These easy vegan recipes for beginners make eating a whole food plant-based diet fun, healthy, and most importantly: delicious!
When we first started eating vegan food years ago, it seemed daunting. But we quickly realized: vegan recipes can be some of the most creative and delicious out there! Fast forward to today, and we’ve devoted our lives to inspiring people (you!) how to eat lots of vegetables in delicious ways. Our forte? Veggie-packed recipes that are tasty, healthy, and pretty simple to make. You have 3 chances per day to eat plant based meals. Why not start now? Here are all our best easy vegan recipes for tasty breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Vegan Cauliflower Tacos
These vegan cauliflower tacos are a fan favorite! The filling stars our crispy breaded cauliflower (baked, not fried), which are reminiscent of the texture of fish tacos. Add to that refried beans and silkyYum Yum Sauceand they’re all about one thing: big flavor! Scroll down for the recipe.
Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
Your noodles are destined for greatness with this vegan pasta alfredo! The impossibly creamy sauce is a healthy spin on the traditionally rich pasta. It’s made with nutrient-dense cauliflower and protein-packed cashews instead of dairy. Said one reader: “YUM! I love it! It’s super easy to make. I made it again 2 days later!” Also try: Vegan Pesto Pasta.
Ultimate Vegan Chili
Here's the ultimate vegan chili recipe! Everyone loves chili, and it's the perfect way to make vegetables taste delicious. It’s hard to find someone who will turn this one down! It’s full of savory flavor starring beans, quinoa, and a hint of adobo sauce for complexity. Top it with ourvegan sour creamand somepickled jalapenosand well: it’s out of this world good. Serve with Vegan Cornbread.
Quick Hummus Bowls
Here's one of the easiest vegan recipes around: theHummus Bowl! This simple concept requires no cooking at all: layer a dollop of hummus with crunchy veggies and serve with pita wedges. It’s easily customizable and you can make it super basic or fancier with easy additions of ingredients. It takes just 5 minutes to make thisMediterranean-style mealthat’s bursting with creamy, tangy, crunchy, fresh, and savory flavors.
Also try: 10 Easy Vegan Bowls
Vegan Chickpea Curry
This vegan chickpea curry hits all the checkboxes for plant based dinner perfection. It’s full ofplant based protein, so it will keep you full for hours. Packed with chickpeas, spinach, ginger, and curry powder, and it takes only 20 minutes to make. Serve withbasmati rice or vegan naan.
Classic Bean Soup
Here’s a cozy bowl that’s so hearty and satisfying, you’ll never want to put your spoon down. Try thisSmoky Bean Soup! Make room in your heart for this recipe, because this onedazzles. Kidney beans and navy beans float in a savory, smoky broth of fire roasted tomatoes that has just the right glossy texture. It uses canned beans, but it tastes like it’s been simmering all day. Each silky, smoky spoonful is a bit of heaven
Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Another at the top of our easy vegan recipes, this Chickpea Salad Sandwich! It's a fan favorite: essentially a chicken salad sandwich using chickpeas, it's made of mashed chickpeas, celery, green onion, a little mayo, and a pop of lemon. We served this one up with hummus spread on both sides of the bread, and it added an extra dimension. Also try: Simple Chickpea Salad
Vegan Fajitas
There’s no such thing as too many easy dinner ideas. So let us present our new favorite: these incredible vegan fajitas! Everyone loves this meal, even meat eaters. It’s a great way to make a fun healthy dinner where no one notices there’s no meat! Roast up lots of veggies on a sheet pan with spices, and serve with refried beans and “guac-ish,” a super fast version of guacamole.
Moroccan Chickpea Stew
This vegan Moroccan stew is cozy, hearty and full of flavor. It's warm spiced with cumin, coriander and cinnamon, and the chickpeas are simmered with tomatoes and chickpeas. Serve with sidequinoaor couscous and a dollop of cashew cream, and it's an extraordinarily tasty meal.
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Craving that glorious comfort food, without the dairy? Try thisvegan mac and cheese! Our rendition explodes with creamy decadence using only whole food ingredients like cashews, sweet potato, and canned artichokes to make a cheesy sauce that is just as satisfying as the real thing!
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesanis one of the world’s best meatless comfort foods: so why not try a dairy-free rendition? Try thisvegan Eggplant Parmesan, with all the flavor of the real deal but totally plant-based! Tender eggplant slices are dipped and breaded, then baked until crispy and smothered in a tangy marinara sauce. Top with dairy-free cheese to make a stunning vegan dinner everyone will love!
Vegan Crab Cakes
Here’s one of our most deliciously fun vegan dinner ideas:vegan crab cakes! Essentially a plant-based patty that tastes like a crab cake, these crispy, crave-worthy bites will wow eaters of any diet. We made a plate for our omnivore family members and they couldn’t stop raving (really!). Packed with hearts of palm, artichokes, and chickpeas, serve them up withtartar saucefor a filling vegan dinner recipe.
Simple Red Lentil Soup
If there’s a vegan recipe that always satisfies, it’s a great lentil soup. Lentils are one of nature’s wonders: they’re full of protein, shelf stable for years, inexpensive, and make for some of the most satisfying filling meals. Try this simpleRed Lentil Soup! It’s deliciously hearty, featuring aromatic vegetables, lemon and a hint of smoked paprika.
Sweet Potato Curry
Here’s a vegan recipe that’s just as satisfying as amargherita pizza(we think). Try thisSweet Potato Curry! Tender sweet potatoes and bell peppers swim in a luscious broth of coconut milk and Thai curry paste, topped with fresh cilantro and crunchy peanuts. There’s so much flavor going on, you’ll want to take another bite before you’re finished savoring the first.
Lettuce Wraps
Try thislettuce wrapsrecipe! We’ll admit, the concept doesn’t always sound, well…satiating. But these lettuce wraps are next level! The punchy, savory filling is infused with hoisin, soy sauce and rice vinegar, mixing savory tofu with cashews and green onions. Throw it into tender leaf of crunchy green lettuce with a few more colorful veggies, and it’s to die for!
Peanut Noodles
Need dinnertime inspiration? Cozy up to a bowl of these creamy, zingypeanut noodles! This is one of our favorite fresh,easy dinnerrecipes and it comes together in less than 30 minutes. The peanut butter sauce is lusciously creamy, bursting with flavor from soy sauce, fresh lime juice and honey or maple syrup.
Falafel Salad
Here’s an irresistibly delicious vegan dinner recipe:Falafel Salad! Make a batch of this easybaked falafel, then layer them with crunchy veggies and top with a creamy, zingy tahini dressing. Or, use purchased frozen falafel or even repurpose take-out leftovers!
Easy Vegan Meatballs
Here’s a go-to when you need a vegan recipe that’s protein-packed: Vegan Meatballs! This recipe takes under 30 minutes to make, and it’s packed with protein! Even better: the flavor is outstanding. Serve with pasta and your favorite marinara sauce!
Vegan Sloppy Joes
These vegan Sloppy Joes have a zingy lentil filling that tastes just as good as the meaty version. Put it on a toasted bun with some bread and butter pickles, and WOW! You’re going to love this one (promise). A fantasticplant-based mealfor people who are on the fence about veggies, they're crowd pleasing and have a cozy, comforting vibe! Serve easy vinegar coleslaw(or use ourbest creamy coleslawwith vegan mayo).
Crispy Tofu Bowl
Looking for a rock-starvegan recipeorplant based dinneridea? Try this crispy tofu bowl! Imagine, chunks of perfectly-seasoned meaty, savorycrispy tofupaired with fluffy rice and fresh veggies. The best part? Cover it with aspicy mayoand sprinkle everything with crunchy fried onions! It makes a bowl that's an explosion of textures and flavors.
Easy Vegan Taco Salad
On the lookout for vegan dinner ideas?Vegan Taco Saladto the rescue! This genius recipe comes to you by the magic ofWalnut Taco Meat: a tasty way to make a plant-based version of ground beef. Turns out, walnuts, mushrooms and spices do a spot on job of simulating the savory goodness of meat crumbles.
Vegan Burrito
Welcome to…your new favorite vegan dinner. Well, at least it’s ours! Something about all those tasty fillings snuggled cozily into a tortilla makes a burrito irresistible. This burrito is packed with flavor fromSpanish rice(aka Mexican rice), seasoned black beans, peppers and onions, and mashed avocado.
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup
This vegan broccoli soup is impossibly creamy, whole food plant based (WFPB), and tastes like the coziest bowl of comfort. And it’s 100% made of veggies! This one tastes like an elevated version of broccoli cheese soup, and makes for a filling vegan meal.
Vegan Enchiladas
These vegan enchiladas are a huge crowd pleaser! Tortillas are wrapped around a veggie filling of black beans and guacamole, and it’s all doused in a zesty homemade enchilada sauce. With the crunchy veggie topping, this dish looks simplyincredible. And it tastes even better than it looks!
Cozy White Bean Soup
This vegan White Bean Souprecipe is full of humble ingredients and huge flavor! It’s a new favorite over here, especially now that soup season has arrived. Tender white beans float in the cozy broth with soft potatoes and leafy kale. Lemon zest lends brightness and tarragon brings an herby nuance. The best part? It’s made of 100% vegetables and tastes like a dream.
Loaded Baked Potato
It can be hard to find a dinner idea that works for everyone, and here’s one we fall back on time and time again: theLoaded Baked Potato! Mix and match any variety of baked potato toppings and you’ve got a delicious dinner that works for almost any diet. For vegan, top with black beans, pico de gallo and Vegan Nacho Cheese for a tasty meal.
Go-To Tofu Stir Fry
Tofu is a healthy vegan protein that's great for incorporating into your meal prep repertoire. Want to fall in love with it? Come taste this tofu stir fry. It’s got the most flavor-packed stir fry sauce that works with any veggie, and the tofu is crisped on the outside and perfectly seasoned.
Vegan Chickpea Burgers
Veggie burgers can be seriously satisfying, and that doesn’t mean processed meat substitutes. These easy vegan chickpea burgers are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a hint of nuance from smoked paprika. Painted with BBQ sauce and served with vegan bacon and spicy mayo, they’re darn tasty.
Mexican Sweet Potatoes
Loaded sweet potatoes is one of our favorite easy vegan recipes: and you won’t believe the flavor in these! They’re the perfect blend of sweet and savory. The spicy pico de gallo is the perfect complement to the light sweetness of the potato. Topped with creamy cilantro sauce made out of a secret vegan ingredient (cashews!), it’s a little bit of heaven.
Easy Baked Tofu
Try this crispyBaked Tofu! You won’t be able to resist sneaking bites off the pan with this one. It’s irresistibly savory and seasoned to perfection, with a satisfying crunch to each bite. Serve with rice andSimple Sauteed Broccolifor a complete meal.
Also try: Crispy Tofu
Vegan Ground Beef Crumbles
Here’s a fun trick for making a plant-based substitute for ground beef: try thisVegan Ground Beef! This recipe is a great homemade option and you won't believe the flavor. It’s perfect for making crumbles to stuff into a zucchini or pepper, for a taco filling or on a salad.
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
If you have the time and want to impress, this vegan shepherd's pie recipe is where it's at! Imagine: a creamy gravy filled with tender vegetables, lentils and scented with fennel and sage. Then a fluffy layer of Yukon gold potatoes, topped with fresh rosemary. It’s layered together in a baking dish and then baked until golden.
Best Vegan Lasagna
This one takes a little time to bake, but it's 100% worth it. Just WOW! Alex and I eat dairy, but we agree: this is our favorite lasagna, period. No matter how you eat, this vegan lasagna will be a hit. It's smothered in a zesty marinara sauce, layered with spinach, mushrooms, and our secret ingredient: hummus! Top with a sprinkling of "Parmesan" and it will please everyone at the table...we guarantee it.
Easy BBQ Tofu
Here’s a must-make vegan recipe: this irresistibleBBQ Tofu! Each bite has just the right chewy texture, bathed in a silky, sweet, savory sauce. You’ll want to keep eating it for days. Serve with rice, or Southern-style sides likecoleslawand vegan cornbread.
Vegan Sheet Pan Dinner
This easy sheet pan dinner is full of colorful vegetables and loaded with flavor! It's a plant-based dinner that roasts up everything on a sheet pan at once: lots ofgood-for-you veggiesand chickpeas for plant based protein. Throw it all in the oven while you cook rice or quinoa. Top with a dollop of hummus,vegan sour cream, or anothervegan sauce. Dinnertime win!
Crispy Avocado Tacos
These crispy avocado tacos are destined to be your new favorite vegan recipe! You’ve gotavocado fries, breaded and baked in a hot oven until crispy. Then top that with spiced black beans, pico de gallo, and the refreshing crunch of romaine lettuce. Drizzle on a creamy lime and cilantro sauce, and it’s heaven on a plate. It tastes like restaurant tacos, but it’s easy to whip up in your kitchen.
Easy Vegan Tacos
Here’s a way to make vegan eating mega-delicious: Vegan Tacos! There are lots of ways to make a vegan taco, but this one is our favorite. It’s filled with hearty, spiced walnut taco meat that tastes remarkably similar to the real thing. Add refried beans, your favorite classic toppings, and dollop with a creamy, spicy sauce.
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Minestrone soup is a vegan Italian recipe designed for using up any veggies you had on hand. This classic soupis full of chunky vegetables, white beans, and pasta in a tomato-y broth. Serve it withbasil pesto(orvegan pesto) and it’s calledMinestrone alla genovese. In Italian this means “minestrone soup from Genoa,” the capital of the region ofLiguria Italywhere all the great pesto comes from!
Vegan Wild Rice Soup
Another favorite in our easy vegan recipes: wild rice soup! This soup is creamy and comforting, with white beans, carrots, mushrooms and wild rice. It’s naturally creamy using cashews blended with some of the body of the soup. It makes for a filling and satisfying dinner that rounds out our list of easy vegan recipes. Try either Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup orStovetop Wild Rice Soup.
Coconut Tofu Curry
Here’s a vegan dinner recipe that takes just 30 minutes and results in so much flavor…you’ll put it on your regular rotation immediately. Try thisTofu Curryrecipe! The brilliant red broth is flavored with coconut milk and red curry paste, with the zing of lime and a hint of spicy sweetness. The Thai-style flavors are the perfect way to introduce tofu to those wary of it.
Easy Quinoa Bowl
In just 30 minutes, you've got a fresh bowl of delicious vegetables and seasoned quinoa that’s smothered in a tangy lemon tahini sauce. If you’re just starting to eat plant based recipes or have been eating them for years, this one's a truly tasty way to eat your veggies.
Mediterranean Bowl
Looking for fresh and healthy vegan dinner ideas? Try thisMediterranean Bowl, bursting with colorful veggies! It’s a simple “meal in a bowl” that stars spiced roasted vegetables, seasoned with an irresistible mix of cumin, coriander, garlic and a hint of cinnamon. Add to that quinoa or couscous, fresh cucumber and tomato, and top it all off with a creamy lemon tahini sauce.
Easy Black Bean Hummus
Here’s a tasty dip that surprised us with its irresistibly creamy flavor:Black Bean Hummus! This spin on the traditional Mediterranean chickpea dip might sound fun, but here’s the thing. It tastes evenbetterthan it sounds! Black beans, lime, tahini and a bit of smoked paprika make creamy dip magic.
Homemade Acai Bowl
Easy vegan recipes include breakfast inspiration, too! This Homemade Acai Bowl is a tangy purple smoothie made of acai berries and tropical fruit, topped with vibrant toppings of all kinds. Acai pulp can be found in the frozen section in most groceries or online. It’s absolutely worth finding some if you can; the flavor is unique and it makes for a special treat.
Also try: Acai Smoothie
Magic Breakfast Cookies
Here’s a make ahead vegan breakfast that fits in the palm of your hand: these Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies! Yes, it’s magic: oats, nut butter, applesauce, and maple syrup transform into cookies that you can eat for breakfast. There’s none of those traditional cookie ingredients: no flour, no butter, no oil, and no refined sugar. How is it possible? You’ve got to taste.
Vegan Banana Muffins
Here’s a vegan banana muffins recipe that will make everyone say, “Wow!” They’re fluffy and just sweet enough, with the perfect banana flavor. Even better, a streusel topping gives every bite a little crunch and extra touch of sweet. You’d really never know these are avegan baked good. Also try: Vegan Banana Bread
Vegan Banana Pancakes
Try theseVegan Banana Pancakes! These babies are fast, easy and so delicious: and leftovers make for great snacks, slathered in nut butter with a hint of maple syrup. This plant-based pancake recipe is so easy to make using simple ingredients: no need for any egg substitutes! We tried them out on family and they couldn’t stop raving.
Breakfast Quinoa Bowl
Want to liven up your breakfast game? TryBreakfast Quinoa! This alternative to oatmeal is just as satisfying. Critics of quinoa find it bitter or bland, but this way to prepare it is anything but! Cook it with milk, maple syrup and cinnamon, then load it up with toppings like fresh berries, coconut and nut butter.
Easy Tofu Scramble
Here's a fantastic vegan breakfast recipe: a tofu scramble! You'll be surprised how much it has the flavor and texture of scrambled eggs! It's a healthy, savory vegan breakfast that takes only 10 minutes to whip up. If you'd like, serve it with a veggie saute on the side: red onion, peppers and greens cooked until tender.
Best Vegan Oatmeal
If we’re talking easy vegan recipes, this one is probably the easiest breakfast you’ll ever make. Promise. Toast the oats in coconut oil to bring out their flavor, then add water and cinnamon and wait for a few minutes. It’s a genius life hack that makes for simple mornings. Top with almond butter, peanut butter or cashew butter for a filling breakfast (and add vegan strawberry jam if you like).
Vegan Breakfast Sandwich
This breakfast sandwich is a fun savory option with a unique filling that you’ll love! It takes just 5 minutes to whip up a savory chickpea pancake that surprisingly has a similar flavor and texture to scrambled eggs. Pile it high on a toasted sourdough muffin with tomato and avocado and it’ssosatisfying: and totally plant-based!
Banana Baked Oatmeal
Here’s the ideal healthy vegan breakfast recipe, easy and full of irresistible flavor. In fact, we’re head over heels for it:Banana baked oatmeal! This incredible recipe is wholesome and filling, and it’s made with good-for-you ingredients: mostly oats and bananas. Serve it for guests or even better, make up a big pan and eat off of it all week! You can cut it into “bars” for quick snacks, too.
Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
Here’s a vegan smoothie for when you’ve got a chocolate craving: theChocolate Strawberry Smoothie! Because what’s more fun thanchocolate covered strawberries, in drinkable form? This tasty recipe features strawberries, banana, almond butter and cocoa powder, blended up into a lusciously creamy puree. Its rich, fruity flavor made it an instant hit over here, and we gobbled it up like it was a milkshake.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Outrageously good is the only way to describe thesevegan chocolate chip cookies! In fact, they just taste like one darn good cookie, period. They’re chewy with crispy edges, sweet with just the right nutty intrigue in the flavor, and studded with dark chocolate chips and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. They are easy to make with simple ingredients: no vegan substitutes! Plus, there’s no dough refrigeration or wait time (required for cookies, to us).
Vegan No-Bake Cookies (Bliss Bites)
Easy vegan recipes have got to include treats, right? If a no bake cookie and a peanut butter cup had a baby, it would be these bliss bites! This one is a vegan recipe we recommend toeveryone: not just beginners. It’s our most popular recipe to date! One trick: make the “mini” version using a mini muffin tin to keep the portion size smaller: then you can eat more of them!
One important part to eating vegan recipes is this: make sure you get enough plant based protein to stay satiated and full! Protein from legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy is important for balancing a diet that has no meat or dairy. And it will keep you full for hours! All of the recipes above focus on making sure there is a good amount of vegan protein. Here are the best sources of vegan protein in your diet:
And between meals to make sure you’re staying full: focus on vegan snack recipes! We have lots of ideas for vegan snacking:
Outside of these easy vegan recipes, here are a few more collections of dinner recipes: