10 Easy Vegan Recipes (2024)

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These 10 easy vegan main dishes are all healthy, super satisfying, and quick and easy to prepare on busy nights.

From pasta, to Indian/Asian inspired, potatoes, tacos, sandwiches and more, this list of Vegan Main Dishes are all easy recipes to make. And they are also super healthy, as they are all vegan and gluten-free!

10 Easy Vegan Recipes (1)

1. Avocado Pasta with Herbs (Total Time: 20 minutes)

This Avocado Pasta with Herbs is so colorful, flavorful and healthy. It’s also easy to whip up in just 15 minutes, using only your food processor (and boiling the noodles). No other cooking required!

And don’t forget the cherry tomatoes; they add a little pop of sweetness that goes perfectly with the avocado cream.

Reader review (for Avocado Pasta with Herbs’): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tried this out today and loved the taste (the crushed red pepper gave it a flavor). It smelled so fresh with the parsley and basil, was pretty easy to put together, and my abuela enjoyed it (my toughest critic). I will be making it again! ~ Julia

2. Potato Curry (TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES)

This easy peasy Potato Curry is totally loaded with Indian flavors, sweet peas, chickpeas, and golden potatoes in a creamy sauce. It’s the perfect comfort food.

It’s made with a coconut milk-based sauce (commonly seen in Thai dishes), mixed with potatoes and peas (typical in Indian dishes). So you can think of this meal as ahybridof an Indian ‘Aloo Matar‘ and Thai curry. The best of both cultures.

It’s also super healthy and easy to make using just 1 pot and your blender.

3. Cauliflower Rice Stir Fry Bowl (Total Time: 20 Minutes)

This {20-Minute} Cauliflower Rice Stir FryBowl is colorful, crunchy and packed with healthy veggies and a tasty peanut-Asian sauce.

Cauliflower rice is a nutritious alternative to rice that is not only healthier, but also has a very similar texture. And once you start sautéing veggies and adding in all the amazing flavors of this recipe, you won’t be able to tell the difference.

4. Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos (Total Time: 50 minutes)

These Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos are baked until crispy and loaded with spicy red-hot flavor. Top them with a little vegan ranch dressing and additional hot sauce, and you’ll have yourself an absolutely addicting meal.

Note: Even though this meal takes 50 minutes to make, please note that the majority of that time (35 minutes) is baking the cauliflower in the oven. So it’s actually very easy!

This recipe is especially delicious (and even easier to make!) in your air fryer. See the notes section of the recipe for instructions.

Reader review (for ‘Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos‘): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These were delicious! I filled the baking sheet with cauliflower and the left over I coated with the sauce and put in the air fryer. It was amazing! The taco’s were perfect! ~Ashley

5. (TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES)

This Vegan Egg Salad with Capers and Turmeric is packed with flavor from fresh veggies and spices, and most importantly,Indian black salt– which gives this dish a truly ‘eggy’ flavor! If you haven’t had this salt yet, it’s completely mind blowing!

Yes, this meal could be considered a good “lunch”, but we also think it can be whipped up quickly for a simple dinner too! For a fuller meal, serve it alongside a salad like this Kale Quinoa Salad.

Reader review (for ‘Vegan Egg Salad w/ Capers & Turmeric): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I admit when I saw the ingredients list and steps I was thinking it might take a while, but it whipped up quick! It is super yummy. I put it on some homemade white bread with a little extra mustard and romaine! ~ Carissa

6. Black Bean Veggie Quesadillas (TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES)

These vegan Black Bean Veggie Quesadillas are loaded with nutritious veggies and a homemade bean dip. And they hold together perfectly in a white corn tortilla- no cheese required (it’s held together with homemade black bean dip). And you can make the 5-Minute Black Bean Dip ahead of time, if you wish, to save time.

Serve these quesadillas with salsa, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, chopped red cabbage or green onions, etc. So many options.

7. Cold Noodle salad with Miso Dressing (TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES)

This Cold Noodle Salad with Miso-Peanut Sauce is crazy easy and can be made in under 20 minutes. It’s also extremely versatile, with the option to swap out veggies or add proteins like tofu or seitan.

The Miso Peanut Sauce used in this recipe is completely addicting and super versatile, and can be used in many other recipes.

Reader review (for Miso Peanut Sauce): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had some miso paste to use up and wanted a homemade peanut sauce to add to our stir-fry….this was perfect and very easy to whip up on a weeknight. So much better than the bottled stuff (which often contains questionable ingredients)! This will go in our recipe file for the future. ~ Becky L.

8. One Pot Lentil Curry w/ Peas (TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES)

ThisIndian-inspired dish is filled with healthy green vegetables and easy to make in just one pot.

This is a popular dish on this site and for good reason. It’s simple to make, super nutritious and only 179 calories per serving. And the best part- even though this recipe says it takes 50 minutes, 45 of those minutes are simmering the lentils. So it’s very little work! And for even less effort, Instant Pot/pressure cooker instructions are also included.

Serve with rice, quinoa, garlic sauce and/or naan bread.

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Reader review (for ‘Lentil Curry w/ Peas’) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was DELISH & sooo EASY will make it again real soon! Thanks for sharing with us! ~ Trish

9. Spicy Baked Potato with Queso (TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES)

This Spicy Vegan Baked Potato with Broccoli and Queso is a nutritious and simple lunch or dinner you can make in just 30 minutes.

This recipe uses our creamyVegan Queso, which is made from cashews so it’s dairy-free and great to make ahead of time as a compliment toa number of different dishes. Our favorite is this baked potato recipe with broccolini.

10. Lentil Keema (TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES)

This Lentil Keema is a healthy vegan/gluten-free version of the traditional Indian “keema” dish. Instead of beef, this dish uses protein-packed lentils, peas, potatoes, and a variety of spices. And you’ll also find this recipe includes an Instant Pot option!

Serve this vegan Lentil Keema with lime juice, brown rice and/or naan bread for an amazingly flavorful dinner.

Reader review (for ‘Lentil Keema’) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I am so glad I came across this recipe! This dish is not something I would normally make but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something different – and I am happy I did! Can’t wait to make it again 🙂 ~ Mackenzie

We hope you enjoy these Vegan Main Dishes. This list was put together with love based on our favorite easy recipes, We hope you enjoy them too.

If you try any of these recipes, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your photo with#veggie__chickon Instagram. We love to see our recipes being made in YOUR kitchen!

And to receive more plant-focused recipes in the future, don’t forget to sign up for our email list for weekly recipes below.

10 Easy Vegan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a typical vegan meal? ›

  • 1 Stuffed Black Bean Sweet Potatoes With Sour Cream and Guacamole. ...
  • 2 Root Vegetable Bowls With Peanut Sauce. ...
  • 3 Two-Step Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad Sandwiches. ...
  • 4 3-Step Vegan Diner-Style Pancakes. ...
  • 5 Vegan Banana Oatmeal Porridge. ...
  • 6 Easy Vegan French Bread Pizza. ...
  • 7 Easy Vegan Tofu Egg Salad.

What vegan meal can I eat everyday? ›

For a healthy vegan diet: eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates (choose wholegrain where possible)

What are basic vegan foods? ›

On a vegan diet, you can eat foods made from plants, including:
  • Fruits and vegetables.
  • Legumes such as peas, beans, and lentils.
  • Nuts and seeds.
  • Breads, rice, and pasta.
  • Vegetable oils.
Nov 3, 2023

What is vegan for beginners? ›

A vegan diet is a plant-based plan that excludes all animal products, like meat, fish, dairy and even honey (because it's made by bees, so it's considered an animal product). Its cousin, the vegetarian diet, is a bit broader and excludes meat and fish but includes dairy and eggs.

What are the 5 most important rules of a vegan diet? ›

5 diet rules vegans get right
  • Eat foods that are in season. This isn't a steadfast vegan "rule," but many people who consciously choose to eat vegan are also making other conscious (or even unconscious) decisions. ...
  • Fill up with fiber. ...
  • Plant your protein. ...
  • Eat those good-for-you fats. ...
  • You may need to supplement.
Aug 24, 2017

What not to eat when going vegan? ›

Bottom Line: Vegans avoid eating animal flesh and animal by-products. These include meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs and foods made by bees.

Is peanut butter vegan? ›

The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.

What foods do vegans love? ›

Most vegan diets consist of a very wide range of nutritionally rich, tasty, and filling staples including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, plant-based vegan meat alternatives, dairy alternatives (like vegan cheeses and milks), pantry staples, breads, pastas, condiments, herbs and spices, beverages, ...

Do vegans eat pasta? ›

Most packaged pasta—including spaghetti, penne, and more—is vegan. It's worth checking the label to be sure, as some pasta contains eggs, but most of the pasta you see on the supermarket shelves is 100% vegan!

Which country is #1 for vegans? ›

India. Three of India's major religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — teach the practice of ahimsa, or non-violence towards all beings. Because of this religious tradition, India has the highest percentage of vegetarians out of all the countries in the world.

What do extreme vegans eat? ›

Vegan diets, substitutions, and meat analogues. Vegan diets are based on grains and other seeds, legumes (particularly beans), fruits, vegetables, edible mushrooms, and nuts. The main difference between a vegan and vegetarian diet is that vegans exclude dairy products, eggs, and honey.

Where is being vegan most popular? ›

United Kingdom. Compared to all the countries in the world, the UK has the most vegans.

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