Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 34 Easy Vegan Dinner Ideas That Even Picky Eaters Will Love You'll find something for everyone on this list of plant-based recipes. By Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand has more than 20 years of experience as a lifestyle writer and editor, writing thousands of articles on topics that help people live better and healthier lives for Real Simple, Parents, and dozens of other top publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 05, 2024 Close Photo: 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. 30 High Protein Vegan Breakfast Ideas to Keep You Full Until Lunch 01 of 34 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. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 34 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. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 34 Fish-Free Ceviche Greg DuPree 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. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 34 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. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 34 Tofu Asada With Caramelized Onion Refried Beans Victor Protasio 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. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 34 Vegetarian BLT With Shiitake Bacon Caitlin Bensel Shiitake bacon can still give you that same smoky flavor of bacon—especially when marinated in soy sauce and roasted. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 34 Chickpea Salad Sandwich Alison Miksch Chickpeas make a surprising (and incredibly delicious!) vegan swap for tuna in this salad sandwich. Use vegan mayo to make this completely plant-based. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 34 Zucchini Butter Spaghetti Jennifer Causey 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. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 34 Thai Curry Vegetable and Tofu Soup Christopher Baker 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. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 34 Watermelon Poke Bowls Victor Protasio 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. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 34 Black Bean-Oat Burger Greg DuPree 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. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 34 Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon Caitlin Bensel 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. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 34 Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes Con Poulos The secret ingredient in this chili? It's cocoa powder, which gives the dish a mole-like flavor. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 34 Nutty Tofu Bowls Caitlin Bensel 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. GET THE RECIPE 15 of 34 Thai Peanut Butter Ramen Antonis Achilleos 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. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 34 Red Lentil Curry José Picayo 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. GET THE RECIPE 17 of 34 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 GET THE RECIPE 18 of 34 Quick Nutty Noodles Greg DuPree 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. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 34 Vegan Paella With Summer Squash Caitlin Bensel 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. GET THE RECIPE 20 of 34 Skillet Polenta in Creamy Tomato Sauce CAITLIN BENSEL 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. GET THE RECIPE 21 of 34 Spicy Coconut Noodles Beatriz da Costa 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. GET THE RECIPE 22 of 34 Toasted Israeli Couscous With Corn and Herbs Greg DuPree 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.) GET THE RECIPE 23 of 34 Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries Gentl + Hyers 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. GET THE RECIPE 24 of 34 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. GET THE RECIPE 25 of 34 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! GET THE RECIPE 26 of 34 Chickpea Veggie Burgers Caitlin Bensel 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.) GET THE RECIPE 27 of 34 Superfood Lentil Salad Victor Protasio 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. GET THE RECIPE 28 of 34 Cauliflower Tartine With Romesco Sauce Caitlin Bensel 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. GET THE RECIPE 29 of 34 Meatless Meatball Subs Caitlin Bensel 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. GET THE RECIPE 30 of 34 Summer Squash Farro Bowl Caitlin Bensel Consider this the perfect summer edition of a grain bowl. Avocado. and summer squash are topped with an array of fresh herbs. GET THE RECIPE 31 of 34 Roasted Butternut Squash With Tahini Sauce Caitlin Bensel Sesame tahini is a building block of hummus, and makes for a creamy sauce that adds a bit of umami to roasted butternut squash. GET THE RECIPE If Hummus Is Your Go-To Dip, Here Are 9 Reasons to Validate Your Obsession 32 of 34 Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Coconut and Kale Victor Protasio 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. GET THE RECIPE 33 of 34 Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Victor Protasio 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. GET THE RECIPE 34 of 34 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! GET THE RECIPE Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit