30+ Vegan Dinner Recipes for an Easy Weeknight Meal
These dishes are so simple and delicious, even non-vegans won't be able to resist getting seconds.
There are so many reasons to start eating more vegan meals, it's hard to count. Forgetting all the research that shows eating less meat is great for your health, good for the environment, and of course better for the animals, one of our favorite reasons: It's so tasty! Whether you're experimenting with dairy-free #MeatlessMondays, trying it for a month, or are hosting a vegan friend for dinner, chances are you're in the market for a few recipes that can show off the sheer variety of flavors in the vegetable kingdom while still keeping things relatively easy, and keeping you from feeling hungry minutes after a meal.
Well, fret not. These vegan recipes have it all. They're not only super quick and straightforward to make, but they're chock-full of flavor. And what's best is that most of them rely on ingredients you're likely to find at your local grocery store or farmers market. From a grain-filled chili, crunchy roast-carrot tacos, and a hearty, gluten-free noodle bowl to stuffed eggplants, savory veggie burgers, and, of course, stews and salads galore, these dishes are surefire ways to keep your family happy and well-fed.
Though, if you're all feeling a little peckish afterwards, you can always cap the meal off with one of these vegan dessert recipes. And if you're looking to cut meat out of other meals, here are some vegan breakfast recipes. We even have vegan camping meals to keep you going on the trail.
Vegetarian Chili with Grains and Beans
This slow-cooker chili is as filling as its meatier mainstay because of its hearty helping of high-protein wheat berries and kidney beans. Skip the cheese and sour cream—or use substitutes—to keep it vegan.
Carrot and Black Bean Crispy Tacos
Try as you might, you simply cannot do better than the crispy yellow corn shells straight from the box. Do not overthink this.
Bulgur and Cashew Stuffed Eggplant
There's no meat or dairy, but plenty of sweet and spicy flavors in this heart-healthy meal.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Cider Vinaigrette
A homemade vinaigrette with apple cider, whole-grain mustard, and red wine vinegar makes butternut squash even better.
Green Salad With Roasted Carrots
Whole-roasted rainbow carrots make this delicious green salad both beautiful and filling. To keep it vegan, skip the dressing, or use dairy-free ingredient substitutions.
Farro-and-Acorn Squash Salad
This hearty grain and winter squash dish is delicious warm, but tastes arguably even better after it's had a day for the flavors to marinate. Skip the blue cheese and add a little nutritional yeast instead.
Vegan Gluten-Free Noodle Bowl
This combo of rapini and soba noodles from Sarah Yates of A House in the Hills has it all: It's simple, spicy, packed with flavor, and hearty enough to keep you going.
Steamed Wild Rice with Toasted Hazelnut Butter
This protein-rich combo of nuts and wild grains makes a good side dish or a hearty main all on its own. Pair with a salad for a full meal. One note: Vegan substitutes won't "brown" the way butter does, so you can skip that step, but the toasted hazelnuts will impart plenty of rich, nutty flavor.
Pearl Couscous With Leeks and Peas
Delicious served warm or at room temperature, this colorful dish can be prepped up to four hours in advance.
Chopped Salad
Packed with crunchy greens and hearty chickpeas, this salad can be a meal all on its own
Wild Rice-and-Cider-Cranberry Pilaf
Make this savory-sweet dish whenever you're feeling a yearning for the fall.
Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash
Rich in vitamins A and C, butternut squash adds a subtle sweetness to this hearty, slow-cooker lentil stew.
Savory Pumpkin Soup with Spice Shake
This puréed soup is quite delicious as-is, but don't sleep on the spice shake! It's good enough you may find yourself putting it on other things.
Sweet Pea and Avocado Soup
This chilled soup is made extra easy by relying on a bag of frozen peas.
Bucatini with Winter Pesto and Sweet Potatoes
Skip the red sauce and opt for hearty sweet potatoes, a bright pesto, and toasty pine nuts. To keep it vegan, skip the cheese in the pesto, and sub in nutritional yeast.
Farro-and-Tomato Salad with Crispy Capers
Crispy capers add an amazing amount of flavor, and are well worth learning. Top this tomato-filled salad with fresh flat-leaf parsley.
Roasted Red Cabbage-and-Collard Green Slaw
This bright and beautiful slaw is mixed with a mouthwatering sweet and spicy sauce.
Charred Corn Salad
Skip the queso fresco—or use a substitute, such as the homemade one from Curious Chickpea.
Vegetable Kebabs with Lemon-Scallion Vinaigrette
Fresh mint takes grilled vegetables to the next level.
Coriander-Maple Glazed Carrots
This stunning dish gets a burst of citrusy flavor from lime zest.
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