With veganism on the rise, vegan meal ideas are now more popular than ever. Filled with plant-based proteins and lots of veggies, this truly is a great way to get healthier and feel your best! Within this guide, you’ll find four vegan recipes that will help you get started with vegan cooking and vegan dieting in very straightforward and convenient ways. These meals are delicious and healthy for your body, so make sure to give them a try!
1) Vegan Chili
Vegan chili is a vegan dish that can be used as an appetizer or main course. To make vegan chili, you need to put in the following ingredients: olive oil, onions, garlic cloves, paprika powder, cumin seeds, and ground coriander seed; then add chopped tomatoes. When it’s all cooked well, mix with water and simmer for about 20 minutes before adding black beans (drained), kidney beans (drained), and soy sauce (preferably, gluten-free). Add salt to taste before serving with bread crumbs sprinkled on top. Best of all, the leftovers for this are often more delicious, so be sure to make plenty!
2) Meatless Loaf
Another vegan dish is meatless loaf which can be served with vegan mashed potatoes or vegan macaroni and cheese. The vegan ingredients are oats, oil, soy sauce, tomato soup powder (or vegetable broth), and 6 ounces of vegan beef crumbles (170 grams). The vegan beef crumbles have all the taste and texture to make this easy vegetarian meal seem like it’s not missing anything at all!
This delicious dish will take about 45 minutes to prepare from start to finish; just follow these simple steps: mix all the ingredients thoroughly by hand until they form into a dough-like consistency. Adding more water if needed, press the mixture out onto a greased pan, so there are no holes. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes. Let it cool before cutting and serving.
3) Lentil Soup
Have you ever tried lentil soup? This vegan dish is one of the most popular vegan dishes that people try. Lentil soup is good because it calms down your stomach and provides you with many nutrients, which are good for long-term health. Moreover, if you take a look at All About Greens, you’ll see there are plenty of popular vegan meals you can make.
The vegan ingredients in this meal include red onion, garlic cloves, celery stalk, thyme sprigs, bay leaf (preferably fresh), and vegetable broth or water (water is better if using canned vegetables). It also includes dried lentils (not the quick-cooking ones). This will take up some more time, but it is well worth it! You’ll find these at any grocery store or bulk food shop/store. Lentils cook very quickly when added right before serving, and they are very hardy and durable.
4) Tofu Scramble
Preparing tofu scramble is a vegan-friendly way to get your protein. You can use any veggies you want, but mushrooms and spinach work best for the texture of this dish. At first glance, it may seem like there is not much flavor on its own, that’s why you will want to add spices and/or soy sauce, as well as both garlic powder and salt.
You start with heating up olive oil (or vegan butter) over medium heat, then mix in chopped vegetables until they are soft enough to crumble under pressure from a fork – about five minutes should do the trick! Add flour for binding purposes if desired; be sure that whatever kind you pick has no milk products included. Mix together everything until well combined, and then add vegan eggs and soy milk. Continue cooking, occasionally stirring until everything is set – about 20 minutes should be enough time for this dish to finish setting up in the oven or stove-top.
This dish serves as an excellent replacement option for when breakfast cravings kick in, but there are no vegan options available at any nearby restaurants; all one needs to make this scrumptious meal is some almond milk (or your preferred non-dairy milk), vegan eggs, and soy products. The best part of this dish is that it’s easy to make for one person or a group – just adjust the measurements accordingly!
You can even grow your own mushrooms in your kitchen using spray and grow kits for a steady supply of fresh mushroom ingredients. The kits are easy to grow and can yield mushrooms in as short as two weeks or so!
5) Roasted Veggies with Brown Rice and Black Beans
Adding some veggies with brown rice and black beans to your menu is vegan and tasty. This meal is rich in protein, vegan-friendly sources of iron, and antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, and K.
It’s a healthy vegan option that you won’t regret trying out!
Ingredients include: ¾ cup uncooked brown rice; ½ cup black beans; ½ teaspoon salt or vegan seasoning mix of choice such as vegan bouillon cubes, dried herbs, ground spices like cumin powder or turmeric, chili flakes for a spicy kick; and water to cook the rice according to package directions (uncooked).
For every one cup of uncooked rice, you should use about two cups of water. If using vegetarian broth instead of plain water, it will make your food taste even better! And if you’re vegan, remember vegan substitutes work too!
6) Vegetable Lasagna
If you are looking for something tasty and vegan-friendly, then you should try out vegetable lasagna. The dish contains chopped tomatoes and onion simmered with garlic in olive oil for an hour to create a rich sauce; the recipe also calls for carrots, zucchini, and celery, which are added after the vegetables have cooked down so that they retain their texture.
To make it vegan, just use vegan cheese substitutes such as vegan mozzarella, vegan ricotta, or vegan parmesan. You can find them at your local grocery store right next to the regular ones!
This meal is delicious served hot over pasta or spaghetti squash, but if you’re looking for something light on carbs, serve it cold in a sandwich wrap instead.
A balanced diet is important for your health, and it can also help you feel better. Vegan chili, meatless loaf, lentil soup, tofu scramble, roasted veggies with brown rice, and black beans are all great vegan options that may be easier to prepare than you think – and all taste great too!
