41 Easy Plant-Based Meals

Whole-food, plant based meals don’t have to be difficult or take a lot of time to prepare. These 41 simple plant-based recipes are excellent for everyday cooking because they don’t use any oil and are full of fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy grains, legumes, herbs, and spices. In this delicious assortment of quick and simple plant-based recipes, you’ll find plenty of inspiration for mac & cheese, pizza, spaghetti, creamy soups, chilis, curries, burritos, burgers, and more.

Do you want something sweet? Try one of these rich treats.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

41 Easy plant based meals you’ll make Again and Again :

1 – GREEN BEAN PASTA WITH CASHEW PESTO

This silky pesto pasta has been dubbed “hands-down the most amazing pesto recipe” by a fan. Cashews, fresh spinach, fresh basil, and nutritional yeast are mixed to make the pesto sauce. Make sure to give the cashews 30 minutes to soak. Another commenter adds, “Wow. Delicious and elegant. Since I didn’t have any spinach on hand, I made the pesto sauce with collard greens instead. Without a doubt, I’ll succeed again.

2 – THAI RICE SALAD BOWLS

This vibrant brown rice dish is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate, bursting with complimentary textures and tastes like red cabbage for crunch, scallions for a subtle sharpness, and sweet potato wedges for earthy sweetness. Serve with cilantro, sriracha sauce, and a dressing made from almonds and limes. A reviewer says, “I recently prepared this bowl for our family, and it was such a hit. It has a little bit of everything, and the flavors blend beautifully, especially when the excellent dressing is added on top.

3 – TEX-MEX PITA PIZZAS

These single-serve vegan pizzas come together quickly thanks to the pita bread base. For a quick family lunch, add avocado and a corn and black bean mixture on top.

4 – CHOCK-FULL-OF-VEGGIES CHICKPEA FLOUR PIZZA CRUST

You won’t feel “bready” after eating thanks to the simplicity and lightness of this gluten-free chickpea flour basis. For busy weeknights, batch-cook a round of crusts and freeze them.

5 – SNEAKY CHICKPEA BURGERS

Are you trying to find an easy vegan dish that the whole family will like? These delicious burgers from Dreena Burton are a crowd-pleaser for people of all ages and put together quickly. While tomato paste, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and nutritional yeast give acidity to the dish, carrot and bell pepper add sweetness. Commenter says, “I’ve prepared these burgers for my family a lot, and they’re always a hit!” Perhaps the greatest bean burgers I’ve ever had, says another.

6 – LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP

This simple lentil-vegetable soup is one of our all-time top recipes, thanks to the common vegetables and the rich, almost meaty texture of brown lentils.

7 – KALE ARRABBIATA-STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

For this appealing, simple vegan dish, the spaghetti squash’s resilient shell provides the ideal serving bowls. It’s also quite easy: For 45 minutes, bake spaghetti squash halves at 400 degrees; after that, fluff the tendrils and spread a straightforward chickpea-marinara sauce on top. One serving is one half of a spaghetti squash. “This is a beautiful recipe and an autumn/winter necessity,” writes a fan.

8 – HEARTY VEGAN RED BEAN CHILI

This stovetop chili’s base is rich and aromatic thanks to generous amounts of red bell pepper and onion. Fire-roasted tomatoes add smokiness, kidney beans bring bulk, and millet gives a subtle chewy texture that is surprisingly palatable. “Delicious and not too much in the way of prep and ingredients,” a reviewer says. I’m going to cook this again for sure!

9 – BEST-EVER BEEFLESS STEW

This hearty, flavorful stew will warm you from the inside out. Numerous potatoes and other common vegetables, such as portobello mushrooms, contribute varied flavors without making a fuss. Hands down the greatest, according to one reviewer. Another person comments, “Our entire family truly loves this stew dish. Delicious and simple to make.”

10 – CARROT DOGS

These oil-free vegan carrot dogs steeped in a smokey marinade are one of our most well-liked vegan recipes for beginners, and they’ll keep your hot dog cravings at bay forever! Get ready for your summer barbecues to change forever. “These were wonderful, and my finicky teenager gobbled them down, too,” gushes an admirer.

11 – GREENS AND THINGS SANDWICHES WITH CARROT HUMMUS

Fresh baby kale, cucumber, pepperoncini, and toasted sunflower seeds are used in this filling sandwich. Roasted red peppers may also be used, if you choose. The homemade hummus, which gets a golden color and a gently sweet flavor from sauteed carrots, along with fresh dill, really makes the sandwich. “I am thrilled to have been introduced to carrot hummus,” writes a devotee. There is no need for tahini, yet it is sweet and tasty.

12 – EASY VEGAN CORN CHOWDER

This vegan corn chowder uses potato and almond flour to get the desired level of creaminess without adding any dairy products.

13 – CREAMY WILD RICE SOUP

This hearty family soup, which is sophisticated enough to serve to company and loaded with mushrooms, wild rice, and slices of red bell pepper. Note: Since the recipe only yields six cups, you might want to quadruple the amount.

14 – QUICK AND EASY NOODLE SOUP

This hearty soup, which has characteristics reminiscent of chicken noodle soup, is made from a few common vegetables, whole grain noodles, and dried herbs.

15 – NACHO VEGAN BAKED POTATO

Add beans, salsa, and avocado to a baked potato for a quick and wholesome supper. When you have the time, bake a large batch of potatoes and reheat them as needed.

16 – STOVE-TOP VEGAN MACARONI AND CHEESE

This delectable plant-based mac and cheese benefits from the creaminess of potatoes and cashews, the yellow color of turmeric, and the rich, cheesy taste of nutritional yeast and garlic.

17 – PENNE WITH TOMATO-MUSHROOM SAUCE

For both novice and expert cooks, any compilation of vegan recipes must include a simple and delectable tomato pasta sauce. Plant milk provides creaminess and lessens the tartness of the tomato in this 20-minute tomato pasta dish; no additional sugar is needed. Mushrooms add a rich umami flavor, and dried thyme and fresh (or dried) basil elevate the dish’s flavor. “This recipe is amazing! Simple to modify to your preferences.

18 – NO-TUNA SALAD SANDWICH

This flavorful sandwich filling is made from mashed chickpeas combined with capers, red onion, pickles, tahini, mustard, and a dash of maple syrup. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

19 – AVOCADO & WHITE BEAN SALAD WRAPS

These simple wraps make a delicious, filling lunch because they have the ideal balance of soft avocado and mashed white beans with crunchy vegetables. They taste fantastic when served as an appetizer when chopped into bite-sized pieces.

20 – BURRITOS WITH SPANISH RICE AND BLACK BEANS

These plant-based burritos are a delicious, healthy, and quick option for a filling lunch or dinner. They may be prepared quickly if you already have cooked rice on hand.

21 – ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

A fantastic fritter is made with grated zucchini. This simple vegan dish replaces the egg in binding them together with chickpea flour, tahini, and lemon juice. For more flavor, use fresh dill seed and green onions. I can only concur with previous reviews when I say that these fritters are amazing as someone who is quite new to the WFPB way of life states in a review.

22 – BLACK BEAN BURGERS

These delicious vegan patties rely on a few whole-food, plant-based pantry essentials, unlike store-bought vegetable burgers, which are frequently stuffed with oil and heavily processed ingredients.

23 – CHICKPEA OMELET

Don’t you simply love quick vegan recipes that can be adapted to use up leftover vegetables in the fridge and cupboard staples? That kind of recipe is this well-liked vegan omelet from The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook! This egg-free omelet resembles a savory vegetable pancake since it is made with water and flour made from seasoned chickpeas. “This dish is a hit with my entire family! Not just for breakfast, we eat it frequently, says one commenter.

24 – SPINACH-POTATO TACOS

Tacos are so much more than just picking the kind of meat you want! This soft spinach and potato filling truly strikes the mark for quick, delicious plant-based tacos.

25 – BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO QUESADILLAS

With these delectable sweet potato quesadillas, the cheese is not missed. This recipe with Mexican influences is perfect for the whole family because it is stuffed with salsa, rice, spinach, and beans.

26 – LENTIL SLOPPY JOES

This recipe is simple to make if you arrive home at least an hour and a half before you need to eat. It only requires 10 minutes of preparation time, after which it simply needs to simmer. Make extra filling and freeze it for a weeknight meal that can be made almost instantly.

27 – CORN AND BLACK BEAN CAKES

Serve these delightful and light fritters for dinner, brunch, or lunch. Enjoy them simple or with tofu sour cream and homemade or store-bought salsa.

28 – STIR-FRY WITH PEANUT SAUCE

In this simple vegan recipe, colorful, crisp vegetables are cooked just until they are soft and topped with brown rice. For maximum impact, drizzle with a delicious low-fat peanut sauce! “Absolutely wonderful; very versatile with whatever veg is in the fridge,” a supporter writes. Another person comments, “My hubby loves this stir-fry! It’s quick and easy to make, takes around 30 minutes, and tastes great!

29 – TACO-SPICED TORTILLA CHIPS

These thick and crispy homemade tortilla chips are equally as addicting as their fried relatives because they are baked, not fried, and topped with a wonderful mix of spices.

30 – THE BEST OIL-FREE HUMMUS

This oil-free hummus, which takes just 10 minutes to prepare, has the same zesty flavor as regular hummus. Are you feeling daring? Try experimenting with various additions, such spinach, olives, mint, or eggplant.

31 – INGREDIENT SLOW-COOKER CHILI

This hearty plant-based chili get tons of flavor from canned tomatoes, garlic, and a package of vegetarian chili powder with little effort. Add some dried beans (such as kidney or pinto), and then leave the rest up to your slow cooker. You’ll be astounded by the outcome.

32 – SWEET POTATO CHILI WITH KALE

Your taste buds will love this vegan sweet potato chili. The citrusy-spicy flavor works superbly with sweet potato and kale when cooked with orange juice.

33 – POTATO-CAULIFLOWER CURRY

The potato, cauliflower, and frozen peas in this hearty dish absorb the rich flavors of a superb homemade curry sauce. like the heat? Cayenne pepper should be adjusted to taste.

34 – RICE BOWLS WITH KIDNEY BEANS, SPINACH, AND MIXED VEGGIES

With a creamy Cilantro-Cashew Dressing, this filling grain bowl mixes brown rice, mixed vegetables, spinach, and tomato. Lacking rice? Try substituting quinoa, teff, bulgur, or barley for the other whole grains. Have fun trying different vegetables; you can’t go wrong.

35 – VEGAN MINESTRONE SOUP WITH POTATOES AND KALE

With a creamy Cilantro-Cashew Dressing, this filling grain bowl mixes brown rice, mixed vegetables, spinach, and tomato. Lacking rice? Try substituting quinoa, teff, bulgur, or barley for the other whole grains. Have fun trying different vegetables; you can’t go wrong.

36 – NO-FRY FRIED RICE

This “fried” rice made without oil is stuffed with vegetables. The dish is perfectly completed by a straightforward garlic-ginger-tamari sauce and the juicy sweetness of the pineapple.

37 – VEGAN MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY

Cashews are used in this simple vegan mashed potato recipe to add creaminess, while dried herbs, mushrooms, and vegetable stock are used to make a rich gravy.

38 – VEGGIE AND APPLE SLAW

Red and white cabbage, as well as apple, carrot, and celery, are all ingredients in this vibrant coleslaw. Serve with a tart Dijon vinaigrette and alongside pizza, burgers, or pretty much any other dish!

39 – POTATO SALAD WITH AVOCADO AND DILL

This light and creamy plant-based potato salad’s secret ingredient is avocado. Observer advice: Prepare the potatoes in advance to give them time to chill. Then all you have to do to make the salad is chop and put it together. It’s that simple!

40 – ITALIAN-STYLE ZUCCHINI AND CHICKPEA SAUTÉ

The classic flavor combination of tender zucchini, tomato, and fresh basil will melt in your mouth. For added heartiness, canned chickpeas are added to this dish.

41 – SPICY FRENCH FRIES

These hot baked fries are excellent as a side dish or snack. Warning: This will give away the key to making them crispy without the use of oil: partly steaming the potatoes first.