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    Home » Collections

    Lazy Vegan Recipes (20-min meals)

    Published: May 8, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Are you looking for quick vegan meals with few ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes? We've got you covered with 30 lazy vegan recipes for dinners and desserts. These vegan meals are low-effort, time-efficient, and beginner-friendly.

    Browse through this list, and take your pick: from easy and healthy salads, and quick pasta, to one-pot meals - all of them vegan. Hopefully, you'll find a new lazy vegan favorite reading through this list!

    lazy vegan recipes  including tofu pasta and salads

    BEST LAZY VEGAN RECIPES

    LAZY VEGAN DINNERS IN 20 MINS

    You're in a hurry and you've decided on making something vegan - no problem. Here's a selection of the easiest and quickest vegan recipes, perfect for lazy (and busy) days.

    1

    Pan fried tofu with mushrooms

    We start our lazy vegan list with a dinner favorite. This pan-fried tofu with mushrooms is a quick and delicious recipe that is perfect for every day, last-minute dinner.

    2

    Rigatoni Arrabbiata

    Rigatoni Arrabbiata is an Italian pasta dish with a spicy tomato sauce. This is a simple yet tasty recipe that you can make in just about 20 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.

    3

    Panzanella salad

    This Panzanella salad is a traditional Italian summer dish made with simple seasonal vegetables and leftover stale bread. It requires only 15 mins prep time and is one of the most underrated salad recipes.

    4

    Asparagus Frittata (Vegan)

    This recipe is easy, and in less than 30 minutes, you can make this delicious frittata and serve it as a starter, side dish, or as a quick and healthy lunch or dinner.

    5

    Vegan pasta salad with lemon vinaigrette

    This easy vegan pasta salad recipe is quick to make, refreshing, and seasoned with a delicious lemon-mustard vinaigrette dressing. Perfect for an easy lunch and meal prepping too.

    6

    Vegan Chickpea Salad

    This vegan chickpea salad is an easy and nutritious dish. Make it in just 15 minutes with simple, fresh ingredients and a refreshing lemon vinaigrette.

    7

    Tofu Soup

    This tofu soup is quick, tasty, and easy. You can make it in 20 minutes, with simple ingredients and seasonal veggies any time of the year.

    8

    Vegan Egg Salad

    If you are looking for a great, quick, and fulfilling vegan lunch or snack idea, you need to try this vegan egg salad. Made with tofu, vegan mayo, and herbs, it’s great on a sandwich or on its own.

    9

    Vegan Couscous Salad

    This vegan couscous salad is easy, fresh, crunchy, and nutritious. Prep time is just 15 mins, and you'll have a complete and nutritious meal with a tasty lemon vinaigrette.

    10

    Vegan Tuna

    Vegan tuna is a quick and easy recipe made with mashed chickpeas. It's the perfect replacement for tuna in a sandwich, to fill a baked sweet potato, on a slice of bread, or just as is as a vegan tuna salad.

    11

    Chickpea Stew

    A super easy one-pot meal, no stirring required. It's perfect as a tasty and easy everyday dinner or as a make-ahead meal, as the chickpeas become even more flavourful the day after.

    12

    Tomato Bruschetta

    Tomato bruschetta is crunchy, juicy, garlicky, and perfect as an appetizer, dinner, or even for brunch. The recipe is simple, and you can make it in 10 minutes with a few ingredients.

    13

    Penne Arrabbiata

    Penne arrabbiata is a spicy, comforting, classic pasta recipe that you can easily recreate at home with simple ingredients. Make it in just 20 minutes, with a secret tip to make this pasta dish extra creamy.

    14

    Garlic and Oil Pasta (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)

    This is the original recipe for garlic and oil pasta, a delicious Italian meal also known as spaghetti aglio e olio. We'll show you how to make it to perfection in under 15 minutes, with simple ingredients.

    15

    Tofu Cream Cheese

    This tofu vegan cream cheese is made with 5 simple ingredients and it's smooth, velvety, and perfect to use as a starter, dip, or spread in a sandwich.

    16

    Tofu Salad (Creamy Dressing)

    This tofu salad recipe is a crunchy and healthy bowl perfect for lunch or dinner. Low in calories, high in flavor and filling. Make this today and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

    17

    Fried Tofu

    Here's a simple cooking method that makes fried tofu taste great and feel just as good in your mouth. Perfect in salads, pasta salad, or as a protein topping. This recipe is ready in 15 minutes.

    18

    How to cook couscous (in 5 minutes)

    Couscous is an easy dish that you can serve hot or cold, as a starter or as a side to a meal, added to soups, salads, and stews. Here we'll show you how to cook couscous in a bowl, with hot water, in just 5 minutes.

    19

    Spinach Pesto (Vegan Recipe)

    Our spinach pesto is an easy recipe that you can make in 5 minutes in a blender. Use the pesto with your favorite pasta, or as a spread in a sandwich or wrap.

    20

    Vegan Lemon Pasta

    Vegan lemon pasta is a simple creamy pasta recipe that is perfect for a quick and tasty lunch or dinner. It takes just 10 mins to make this delightful and fresh pasta dish.

    21

    Tomato Basil Pasta

    You only need to plan for 10 minutes of cooking time, and simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

    22

    Tofu with Pizzaiola Sauce

    Tofu with pizzaiola sauce is a simple yet delicious tofu recipe ready in just 10 mins. We fry thinly sliced tofu and cook it in a rich tomato and oregano sauce - a perfect last-minute dinner for the whole family.

    23

    Roasted butternut squash soup

    This creamy butternut squash soup is ready in 30 mins but requires almost no cooking. Bake all ingredients on a baking tray and blend them, easy and simple. I like to keep this soup dairy-free and vegan, as the butternut is already very creamy when blended.

    24

    Easy vegan risotto

    Vegan risotto doesn't have to be difficult to make. Here we made it with different veggies: asparagus, mushrooms, pumpkin, chicory, zucchini, and peas in just about 20 minutes. This is an easy, everyday recipe for a quick and delicious dinner.

    25

    Farinata (Socca)

    Farinata or socca is an easy recipe, made by mixing together chickpea flour and extra virgin olive oil, then baking it in the oven for about 20 minutes.

    26

    Vegan Carbonara

    Our vegan carbonara is a simple recipe that can be made in 15 minutes. The taste of our carbonara sauce is similar to the taste of an authentic Italian carbonara recipe.

    27

    Vegan cacio e pepe

    This irresistible vegan cacio e pepe is ready in 10 mins! Is that even possible? Yes. And the result is a creamy, peppery, and cheesy pasta dish that you can cook in no time.

    28

    Lemon Tofu

    Lemon tofu is an easy, everyday recipe prepared in just 10 mins. Simply fry the tofu on a pan with little olive oil and coat it in a quick lemon sauce.

    LAZY VEGAN DESSERTS

    Time-efficient and delightful desserts that don't require hours in the kitchen. These lazy vegan sweets have few simple ingredients and are quick to make. YES, please.

    29

    Vegan custard (pastry cream)

    Our vegan custard is a smooth, creamy and delicious recipe that you can make in 10 minutes with 5 simple ingredients.

    30

    Baked Pears

    Baked pears are sweet, soft, warm, and extremely easy to make. All you need is 4 ingredients and 30 minutes in the oven. For an extra indulgent meal, serve the pears with vegan whipped cream - YUM.

    31

    Coffee Mousse

    This easy, 4-ingredients dessert almost tastes like a tiramisù, without the biscuit, but is a lot easier to make. It's creamy, soft, light, and sweet, but with an irresistible coffee aroma.

    TIPS FOR LAZY VEGAN RECIPES

    • How to store: Most of these meals keep for 1 day in the refrigerator, best if stored in an airtight container.
    • How to freeze: You can also freeze these for up to 3 months. To freeze them, let them cool down first, then transfer them to a freezer-friendly container, leaving some space to allow them to expand.
    • How to reheat: Thaw in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. Before serving, garnish with fresh herbs. Always refer to the individual recipes for exact guidance.

    Hopefully, this list gives you motivation and inspiration to cook more easy vegan meals. It's definitely possible to cook a tasty vegan meal in less than 30 minutes. If you're still looking for ideas of what to cook, take a peek at our other easy vegan recipe collections:

    • 40 vegan pasta recipes
    • 29 easy dinner ideas
    • 40 vegan beginner recipes
    • 25 vegan salad recipes
    • 25 vegan brunch recipes
    • 30 best vegan lunch ideas

    If you made any of these lazy vegan recipes, it would be super valuable to us if you leave a comment and a star rating. Feedback helps us improve our recipes and help other people too.

    lazy vegan recipes including salads and pasta

    Lazy Vegan Recipes

    Author: Nico
    Pan-fried tofu is one of our favorite lazy vegan recipes! It's delicious and flavorful, but the texture can be tough, chewy, and jerky-like. Here’s a simple cooking method that makes fried tofu taste great and feel just as good in your mouth.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 17 mins
    Course Main Course, Plant-Basics, Side dish
    Cuisine International
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 119 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 10 ounces tofu firm or extra firm
    • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 twists black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin

    Instructions
     

    • Drain the tofu then cut it into small dice, about ½ inch or 1 cm thick. Set aside.
      Tip: don't pat dry and don't press the tofu.
    • To a medium-sized dish, add the cornstarch, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
      Mix with a fork till the ingredients are well combined.
    • Toss the tofu cubes into the dish with the seasoning. Shake the dish left and right till the tofu is fully coated in the seasoning.
      Tip: you might need to use your hands to fully coat the tofu in the seasoning.
      tofu cubes tossed in the seasoning
    • Warm up the olive oil on medium heat in a nonstick pan. Add the tofu onto the pan and fry for about 12 minutes on medium heat.
      Flip the tofu around with a fork every 2 to 3 minutes.
      frying the tofu on a pan
    • Your fried tofu is ready when it's cripsy and golden-brown on the outside.
      pan fried tofu in a non-stick pan

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Lazy Vegan Recipes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 119 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 18mg1%
    Carbohydrates 8g3%
    Dietary Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 144IU3%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 3µg3%
    Calcium 92mg9%
    Folate 1µg0%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 2mg1%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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    « Vegan Summer Recipes (Dinners & Desserts)
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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

    Hi, we are Nico and Louise, and we love cooking! Welcome to our blog.

    Here we share everyday plant-forward recipes, to help you and your family eat more veggies.

    Omnivores, flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans, you are ALL WELCOME to this community.

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