Meet 'ordinary lads' storming foodie world who share vegan recipes for meat fans (2024)

THIS is no ordinary lunchtime. I’m tucking into platefuls of delicious chicken wings, lasagne, burger, fish fingers and cheesecake.

But you won’t find a beef patty, fish or cheese in any of these dishes.

That is because they were prepared by BOSH, the Sheffield duo taking the foodie world by storm with their inventive vegan recipes that even meat eaters are raving about.

Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, both 34, launched BOSH on YouTube three years ago and have had more than a billion views of their videos and sold 170,000 copies of their first book.

Later this week they release their second, called Bish Bash Bosh!, and we wanted to be one of the first to try their recipes like the three below.

Henry says: “We’ve been caught up in this whirlwind as more people get on board with vegan food.

We’ve cooked live on TV in London and New York, we even cooked for Boyzone.” Ian adds: “We’re two ordinary lads from Sheffield, so it’s surreal.”

The pair, who live together in Clapham, South London, turned vegan five years ago after watching documentaries about the environmental impact of eating meat and dairy.

Henry says: “This background as meat eaters helped us have a very ‘normal’ approach to food that appeals to vegans and non-vegans alike.”

But do they miss any of their meaty home comforts?

The boys, who live together in Clapham, South London, only became vegans themselves five years agoIan says: “Lasagne was my favourite. I took inspiration from Mum’s recipe to make our vegan version.”

Even celebs are queuing up to cook with BOSH.

Ian says: “Gary Barlow came over to learn about our food and we went to Prue Leith’s house to cook.

When Pamela Anderson messaged us, we thought, ‘What the hell’.”

As for critics who argue vegan diets are unhealthy, Henry says: “A big mistake is to eat loads of beige food like pasta and chips. In any diet you need a balance of different nutrients.

“When done correctly, vegan is one of the healthiest.”

Classic Lasagne
(Serves 6-8)

YOU NEED:

• 2 onions
• 100g sundried tomatoes, plus 2 tbsp oil from the jar
• 3 carrots
• 3 celery sticks
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 garlic cloves
• 700g chestnut mushrooms
• 300ml red wine
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp red miso paste
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 x 400g tins chopped plum tomatoes
• 800ml water
• 500g dried lasagne sheets
• Salt and black pepper
• Salad leaves, to serve

For the bechamel

• 125ml olive oil
• 125g flour
• 1.25 litres unsweetened plant-based milk
• 1½ tbsp nutritional yeast

METHOD: Peel the onions and blitz in a food processor.

Add the sundried tomato oil to the large pan with the onions, stirring for five minutes.

Pulse carrots and celery in food processor. Finely chop the rosemary, thyme and garlic and add to the pan with carrot and celery, on a low heat for 12-15 minutes.

Slice the sundried tomatoes and pulse mushrooms in the food processor and add both to the pan for 8 to 10 minutes.

Pour in the wine, increase the heat and stir constantly for 5-6 minutes. Add the tomato puree, miso paste, balsamic vinegar, oregano and soy sauce for 1 min.

Add the chopped tomatoes and water and simmer for 30 mins.

Put oil in second pan over a medium heat, add flour and stir for 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Add the nutritional yeast and stir until smooth.

Bring to the boil then lower the heat until the bechamel thickens to the consistency of custard.

Spread a quarter of the ragu into the lasagne dish. Spoon over a quarter of the bechamel and cover with lasagne sheets.

Repeat three times, with bechamel to cover the top. Cover with foil and put on the lowest shelf of the oven to bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes.

Serve with salad leaves.

Wild West Wings
(Serves 4)

YOU NEED:

• 200ml unsweetened plant-based milk
• 100g coconut yoghurt (the thicker the better)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-2 lemons
• 500g oyster mushrooms
• 175g plain flour
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Vegetable oil, for frying

METHOD: Put the milk, coconut yoghurt and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Slice the lemons and squeeze in the juice, whisking until there are no lumps.

Add the mushrooms and stir to coat.

Mix the flour, pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder in the second mixing bowl.

Pour 8mm oil into a saucepan and heat to 180C. Pick the mushrooms out of the marinade and coat them in a bowl of dry ingredients.

Place the mushrooms in the pan, in batches.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning regularly until they are a deep golden brown.

Transfer to kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil, and serve.

Ibiza Sunset Burger
(Serves 2)

YOU NEED:

• 2 plant-based burger patties
• 2 slices dairy-free cheese
• 2 pickled gherkins
• 1 baby gem lettuce
• 2 good quality burger buns

For the balsamic onions

• 1 large red onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp soft brown sugar
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

For the sauce

• 50g egg-free mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp gherkin brine (from jar)
• ½ tsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp vinegar
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika

METHOD: Preheat oven to 180C.

Thinly slice red onion and add, with oil, to a frying pan on low heat for 12-15 minutes.

Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir for 3-4 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat. Put the patties on a lined baking tray and cook in the oven following instruction on packet.

Five minutes before they are ready, lay a slice of dairy-free cheese on top of each patty and bake for the remaining minutes.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix together with a fork.

Slice the gherkins and shred the lettuce.

Assemble your burgers.

• BISH BASH BOSH! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby is out April 4. HQ, HarperCollins, £20

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