By Megan Edwards,
Last Updated:Plant-based eating should never be boring! We’ve rounded up our best vegan recipes that will impress even the pickiest eaters. Learn to create healthy versions of comforting classics like potato skins, quesadillas, tacos, mac and cheese, brownies, ice cream, and more. From hearty vegan dinner recipes to tantalizing sweet treats, all these dishes use easy vegan cooking techniques and familiar ingredients so you can avoid overly complicated dishes without skimping on flavor. Get ready to dig into these vegan meal ideas that will delight the whole family!
VEGAN SNACKS & APPETIZERS
Break out these mouth-watering vegan recipes when you’re in the mood for finger food that tastes like classic pub grub minus all the unhealthy ingredients. Whether you’re hosting a party for game day or cooking for your kid’s birthday party, these tasty snacks are sure to satisfy everyone on your guest list.

Air-Fryer Taquitos with Cauliflower and Black Beans

Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Loaded Potato Skins

Homemade Vegan Sopes with Refried Beans

Onion Rings

Sicilian Rice Balls with Mushrooms and Peas

Loaded Lentil Nachos

Vegan Jalapeño Poppers with Savory Sweet Potato Filling

Ultimate Vegan Gravy

Zucchini Fritters

Vegan Queso Sauce

Classic Vegan Cornbread

Sweet Potato and Shiitake Mushroom Dumplings
VEGAN LUNCH RECIPES
Keep your fuel tank filled up with one of these drool-worthy vegan lunch recipes that will power you through the afternoon. Whether you need a quick grab-and-go sandwich or have more time on your lunch break to whip up something hot and tasty, all these scrumptious ideas will keep you energized through dinnertime.

Vegan BLTA with Carrot Bacon

20-Minute Black Bean Tacos

“No-Tuna” Salad Sandwich

No-Fry Fried Rice

Air-Fryer Mini Pizzas with Alfredo Sauce

Dilly Vegan Macaroni Salad

Loaded Vegan Chalupas with Chipotle Queso

Almost Egg Salad

Sweet Potato Shawarma

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

Tex-Mex Pita Pizzas
VEGAN DINNER RECIPES
When you want to sink your teeth into a substantial meal, these vegan dinner recipes are packed with good-for-you ingredients, exciting spices, and plenty of comforting flavors that will keep you satisfied. Add one of these healthy vegan meal ideas to your weekly rotation and savor all the delicious benefits of a plant-based plate.

Tamales-Inspired Waffles with Black Bean Hash

Hearty Purple Cabbage Soup

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Thai Vegetable Noodle Soup

Mini Vegan Tamale Pie

Lentil, Chard & Sweet Potato Curry

Carrot Dogs

Shepherd’s Pie

Zucchini Rollatini with Quinoa and Chickpeas

Healthy Salsa Verde Taco Casserole

Vegan Galette with Caramelized Onion and Vegetables

Vegan Spaghetti Marinara with Lentil Balls

French Onion Gnocchi Soup

Spicy Tomato Sushi Rolls

Mushroom Chorizo Tacos con Papas

Khow Suey (Burmese Curry Noodle Soup)
Khow suey is a brothy Burmese soup that typically features chicken or beef. This vegan version skips the meat without skimping on flavor and is a fabulous way to use up that bag of stir-fry veggies lurking in the back of your freezer. Incredibly, it comes together in just 25 minutes. One reviewer writes, “If I had a restaurant, this would be on the menu.”

Creamy Vegetable Soup with Escarole
With umami-rich mushrooms and buttery corn, this ultra-comforting soup showcases just how rich and creamy a broth can taste without any cream at all. The rotini pasta and chickpeas make it a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal. Escarole, a leafy, endive-like green, rounds it all out with earthy notes. (You can use kale instead, if you prefer.)

Vegetable Tikka Masala

Butternut Squash Risotto

Vegan Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Greens

Jackfruit Jambalaya

Thai Green Curry Chickpeas with Spinach

Creamy Vegan Ramen

Air-Fryer Portobello Burgers with Thousand Island Aïoli

Kale and Sweet Potato–Stuffed Vegan Ravioli

Instant Pot Mushroom-Barley Stew

Tempeh BBQ Sandwiches with Pineapple Slaw

Butternut Bisque with Parsley Pistou
Canned butter beans (aka lima beans) are a handy vegan hack for adding creamy texture to blended soups. Here, they get pureed with butternut squash that has been simmered in garlicky broth until tender. Swirl in the vibrant parsley pistou just before serving for a luscious, luxurious meal worthy of special occasions. One happy reviewer writes, “Absolutely delicious.”

Fold-Up Rice and Black Bean Quesadillas
These mouthwatering quesadillas are stuffed full of good-for-you ingredients, including black beans, shredded spinach, brown rice, pico de gallo, and a mashup of avocado and green peas that serves as a lighter alternative to guacamole. Enjoyed by kids and big kids alike, they come together in just 15 minutes. “Great flavor combinations,” writes one reviewer. “Very satisfying.”
VEGAN DESSERTS
Looking for something sweet to round out your meal? These desserts taste incredibly indulgent without using animal products or much refined sugar. Whip up one of these popular vegan recipes when your sweet tooth is calling or you’re hosting a plant-based dinner party. It’s time to treat yourself!

Perfect Vegan Carrot Cake

Jeweled Avocado-Chocolate Pudding

Bursting with Berries Cobbler

Polenta Cake with Apples and Cherry Compote

Chocolate Cherry Vegan Cobbler

Outrageously Healthy Black Bean Brownies

Sweet Potato Bars

Plum Rosette Tarts

Incredible Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake

Chewy Apple-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Mexican Chocolate Nice Cream

Southern-Style Banana Pudding Parfaits

Chocolate-Orange Dessert Donuts

The Best Vegan Strawberries and Cream
HUNGRY FOR MORE HEALTHY VEGAN RECIPES?
We have a huge variety of wholesome, nourishing vegan recipes to get you through every day from start to finish.
- 30-Minute Meals
- 8 Budget-Friendly Vegan Meals
- 20 Healthy N0-Cook Meals
- 9 All-Time Favorite Recipes from the FOK Staff
- Easy Plant-Based Recipes
Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly vegan meal planner to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.
This article was originally published on 10/5/2017 and has been updated.

About the Author

About the Author
Megan Edwards
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