didn’t look quite as photogenic as it could have.

On the whole I think the Teriyaki Tofu was a great idea, but I’m pretty sure something similar could be easily whipped up in your kitchen, without the unnecessary oil and sodium.

Green Thai Curry & Jasmine Rice

This one was probably my favourite of the two ready meal dishes I received. The green thai curry sauce was rich, aromatic and coconutty, and had just the right amount of heat (though any more and it may have been too spicy for me).

The curry is definitely a perfect warming treat for those cold nights when you might get home late and just don’t feel like cooking. However, it carries the same issue as the Teriyaki Tofu, in that it mixes together in the box and ends up a bit messy, and that the portion is also very modest, so you may not feel completely full afterwards.

Perhaps M&S could think about creating separate compartments for the rice and the sauce; that way everything would stay nice and separated. Of course however this didn’t impact the flavour in any way and it was still a tasty meal.

BBQ Jackfruit Pizza

Being a huge fan of jackfruit, pizza and all things BBQ, I was probably most excited to try this pizza. And thankfully, I was not disappointed!

So first thing’s first – the base. The Plant Kitchen pizzas are created with a sourdough base, which is soft and doughy in the middle and thin and crispy at the edges. So far so good!

The BBQ sauce has just the right amount of tang balanced with sweetness – not sugary or sickly like some BBQ sauces can be. Then there are small circles of delicious, creamy vegan cheese dotted about the pizza. Surprisingly I loved it – it didn’t taste overly strong or dominate the flavour in any way, but gave just the right amount of subtle cheesiness. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that M&S vegan cheese is probably the best vegan cheese I have ever tasted.

The jackfruit on top of the pizza is really yummy too. It still tastes a little ‘fruity’, which isn’t a problem to me as I love jackfruit. But if you’re new to jackfruit or not used to it, you might find the fruity taste a little strange. It seems that M&S could perhaps have marinaded the jackfruit in the sauce for a little longer before baking it, which would get rid of the fruity taste.

The last thing I want to mention is that the pizza isn’t very big. So although I really enjoyed it, it requires something on the side, like garlic bread or fries, to completely make a full meal.

Sweetcorn & Chickpea Burgers

I’ve always been a fan of veggie burgers made up of pulses, beans and vegetables, so these Sweetcorn & Chickpea burgers looked pretty enticing to me.

Seasoned with coriander, cumin and garlic, I hoped it wouldn’t taste too much like a simple falafel. But I needn’t have worried – the burger was flavourful and savoury and the spices weren’t too strong at all. I enjoyed them on seeded buns with salad and of course my homemadeoil-free baked fries.

The instructions on these burgers say to pan-fry them, which is convenient, quick and easy. However if you prefer to cook without oil then baking them in the oven would be a better shout. This is how I decided to cook them; the only problem was that it dried them out a little and they also came apart a little when I lifted them off the baking tray. That could have been completely my fault though, so next time I think I will try pan-frying them to see if the texture turns out a little better.

Cauliflower Popcorn

This cauliflower popcorn with buffalo sauce definitely falls into the category of vegan junk/comfort food!

But ya know what? They tasted AMAZING.

The cauliflower popcorn bites themselves are coated in a crispy seasoned batter on the outside, and are soft and tender on the inside. They don’t taste like cauliflower at all, so if it’s not your favourite vegetable, don’t let that put you off. The chilli buffalo sauce is the right amount of spicy and sweet, and not too sugary. Overall, this dish is EXTREMELY moreish, and would make an awesome starter or sharing plate with friends.

That said, the box is incredibly small, and given that it’s supposed to serve two people (again), I really don’t think the price justifies the small portion. Seeing as Chris didn’t want to try any, I ended up eating this box by myself. And while that probably wasn’t the best idea, it definitely didn’t feel too filling, so it’s insanely easy to do.

The cauliflower popcorn is pretty oily and salty though, so it’s definitely something that should be saved as an occasional treat, and not on a regular basis. 😉

Cashew Mac

I’ve never been head over heels for Mac & Cheese, but this is a version that I certainly got on board with, and it even had my Mac & Cheese-loving boyfriend obsessed!

This dish is basically like plant-based Mac & Cheese, but with none of the cruelty, less of the guilt, and no ‘icky’ feeling afterwards (like the “Oops I just ate something bad” kind of icky).

Made almost entirely from cashews, the smooth, creamy, lightly cheesy sauce is simply heaven, leaving no overwhelming ‘fake’ cheesy taste behind. The pasta is soft and well-cooked, and the addition of mushrooms and a crispy paprika breadcrumb topping is a really nice touch – nice enough to trick any veggie hater into getting more of their five-a-day!

I enjoyed this Cashew Mac with a side of steamed kale, but you could definitely enjoy it with a little garlic bread, sweet potato wedges or a side salad.

Sweet Potato & Cashew Curry

As with the other ‘ready meal’ style dishes I’ve tried in this range, the contents of the Sweet Potato & Cashew Curry all mixed together in the box, making it difficult to tell what was what. As a result, the pictures of this dish (and the other ready meals) are probably the worst of the bunch!

That being said, the mix-up of the ingredients certainly didn’t take away from the great flavour. Creamy and aromatic, this curry was delicious and definitely makes a yummy, warming meal on a busy night. The inclusion of chickpeas and quinoa amongst the rice packs in extra nutrition and protein, whilst the curry itself boasts plenty of sweet potato to go around.

This ready meal carries the same problem as the others however, in that it isn’t big enough to be a completely filling meal.

‘Notzarella’ Sticks

This clever vegan spin on the classic mozzarella sticks is just another reason why this range is smashing it right now. It’s one thing to be able to grab tasty vegan convenience food, but sometimes what we want is the really indulgent stuff, or classic finger food we can snack on at gatherings, etc.

Enter: the Plant Kitchen ‘Notzarella’ Sticks (man I love that name). Crispy on the outside, and creamy and cheesy on the inside, these sticks can be enjoyed as a side dish or indeed as a table snack for when you have friends round, or as part of a buffet.

These things were definitely tasty; however, unless you’re a cheese fanatic, you probably won’t be too eager to go back for more. Since going vegan I’ve never really craved cheese or felt the need to fill a cheesy void in my life with vegan alternatives, and for that reason I could take or leave these little cheesy sticks. Also, when removed from the oven or microwave, they smell very strong, and unlike regular mozzarella which is very mild, these Notzarella Sticks have perhaps a slightly overbearing flavour of cheese, which can be sickly.

If you are or were a mozzarella stick fan at some point though, go nuts. You’re sure to love these little sticks!

Mac & Cheese Bites

Soon after the iconic dish Mac & Cheese was invented, some genius decided to take bundles of it, coat it in breadcrumbs and call them ‘Mac & Cheese bites’. I don’t know who this was, but they are now the person we have to thank for being able to enjoy these moreish little nibbles.

The Mac & Cheese Bites from Plant Kitchen are just another finger-type food from the range that can be difficult to leave alone. Unlike the Notzarella Sticks, they brought a mild, creamy cheesy flavour that was a lot more pleasing and left no synthetic taste. For that reason I much preferred them; however I still wasn’t able to eat too many as again, they could be sickly.

I think if these were laid out at a buffet or as appetisers at a party, they’d certainly get snapped up and you’d probably have your friends begging you for more.

Churros

Churros. Whoever couldn’t love them??

Seeing as the iconic Mexican dessert can already be made vegan pretty easily, it’s only fitting that M&S felt to add some to their range. Not only are they incredibly easy to make and serve (just ten minutes in the oven, or one minute in the microwave), they are also a classic flavour that anybody – both kids and adults – will love.

These Plant Kitchen churros are beautifully crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside – just how churros should be. However we did cook them in the oven, so you might get a slightly softer result from the microwave. They come with a sachet of cinnamon sugar and a little pot of chocolate sauce, but these churros are so delicious I could easily eat them without any toppings. The cinnamon sugar was definitely a nice addition though that I got right on board with. The chocolate sauce wasn’t bad, but is a little too rich and sickly for me. I’d highly recommend these churros with just the cinnamon sugar and you’re good.

These churros may come across as little expensive as you only get 10 churros in a pack, which the box says is ten servings (errr, whaaaat? Christian and I had five each!). However, the quality makes it definitely worth it, especially if you save them as an occasional treat or for a special night.

Chocolate Mousse

Oh man, oh man…where do I start with this chocolate mousse?? This thing had me going to heaven. Though I let Christian taste-test this one, I managed to sneak in a spoonful, and it had me immediately wishing I hadn’t been quite so generous…!

The mousse is light and creamy, but still holds body and depth, so you don’t feel like you’re just eating a load of air. It’s topped with a rich ganache and some crunchy cacao nibs, which may sound overbearing to some, but absolutely works in every way. The result is a delicious, deeply chocolatey dessert that you won’t want to end! M&S have definitely nailed it with this one.

Mango & Passionfruit Coconut Panna Cotta

I’ve never been a big fan of anything panna cotta even before I was vegan, so I was curious to try this one from the Plant Kitchen range. Made from coconut milk and topped with a mango & passionfruit compote, it’s a delightfully fruity dessert that would definitely suit those averse to chocolatey creations (which I will never understand…but hey, to each their own!).

The positives of this dessert is that the coconut panna cotta is delightfully creamy and rich, while the fruity compote adds a nice juiciness and tang, making it a fabulous palate-cleanser. However, where it falls down is that the coconut milk portion is perhaps a little too rich, and there’s quite a lot of it. Once the fruit compote layer has been consumed, you’re left with a feeling of scooping refrigerated coconut milk straight out of a can – not good. It’s also very thick and without the compote, a little sickly.

I think if M&S could perhaps make the coconut panna cotta part a little smoother and maybe add more compote, this would be a dessert I’d only be too happy to tuck into.

Mushroom Pie

Being a Northern lass, I’ve always been a fan of savoury things wrapped in pastriy – particularly pies. When I saw that M&S had added a mushroom pie to their range, I was excited (mushrooms being one of my favourite veg). Lucky for me, it wasn’t long before my local M&S store kindly asked if I’d like to review a bunch of the newest products added to the range, which – hooray – included this pie.

With a light, flaky pastry and a plentiful filling, this pie is a delight and goes well with any roast dinner or just simply some good ol’ chunky chips and mushy peas. Granted, you have to really like mushrooms as there is a lot of them, but for me this is no complaint. Whilst some pre-packaged pastry products can be greasy, this one isn’t at all, though it is a little salty. My recommendation is to save these pies as a welcome weeknight treat.

Another small downside is that the bottom of the pie can get soggy pretty quickly when mixed with gravy and the like, but again this is not a problem for me – just a small heads-up to anybody preferring their pie bases a little firmer.

No-Chicken Kiev

Back in my younger days I was partial to a chicken kiev at my local pub, so the fact that M&S has created a vegan version to enjoy at home is more than welcomed by me (and no doubt many others).

First, the positives: these chicken kiev fillets are tender, moist, and coated in a deliciously crispy breadcrumb – not too much and not too little. Though they do collapse a little when you cut into them, the filling is impressively buttery considering it doesn’t contain dairy. It’s very herby and garlicky and full of flavour. I enjoyed one of these with some greens and sweet potato fries on the side.

The main downside to these kievs is that they are very salty, which can be a shock to the tastebuds if you’re used to homecooked food. I’d like to tell M&S to cool it on the salt as I’m sure this kiev would be just as yummy, but I understand lots of companies feel they need to overcompensate when it comes to plant-based products. Either way, as with everything else on this list, I suggest you enjoy it as an occasional treat and not a regular diet staple. Otherwise you could find yourself reaching for the water more often than not…

No-Duck Hoisin Spring Rolls

These spring rolls may just be one of my favourite products in the Plant Kitchen range. Amazingly crispy on the outside yet soft and flavoursome on the inside, they deliver all of the familiar taste of hoisin duck without being overbearing or tasting ‘fake’.

The filling is made from soy which does a great job of providing the right texture, and surprisingly they are pretty low in fat and sugar (though admittedly high on the salt, again). Even my boyfriend who is very tentative about trying new things loved them!

Roasted Mushroom Stroganoff

I’ve mentioned before about how the Plant Kitchen ready meals seem to be the more disappointing of the bunch. This is mainly because I never think ready meals are any satsifactory substitute for a freshly cooked dish, but that’s just me.

Overall this mushroom stroganoff packed lots of flavour and was wonderfully creamy without being too sickening. As with the others, it wasn’t pretty to photograph but definitely tasted better than it looked! It was made that little bit more virtuous with the addition of spinach and cauliflower rice, whilst the lentils and tofu ensure a good helping of protein.

Tofish & Chips

Whilst recreating the flavour and texture of battered fish is a challenging one, I don’t think M&S has done a bad job at all with their ready-made ‘tofish’ & chips meal. Granted, it doesn’t taste exactly like fish, per se, but the texture is definitely there thanks to the delicately battered tofu and the creamy tartare sauce. The addition of the chunky chips round it out into a nice meal, though I thought the amount of chips given was a bit stingey.

I gave this one to my boyfriend (again, a tough audience) and he devoured it with ketchup. The only thing missing from this meal is a side of mushy peas in my opinion, which could be easily whipped up at home.

No-Meat Meatballs

Whether you enjoy them with heaps of pasta and rich tomatoey sauce, or in an onion gravy with mashed potatoes, meatballs are a welcome dish for almost anybody.

I think M&S does a wonderful job of recreating this classic meal, with their herby ‘no-meat’ meatballs. Slightly crispy on the outside, moist and moreish on the inside and full of flavour and protein, they go perfectly with any way you want to dress them up – whether its British-style or Italian.

Honourable mentions

I’ve had the pleasure of trying a few other products in the Plant Kitchen range whilst out and about, and although I don’t have photos of them I wanted to mention them here.

Both the Plant Kitchen coleslaw and potato salad are winners in my book – they taste barely any different to their non-vegan counterparts, whilst maintaining that same M&S level of quality we all know and love. Perfect for adding on sandwiches or dolloping on salads, I think these are so convenient and even my parents are always stocking their fridge with them!

Positive lunch experiences have been had with the rainbow sushi wrap, roasted veg & avocado sandwiches and sweet potato biriyani wrap. Though the sushi wrap is delicious, I feel it needs to be paired with another item to form part of a more wholesome lunch. Meanwhile, the sandwiches and the wrap are both great options on the go, packed with good ingredients and bursting with flavour.

Another honourable mention goes to the Country Vegetable pie. Made with chickpeas and vegetables infused with Morroccan spices and coated in a crispy breadcrumb pastry case, this is a yummy little addition to any salad and will leave you feeling satisfied, without weighing you down.

Nothing to write home about…

A couple of other products I’ve tried have been the No Turkey Feast sandwich and the Instant Porridge pot.

So let me clarify first of all – these products are not ‘bad’ by any means. Far from it in fact – the No Turkey sandwich was very tasty and the Instant Porridge provided a warming start to the day when I missed breakfast one morning. However, when it comes to vegan festive sandwiches I’m more in a favour of a nut roast or veggie-based filling, and I wouldn’t make a habit of instant porridge for breakfast when proper porridge is much better from a wholegrain point of view.

As these are on-the-go products, I feel there are better options available – both from M&S and a whole bunch of other places – and I probably wouldn’t be rushing to grab these ones again.

Those are all the ones I know of at the moment, but the range is ever changing and evolving, it can be hard to keep up! Be sure to let me know if I’ve missed any and help me keep this list updated!

Links marked with a * are affiliate links.

What do you guys think of M&S’ Plant Kitchen range? Are you a fan? Drop a comment and share your thoughts below!

Alternatively, you can connect with me on Instagram – simply click the button below and leave a comment on my latest post.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Facebook too and share your thoughts.