With over a dozen easy vegan recipes, you’ll find something to start your plant-based diet or add to your already-vegan menu. Not only is plant-based eating good for the environment and your body, but it can also be incredibly satisfying and tasty, especially with these hearty recipes. Grab your best chef’s knife—you’ll need it for all these veggies. Read on for some of our best vegan meals.
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Marinated Tofu Skewers
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Start your vegan menu planning with a no-cook tofu recipe you can return to anytime you need a satisfying protein. These marinated bites work well as an appetizer with skewered veggies—like Peppadew peppers, pitted olives, and marinated artichoke hearts—but you can also pop them in salads, rice bowls, or pasta dishes. Just make sure the miso you use is completely animal-free.
Veggie Udon Stir Fry
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Make flavorful, saucy, and vegan udon noodles by using vegetarian oyster sauce, which is made with mushrooms instead of shellfish. If you don’t have that, the soy sauce, mirin, and garlic should suffice. This 25-minute recipe calls for bell peppers, carrots, onion, and cabbage, but you can add whatever produce you have on hand with similar results—just add at least one veggie with a little crunch.
Sesame-Crusted Tofu With Spicy Dipping Sauce
Tofu provides vegans with a hefty dose of high-quality, plant-based protein, making it critical to have some go-to tofu recipes to add to simple salads and soups. This version by the Leung family elevates the meat alternative with qualities we love, particularly a sesame-coated crispy exterior and a spicy, bold dipping sauce.
Spicy Dumpling Soup
Jen Causey
If you love a meal with a little extra spice, you’re going to love this dumpling soup. Not only does it take just 30 minutes to make, but store-bought vegetable dumplings make it a breeze to throw together. Garnish each bowl with a handful of scallion slices and a sprinkling of chili crisp for extra heat.
Winter Lentil Soup
Use kale, leeks, and sweet potatoes in this warming one-pot meal. With so many veggies, this soup is filling and nutrient-rich. Skip the Parmesan for a completely vegan version.
Crispy Tofu Noodle Soup
Crispy tofu is combined with rice noodles and Swiss chard in a vegetable broth flavored with ginger, garlic, tamari, and star anise for a nutritious and protein-rich meal. To ensure that the tofu browns, pat it dry before cooking.
Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta
The savory pesto coating this pasta is made with roasted broccoli (florets and stems), almonds, lemon zest, lemon juice, arugula, olive oil, salt, and pepper. While the pesto calls for an optional dose of cheese, you can always use vegan-friendly nutritional yeast instead. Once the sauce is done, toss it with the pasta and top the finished dish with some extra broccoli florets and baby arugula.
Curried Eggplant With Tomatoes and Basil
Eggplant’s meaty texture makes it an ideal ingredient for vegan and vegetarian dishes. Chickpeas increase your protein count, while curry powder adds heat. To ensure that this meal is entirely vegan, use plant-based yogurt.
Cuban Black Beans and Rice
Full of fiber and protein, you can eat this Latin American staple as a main or a side dish. Serve with a side salad, or add plant-based meat for an even heartier meal.
Spicy Summer Squash Stir-Fry
This colorful stir-fry (which comes together in just 20 minutes) is packed with healthy vegetables. Specifically, it combines summer squash, Japanese eggplant, and spicy red jalapeño slices. The whole thing is coated in a cornstarch-soy sauce and served over a hearty helping of white rice.
Toasted Israeli Couscous With Corn and Herbs
Upgrade your pasta salad game with this vegan dish—perfect for summer picnics and potlucks. The toasted Israeli couscous base is paired with juicy summer corn kernels and fresh herbs—basil, chives, and dill—plus caramelized onions for good measure. Trust us: You won’t be longing for any meat here.
Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Coconut and Kale
For an easy vegan meal, load up a microwave-baked sweet potato with some of your favorite veggies. This particular recipe calls for a filling of kale cooked in a rich and spicy coconut sauce flavored with lime juice and fragrant curry powder. For a completely plant-based recipe, omit the butter or use vegan butter instead (found in Trader Joe’s vegan foods selection).
Simple Red Beans and Rice
A simplified take on the well-known Louisiana dish, these red beans and rice are sure to leave you satisfied and full. Red kidney beans are nutritious and are the main star of this dish, but the best part is it cooks in less than 30 minutes.
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes
Loaded with sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and two types of beans, this vegetarian chili packs a protein punch. After a quick 20 minutes of prep time, the slow cooker does the rest of the work, ensuring you have a warm meal when you get home. Serve with tortilla chips and skip the sour cream and cheese toppings for a hearty vegan meal.
Walnut Mushroom Bolognese
This plant-based Bolognese sauce combines mushrooms and walnuts for a meat-like texture. When served with your favorite pasta, you get a delicious, hearty meal to add to your weekly menu. Use a non-dairy creamer and skip the cheese for a completely vegan dish.
Skillet Polenta in Creamy Tomato Sauce
Cooked polenta, white beans, and canned tomatoes make this an easy dish to cook. The result is a comforting meal that’s perfect when served with crusty bread.
Spinach and Artichoke Quinoa Casserole
The popular dip gets a twist in this casserole recipe. Non-dairy milk and cashew butter provide a creamy texture, while a potato chip topping adds crunch. Quinoa helps round out this fun and simple meal.
Za’atar Tofu Skewers With Tomato Salad & Hummus
Jennifer Causey
You won’t miss the meat in this flavorful Middle Eastern-inspired vegetarian dish. Hummus and tofu bring the protein power; cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes add freshness; and za’atar seasoning brings the flavor with this balanced, easy-to-make meal.
Veggie Patties
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Using a flaxseed “egg” instead of a regular egg keeps this veggie-filled recipe vegan. A choose-your-own-adventure style meal, there are so many ways you can put these patties together, you could have them every night of the week and never eat the same version.
Tofu and Cabbage Salad With Coconut Dressing
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
A simple swap of soy sauce or tamari instead of fish sauce turns this flavorful salad completely vegan! Pre-marinated tofu and bagged slaw make this recipe come together in a snap, but the fresh herbs, scallions, peanuts, and fried onions add brightness and texture that will taste totally homemade. The dressing of coconut cream, soy sauce, lime juice, and sriracha perfectly complements the dish and adds a bit of spiciness.
Orange-Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Sweet, tangy, and oh, so savory. What more could you ask for than crispy oven-baked tofu and tender broccoli coated in a citrusy glaze made with fresh orange juice, soy sauce, and garlic? Served over rice, this vegan and gluten-free recipe is as nutrient-packed as it is satisfying, making it a go-to for weeknight dinners.
