Whether you’ve been a life-long vegan, or are just starting out because of all the benefits of plant-based dining, you have the important duty of figuring out vegan-friendly meals, 365 dinners per year, and an extra every leap year.
When you search the web for meal ideas, you’ll quickly discover that most recipes call for some type of meat. And sometimes, if you merely remove or substitute the protein, the dinner just isn’t the same.
We have you covered with these 10 vegan-friendly entrees, and you can even take it one step further and enhance their healthiness by doubling the veggies and choosing whole grains when applicable.
So get your pans ready and bookmark these delicious green recipes to make your evening meals more fulfilling!
1. Spicy Oven-Baked Cauliflower
This flavorful dish is oven-baked, crispy, and vegan, consisting of cauliflower, Korean hot pepper paste, soy sauce, pure maple syrup, mirin, and unseasoned rice vinegar.
You make a batter with cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt. Coat the cauliflower in the mixture, and then bake.
You use the other ingredients to make a sauce and will then add the battered cauliflower to it. Serve over rice for a meal complete with a bit of a crunch and a bold taste. Feel free to add scallions and toasted sesame seeds to kick it up a bit.
2. Lentil Bolognese
Protein, flavor, and pasta are the secrets to a scrumptious vegan meal, and lentil Bolognese has all three. This hearty dish is perfect on a winter’s day, but once you start making it, you won’t want to reserve it for one season.
To make the sauce, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Carrots
- Onions
- Garlic
- Celery
- Red wine
- Oregano
- Tomato paste
- Fresh or canned tomatoes
- Vegetable stock
- Toasted walnuts
- Balsamic vinegar
And of course, you’ll need lentils, preferably small ones, like a split lentil. 3. Vegan Tacos
Just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean you can’t have tacos. Substitute carnitas or ground beef with textured vegetable protein.
Other ingredients in these tacos include:
- Black beans
- Onions
- Tortillas or taco shells
- Taco seasoning
- Salt to taste
This recipe is simple and inexpensive. Plus, it’s lower in fat than its meat-filled counterpart and if you’re living a “plant-based” life in other ways, don’t forget to learn how to calculate your edible dosage!
3. Coconut Rice Bowl
This rice bowl starts with either basmati, jasmine, or brown rice.
You’ll cook it partially in coconut milk.
You’ll want to crisp up so tofu and saute vegetables. Any seasonal veggies of your choice work, but this is one combination to consider:
- Broccoli
- Snap peas or snow peas
- Bell peppers
- Cauliflower
- Spinach
- Green beans
- Salad turnips
- Shiitake mushrooms
,Create a blend of garlic, mint, cilantro, lemongrass, yellow curry powder, and ginger. Other flavors are as follows:
- Sriracha
- Coconut sugar
- Lime juice
- Toasted coconut flakes (garnish)
4. Mediterranean Eggplant and Chickpeas
When you’re looking for a comfort meal that’s flavorful and rich in vegetables, this will soon become your go-to. The flavor profile of it is deep yet warm.
For this recipe, you’ll obviously need eggplant. The other vegetables you’ll need include green peppers, canned tomatoes, onions, and carrots. You’ll season this dish with the following:
- Fresh garlic
- Dried oregano
- Dry bay leaf
- Cinnamon
- Turmeric
- Black pepper
- Sweet or smoked paprika
- Fresh parsley
- Salt
5. Personal Vegan Tamale Pies
There’s just something about having your own little pie that’s comforting. But this recipe takes it up a notch since it’s not just loaded with veggies but also flavor.
For this recipe, you’ll add vegetables like onions, red or orange bell
peppers, corn, zucchini, and black beans.
You’ll also need almond flour, masa harina, salt, baking powder, vegetable broth, garlic, tomato paste, salsa, and taco seasoning.
6. Lentil, Chard, and Sweet Potato Curry
Especially if you’re just beginning a vegan diet, this is the ultimate way to indulge in a favorite without the meat, whether it be chicken or lamb. You get the standard flavor of a curry dish, and all the lentils provide a substantial vegan source of protein while the sweet potatoes fill your tummy.
The veggies in this meal include:
- Onions
- Jalapenos
- Sweet potatoes
- Swiss chard
To give it flavor, you’ll need:
- Garlic cloves, finely minced
- Curry powder
- Ginger
- Garam masala
- Turmeric
- Vegetable broth
- Lime juice
- Black salt or sea salt
- Black pepper
It also contains yellow lentils and vegan yogurt.
7. Spaghetti and Meatless Balls
Especially if you recently joined the vegan culture, you may miss your favorites, like spaghetti and meatballs. Well with this recipe, you can enjoy your favorite comfort food while maintaining your vegan lifestyle!
The meatless balls include:
- Roasted cauliflower
- Quinoa
- Egg replacers
- Bread crumbs
- Onions
- Fennel seeds
You can season them like a standard meatball with:
- Garlic
- Sea salt
- Oregano
- Basil
- Parsley
Then, you can either use your favorite jarred sauce or make your own.
8. Vegan Shish Kabobs
We know, using the words “Shish Kabob” and “vegan” in the same sentence is a bit of an oxymoron. But you could always call these skewers. And no matter what you call them, they’re a delicious grilled treat.
For this, choose your favorite grilled vegetables, such as onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini.
After you make them, you’ll want to brush them with balsamic vinegar and oil and sprinkle them with some garlic, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper.
9. Vegan Mac & Cheese
You have to forgo this comfort food if you want to live a vegan life, right? That’s not true.
This recipe uses whole-grain pasta, broccoli, yellow onion, russet potatoes, and cashews. You’ll also need both garlic powder and minced garlic, along with dry mustard powder, sea salt, onion powder, apple cider vinegar, and nutritional yeast.
10. Veggie Burger
Burgers are a classic food served at most BBQs. You may wonder what you’re missing out, but once you eat this veggie burger, you’ll think to yourself, “I wonder if they know what they’re missing.”
They consist of:
- Sweet potatoes
- Quinoa
- Black beans
- Onions
- Cilantro
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Quick cooking oats
- Adobo sauce (can used canned)
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Salt
Hopefully, you find a new vegan favorite. It also helps to get creative on your own with your vegan meals. Add your favorites together, and you might just make a home run.
