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    Home » Collections

    65 Amazing Vegan Italian Recipes

    Published: Apr 24, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    This is the ultimate list of our best vegan Italian recipes, tried and tested, even by our Italian neighbors! Many people would agree that Italian cuisine is one of the best in the world. From pasta, pizza, and focaccia, to rich sauces, hearty soups, and divine cheeses, Italy's food heritage is rich!

    But can you be plant-based and still eat tasty Italian food? YES, you can. Scroll through this list, you'll see 65 amazing ideas and a great variety of vegan Italian recipes.

    vegan italian recipes including focaccia, vegan ricotta, gnocchi
    On this page:
    • Starters, and side dishes
    • Italian Breads
    • Pasta dishes
    • Rice
    • Vegan Cheese
    • Mains
    • Desserts
    • Recipe

    Starters, and side dishes

    tomato bruschetta

    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.

    close up platter with roasted red and yellow peppers

    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 pasta.

    carciofi alla romana - braised artichokes

    Braised artichokes
    Braised artichokes, also known as "Roman-style artichokes", are an easy Italian artichoke recipe that you can make with simple ingredients in just 30 minutes.

    caponata or eggplant salad on friselle

    Caponata
    Caponata or eggplant salad has the perfect balance of sweet and sour. It's rich and made with simple, fresh ingredients. Eat it as a starter, side-dish, or as a light easy dinner on some toasted bread.

    roasted zucchini with breadcrumbs topping

    Roasted zucchini with Italian herbs

    Roasted zucchini is a classic Italian starter or side dish. Italian herbs and breadcrumbs give the zucchini bold flavor and juicy texture.

    panzanella salad

    Panzanella salad
    A traditional Italian summer dish made with simple seasonal vegetables and leftover stale bread is one of the most underrated salad recipes. Despite being an ancient recipe, it takes just 10 mins to prep!

    tomato cucumber salad

    Tomato cucumber onion salad
    A crunchy, refreshing, simple dish that you can enjoy as a starter or as a side dish. It's best with ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, and sweet red onion.

    fennel and orange salad

    Fennel orange salad
    Fennel and orange salad is a crunchy, fresh, and light salad to be served as a side dish or as a starter. It's perfect in winter when the fennel, orange, and pomegranate are in season.

    confit tomatoes

    Confit tomatoes
    Tomato confit is the easiest, meltiest, most delicious tomato recipe. Soft, juicy, packed with oregano and garlic aroma. They're perfect as a juicy sidedish, a starter served with toasted bread, or as a topping to a bowl of pasta.

    vegan italian recipe for caramelized red onions

    Caramelized onions
    Caramelized onions have a rich and deep flavor with sweet and sour notes. They are soft and literally melt in your mouth.

    Italian Breads

    focaccia with rosemary on a white serving plate

    Focaccia
    Focaccia bread is so easy! All you need is flour, water, salt, and yeast for the dough, and rosemary and olive oil as toppings. You can make it on the day or get ahead and let it proof slowly in the fridge.

    crisp focaccia with vegan melted cheese and spinach

    Crisp focaccia with vegan cheese

    Piadina with vegan melted cheese and hand

    Italian flatbread
    Piadina is a thin yeast-free Italian flatbread that you can fill with your favorite spreads, try with this vegan melted cheese - and enjoy for a light lunch, snack, or dinner.

    mini pizzas with veggie toppings on a plate

    Mini pizzas
    Mini pizzas are one of the most popular finger foods in Italy. They are usually served as a fun, crunchy starter, or during birthdays, buffets, and gatherings. Making these is very simple, you can add your favorite toppings for a fun evening with your family.

    Farinata or socca as appetizer

    Farinata
    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. Delicious as a starter, side dish, or as a main dish when used as a pizza.

    Pasta dishes

    Vegan carbonara with fork

    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.

    pasta alla norma or eggplant pasta

    Pasta alla Norma (eggplant pasta)

    A classic Sicilian dish that you can make in about 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients and fresh eggplants

    lentil bolognese with tagliatelle

    Lentil bolognese
    Our lentil bolognese is an Italian classic with an ultra-rich and hearty sauce, perfect with pasta, lasagna, or zucchini noodles.

    penne all'arrabbiata

    Penne Arrabbiata
    Together with spaghetti aglio e olio and pasta cacio e pepe, penne all'arrabbiata is one of the most popular pasta dishes of Italy. It's simple, yet delicious, and naturally vegan, made only with a few healthy ingredients.

    pasta aglio olio

    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.

    tempeh bolognese on bucatini pasta

    Tempeh bolognese
    This easy tempeh recipe is perfect with spaghetti, gnocchi, lasagna, and polenta. It's my personal favorite vegan bolognese sauce of all time, and we're sure you'll love it too.

    A vegan cacio e pepe with freshly ground pepper, ready to be eaten.

    Vegan Cacio e Pepe
    Here's irresistible vegan cacio e pepe, 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.

    homemade gnocchi with tempeh bolognese and freshly ground pepper served on a plate with leaves of basil.

    Gnocchi
    This is an easy recipe to make at home, you'll need just three ingredients and a fork. Once shaped, your gnocchi can be paired with your favorite pasta sauce - from rich tomato to a creamy mushroom sauce.

    spaghetti with marinara sauce

    Marinara sauce
    One of the most versatile Italian sauces, perfect with pasta, pizza, and (vegan) meatballs. Incredibly easy to make, and super satisfying to eat!

    vegan creamy pasta boscaiola style, an authentic and delicious Italian pasta dish.

    Creamy Pasta boscaiola
    This vegan creamy pasta is inspired by the Italian Boscaiola recipe. Mushrooms, peas, and vegan bacon make the base of this luxurious restaurant-y sauce.

    one serving of lemon pasta with creamy sauce

    Lemon pasta
    Also called "spaghetti al limone" in Italian, 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 scrumptious pasta dish.

    homemade trofie with vegan pesto

    Trofie with basil pesto
    Homemade trofie with vegan basil pesto is our take on a traditional Italian dish made for centuries on the Ligurian Riviera in Genova. We show you how to make trofie at home like in Italy with just two ingredients.

    pasta with chestnut pesto

    Chestnut pesto pasta
    Cozy, creamy, cheesy, and made with a few simple ingredients, including chestnuts, hazelnuts, and mushrooms. This pasta is the ultimate romantic dinner for the fall and winter seasons.

    artichoke pasta bake with a big spoon ready to be served.

    Artichoke pasta bake
    Perfect for those early spring days, when the sun is shining but the air is still cold outside. We make this recipe plant-based by adding potatoes and peas to the artichokes, and then mixing the pasta with vegan white sauce, parmesan and ricotta.

    Rice

    Creamy saffron risotto on a plate ready to be eaten

    Saffron risotto
    A creamy and tasty risotto with a delightful saffron flavor. This is a lighter risotto recipe as it's cooked without butter and cheese, but still incredibly satiating.

    eating the creamy vegan tomato risotto

    Tomato risotto
    This creamy vegan tomato risotto is a staple simple of Italian home cooking. The rice is slowly cooked into a rich tomato sauce. It's a rich, creamy, vegan risotto that tastes 100% authentic and Italian.

    zucchini risotto on a plate

    Zucchini risotto

    Easy to make, and refreshingly green. This zucchini risotto is a crowd-pleaser. Make it with vegan cheese and taste the creaminess yourself!

    Melty deep-fried rice supplì

    Supplí
    Fried stuffed rice balls are the perfect recreation of a traditional regional Italian recipe. Our vegan supplì are as tasty, crispy, messy, melty, scruffy, and as Italian, as it gets. They can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack, or even as a main dish.

    Vegan riso al salto, Italian fried rice

    Italian rice pancake "Riso al salto"
    A tasty and crunchy rice pancake made from the leftovers of risotto. A perfect meal to reduce food waste and impress guests.

    vegan zucchini risotto

    Vegan risotto - 4 ways
    Vegan risotto doesn't have to be difficult to make. We show you how easy it is to make a creamy vegan risotto with asparagus, mushrooms, pumpkin, chicory, zucchini, and peas in just 20 minutes.

    Vegan Cheese

    vegan ricotta cheese ready to be served with basil on top and slices of bread on the side.

    Vegan Ricotta
    Vegan ricotta cheese is so easy, light, creamy, and versatile. You can make it with 3 simple ingredients in less than one hour, and you can use it exactly like regular ricotta.

    vegan cheese with soy milk just made, and super stringy.

    Vegan melted cheese (stracchino)
    You can make it in 5 minutes, and use it on pizza, toast, and oven-baked pasta. It's perfect on food that goes in the oven, as it melts like mozzarella cheese.

    vegan parmesan cheese in a bowl ready to be used as topping

    Vegan Parmesan
    You can sprinkle this fake vegan parmesan cheese on top of your favorite pasta, in pasta bakes, polenta, risotto, and in any other place, you would normally add parmesan cheese.

    Mains

    a slice of pan fried tofu cut with a fork and knife

    Lemon tofu
    This recipe is inspired by an Italian recipe for lemon chicken. We replaced the chicken fillet with tofu slices and the result is a delicious meal that can be prepared in no time.

    submerging the tofu in the pizzaiola sauce

    Tofu pizzaiola
    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.

    bite out of pan fried tofu

    Pan-fried tofu with mushrooms
    A quick and delicious recipe that is perfect for everyday, last-minute dinner. This recipe is inspired by scaloppini with mushrooms, a popular Italian recipe, but our version is 100% plant-based.

    baked tofu ready to eat

    Baked juicy tofu
    It's really a simple dish, that you can make in half an hour in the oven, as an everyday dinner. We serve this one as a fish replacement, and we cook it exactly like white fish is cooked in Italy.

    tofu cacciatore in a pan ready to be served with a big spoon.

    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!

    seitan steaks with mushrooms

    Seitan steaks (Italian scaloppine)
    These seitan steaks are one of our favorite plant-based meat replacements. They are easy to make at home, tender, but with a good meaty texture. Also, they are super versatile and can be paired with your preferred sauce.

    vegan eggplant parmigiana

    Vegan Parmigiana
    This vegan eggplant parmigiana is a creamy and indulgent dish. It is super tasty, rich, creamy, and healthy since the eggplant is baked and not fried. As a cheese substitute, we use fake homemade parmesan. Simple and affordable, yet incredibly satiating.

    Desserts

    Sicilian cannoli filled with vegan ricotta

    Vegan Cannoli
    Our filling is made of vegan homemade ricotta and is sweet and creamy. The shell is every bit as bubbly, light, and crisp as the traditional ones, but without eggs, lard, or butter.

    vegan tiramisù with sponge cake

    Vegan Tiramisu
    Here we show you how to make the best vegan tiramisù that we have ever had, with simple plant-based ingredients. The ladyfingers are homemade and without eggs, yet this dessert is an incredible treat.

    slice of vegan strawberry tart

    Strawberry tart
    Our tart is made with a crunchy pie crust, filled with smooth and creamy vanilla custard, and topped with sweet fresh strawberries. This recipe is so easy and delicious that you'll want to make it every day.

    brushing a layer of aprico jam on top of the tart

    Fruit tart
    This beautiful and delicious fruit tart is a classic Italian pastry recipe that everyone loves. We make a light, crunchy, and easy pie crust that we then fill with our dairy-free homemade custard.

    slice of lemon tart on a table with lemons

    Lemon tart
    This vegan lemon tart is a popular recipe that everyone will love. It's sweet, refreshing, and made with really simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry. You can make it with a soft crust or crunchy crust. We'll show you both.

    vegan ricotta pie

    Ricotta Chocolate Chip Pie
    Vegan ricotta pie is an easy recipe made with a few simple ingredients. We make a sweet vegan shortcrust pastry as the base for the pie. We then fill it with a creamy, sweet, aromatic ricotta cream, mixed with dark chocolate chips and orange zest.

    Vegan Italian recipes for pastry

    • Vegan brioche rolls
    • Italian croissant with cream filling
    • Vegan cream buns "Maritozzi"
    • Brioche bread
    • Vegan custard
    • Vegan donuts
    vegan deep-fried donuts
    vegan deep-fried donuts

    Hungry for more Italian desserts? Try these authentic Italian sweet treats:

    • Chiacchiere
    • Almond biscotti
    • Apple fritters
    • Castagnole
    • Wine cookies
    • Castagnaccio - chestnut flour cake
    • Orange almond cookies
    • Vegan Amaretti
    • Coffee mousse

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH VEGAN ITALIAN FOOD

    These vegan Italian meals generally go well with grains, bread, and vegetable side dishes. Take your pick here for some additional inspiration:

    • 25 vegetable side dishes
    • 10 delicious artichoke recipes

    For many more delicious vegan meals make sure to check out our 30-minute Meal Page!

    Recipe

    Vegan Italian recipes such as ricotta and focaccia

    65 Vegan Italian Recipes

    Author: Nico
    Wondering how you can cook vegan Italian recipes? We've got you covered with these 65 ideas including pasta, soup, pizza, cakes, sweets and more. This particular recipe is for Pasta Pomodoro (Tomato Basil Pasta)
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Dessert, Dinner
    Cuisine American Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 574 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 11 ounces pasta spaghetti, bucatini, penne
    • 15 ounces whole peeled canned tomatoes
    • 7 ounces plum tomatoes
    • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 clove garlic
    • ⅓ teaspoons red pepper flakes
    • 15 fresh basil leaves
    • ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
    • ¾ gallons water to cook the pasta
    • 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt to salt the pasta water

    Instructions
     

    • Start by putting the water to boil. Then cut the plum tomatoes in half and set aside. In a large pan on low heat, add 3 tablespoon of olive oil, crushed garlic, and the chili flakes. Let fry gently for 1 minute. Don't let the garlic burn.
      Add the plum tomatoes and let cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until they become soft. Add a little water if they stick to the pan.
      plum tomatoes frying in a pan
    • Add the pelati in the pan and crush them with a fork. Let the tomatoes simmer on low heat while the pasta cooks, stirring occasionally. Season with two pinches of salt and add around 10 basil leaves in it. Add some pasta water when the sauce gets too thick.
      pomodoro sauce
    • When the water boils, salt it, then cook the pasta in it for 4 minutes less than indicated on the cooking package. If the package says 12 minutes, then cook it for 8 minutes only. While the pasta cooks, take care of the tomato sauce, stirring and adding water as it dries up.
      boiling the pasta
    • When the pasta is ready, take it out of the water and put it into the pan with the sauce. Do not throw away the pasta water, we need it to finish cooking the pasta.
      Finish cooking the pasta in the pan with the tomato sauce, adding one or two ladles of pasta water as the pasta cooks. Stir gently, and cook until the pasta is al dente.
      cooking the pasta pomodoro in the pan
    • Turn off the heat, and if you like, add a couple of extra spoons of extra virgin olive oil. Give it a final stir and serve with some fresh basil leaves on top.
      eating spaghetti al pomodoro

    Video Recipe

    Penne Arrabbiata | Ready in 20 minutes

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    65 Vegan Italian Recipes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 574 Calories from Fat 189
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 21g32%
    Saturated Fat 3g19%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 14g
    Potassium 656mg19%
    Carbohydrates 83g28%
    Dietary Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 15g30%
    Vitamin A 1041IU21%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 23mg28%
    Vitamin E 4mg27%
    Vitamin K 41µg39%
    Calcium 113mg11%
    Folate 42µg11%
    Iron 3mg17%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 89mg22%
    Zinc 2mg13%
    * 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 🙂

    Get more Italian recipe inspiration from these new and fresh ideas:

    • Artichoke Pasta Bake
    • Artichoke Pasta
    • Pumpkin Pasta Bake
    « Tofu Soup
    Tofu Curry »

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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.

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