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42 Easy Vegan Recipes for Beginners

Published Jan 15, 2020 · Updated Oct 29, 2023 · Leave a Comment

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Going vegan can be super overwhelming in the beginning. I always wished I had a big list of specifically easy vegan recipes for beginners to make navigating this new lifestyle much easier. It took me a long time to totally cut out animal products. I thought vegan food would taste weird or be super hard to make.

The truth is, vegan food is absolutely delicious and does not need to be complicated. Here are my Top 12 Tips for Going Vegan if you need some extra support and advice, and a Vegan Grocery List for Beginners so shopping is less intimidating!

Collage of several recipes with the text "vegan beginner recipes"

I put together a list of not-intimidating-at-all, easy vegan recipes for you to try and hopefully love! Many can be made ahead of time to enjoy for lunch all week and a handful can even be made in just one pot.

Make use of the table of contents to jump around!

Jump to:

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Snacks
Reviews

Breakfast

Easy breakfast recipes to start your morning right!

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

4.87 from 136 votes

Easy, fluffy vegan pancakes from scratch! These pancakes are perfect for a simple breakfast when you're craving something sweet and hearty.

A stack of fluffy pancakes, drizzled with syrup

Vegan French Toast

5 from 24 votes

This french toast is one of the easiest vegan recipes for breakfast! You just need 6 simple ingredients.

Gluten-Free Vegan Pancakes

4.99 from 52 votes

If you need a gluten-free fluffy pancake, here ya go.

Maple Pecan Overnight Oats

4.58 from 14 votes

Make these oats ahead of time to have a nutritious breakfast in the morning.

Pouring maple syrup into a jar of healthy maple pecan overnight oats.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

4.78 from 9 votes

These garlicky potatoes are so versatile. Enjoy as a side dish or in tacos.

A close-up of roasted potatoes

Tofu Scramble

5 from 31 votes

Missing eggs? Try this tofu scramble!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Pancakes

5 from 4 votes

Easy vegan chocolate chip pancakes perfect for a comforting breakfast.

A plate of 3 chocolate chip pancakes with a gold fork.

Lunch

All of these simple vegan lunches can be made ahead of time.

Tofu Tacos

5 from 8 votes

Extra-firm tofu makes the perfect vegan taco meat alternative in this recipe. Tofu tacos are one of my top recommendations when people ask for easy vegan recipes for beginners.

General Tso's Cauliflower

5 from 3 votes

A classic dish found in American Chinese restaurants has turned vegan! With a homemade sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic, General Tso's Cauliflower is a flavorful and delicious dish that's easy to make.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

5 from 14 votes

This delicious chickpea salad recipe is full of flavor, vegan, and packed with protein. It makes for a very satisfying and healthy lunch.

Chickpea sandwiches stacked

Vegan Chicken Caesar Wraps

5 from 1 vote

Easy vegan chicken caesar wraps made with dairy-free dressing and plant-based chicken. This is a great meal prep recipe for lunch!

Vegan Chopped Salad

5 from 1 vote

Veggie-loaded chopped salad with vegan ranch and "bacon" bits.

A large bowl containing vegan chopped salad with lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and cashew bacon bits.

Vegan Taco Salad

5 from 3 votes

This vegan taco salad recipe is loaded with delicious ingredients to satisfy your hunger and delight your tastebuds.

Hummus Wraps

5 from 3 votes

Easy and healthy rainbow hummus wraps made with fresh vegetables.

Vegan Chickpea Teriyaki Meal Prep Bowls

5 from 18 votes

This recipe for Chickpea Teriyaki bowls with crunchy broccoli and savory soy sauce is a quick, easy and healthy idea for vegan meal prep.

5-Minute Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup

4.90 from 37 votes

If you have tomato paste, non-dairy milk, some spices, and 5 minutes - you can make this delicious creamy vegan tomato soup!

A bowl of creamy tomato soup with a baguette slice.

7-Minute Soup

4.95 from 35 votes

This is my go-to super quick vegan lunch recipe.

A bowl of white bean soup

Dinner

Is there anything worse than standing in the kitchen for hours after working all day?! You don't have to worry about that with these beginner, easy vegan meals.

One-Pot Vegan Creamy Cajun Pasta

5 from 13 votes

Spicy and creamy vegan cajun pasta made in just one pot!

A skillet of cajun noodles

Vegan Sloppy Joes

4.89 from 27 votes

Sloppy joes are the ultimate comfort food! This one-pot version is made with lentils and cauliflower.

High-protein vegan sloppy joes

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

4.67 from 3 votes

This delicious vegan shepherd's pie uses your favorite vegan beef.

A spoonful of shepherd's pie.

One-Pot Creamy Spinach Pasta

4.91 from 42 votes

Super simple creamy spinach pasta made in a single pot.

Creamy spinach pasta in a large cast iron pan with a wooden spoon.

Easy Crispy Orange Tofu

5 from 1 vote

Crispy tofu tossed in a sticky-sweet orange sauce. This vegan recipe is super easy to make! Create a nutritious meal by serving this orange tofu with rice.

Tofu Guide: How to Press Tofu
In this resource, you'll learn 2 easy methods.

Tofu Parmesan

5 from 2 votes

Vegan tofu parmesan is incredibly crispy with savory tomato sauce and al dente spaghetti: an easy and fast weeknight dinner recipe.

Tofu Fajitas

5 from 6 votes

These vegan fajitas are made with tofu instead of chicken, and they are just as delicious! Made easy in the oven using just one pan.

Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

5 from 10 votes

The best vegan broccoli cheddar soup made in about 30 minutes! This soup is creamy and rich, and perfect served with crusty bread.

Crispy Sesame Tofu

5 from 5 votes

Easy, vegan, better-than-takeout sesame tofu! Crispy tofu tossed in a sticky, slightly sweet, super flavorful homemade sesame sauce.

Vegan Sheet Pan Nachos

4.88 from 8 votes

These nachos can be made in just minutes and tossed in the oven for a quick & easy vegan dinner.

Vegan sheet pan nachos topped with cheese, beans, sour cream, corn, jalapenos, tomatoes and red onions.

Dessert

These yummy vegan desserts will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Easy Vegan Banana Bread

5 from 9 votes

Is banana bread a dessert, or a snack?! I enjoy it for both!

Banana bread on a plate with slices cut off

Vegan Blueberry Lemon Bread

5 from 6 votes

Sweet and tangy blueberry lemon bread topped with an (optional) delicious lemon glaze.

Vegan Chocolate Cookies

5 from 4 votes

These vegan double chocolate cookies are super moist, fudgy, and best of all: made using 1 bowl!

Vegan Magic Cookie Bars (7-Layer Bars)

4.63 from 8 votes

These magic cookie bars are layered with a graham cracker crust, a gooey chocolatey middle, coconut chips and pecans.

Close-up of magic cookie bars

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

5 from 2 votes

Easy, melt-in-your-mouth vegan peanut butter cookies.

Vegan Apple Crisp

5 from 3 votes

Delicious vegan apple crisp with an oat and brown sugar topping. This recipe can easily be made gluten-free.

A bowl of apple crisp with ice cream

Vegan No-Bake Cookies

5 from 9 votes

Chocolate vegan no-bake cookies made with peanut butter and oats.

Snacks

A snack is the most important meal of the day. In my world, anyway! Whether you need to keep your hunger at bay between meals or want something to munch on while watching Netflix, these recipes will come in handy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

5 from 1 vote

Make these easy vegan protein balls ahead of time to snack on throughout the week.

Chocolate peanut butter protein balls piled into a bowl. Some are plain, some coated in hemp seeds, some coated in cocoa powder.

Vegan Banana Nut Muffins

5 from 1 vote

This easy vegan recipe for banana nut muffins is the perfect subtly sweet snack or breakfast!

Vegan Bean Dip

5 from 7 votes

Easy vegan bean dip makes a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack!

Vegan Queso

4.69 from 16 votes

Chips + dip = the ultimate dip! This vegan queso comes together in just 5 minutes in a blender.

A tortilla chip being dipped into white vegan queso.

Oil-Free Hummus

4.64 from 19 votes

Simple, vegan hummus made with aquafaba instead of olive oil. I ate this recipe almost everyday as a beginner vegan!

A bowl of hummus with pita bread

Vegan Popcorn

5 from 3 votes

Looking for an easy snack? Try this homemade cheesy, buttery vegan popcorn!

Close-up shot of cheesy vegan popcorn made with nutritional yeast in a white bowl ready to snack on!

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

5 from 3 votes

Enjoy these perfectly sweet vegan blueberry muffins for breakfast or a snack.

Vegan Beer Cheese Dip

4.95 from 17 votes

Creamy, mouth-watering, and super flavorful vegan beer cheese dip...made in 10 minutes! Enjoy this dairy-free dip as a snack or appetizer.

Pretzel bite being dipped into beer cheese dip.

I hope you found some great recipes to save, print, or pin! Good luck on your new adventure.

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