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    Home » Collections

    Vegan Summer Recipes (Dinners & Desserts)

    Published: May 7, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Wondering what to make for dinner and dessert on a hot summer night? We have rounded up over 40 of the best light vegan summer recipes, including quick summer pasta, summer salads for dinner, recipes for a light and fruity vegan dessert, and more! Plus, many of these recipes are quick and easy 30-minute meals with just a few simple ingredients.

    Browse through this list, and take your pick from vegan and fulfilling summer dinner ideas. We're sure you'll find your next summer favorite on this list!

    vegan summer recipes including dinners and desserts

    BEST VEGAN SUMMER RECIPES

    Vegan Summer appetizers

    Perfect for summer nights with friends, barbecues, and game nights. Finger food, light bites, and easy appetizers that are kids-friendly and will please the crowd.

    1

    Vegan Egg Salad

    We start this vegan summer list with an idea for vegan nibbles; vegan egg salad served on crunchy slices of cucumber. No cooking is required and very refreshing, this vegan egg salad takes just 10 minutes to prep with easy-to-find ingredients.

    2

    Vegan Tzatziki

    A must-have for a barbecue night. This vegan tzatziki is perfect with focaccia, toasted bread, and veggie sticks as a light and quick starter.

    3

    Guacamole

    Homemade guacamole is probably the best dip in the world. Tasty, healthy, and a crowd-pleaser, especially when served with some crunchy tortilla chips.

    4

    Vegan Tuna

    Vegan tuna is a quick and easy recipe made with mashed chickpeas. It's fun to serve as an appetizer, stuffed in cherry tomatoes or in leaves of lettuce.

    5

    Mini pizzas

    Mini pizzas are one of the most popular finger foods in Italy. They are usually served as a fun, crunchy starter, perfect for birthdays, buffets, and festive gatherings.

    Vegan Summer Dinners

    Light, crunchy, and with fresh ingredients. These vegan summer dinners are perfect for barbecues, picnics, and summer parties. We've also listed some easy sides for a vegan grill night, please enjoy.

    6

    Vegan potato salad

    This vegan potato salad is a fresh and light side dish with herbs, lemon, and olive oil. It's naturally vegan and with our trick, you'll get a super creamy dressing that we are sure you'll love!

    7

    Vegan pasta salad with lemon vinaigrette

    An easy pasta salad that you can make ahead before your guests arrive. Incredibly nutritious and full of healthy vitamins, and it's a super handy picnic recipe too.

    8

    Lemon Tofu

    A great way to serve plant-based protein is with this vegan lemon tofu. It takes just 10 mins to make and has a refreshing flavor that is perfect for those hot summer nights.

    9

    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. The perfect replacement for white fish.

    10

    Panzanella salad

    Panzanella salad is a traditional Italian summer dish made with simple seasonal vegetables and leftover stale bread and is one of the most underrated salad recipes.

    11

    Vegan Chickpea Salad

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

    12

    Tofu Salad (Creamy Dressing)

    This is the perfect springtime and summertime dish. Tofu’s remarkable ability to get flavorful and crunchy makes it the ideal protein choice for this healthy yet delicious meal.

    13

    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, and grated lemon zest on top for a summer-friendly and light meal.

    14

    Eggplant Caponata

    Caponata is an Italian eggplant salad with a delicious sweet and sour flavor. We make it with oven-baked eggplant (instead of deep-fried) in less than 45 minutes. A perfect side dish for summer and social events.

    15

    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. A delightful summer dinner, it's simple yet incredibly delicious.

    16

    Rice Salad

    This easy rice salad is adapted from the Italian rice salad and it's the perfect summer dish, easy to prepare in advance, and bring with you for a picnic outdoors. It's even better when served with our vegan mayonnaise.

    17

    Italian Flatbread (Piadina)

    Piadina is a thin yeast-free Italian flatbread that you can fill with anything you like and enjoy for a light lunch, snack, or dinner. Perfect for guests as they can choose their favorite fillings and get the vegan wrap, they want.

    18

    Couscous with Vegetables

    Couscous with vegetables is a delicious way of enjoying couscous. This is an easy side dish or main that you can make in less than 30 minutes, with seasonal veggies and herbs.

    19

    Vegan Zucchini Pie

    This zucchini pie is made with a soft a delicious crust that hugs an eggy, cheesy, zucchini filling. It's incredibly satisfying, indulgent, and yet so nutritious. A perfect summer pie that will please vegans as well as non-vegans.

    20

    Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad

    This tomato cucumber onion salad is a crunchy, refreshing, simple dish that you can enjoy as a starter or as a side dish. Pick your favorite tomatoes, and for extra protein, add in fried and crunchy tofu.

    21

    Vegan Couscous Salad

    This vegan couscous salad is easy, fresh, crunchy, and nutritious. Follow our recommendations or make it with your favorite veggies. A perfect summer meal for dinners or picnics.

    22

    Vegan frittata - no eggs, no tofu

    Would you believe me if I told you that this eggless vegan frittata, made in 15 minutes with chickpea flour, is just as good as a traditional frittata? Serve it as a starter or side dish for friends or bring on a picnic, it's delicious.

    23

    Flatbread Pizza

    Perfect for pizza night - this flatbread pizza recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients. You'll get flatbreads that are soft but with a crunch, and light to eat. Top with our vegan melted cheese for the most indulgent result.

    24

    Farinata (Socca)

    Chickpea flour and oil make this quick and easy chickpea socca. It's perfect as a starter, snack, or even as dinner if you add toppings to it.

    25

    Vegan Lemon Pasta

    Vegan lemon pasta, or "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.

    26

    Vegan stuffed bell peppers

    These vegan stuffed bell peppers are easy to make, tasty, and fulfilling. You can fill them with your favorite grain and legumes, we show you several combinations below. Top with our vegan ricotta cheese for the best result.

    27

    Vegan eggplant 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 vegan homemade parmesan. Simple and affordable, yet incredibly satiating.

    28

    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. A colorful and healthy summer-dish.

    Vegan Summer Desserts

    Sponge cakes, fruit tarts, and pies - all vegan and delicious! Take your pick from these homemade vegan desserts with simple ingredients.

    29

    Vegan Meringues

    Vegan Meringues are easy, crunchy, and light. Learn how to make them with 2 ingredients: aquafaba and sugar. These meringues take 10 minutes to make and 90 minutes to bake to perfection.

    30

    Vegan custard (pastry cream)

    The perfect easy and light base for most summer desserts. You can use this custard in tarts, cakes, pastries, and other desserts. You can also flavor it with vanilla, lemon, chocolate, and much more. Here, we'll show you how.

    31

    Coffee Mousse

    This simple, 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.

    32

    Vegan Panna Cotta

    Our vegan panna cotta is similar to the original Italian panna cotta in both texture and flavour. When we first tried it we were surprised by how simple and delicious it is. You can make it in 10 minutes, without gelatine, dairy-free and nut-free.

    33

    No bake vegan cheesecake - no cashews

    This no-bake vegan cheesecake is the best! It's made with no-nuts, no-blending, no-cooking, and goes straight into the refrigerator to set. It's easy to make, smooth, fluffy, rich and creamy and it cuts perfectly.

    34

    Vegan lemon bars

    These vegan lemon bars are easy to make, delicious, and full of lemon flavor thanks to a finger-licking vegan lemon curd.

    35

    Vegan Cannoli Recipe

    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.

    36

    Vegan Lemon Cake

    This vegan lemon cake is soft, light, moist, and incredibly easy to make, with a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

    37

    Apricot tart with frangipane

    This apricot tart is made with an easy-to-make pie crust, filled with frangipane, and packed with fresh apricots. It's such an easy tart to make, with simple ingredients, in under 1 hour.

    38

    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.

    39

    Fruit pizza

    Fruit pizza is an easy, fun, crunchy and refreshing recipe made with a quick, homemade sugar cookie pie crust base, topped with dairy-free cream cheese and a mix of fresh seasonal fruit.

    40

    Vegan 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.

    41

    Vegan strawberry tart

    This tart is made with a crunchy vegan 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.

    TIPS FOR VEGAN SUMMER 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.

    It is definitely possible (and quite easy) to make a delightful vegan summer meal with starter, mains and desserts included. Hot weather is merely an occasion to serve delicious raw vegan salads and light mains. If you're looking for additional ideas or you're hosting a vegan dinner party, check out these lists:

    • 25 vegetable side dishes
    • 30 vegan beginner recipes
    • 25 vegan salad recipes
    • 29 easy vegan dinners
    • 40 vegan pasta recipes
    • 65 vegan Italian recipes

    If you made any of these recipes, please leave us a comment in the sections below. It helps us improve our recipes and bring value to other people too.

    For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page.

    vegan summer recipes including dinners and desserts

    BEST Vegan Summer Recipes

    Author: Nico
    Over 40 best and tasty Vegan Summer Recipes that are easy to make, healthy, vegetarian and vegan too. Browse through, and pick your favorite summer recipe, for pasta, rice salads, pies and many more.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 300 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • Pick your favorite summer dinner or dessert
    • Read the recipe for ingredients required
    • Make the recipe by following the instructions

    Instructions
     

    • 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 to a freezer-friendly container, leaving some space to allow them to expand. 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.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    BEST Vegan Summer Recipes
    Amount Per Serving (150 g)
    Calories 300
    * 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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    « 12 Best Vegan Mushroom Recipes (Dinners and Sides)
    Lazy Vegan Recipes (20-min meals) »

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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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