40+ Best Ever Vegan Recipes for Any Meal

It’s never been easier to eat deliciously vegan dishes

Food Editor at Kitchen Stories

Are you one of those people who can jump right into the new year full of energy and the motivation to tackle new challenges and resolutions? I'm certainly not, but let's face it, it's 2022 and it's high time to make small changes towards a more conscious lifestyle. So why not start with something simple and try more plant-based recipes? Who knows, if things go well (spoiler alert: they definitely will with the vegan recipes you'll find below), you might find yourself integrating more vegetarian and vegan recipes into your daily routine, for good.

The international initiative “Veganuary,” has been motivating thousands of people to try going vegan since 2014 and this January, is once again, encouraging us to do so for the sake of our environment, health, and, yes, the animals. I personally don’t need any more convincing, but I do know that radically changing your diet from one day to the next can seem rather drastic. It’s much easier to try it for a month, or even just a few days out of the week.

When many think "vegan", the first thing that comes to mind is everything you have to give up and I honestly felt the same way at first. I stopped eating meat, fish, as well as most dairy products quite a while ago, but cheese is still a weak point; feta in particular is my proverbial Achilles heel. However, this "giving something up" line of thinking is out of date, and our most popular vegan recipes prove that—you won't be missing anything! So keep scrolling for the full collection of 40+ amazing plant-powered recipes, and try something new this month!

To make it even easier for you to find delicious recipes that fit your diet, we've introduced a new vegan badge. This badge highlights vegan recipes in the Kitchen Stories app's search function and shows you, at a glance, which recipes are free of animal products.

The most important (vegan) meal of the day

Starting the day with a thick slice of homemade bread topped with a delicious vegan spread and a fruity-fresh smoothie is already great. But, we have even more vegan breakfast recipes in our repertoire that won’t miss your breakfast egg in the morning:

— Breakfast banana muffins with cinnamon
— Acai bowl
— Banana bread granola

Wholesome pancakes

Plant-based stir fries, curries, and more

Various recipes from Asia and the Indian subcontinent provide so much vegan inspiration. They also offer the chance to choose plant-based fillers like tofu and seitan. Among my personal favorites here are vegan stir-fries and curries with tofu and vegetables. If you're not a tofu lover, you can of course find inspiration for other vegan stir-fry dishes here:

— Sweet potato curry
— Paella with zucchini and eggplant
— Fried tofu with sugar snap peas and peanuts
— Vegan Massaman-style curry
— Vegan pad kra pao (Thai stir-fry with mushrooms and basil)

20 min

vegan

Bok choy and crispy tofu stir fry

Baked vegan dishes

Here again my love of cheese comes into play and I have to be strong-willed. But these delicious roasted dishes proves fact that not everything that comes out of the oven necessarily has to be topped with cheese to be delicious….and that "steak" doesn't automatically have to be made of meat. See or yourself:

— Vegan lasagna with spinach and mushrooms
— Moussaka with eggplant and red lentils
— Spanish baked potatoes with salsa brava
— Roasted Brussels sprouts with soy sauce
— Cauliflower "steak" on cauliflower puree

5-ingredient sticky hoisin-roasted broccoli wedges

Pasta and noodles (without the Parmesan!)

When it comes to pasta, there are really no limits to what you can do, even on a plant-based diet, (except maybe skipping the obligatory portion of Parmesan (here's a great meatless alternative) and avoiding egg pasta) But of course, in addition to the Italian pasta world, there's a limitless variety of other pasta dishes that will have you "floating" in vegan carb heaven:

— Vegan köttbullar with pasta
— 5-ingredient lemony chickpea and tahini tagliatelle
— 5-ingredient spaghetti with fennel, tomato, and mint
— 5-ingredient spicy peanut soba noodles

5-ingredient pasta with red pepper pesto

Soup and stews to warm you up

While it's still cold outside, soups and stews are the perfect way to warm yourself from the inside. I'm sure you've even eaten some of these soups below without even realizing they were vegan. Most creamy soups become wonderfully creamy just by pureeing them, no dollop of cream needed. Spoon yourself right into vegan bliss with these feel-good recipes:

— Spicy chickpea soup
— Thai peanut coconut soup with rice noodles
— Sweet potato soup
— 5-ingredient lentil and sweet potato soup
— Carrot and miso soup
— Sundubu jiigae (Korean kimchi and tofu stew)
— Warming sweet potato and bean chili

Lemony fennel and lentil soup

Vegan salads

Let’s give up the persistent cliché that vegans only eat bland raw vegetables and green salad. Especially after heartier winter fare, as a salad fan I’m especially happy about these fresh, salad creations: They are definitely anything but boring and monotonous!

— Chinese cucumber salad
— Kisir (Turkish bulgur salad)
— Japanese seaweed salad
— Rice noodle salad with vegan lemongrass meatballs

Glass noodle salad with lemongrass dressing

Rolled and wrapped recipes

Finger food is always fun! These wrapped vegan recipes are great for an evening with friends, where everyone can fill their roll according to their mood (and diet). Or, you can prep them at home and take them to lunch if you're ever unsure what vegan options will be available. How about these handy recipe ideas:

— Fruity mango mint wrap
— Spicy burritos with avocado

Thai-style summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce

Delicious desserts for a vegan sweet tooth

Last but not least, there are some delicious vegan desserts. Whether you're in the mood for a light, fruity dessert, or something with lots of chocolate, you'll find just the right recipes here:

— Zucchini Brownies
— Soy vanilla pudding with blueberry sauce
— Vegan avocado chocolate pudding
— Fruit salad with basil and tarragon granita
— No-bake vegan strawberry cake

Quick banana blueberry ice cream

What is your favorite vegan dish? And have you ever tried a vegan diet for a month or are you still doing it? We are looking forward to your comments!

Published on January 10, 2022