71 Vegan Recipes We Turn to Again and Again
Finding substantial, meal-worthy vegan recipes is not always an easy feat. When you do uncover a holy grail vegan dinner—one that’s easy and tasty and satisfying—it tends to get repeated, and repeated, and repeated, and...
Stop! Let us help you end your resignation to eating the same thing again tonight. We’ve got vegan dinner ideas for mushrooms braised in coconut milk, BBQ-style tofu burgers, noodles dressed in a borscht-inspired beet sauce, fresh herb falafel, and all sorts of ways to use tempeh too.
Looking for vegan dessert recipes? You’ll find those over here →
But since supper comes first, let’s get on to our best vegan recipes for dinner:
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks1/71Vegan Cacio e Pepe
This vegan version of cacio e pepe is everything we know and love about cheesy pasta (minus the cheese): tasty, a little fancy, and deceptively simple to make. For another veganized Italian classic, try this Cauliflower Bolognese and apply the same principles for the Parm and butter.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling Micah Marie Morton2/71Falafel
Photograph by Jessica Pettway, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh3/71Caramelized Tofu With Soy-Braised Eggplant
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman4/71Avocado and Bulgur Salad
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley5/71Bulgogi Tofu Burgers
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Kat Boytsova. Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca6/71Vegan Pho
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy7/71Very Good Vegan Tacos
Rehydrate shelf-stable soy curls in vegetable stock to star in a meat-free taco night. Want to add a second option? Try our Vegan Street Tacos, made with store-bought soy chorizo or Adobo Mushroom Tacos, Vegan Street Tacos.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker8/71Vegan Tomato Soup With Cashew Cream
We have so many vegan soup recipes, you could spend days thumbing through them alone. Begin with a classic tomato variation then move on to soul-warming red lentil soup, broccoli bisque, or curry-carrot soup.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker9/71Kale Salad With Roasted Tempeh and Mushrooms
The secret to a dinner-worthy salad? A deeply savory cooked element, like miso-roasted tempeh and mushrooms. Speaking of tempeh, these glazed “crumbles” are good enough to eat by the handful.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Graylen Gatewood11/71Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a classic Provençal dish of summer vegetables—usually eggplant, onions, peppers, tomatoes and zucchini—roasted in a generous dose of olive oil. Serve it with some crusty bread to sop up the juices.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi12/71Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets
If you’re cooking for crowd, this crispy baked tofu recipe easily doubles. So does this recipe for tofu baked in a vegetable bouillon paste marinade, which keeps well enough in the fridge that you can use it on salads or stir-fried with vegetables later in the week.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Dayna Seman13/71Chickpea Pancake With Pea Salad
We give you not one, but two savory chickpea flour pancake ideas: The one above, and these Chickpea Pancakes With Kale and Fennel. (The kale-fennel salad with tahini dressing is a great complement, but it’s also delicious on its own.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca14/71Tangy Balsamic Pasta With Sungold Tomatoes
Important: Balsamic glaze, which this vegan dinner recipe calls for, is not balsamic vinegar. The glaze, also known as a balsamic reduction, is thick and squeezable. You can make your own or you can buy some; we like the Nonna Pia’s brand.
Photo Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen15/71Easiest-Ever Grilled Veggie Burgers
It’s a near-impossible task to develop a from-scratch veggie burger recipe that can go right from the mixing bowl onto the grill without falling apart, but we found a way.
Photograph by Cody Guilfoyle, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie, Food Styling Thu Buser16/71Ultimate Vegan Ramen
Umami broth, crisp vegetables, chewy tofu—it doesn’t get better than this. Oh wait; yes, it does. There are springy noodles, too, and you can make them yourself if you want to.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by JoJo Li17/71Spicy Oyster Mushroom and Lemongrass Stir-Fry
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Nicole Louie19/71Hummus Bowls With Merguez-Spiced Tempeh
Ellen from Portland, Maine, says, “The tempeh and fennel/onion salad were excellent together. It made a delicious light supper.” Thanks, Ellen! Here’s a way to use any extra hummus: vegan Caesar dressing.
20/71Tomato-Roasted Onions With So Much Paprika
Seared, then gently roasted with paprika and tomato paste until spoonably tender, humble onions prove they can hold their own as the main event.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Dayna Seman23/71Tempeh Crumbles With Coconut Rice
Crispy crumbled tempeh plus chili crisp and roasted peanuts combine into a magnificently, well, crispy trifecta to spoon over sweet, creamy coconut rice.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua24/71Curried Parsnip and Spinach Soup
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi25/71Cold Noodles With Tomatoes and Peanut Sauce
The sauce for this vegan idea for dinner involves grating summer tomatoes into a bowl before whisking in creamy peanut butter and a series of fridge-door condiments. Easy, peasy, vegan squeasy.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Dayna Seman.26/71Gochujang-Sesame Noodles
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susan Ottaviano, prop styling by Sophie Strangio27/71Coconut-Braised Mushrooms With Ginger and Scallions
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones28/71Sesame Tofu With Broccoli
Tahini is perhaps an untraditional but also a totally logical addition to this plant-based riff on sesame chicken. It brings creaminess, it brings savoriness, and it brings everything together.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie29/71Crispy Tortilla Salad With Snap Peas and Avocado
This vegan dinner recipe is a twist on the classic fattoush salad, with creamy avocado and lime dressing and crispy fried tortilla strips standing in for the traditional pita.
Photograph by Matthew Keough, food styling by Drew Aichele, prop styling by Emma Ringness30/71Kung Pao Tempeh
This plant-based twist on kung pao chicken swaps in crisped crumbled tempeh. As for the sauce? It’s just as sticky, spicy, sweet, and savory as the original.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman31/71Sheet-Pan Gnocchi With Soy-Dressed Mushrooms
Yes, you can skip the boil on pantry-friendly, prepackaged gnocchi. Try roasting them instead, like in this vegan dinner, and you’ll be richly rewarded with a chewy-on-the-inside, crisp-on-the-outside texture.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker32/71Coconutty Beans and Greens Stew
We think big gigante beans suit this recipe best. If you prefer more accessible white beans, try this other beans and greens dish. And then there are red beans, here with quinoa. (You may need to break out your Instant Pot for those.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Nicole Louie33/71Broken Lasagna Pasta Salad
We love the toasted-almond dressing on this robust, main-course-worthy pasta salad, but this vegan and nut-free raisin pesto would also work. (Frankly, it would work on anything. A piece of toast, even.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness34/71Pasta With 20 Cloves of Garlic
Do we have vegan pasta recipes? We’re a food publication! We’ve got lots! Try this new recipe or go for one of these classics: Pantry Pasta With Vegan Cream Sauce or Vegan Pasta Alla Vodka.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie35/71Spring-y Rice and Lentils With Coconut Yogurt
Serve this mujadara-inspired rice and lentil pilaf with fresh cilantro leaves and coconut yogurt. And while we’re on the topic of coconut yogurt, we have some favorites.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by JoJo Li36/71Tofu and Green Pea Curry
A heavily spiced sauce and pops of green peas make thoughts of bland tofu a distant memory. Easy to veganize (just skip the butter or swap in your favorite vegan butter), this curry is an excellent make-ahead meal.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Nicole Louie37/71Creamy Preserved Lemon–Black Pepper Orzo
Alex Lau38/71Sautéed Collard Greens and Sweet Onion with Paprika
Coconut vinegar is made by fermenting either the sap of the coconut tree or by fermenting coconut water. Both have a particularly assertive acidity that works well with this dish; if you can’t find it, use apple cider vinegar instead.
Photograph by Jenny Huang, food styling by Tyna Hoang, prop styling by Sophie Strangio39/71Oniony Brothy Beans
Beans are one of those staple vegan foods and there are so many ways you could go. When you’re ready to move on from these, try Lemony Brothy Beans With Asparagus or Stewed Romano Beans With Vinegar and Garlic.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Christina Allen40/71Dilly Beet Noodles
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Chris Morocco, Prop Styling by Bea Chastka41/71Grain Salad With Pickled Onions and Herbs
Looking at this dish, you can already see there’s a lot going on. But when you eat it, BOOM! Broccoli, kale, freekeh (a type of wheat with a slightly smoky flavor), pistachios, red onion, capers, fennel seeds, fresh herbs, fresh lemon juice, and more send shockwaves to your salivary glands.
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht42/71Miracle Cabbage Stir-Fry
The real star of this vegan dish is earthy black vinegar—think of it as umami in a bottle. Serve the cabbage over perfectly steamed rice.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley43/71Baked Mushroom-Rice Porridge
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kendra Vaculin, prop styling by JoJo Li44/71Typhoon Shelter Corn Ribs
Photograph by Alex Huang, Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro45/71Japanese Eggplant With Cashews and Chiles
Creamy roasted Japanese eggplant meets its delightfully textured match in this riff on Mexican salsa macha, made with cashews, garlic, and fresh Fresno chiles.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio46/71Sticky and Spicy Baked Cauliflower
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Megan Hedgpeth47/71Coconut-Ginger Chickpea Soup
This delicious vegan meal is better than lentil soup; it’s lentil and chickpea soup. The crunchy toppers—mustard seeds in turmeric oil and a zingy cilantro and raisin chutney—take it to the next level.
Photo by Alex Lau48/71Celery, Green Bean, and Tofu Salad with Chile Crisp
Have a batch of our homemade Chile Crisp at the ready? (Here’s a minimalist version.) Then you can make this no-fuss, meal-worthy salad in just five minutes.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh49/71Smoked Paprika and Sun-Dried Tomato Potlikker
In this untraditional, plant-based potlikker (or “pot liquor,” the brothy, nutrient-dense liquid left behind after boiling greens and beans), smoky-sweet paprika, red wine vinegar, and sun-dried tomato paste bring on the umami.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio50/71Kisir (Spicy Bulgur Salad in Lettuce Cups)
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen51/71Miso Polenta With Spring Vegetables and Tofu
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman52/71All-Purpose Coconut Curry
This is one of our most popular recipes to add to your meal prep rotation. Why? It makes enough sauce for three different dishes: vegan Butternut Squash and Green Bean Stew and, for your non-vegan nights or friends, Yellow Curry Chicken With Vegetables and Fish Curry.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Alex Massillon, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht53/71Garlicky Bok Choy
Yes, sometimes you just want a big platter of bok choy for dinner. Throw in a side of rice or pile the greens on a bed of lemony whipped tofu for a complete meal.
Photograph by Jessica Pettway, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio54/71Grilled Mushrooms and Root Vegetables
Photograph by Emma Fishman. Food Styling by Pearl Jones.56/71Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Tempeh
The best part of this super-easy vegan dinner recipe is the crispy shallots. No, it’s the tempeh that tastes like bacon bits. No, it’s the tender roasted sweet potatoes. No, no, no—it’s the smoky chipotle oil that flavors it all. (Looking for more recipes with tempeh? We have plenty.)
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio57/71Cauliflower Tacos With Cashew Crema
Roasted cauliflower takes time to get properly charred and crispy around the edges—but it’s worth it. The flavor will be that much more concentrated.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food styling by Susan Ottaviano. Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan59/71Chickpea Noodle Soup
Chickpeas come three ways in this comforting soup: creamy stewed chickpeas, chickpea miso, and crispy fried chickpeas on top. Nutritional yeast—the ingredient behind creamy vegan pasta sauce that doesn’t make you miss the Parmesan—helps create a deeply savory broth in no time.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova60/71Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage
This is one of the easiest, most delicious ways to cook down a whole head of cabbage until it’s falling apart tender. Top it with your favorite dairy-free yogurt.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman61/71Broccoli and Cashew Cream Soup
Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas62/71Mushroom Sloppy
This dish is a riff on a favorite New York City dumpling shop’s sesame pancake with Sichuan beef sauce. Just swap a mixture of tofu and mushrooms for the meat and English muffins for the pancakes and there you have it: vegan comfort food at its finest.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova63/71Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini
No more free massages for stubbornly tough greens. Here, a quick char in a hot skillet tempers the raw edge of kale and balances its vegetal flavor.
Photo by Chris Morocco65/71Spring Hot-and-Sour Soup
This is a highly nontraditional hot-and-sour soup—and we’re okay with that. Use silken tofu or thinly sliced yuba instead of egg to make it vegan.
Photo by Emma Fishman66/71Collard Greens Salad With Fried Plantain and Sumac
If you thought collard greens were only for braising, this bright and tangy salad will change your mind. Oh, and sumac? If you’re not already, get into it.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Kat Boytsova. Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca67/71Mushroom YouFan (Taiwanese Sticky Rice)
This would make a gorgeous addition to any Lunar New Year feast. Or, you know, an anytime feast. Just leave out the optional dried shrimp to keep it vegan.
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski70/71Coconut Creamed Greens
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones71/71Sos Pwa Nwa and Mayi Moulen (Black Bean Sauce and Cornmeal)
