24 Easy Vegan Recipes

Vegan Pasta Puttanesca With Capers and Olives — The Spruce

Eating vegan doesn't have to be complicated. Excluding dairy, eggs, and meat from your diet can be a healthy and eco-friendly choice, but it can also be an overwhelming change in diet. Luckily, cooking homemade vegan meals is easier and more flavorful than you might think. Whether you're new to veganism or you're a seasoned pro, you'll want to keep these quick and super easy plant-based recipes handy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

How to Go Vegetarian or Vegan

Young woman holding pan with vegan pasta dish

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Whole Wheat Vegan Pizza

The Spruce

Pizza isn't just for cheese lovers. Topped with savory sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper, and fresh sliced tomato, you won't miss the cheese on this vegan pie. Use store-bought dough for an extra easy meal.
02 of 24

Basic Vegan Cole Slaw

The Spruce

For a creamy vegan coleslaw, simply use vegan mayonnaise in place of regular, eggy mayo. The crunchy side dish is so similar to the classic cookout dish that you can serve it to vegans and non-vegans alike and they'll be none the wiser.
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Easy Vegan French Toast

The Spruce

For a super delicious, vegan take on French toast, dip bread in a purée of ripe banana, non-dairy milk, and spices instead of the typical egg mixture. It's naturally sweet and delicious.
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Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

The Spruce Eats / Elaine Lemm

Lemon poppy seed muffins are ideal for breakfast, brunch, and afternoon snacks, and this recipe transforms them into a vegan delight. An egg replacer and almond milk are the key ingredients, and they bake up in just 30 minutes.

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Vegan Chili With Smart Ground Mock Meat Crumbles

The Spruce / Jolinda Hackett

This flavorful chili tastes remarkably like a meat-and-bean version, but uses vegan meat crumbles in place of ground beef. Add jalapeño or other hot peppers if you like your chili spicy.
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Easy Vegan Crispy Fried Tofu

The Spruce

In a few simple steps, you'll have crispy, pan-fried tofu that's delicious on stir fries or as a main dish or appetizer. Nutritional yeast and garlic powder add flavor without overpowering the tofu.
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Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

The Spruce

You don't even have to turn on your oven to make these chocolate and peanut butter oatmeal cookies. They're sweet with a nice chewy texture and will keep for about a week (even longer in the fridge). Kids will love them.
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Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

The Spruce Eats / Jennifer Perillo

With a couple of quick substitutions, spaghetti squash pad Thai is a low-carb, vegan spin on a popular takeout dish. Skip the eggs and switch from fish sauce to soy sauce or tamari. The recipe is filled with flavor, including cilantro, tamarind, scallion, garlic, bean sprouts, and roasted peanuts. It's completed with broiled tofu for protein and the squash ensures you won't miss the rice noodles.

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Dairy-Free Vegan Bisquick Biscuits

The Spruce

These flaky, buttery-tasting (without any actual butter!) vegan biscuits only require three ingredients. Serve them for breakfast with jam or preserves or as a side dish at brunch or dinner.
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Raw Vegan Pad Thai Salad

The Spruce

For all of the flavors of pad Thai without the noodles, make this super fresh vegan salad. It's flavorful enough to be a lunchtime main dish or can be served as a crunchy side dish for dinner.
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Chickpea Pasta

Anita Schecter

This creamy chickpea pasta is ready in just 30 minutes. A purée of chickpeas or white beans, spices, olive oil, and lemon makes a high protein, decadent sauce. Serve with a salad for a quick and easy meal.
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Vegan Broccoli Quiche

The Spruce

Quiche is typically an egg dish and often contains meat and cheese, but this vegan version is just as satisfying. Thanks to the magic of tofu, you'll still get the texture and flavor you're looking for.

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Vegan Pasta Puttanesca With Capers and Olives

The Spruce

Puttanesca is a tomato-based sauce with briny olives and capers and has so much flavor that there's no need to top it with cheese. Serve over spaghetti or your favorite pasta, including gluten free if preferred.
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Easy Seitan Strips

The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

Seitan is an excellent meat alternative when making a vegan meal. This quick and easy recipe sautes seitan strips with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and barbecue sauce to give it lots of meaty flavor. Serve in tacos, sandwiches, stir-frys, or as a main dish.
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Vegan Potato Salad

The Spruce

You'll be making this vegan potato salad for all of your cookouts and summer meals. Add a little mustard or some fresh herbs for extra flavor and serve with grilled veggies or tofu.
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Nachos with Homemade Vegan Cheese Sauce

The Spruce / Laurel Randolph

Nachos are a fun party food or appetizer, and topped with a homemade vegan cheese sauce they're dairy-free, too. The creamy sauce is made with a surprise ingredient—soaked raw cashews. Beans, salsa, and guacamole make it a festive and flavorful dish.

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Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer

Roasted, thick-cut cauliflower turns into a delicious veggie steak when roasted. With a crisp crust and meaty texture, cauliflower steaks are worthy of main dish status. Feel free to serve your steaks with a spice rub or sauce.
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Vegan Apple Cobbler With Cloves and Allspice

The Spruce / Emily Hawkes

Turn apples into a vegan spiced cobbler for an ideal fall or winter dessert. It's quick and easy enough to make on a weeknight, but can also hold its own at a holiday dessert table. Serve with vegan vanilla ice cream.
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Vegan Stir-Fried Eggplant

The Spruce

Eggplant turns into a flavor-packed side dish after a quick trip in the wok. Sweet, savory, salty, and tart—it checks all the boxes. Serve with crispy tofu and rice for an easy meal.
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Vegan Cauliflower and Potato Soup

The Spruce

Cauliflower and potatoes don't need any help from dairy—when puréed, they're creamy all on their own. Serve this gluten-free vegan soup for lunch with crusty bread or crackers or as a first course for a bigger meal.

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Easy Vegan Bruschetta

The Spruce

A simple summertime appetizer, bruschetta is an easy, but tasty party food. Since there's a short list of ingredients, plump, in-season tomatoes and super fresh basil work best.
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Easy Vegan Tofu Scramble

The Spruce

Tofu saves the day again in this quick and easy vegan scramble. A few seasonings and nutritional yeast give the tofu a scrambled egg flavor, while turmeric adds color. Don't forget to press the tofu first since it gives the scramble its signature texture.
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Two-Ingredient Vegan Soda Cake

The Spruce

For the ultimate easy dessert, combine two (yes, two!) ingredients to make this vegan cake. All you need is a boxed cake mix and soda of your choice. Top with a vegan frosting if you like or serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.
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Vegan Broccoli and Tofu in Garlic Sauce

The Spruce

Stir fry tofu and broccoli and top with a simple, but flavorful sauce for a quick weeknight dish. Serve over brown rice for a complete meal that the whole family will love.

17 Vegan Brunch Recipes