I tested 5 TikTok-famous vegan meal prep recipes—these are the winners

Scrolling TikTok for recipe inspiration is a bit like falling into a rabbit hole—you watch a creamy pasta swirl, a bubbling curry, and a rainbow salad layered in jars, and suddenly an hour has passed.

But here’s the question: do these viral meals actually work when you try them at home? And more importantly—are they worth prepping ahead for the week?

I meal-prepped five of the most popular vegan recipes floating around TikTok and put them through the real-world test: grocery shopping, cooking in bulk, storing, reheating, and eating on repeat.

Some recipes tasted amazing fresh but fell flat by Day 2. Others turned out surprisingly sturdy and became fast keepers in my rotation.

Here’s what made the cut, the tweaks I’d recommend, and three full recipes you can try at home.

How I chose the recipes

I wasn’t looking for viral stunts (like pasta cooked in neon-colored water). Instead, I wanted plant-based dishes that showed up over and over in people’s feeds and looked like they had potential for real-life cooking. My criteria:

• Simple, affordable ingredients 
• Meal-prep friendly (could last at least 3–4 days) 
• Mostly whole-foods based, not just veganized junk food

The lineup:

1. Creamy vegan tomato pasta 
2. Chickpea curry with a 3-ingredient base 
3. Tofu burrito bowls 
4. Green goddess salad (the viral cabbage one) 
5. Crispy rice paper dumplings

The 5 recipes I tested

1. Creamy vegan tomato pasta (winner)

The prep:
This TikTok hit promised a silky tomato-coconut sauce you could whip up in minutes. I doubled the batch, stored the sauce separately from the noodles, and used glass jars to keep it fresh.

The taste test:
Day 1: restaurant-worthy. By Day 3, it thickened but revived with a splash of oat milk. It reheated beautifully and paired well with roasted veggies.

The verdict:
Definite keeper. Easy, affordable, and it scales perfectly.

Full recipe: Creamy vegan tomato pasta

Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta of choice (penne, rigatoni, or gluten-free) 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes 
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk 
• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water 15 min, drained 
• 1 tbsp tomato paste 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika 
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 
• Salt and black pepper, to taste 
• Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. 
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3–4 minutes until fragrant. 
3. Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. 
4. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. 
5. Blend sauce with coconut milk and cashews until smooth and creamy. 
6. Return to skillet, season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 more minutes. 
7. Toss with pasta or store sauce separately.

Meal-prep tip: Store pasta and sauce separately. Sauce keeps 4–5 days in the fridge or 1 month frozen. Reheat with a splash of plant milk.

2. Chickpea curry with 3-ingredient base (winner)

The prep:
This one starts with a base of onion, tomato, and garlic—then you add spices and chickpeas. I prepped a double batch and portioned it into four glass containers with rice.

The taste test:
Day 1: comforting, fragrant, just spicy enough. By Day 4, the flavors actually deepened, and the texture held beautifully.

The verdict:
A prep goldmine. Cheap, nutrient-dense, and tastes better over time.

Full recipe: Chickpea curry

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil (or neutral oil) 
• 1 large onion, diced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes) 
• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk 
• 2 tbsp curry powder or garam masala 
• 1 tsp turmeric 
• ½ tsp cumin 
• Salt, to taste 
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish 
• Cooked rice or quinoa, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook 5–6 minutes until softened. 
2. Stir in tomatoes and cook until they break down, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add curry powder, turmeric, and cumin. Stir until fragrant. 
4. Add chickpeas and coconut milk. Simmer 15 minutes. 
5. Season with salt. Garnish with cilantro.

Meal-prep tip: Keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes well. Pair with rice, quinoa, or flatbread.

3. Tofu burrito bowls (winner)

The prep:
This was the most customizable of the bunch. I pressed and baked tofu with a chili-lime marinade, then paired it with brown rice, corn, black beans, and roasted peppers. Prepping toppings separately kept textures fresh.

The taste test:
Day 1: vibrant, flavorful, satisfying. By Day 3, the tofu softened a bit but was still tasty. Bowls reheated quickly, and I loved mixing in fresh salsa each day.

The verdict:
Huge win for variety. A meal-prep staple I’ll rotate regularly.

Full recipe: Tofu burrito bowls

Serves: 4–5
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 block (14 oz) extra-firm tofu, pressed 
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari 
• 2 tbsp lime juice 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp chili powder 
• 1 tsp cumin 
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked 
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen) 
• 1 bell pepper, sliced and roasted 
• 1 avocado, sliced (add fresh daily) 
• Salsa or hot sauce, for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
2. Cube tofu and toss with soy sauce, lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, and cumin. Spread on a baking sheet. 
3. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden. 
4. Assemble bowls: rice, beans, corn, roasted pepper, tofu. Add avocado and salsa before serving.

Meal-prep tip: Store tofu and grains separately; combine just before reheating. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.

4. Green goddess cabbage salad (not a winner)

The prep:
This crunchy chopped salad with creamy green dressing looked amazing in jars. But by Day 2, the cabbage got soggy and the avocado turned brown.

The verdict:
Fun for a same-day potluck, not for meal prep.

5. Crispy rice paper dumplings (not a winner)

The prep:
I filled rice paper wrappers with tofu and veggies, then pan-fried them. They were heavenly fresh.

The verdict:
A disaster reheated—soggy, chewy, and nothing like the original crunch. Worth making to eat immediately, but not for prep.

What actually worked for meal prep

After a week of testing, a few patterns stood out:

• Sauces are lifesavers. Curry and tomato-based sauces not only reheat well but taste better over time. 
• Texture matters. Crunchy foods (like fried dumplings or shredded salads) don’t survive storage. 
• Separate storage is key. Keeping sauces, grains, and proteins apart until reheating keeps meals fresh.

The bigger impact of meal-prepping plant-based

Meal-prepping isn’t just about saving time. It’s a planet-first habit:

• Health: Having balanced meals ready means fewer processed snacks and less takeout. 
• Climate: Buying in bulk and cooking at home cuts packaging waste and lowers your carbon footprint. 
• Community: Prepping with farmers’ market produce supports local growers and reduces food miles.

Conclusion

Not every TikTok recipe translates to the real world, but three winners proved their worth: creamy vegan tomato pasta, chickpea curry, and tofu burrito bowls.

They’re affordable, adaptable, and fridge-friendly—everything you want in a prep meal.

So the next time you scroll past a mouthwatering viral dish, don’t just wonder if it’ll work.

Try it, tweak it, and see if it earns a spot in your own weekly lineup.

Your future self will thank you when dinner’s ready before you even ask.