Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Healthy Meals 22 Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes to Start Your Plant-Based Journey By Betty Gold Betty Gold With more than a decade of experience writing and editing food and nutritional content, Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple and acting senior food editor at Well+Good. Betty has also spent time working in product analysis at Good Housekeeping and in food production on The Martha Stewart Show. Highlights: * Bachelor of Science in Food Studies & Nutrition from New York University * Industry professional for 11 years * Served on mastheads at Food Network, Bon Appetit, and Good Housekeeping Magazines * Worked in publications department at James Beard Foundation Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Instagram Website Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple.com. Prior to joining Real Simple, she wrote and edited stories about food trends, plant-based food, nutrition, and new product releases for Food Network, LIVEKINDLY, and Eat This, Not That. She also launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. She is a graduate of New York University as a University Honors Scholar. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 24, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: VICTOR PROTASIO We're all in. Not only is plant-based eating good for the environment and for your body, it can be incredibly satisfying and tasty, especially with these hearty recipes. And who doesn't love a theme party (and an excuse to BYO reusable water bottle to the table)? Grab your best chef's knife—you'll be needing it for all these veggies. 11 Tips for Making Tastier Plant-Based Meals, According to Professional Chefs 01 of 22 Cauliflower Tartine With Romesco Sauce Caitlin Bensel You'll get rave reviews from guests with this delicious open-faced sandwich—it looks high-maintenance but is super simple to make. Golden raisins and fresh parsley are in the mix to freshen and sweeten the delectable combo of Romesco and cauliflower, but you can try using cilantro and chopped dates for a different spin. Heads up: make sure to buy vegan sourdough bread. get the recipe 02 of 22 Eggplant-Mushroom Meatball Sub Caitlin Bensel Eggplant meatballs mixed with umami-rich mushrooms, served on fluffy whole-wheat hoagies? These sandwiches are so flavorful, your dinner guests will forget they're made without any meat. To make them vegan, make sure to skip the Parmesan cheese. And if you want the salty, savory flavor of cheese without the dairy, use nutritional yeast. get the recipe 03 of 22 Spicy Coconut Noodles Beatriz da Costa This Asian-inspired dish gets its richness from coconut milk, tomato paste, and spices. get the recipe 04 of 22 Cool Southwestern Salad With Corn and Avocado Con Poulos Serve this refreshing salad with tortilla chips for added texture and flavor. get the recipe 05 of 22 Winter Lentil Soup Kana Okada Use kale, leeks, and sweet potatoes in this warming one-pot meal. Skip the Parm for a completely vegan version. get the recipe 06 of 22 Quick Nutty Noodles Greg DuPree The star of this vibrant noodle dish is a slurpable sauce that's made with a few pantry staples, including apple cider vinegar, almond butter, and toasted sesame oil. The gluten-free soba noodles, which help soak up the sauce, are then tossed with crunchy salt-marinated cucumber, peppery watercress, and quick-pickled radishes. What we love most about this flavorful plant-based meal is that it comes together in just 20 minutes. get the recipe 07 of 22 Stir-Fried Rice Noodles With Tofu and Vegetables Christopher Baker To ensure that the tofu browns, pat it dry before cooking. get the recipe 08 of 22 Three-Bean Chili With Spring Pesto James Merrell Three types of beans—chickpeas, cannellini, and kidney—ensures this chili is filling and full of protein. get the recipe 09 of 22 Fettuccini With Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Victor Protasio While some of the main ingredients in traditional alfredo sauce are heavy cream and cheese, you can totally whip up a vegan version of the pasta topper courtesy of healthy cauliflower. The versatile veggie is combined with cashew milk and nutritional yeast to create a savory, creamy sauce made without dairy. Finish your bowl of pasta with a dusting of lemon zest and a shower of chopped, fresh parsley leaves and you're all set! get the recipe 10 of 22 Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta Caitlin Bensel Keep your broccoli stems handy to whip up the pesto that coats this pasta. In addition to that often discarded portion of the vegetable, the savory pesto is made with roasted broccoli florets, almonds, lemon zest, lemon juice, arugula, olive oil, salt, and pepper. While the pesto does call for an optional dose of cheese, you can always use vegan-friendly nutritional yeast instead. Once the sauce is done, toss it with the pasta and top the finished dish with some extra broccoli florets and baby arugula. get the recipe 11 of 22 Swiss Chard With Chickpeas and Couscous John Kernick Toasted pine nuts go a long way in providing flavor and texture to this sweet and savory dish. get the recipe 12 of 22 Hummus and Cucumber Toast Caitlin Bensel On nights when you really don't want to fire up the stove, give this hearty, plant-based toast a try. It features a slice of toasted whole-grain bread slathered with some store-bought (or homemade) hummus. The toast is then topped with thin slices of Persian cucumbers, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of za'atar spice mix. If you're especially hungry, make two slices of toast, or serve the toast alongside a simple salad. get the recipe 13 of 22 Linguine With Caper and Green Olive Sauce Hector Sanchez Spanish olives and capers give this pasta an assertive, briny bite. get the recipe 14 of 22 Mediterranean Campanelle With Roasted Red Peppers and Almonds Con Poulos Stir some of the pasta cooking water into the finished dish to add moisture and bring all the components together. 15 of 22 Curried Eggplant With Tomatoes and Basil Con Poulos Eggplant's meaty texture makes it a great ingredient for vegan and vegetarian dishes. To ensure that this meal is entirely vegan, use plant-based yogurt. get the recipe 16 of 22 Black Beans and Rice Antonis Achilleos This Latin American staple does double duty as a main or a side dish. get the recipe 17 of 22 Torn Pita and Eggplant Salad With Parsley and Green Tahini Jennifer Causey Meaty eggplant stands in for, well, meat, in this filling salad. You'll also find crispy pita rounds and fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, but the best part is the flavorful green tahini that ties the whole meal together. get the recipe 18 of 22 Spicy Summer Squash Stir-Fry Greg DuPree This colorful stir-fry, which comes together in just 20 minutes, is packed with healthy vegetables. More specifically, you've got summer squash and Japanese eggplant along with spicy red jalapeño slices. The whole thing is coated in a cornstarch-soy sauce, and served over a hearty helping of white rice. get the recipe 19 of 22 Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew With Couscous Lisa Hubbard Couscous is a miracle quick-cooking ingredient: Just cover it with hot water and allow it to steam for five minutes. get the recipe 20 of 22 Chickpeas With Chard and Pan-Roasted Tomatoes Romulo Yanes Fresh lemon juice and golden raisins give this dish unexpected brightness and sweetness. 9 Ways to Use Chickpeas (That Don't Involve Hummus) get the recipe 21 of 22 Toasted Israeli Couscous With Corn and Herbs Greg DuPree Upgrade your pasta salad game with this vegan dish, which is perfect for summer picnics and potlucks. The toasted Israeli couscous base is paired with juicy summer corn kernels and a showering of fresh herbs—basil, chives, and dill—plus some caramelized onions for good measure. Trust us, you won't be longing for any meat here. get the recipe 22 of 22 Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Coconut and Kale Victor Protasio For an easy vegan meal, load up a cooked sweet potato with some of your favorite veggies. This particular recipe calls for a filling of kale that's cooked in a rich and spicy coconut sauce, which is flavored with lime juice and fragrant curry powder. You'll also find toasted coconut flakes for a little crunch, while the potato itself is flavored with grapefruit juice, butter, and allspice. For a completely plant-based recipe, just omit the butter or use vegan butter (which you can find at Trader Joe's) instead. We guarantee you won't taste the difference. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit