Here is something most visitors do not expect: Balinese food is one of the most naturally plant-friendly cuisines in Southeast Asia. Long before "plant-based" was a menu category, Balinese kitchens were building whole meals around tempeh, tofu, vegetables, coconut and spice. A vegan or vegetarian cooking class in Bali is not a compromise menu — it is a genuine part of the tradition.
Why Balinese food adapts so well
The backbone of Balinese cooking is base genep, the island's master spice paste — and it is built almost entirely from aromatics: shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, chilli and candlenut. The only non-vegan element is a small amount of terasi (shrimp paste), which is easily left out or replaced. Take that one step and most of the Balinese repertoire opens up to a plant-based table.
What you'll actually cook
- Gado-gado — blanched vegetables with a warm peanut sauce; a complete vegan meal on its own.
- Tempeh and tofu, done properly — tempe manis (sweet-glazed tempeh), crisp fried tofu, and spiced tempeh sate moulded onto lemongrass instead of meat.
- Lawar sayur — the vegetable version of Bali's ceremonial chopped salad, with green beans, grated coconut and spice.
- Sambal matah and other raw sambals — naturally vegan, and the freshest thing on any Balinese table.
- Nasi kuning or coconut rice, finished with a coconut-and-palm-sugar dessert.
Everything is built on the same vegan base genep, so you learn one foundation and can rebuild the whole menu at home.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free
Vegetarian is straightforward — dairy and egg barely feature in traditional Balinese cooking, so most dishes are already suitable. Full vegan simply means leaving out terasi and honey. Many Balinese dishes are also naturally gluten-free, since rice rather than wheat is the staple — soy sauce (kecap) is the main thing to watch, and we swap it out on request. Tell us your exact needs when you enquire and the whole menu is designed around them.
Cook a plant-based Balinese feast
Our private cooking classes run a dedicated vegan or vegetarian menu whenever you ask — hands-on, in your own villa kitchen, with every dish explained as you cook. From IDR 700,000 per person (minimum 4 guests). Message myCHEF on WhatsApp with your dietary needs and we will send a plant-based sample menu.
