Missing your favorites from fast food places and restaurants, like Taco Bell, In-N-Out, and Olive Garden? Check out these awesome healthy vegan copycat recipes!
Eating Out as a Vegan
If you’ve been vegan for any amount of time, you’ll know how tough it can be to eat out. It seems like all the food out there contains animal products – seriously. Hidden beef in french fries. Lard in refried beans. Cheese in friggin’ EVERYTHING. Navigating a menu can be such a headache. That’s not to say it’s impossible, though! More and more options for vegans are becoming available (check out this list.) But when you don’t want to dissect a menu or worry about the chef or fast food employee accidentally adding cheese or meat into your dish, you can still make really tasty vegan food at home that is JUST as good – if not better than – the restaurant or fast food versions.
Healthy Vegan Copycat Recipes
Now you can make your former favorite fast food & restaurant orders at home! Some of my favorite food blogger friends & I have created really amazing vegan copycat recipes from places like Taco Bell, Zoe’s Kitchen, In-N-Out, Starbucks, and more! Cravings, begone.
What do I consider “healthy”? No meat and dairy is sooo much healthier, in my opinion! Some of these recipes do contain oil (though usually very little) and pretty much any recipe is easily customizable to your diet preferences. The awesome thing about cooking your own food instead of eating out at restaurants or fast food is that you have total control of the ingredients and the amounts used. Less salt, less oil, no cross-contamination – win, win, win.
Vegan Crunchwrap
Make a healthy, vegan crunchwrap at home with this Taco Bell copycat recipe. The “taco meat” is made from lentils, and the nacho cheese is a blend of cooked carrots, potatoes, and other tasty ingredients. It tastes pretty dang similar to the real thing…minus all the saturated fat!
Vegan Unicorn Frappe
The Starbucks limited-time-only drink went CRAZY on social media. If you missed it, you can make a version at home – except this one tastes BETTER (or so the reviews say – I never tried the original!) And this vegan unicorn drink is actually healthy.
Copycat In-N-Out Burger
If you love In-N-Out, you will LOVE this copycat burger. Marlena from Where You Get Your Protein even includes a recipe for their famous spread! Surprisingly, this copycat recipe is HEALTHY! HELLO! YES PLEASE. Sorry for caps lock, I’m just super stoked about it.
Better-Than-Carvel Vegan Ice Cream Cake
I used to LOVE Carvel as a teen – my birthday cake of choice was always one of their ice cream cakes. If you’ve been missing it since going vegan (like I have been) then you need to make this ASAP. No birthday coming up? A regular Tuesday night also works.
Vegan Animal Style Fries
This In-n-Out favorite is made vegan AND healthy thanks to From My Bowl. It’s totally oil-free (the fries are baked, yum!) and there’s even a recipe for that special sauce. Perfect for movie snacking…or let’s be serious – any meal because potatoes are life. Of course, these totally make the best side for that In-N-Out burger I told you about above.
McVegan
Briggitte uses tofu in this McDonald’s copycat vegan sandwich for the “egg” which is totally genius. Grab your favorite vegan sausage patty and vegan cheese (Chao is SO GOOD) and layer this baby up!
P.S. You can also make your own healthier vegan sausage patties using pinto beans.
Zuppa Toscana
I don’t care what anyone says, Olive Garden is DELICIOUS (sorry my authentic Italian friends!) If you went vegan and are missing that tasty OG Zuppa Toscana soup, good news – this copycat recipe is so tasty! Yummy Mummy Kitchen recommends using the Field Roast Italian Sausage and I couldn’t agree more, that stuff is incredible.
Sofritas Burrito Bowl
While you can totally get a veggie burrito bowl at Chipotle, Moe’s or other similar joints, making your own can save you SO much money. Plus, it’s guaranteed to be healthier since you have control over the ingredients. Dianne’s sofritas are so packed flavor you won’t even miss the take out version.
Vegan Mocha Frappe
What kind of coffee person are you? I’m all about the iced coffee, and my husband absolutely loves frappes – especially mocha. Gwen totally knocks the classic decadent mocha frappe out of the park with this vegan version! Chocolatey deliciousness right at home.
Vegan Seven Layer Burritos
Vegan. 7. Layer. Burrito. Do I really need to say more?! Between this and the crunch wrap above, you won’t even miss Taco Bell. Connoisseurs Veg used refried beans, tahini cheese sauce (yeah, really!) and cashew sour cream in her tasty vegan copycat burrito.
Rosemary White Beans
If you love the Braised White Beans from Zoe’s Kitchen, but not all that oil (and oh man, is there a lot) you will jump for joy when you try this vegan copycat recipe! So creamy, comforting, and full of delicious flavor. YES PLEASE.
Vegan Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich
Pick your jaw up off the floor and make this SUPER TASTY vegan Chick-fil-A style sandwich! This recipe uses battered “chicken” seitan. I just tried seitan for the first time recently and wish I had made it sooner – I was so intimidated but guys, it’s pretty easy! Don’t forget the pickles!
Gonna make one of these vegan copycat recipes? I’d LOVE to see your creations – tag me on Instagram @karissasvegankitchen
Looking for more healthy vegan recipes? Try these EASY VEGAN LUNCH IDEAS!
Kristin
yaaaaas! this is a perfect round up!
Dianne
This is a such a fun collection of recipes. Thanks so much for including my burrito bowl!