Are you looking for inspiration for your next meat-free meal? These delightful plant-based beginner recipes are easy to make, protein-packed, and fulfilling.
We've listed 30 of our best recipes that help you prep smarter and eat basic but delicious at the same time! Browse through this list, and take your pick: from breakfasts, lunches, and dinner ideas - all are plant-based, vegan-friendly, and with easy-to-find ingredients.
Check out our Easy Meatless Meals
Plant-based breakfast ideas
Do you want easy and fulfilling breakfasts that don't require too much cooking? These breakfast ideas are packed with nutritious plant-based proteins that help you kickstart your day and give long-lasting energy.
Tofu Scramble with Spinach
Tofu scramble is the perfect 5-min breakfast and brunch recipe. Its texture is soft and creamy, just like really good scrambled eggs. Mix in spinach or mushrooms and serve on toasted bread.
Tofu Cream Cheese
This tofu vegan cream cheese is made with 5 simple ingredients and it's smooth, velvety, and protein-rich. Spread it on tasted bread and serve with a slice of tomato on top.
Bircher Muesli - Overnight oats with apple
Bircher Muesli is basically a humble but delicious overnight oats meal made with simple wholesome ingredients such as apple, oats, milk, almonds, and raisins.
Homemade Granola (Oil-Free)
Easy, tasty, and oil-free - what's not to love? This crunchy and oat-packed granola recipe is great as a quick plant-based breakfast served with plant-milk, and fresh berries.
Zucchini Muffins (Easy + Vegan)
Easy to make and with little baking time, these zucchini muffins are a great beginner recipe for plant-based baking!
Plant-based easy lunch
These easy lunch ideas will help you plan your next healthy lunch meal and give you a boost of energy.
Vegan Tuna
The perfect replacement for tuna and you can serve it on a bed of salad leaves, on top of baked potatoes or in a sandwich. No cooking is required and only 10-mins prep time.
Vegan Egg Salad
If you are looking for a great, quick, and fulfilling plant-based lunch or snack idea, you need to try this vegan egg salad. Made with tofu, vegan mayo, and herbs, it’s great on roasted veggies or on in a sandwich.
Tofu Salad (Creamy Dressing)
This tofu salad recipe is a crunchy and healthy bowl perfect for lunch or dinner. Low in calories, high in protein, and fulfilling. Make this plant-based salad today and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Chickpea Salad
Ready in 20 minutes, this wholesome and colorful chickpea salad is a perfect plant-based beginner meal. You can even prepare it one day ahead for a healthy lunchbox idea.
Plant-based Pasta Salad
Great for putlocks, picnics, and a quick lunch, this plant-based pasta salad is a vibrant and happy meal. Fresh veggies, white beans, mustard dressing, and bowtie pasta make it a kids-friendly dish too.
Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad
This tomato and cucumber salad is perfect as a quick and easy lunch, served with bruschetta, and our 15-min fried tofu.
Plant-based Dinner Ideas
Healthy, protein-packed dinners that are full of flavor. These quick and easy dinners are aromatic and diverse, as we make sure to use plenty of fresh ingredients, herbs and spices.
Tofu Meatballs with Marinara Sauce
Yes, with our tofu meatballs you can have meatballs without the meat. This recipe is quick and easy to make with very simple ingredients. It's cozy, incredibly tasty, and satisfying.
Tofu Curry
Our tofu curry is simple, healthy, tasty, family-friendly, nutritious, fulfilling, and everyone at the table will (probably) take seconds. Pair with cauliflower rice or basmati rice for a wholesome healthy meal.
Vegan Fish
This vegan fish is soft, refreshing, juicy, lemony, and full of Mediterranean flavors. It's oven-baked with Italian seasoning and wrapped in parchment paper to concentrate its aroma and keep it juicy.
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.
Tofu with Pizzaiola Sauce
We fry thinly sliced tofu and cook it in a rich tomato and oregano sauce - a perfect last-minute plant-based dinner for the whole family.
Pan fried tofu with mushrooms
Pan-fried tofu with mushrooms is a quick and delicious recipe that is perfect for everyday, last-minute plant-based dinner.
Tofu Cacciatore
We might use tofu instead of chicken, but this meal is rich, earthy, meaty, and packed with the cacciatore flavor we all love so much. You've never had tofu like this!
Fried Tofu
Here’s a simple cooking method that makes fried tofu taste great and feel just as good in your mouth. This recipe is ready in 15 minutes, and you can use it on your favorite salad or on white rice with steamed broccoli.
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.
Orange Tofu
This easy vegan dish is the best alternative to orange chicken. We use crispy oven-baked tofu coated in a sticky, sweet, and sour orange sauce. It's tasty, tangy, and delicious.
Garlic and Oil Pasta (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
A classic Italian pasta that is naturally vegan. We'll show you how to make it to perfection in under 15 minutes, with simple ingredients, it's a naturally plant-based pasta idea.
Rigatoni Arrabbiata
Rigatoni Arrabbiata is an Italian pasta dish with a spicy tomato sauce. This is an easy yet tasty recipe that you can make in just about 20 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
Easy Plant-based Sides
You've got your plant-based main dish figured out, but what do you serve with it? Here are some ideas for colorful and simple side dishes that bring nutrients and flavor to your meal.
Roasted Brussels sprouts with maple syrup
Roast them for 30 minutes in the oven, and drizzle with a finger-liking, sweet and tangy maple syrup, and lemon dressing.
Roasted bell peppers
Roasted bell peppers are a delicious recipe that can be served as an antipasto, a side dish, or can be used as a base for many other recipes like salads and with plant-based protein.
Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower rice is the perfect side dish to curries, stews, and anything with a sauce. It's easy to make in just 10 minutes with a few simple ingredients.
Kale Chips With Lemon and Garlic
Our kale chips in the oven are made with whole leaves of cavolo nero, also known as black kale. For seasoning, we use lemon, garlic, and chili flakes.
Eggplant Bruschetta
A quick Italian side dish that is also naturally plant-based? This eggplant bruschetta made with sauteed eggplant is a wonderful family-friendly appetizer or vegetable-packed side dish.
Air Fryer Potatoes
Super crispy, yet buttery tender on the inside! These air fryer potatoes are a side dish favorite, and pair perfectly with vegan mayo, chipotle sauce, or Romesco sauce.
Vegan Tzatziki
Vegan Tzatziki sauce is easy! All you need is non-dairy yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and dill, and just over 15 minutes to make this irresistible recipe.
Good sources of plant-based protein
To help you find good plant-based protein sources, here are some helpful ideas*:
- Tofu (silken or firm)
- Tempeh
- Seitan
- Grains, such as quinoa, brown rice, and wild rice.
- Legumes and pulses, such as chickpeas, beans, and lentils.
- Vegan cheeses, such as vegan ricotta, vegan parmesan, and meltable cheese.
- Nutritional yeast: works as a wonderful cheese-flavor agent in pesto and vegan cheese alternatives.
- Nut-based spreads and cheeses.
- Vegan creams (such as soy, coconut, and cashew).
- Nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews.
- Plant milk, such as oat, almond, soy, cashew, rice, or coconut milk. Soy milk is amazing for making vegan mayonnaise and vegan custard creams as it emulsifies due to its protein content.
- Seeds, such as pepita, chia, sunflower, flax, and hemp seeds.
It is definitely possible to cook easy, tasty, and colorful food and a meat-free diet.
Little by little, you will find what you like, your favorite plant-based proteins, and new grains (hello bulgur, farro, and amaranth!) that may delight your taste buds. You can do this!
*Always consult your doctor or health specialist before starting a new diet, this list is suggestive, and we are not educated health professionals.
More plant-based beginner meals
Plant-based cooking is, in fact, quite easy when you've gotten to know the foods you like.
If you're curious about other plant-based and vegetarian recipes, take a peek at these other lists:
For many more tofu ideas, check out our tofu category page.
30 plant-based beginner recipes
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.
- 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.
- Your fried tofu is ready when it's cripsy and golden-brown on the outside.
Video Recipe
Notes
Nutritional Values
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