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Whether you’ve recently gone vegan, want to do more plant-based cooking yourself, or simply want to add some more plant-based meals to your dinner rotation, a barrier to entry for some can be thoughts of overwhelm with new ingredients and dishes. But don’t fret! Cooking vegan food can be just as easy, oftentimes much easier, than the alternatives. This list of quick, easy, and delicious plant-based meals proves it.
Best of all, fast food doesn’t have to mean junk food, as these dishes are all packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals that will leave you glowing afterwards. So get your apron on, as we dive into this list of some of the best vegan dishes to whip up at home.
Butter bean stew
Beans, beans, beans. They’re a brilliant plant source of protein. They are rich in fiber. A great source of iron, magnesium, and potassium. And they are so delicious and versatile, as you can chuck them into a salad, or cook them to perfection, as seen in this comforting and delicious butter bean stew dish from Natali Eleftheriou (owner of Natlicious Food). It also has lots of vegetables, so you’ll be well on your way to your five a day.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan chickpea and pumpkin pilaf
Here’s another beauty from Natali Eleftheriou from Natlicious Food. We’ve mentioned protein a few times already, and chickpeas are vegan heroes in this regard. Pilaf is a staple meal in the Middle East, across Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It’s soy and nut free, although watch out for the bulgur wheat if gluten is troublesome for you. Full of herbs and spices, this tantalizing dish will only take 20 minutes to get served up!
Find the recipe here.
Vegan Apple And Tofu Bowl
The Buddha Bowl craze continues apace, to the point where if you’re desperately scanning a pub menu for a vegan option, there’s often a slightly disappointing take on the dish. But, done right, these bowls can be absolutely delicious, while packing in loads of your nutrition requirements in just one dish.
One theory of why these bowl dishes are ascribed to Siddhartha Gautama are from the stories of the enlightened being walking through villages with an empty bowl, and the villagers would add whatever food they had available for him to eat. In this pre-processed food era, he would naturally come away with a very health meal consisting of rice and veg. This apple and tofu bowl is also brimming with vibrancy. The tofu and edamame make it perfect for refuelling after a strength workout, and the carrot, apple, brown rice and avocado will give you a big vitamin afterglow. And it only takes 15 minutes to assemble!
Find the recipe here.
Roasted cauliflower and apple
A wonderfully simple, fibre-packed meal comes in the form of this cauliflower-based dish. Rounded out with peppers, shallots, and made irresistible with harissa, garlic, and sherry vinegar, we can finally put to bed the misconception that healthy eating can’t be exciting. Give this one a go and your gut microbiome will be high-fiving you for hours afterwards.
Find the recipe here.
Easy orzo soup
If an evening comes along when you want to keep your vegan dinner quick and simple, a one-pot dish is often the best way to go. This comforting orzo soup, an absolute dream in the colder months, is a lovely one to rustle up. The inclusion of the orzo pasta means you can impress any Italian food lovers in your life also — bellissimo! The pasta, combined with the chickpeas and tomatoes, will ensure you are full and satisfied, and the vegan pesto sends this dish into taste heaven. A winning recipe from Romy London.
Find the recipe here.
Bean, kale, and lemon stew
Another brilliant bean stew recipe for your quick and nutritious vegan dinner, this time from vegan charity Viva! As well as the bean power, the kale will have you buzzing afterwards, and the lemon zest will make you want to revisit this recipe again and again. The best stews are vegan, it’s official! You just need to set aside half an hour for this one.
Find the recipe here.
Bean, orzo, and pesto salad
This salad is a truly ‘bae’ recipe and comes from Plant Baes. It’s one for all you meal-preppers out there, as you can quickly and easily have a few batches prepared when you need something healthy and ready to eat to ward off those pesky junk food cravings. Another winning bean dish, it’s also chocker with veggies — the tomatoes, broccoli, and asparagus make it stunningly colourful. Chefs kiss!
Find the recipe here.
Mediterranean chickpea stew
Big shout out to World Of Vegan for the welcome return of the mighty chickpea to this recipe list. As well as seeing off the myth that vegan protein is hard to come by, it also dispels any illusions that vegan eating is expensive, as this dish is as cheap as chips. Pair it with fluffy white rice and you’ll be in raptures. A generous handful of spinach ensures you’re hitting your greens quota, and the fresh parsley and garlic make it sumptuous.
Find the recipe here.
Stir fry with tofu and tahini
Name a more iconic duo than tofu and tahini…we’ll wait! Stir fries are one of the ultimate dishes to put together when you want an equal parts quick and nutritious vegan dinner. Liberally add broccoli, baby corn, carrot, pak choi, and edamame beans, and use the firmest tofu you can get your hands on. It almost feels like a crime that a meal so delicious can be this easy. Thanks to Viva! for another epic one.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan butternut squash curry
An internationally beloved cuisine, Indian curry can also be a very quick and nutritious vegan dinner to put together, once you know how. This simple 30-minute recipe comes from Vegan Richa, and the cooked butternut squash centrepiece is to die for. Add to that the lentils, spinach, and some of the healthiest herbs and spices known to man, and you’ll be harnessing those whole foods vegan powers afterwards.
Find the recipe here.
Peach pasta salad
I mean, just look at this salad. If the image alone doesn’t make you want to sprint to the nearest shop to grab all the ingredients, then I don’t know what to tell you. Another peachy thing about this dish is it’s such a quick and nutritious vegan dinner to put together, only requiring half an hour of your time. Fresh dill, avocado, cherry tomatoes, dijon mustard, agave are just some of the flavours packed into this outrageously yummy vegan dinner. Hats off to Janet Gronnow and her recipe book 15-Minute Vegan Meals for this stunner.
Find the recipe here.
