34 Easy Vegan Dinner Ideas That Even Picky Eaters Will Love
You'll find something for everyone on this list of plant-based recipes.
Caitlin Bensel
Whether you're a big proponent of Meatless Mondays or a die-hard vegan, you're probably looking to mix things up and add some new flavors to your repertoire. These easy vegan dinner ideas are the perfect answer, with a mix of unique flavors from around the world. And even better, most of these dishes are less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Odds are, even the pickiest diner will love at least a few of the options on this list, so you can add a few new tricks to your dinner game.
Related: 30 High Protein Vegan Breakfast Ideas to Keep You Full Until Lunch
Spiced Rice With Crispy Chickpeas
Caitlin Bensel
Chickpeas are a plant-based meal mainstay. Here, they're crisped up with warm Indian spices, and served with rice that was cooked in garam masala.
Spicy Dumpling Soup
Jen Causey
For a spicy and satisfying dumpling soup, this 30-minute recipe could not be a better pick. The vegan broth is flavored with soy sauce and chili crisp, which brings the heat. If you're not a fan of mushrooms, easily swap them out for carrots.
Fish-Free Ceviche
Get all the flavors of ceviche—without the fish—in this 10-minute dish that's a perfect light summer dinner. Hearts of palm swap in for the seafood, and get that tropical flavor from the light lime and coconut dressing.
Slow Cooker Black Bean Posole
VICTOR PROTASIO
Pop a few ingredients into your slow cooker, and come home to this hearty Mexican stew. Swap out the standard sour cream for a dollop of vegan sour cream (or coconut cream) as a garnish.
Tofu Asada With Caramelized Onion Refried Beans
Tofu is the perfect blank canvas for any spice blend you choose—and here, it takes on the spicy heat of carne asada. Caramelized onions add sweetness to refried beans.
Vegetarian BLT With Shiitake Bacon
Shiitake bacon can still give you that same smoky flavor of bacon—especially when marinated in soy sauce and roasted.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Chickpeas make a surprising (and incredibly delicious!) vegan swap for tuna in this salad sandwich. Use vegan mayo to make this completely plant-based.
Zucchini Butter Spaghetti
Don't let the name fool you: There is barely any butter in this dish. Instead, shredded zucchini, shallots, and garlic are cooked until they reach a buttery consistency, then tossed with pasta. (You can use a tiny dollop of vegan butter in lieu of the regular butter for a little extra richness.
Thai Curry Vegetable and Tofu Soup
This super-fast soup gets its creaminess from coconut milk in its curry paste broth. This is a perfect recipe for using up any extra veggies from your produce drawer—peppers or broccoli could be a nice add-in or swap for any veggies you don't have on hand.
Watermelon Poke Bowls
Watermelon makes a surprisingly good substitute for tuna in this Hawaiian-style poke recipe. (The soy-sesame marinade gives it a more savory note.) Use vegan mayo for the spicy drizzle.
Black Bean-Oat Burger
This mix-and-cook burger recipe is super simple to make. Pile it high with your favorite condiments, and pair it with homemade fries for a tastier (and just as quick) version of the fast-food favorite.
Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon
This colorful soup is the perfect cozy comfort food—especially when you're feeling under the weather. It's loaded with good-for-you superfoods. Think carrots and butternut squash, lentils, and crunchy roasted almonds.
Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes
The secret ingredient in this chili? It's cocoa powder, which gives the dish a mole-like flavor.
Nutty Tofu Bowls
To give your tofu that crispy texture, remove excess water by wrapping the tofu in a kitchen towel and weighing it down with a cast iron skillet or other heavy item. Asian condiments like rice vinegar and ginger add plenty of zing.
Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
You probably have everything you need in your kitchen right now to make this tasty 20-minute meal. Feel free to add in little extras—sliced tofu, peppers, or julienned carrots—to make the meal even more substantial.
Red Lentil Curry
Indian curries are a popular vegan dinner idea. And bonus: You only need to do 10 minutes of prep and let the meal simmer for a few minutes more.
Cauliflower Piccata
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Herby, lemony piccata is a traditional Italian-style dish usually made with meat—but hearty cauliflower steaks make a perfect stand-in. Make a little extra of the pan sauce, and stir it in with pasta, too
Quick Nutty Noodles
This tasty noodle dish requires only five minutes of prep, and features the bold, peppery flavors of watercress and radishes. The nutty almond butter and sesame oil dressing balances it out.
Vegan Paella With Summer Squash
Spanish paella normally features an array of seafood and sausage. But our vegan version subs in an array of colorful veggies to give it a colorful, rainbow look that's dinner party worthy.
Skillet Polenta in Creamy Tomato Sauce
This vegan recipe is the ultimate in simplicity—fast to create, only one skillet to clean, and delicious, too. It's also a recipe that utilizes a ton of pantry essentials, so it's great for those days when your fridge looks extra bare.
Spicy Coconut Noodles
This easy, spicy noodle dish features a Thai-style coconut and chile-paste sauce. Feel free to add in more veggies or sliced tofu to make it dinner ready.
Toasted Israeli Couscous With Corn and Herbs
This delicious salad is like summer in a dish, with fresh off the cob corn and herbs in the mix. (Feel free to make it all year long, though, using frozen corn instead.)
Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries
Tart cranberries brighten up the earthy flavors of wild rice and mushrooms in this delicious pilaf. It's a perfect vegan option for holiday dinners that even those indulging in turkey or ham will pile on their plate.
Tofu and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps
Fred Hardy
Jasmine rice and a meaty mix of tofu and mushrooms makes the perfect filling for crunchy leaves of lettuce. The secret to giving this its very ground beef-like vibe? Grating the tofu and mixing it with a flavorful sriracha and sesame sauce.
Roasted Root Veggie Quinoa Bowls
Victor Protasio
This dish is like fall in a bowl, with a mix of fall-favorite root veggies and a tasty vinaigrette. Think of this dish as a great way to clear out what's hiding in your fridge, as you can swap carrots for the butternut squash or parsnips, or try cauliflower in lieu of Brussels sprouts. And if you don't have quinoa, couscous or another grain will do!
Chickpea Veggie Burgers
If the processed veggie burgers aren't your thing, you can whip up a flavorful option easily at home. Harissa adds a ton of flavor to the burgers, which can be topped off with all your favorite fixings. (We love it with a generous smear of avocado.)
Superfood Lentil Salad
Pretty much every superfood on the planet makes an appearance in this good-for-you recipe that's also really good, too. We like to add grilled tofu to make it truly dinner-worthy.
Cauliflower Tartine With Romesco Sauce
Spanish-style romesco sauce—a peppery mix of vinegar, almonds, roasted peppers, and tomato paste—adds bold flavor to this open-faced sandwich. Use good, crusty sourdough, and keep the knife and fork handy, as it could get messy eating this tasty mix with your hands.
Meatless Meatball Subs
There are few people that can resist a meatball sub. This vegan option features a meaty mix of eggplant and mushroom in lieu of pork and beef, but the same bold tomato sauce. Opt for vegan parmesan or a little nutritional yeast in lieu of the parmesan sprinkle.
Summer Squash Farro Bowl
Consider this the perfect summer edition of a grain bowl. Avocado. and summer squash are topped with an array of fresh herbs.
Roasted Butternut Squash With Tahini Sauce
Sesame tahini is a building block of hummus, and makes for a creamy sauce that adds a bit of umami to roasted butternut squash.
Related: If Hummus Is Your Go-To Dip, Here Are 9 Reasons to Validate Your Obsession
Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Coconut and Kale
Stuffed potatoes are a perfect easy dinner idea. If you're looking for the perfect vegan filling, try this blend of coconut and kale, with warming curry and serrano chile to help pack in the flavor.
Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
If you want all the creaminess of Alfredo without the actual cream, we have you covered. Cashew milk, cauliflower, garlic, and nutritional yeast are blended together to give you the same creaminess and flavor without a drop of dairy.
Tofu and Cabbage Salad with Coconut Dressing
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
You can easily turn this vegetarian dish vegan by substituting soy sauce or tamari for fish sauce in the dressing. Though most salads that have protein require some amount of cooking, the inclusion of store-bought marinated tofu makes this one a no-cook meal! Crispy fried onions, crunchy peanuts, fresh herbs, and scallions round out the flavor profile, and the whole thing is topped with a creamy, zingy coconut-lime-sriracha dressing. Yum!
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