47 Vegan Dinner Ideas You Didn't Even Realize You Were Craving

These sweet potato and white bean burgers are packed with a flavorful blend of spices, like garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and red pepper flakes. Serve on buns with chipotle mayo, avocado, and red onion for a super satisfying sandwich.

Recipe: Sweet Potato & White Bean Burgers

Cauliflower and mushrooms are sautéed with tons of spices for a flavorful blend that's even better than ground meat. Serve in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, or however you'd like!

Recipe: Cauliflower "Meat" Tacos

For a warm and cozy dinner, look no further than this hearty lentil loaf. Packed with veggies like carrot, celery, onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper for a boost of flavor and nutrition, it's comfort food at its finest. 

Recipe: Veggie-Packed Lentil Loaf

Hearty and full of flavor, this veggie-packed stew comes together in one pot in under thirty minutes. Make a double batch and store leftovers in the fridge for easy lunches or dinners all week.

Recipe: Chickpea Sweet Potato Stew

Skip the takeout and whip up this tofu and broccoli dish instead. The sauce is full of flavor from garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.

Recipe: Tofu and Broccoli

You won't miss the beef when you taste this savory mushroom stroganoff. Plus, it comes together in just one pot for easy clean-up.

Recipe: Mushroom Stroganoff

Though this sauce is optimized for tempeh, you can also use it on tofu for an equally delicious vegan main dish. 

Recipe: General Tso’s Tempeh

This is one of those vegan dinner recipes that makes you realize dairy isn't a requirement for a perfectly creamy sauce. 

Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Vegan Mac 'N' Cheese

There's something about pulled pork that's so texturally convenient (it's basically protein broken up into the most chewable size), not to mention optimized for flavor. Good thing jackfruit makes a great vegan stand-in! Because when each fragment of jackfruit "meat" is so thin, you know that every bite is going to be packed with flavorful, rich marinade. 

Recipe: Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Don't have the exact vegetables on hand? Feel free to swap out carrots and snap peas for bell peppers, sliced water chestnuts, or onions. This recipe is a great base for throwing in veggies you need to use up quickly from the fridge.

Recipe: Veggie Garlic Noodles

A perfect Sunday recipe that'll reward your hour of prep work with a heart-warming and filling cottage pie.

Recipe: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

This recipe kept me sane and well-fed throughout the pandemic, and I continue to use it to bake at least one homemade pizza a month. Don't have a pizza stone? Use an inverted baking sheet. 

Recipe: Ultimate Homemade Pizza

If you're a fan of alternative meats like crumbled tofu "beef," add that in lieu of (or in addition to) the lentils.

Recipe: Vegan Lasagna Soup

Make a large batch of this salad on a Sunday to guarantee a fresh, tasty lunch for every day of the week. 

Recipe: Avocado Quinoa Power Salad

There's nothing like a three-ingredient meal to remind you that some of the most delicious meals are also the simplest.

Recipe: Spaghetti With Garlic And Oil Pasta

Made with chiles, garlic, and vinegar, this al pastor marinade turns anything — especially mild vegetables like butternut squash — into a perfectly-spiced bite.

Recipe: Vegan Butternut Squash Al Pastor Tacos

When homemade, even a simple red tomato sauce can transform pasta into a five-star meal.

Recipe: Penne With Tomato Sauce Pasta

Made with soy sauce, chipotle chili powder, and garlic powder, these chickpeas taste fantastic in tacos, bowls, or salads.

Recipe: Chipotle Chickpea Tacos

Savory tahini dressing + roasted cauliflower salad = an irresistible lunch dish that'll have you stocking your fridge with cauliflower.

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Short on time? Start by preheating the oven, then roast the eggplant and bell peppers and boil the potatoes at the same time. 

Recipe: Eggplant Potato Tomato Stew

This simple curry recipe awards home chefs with the depth of flavor and plenty of protein in every bite. 

Recipe: Easy Chickpea Curry (Channa Masala)

This recipe, which calls for extra-firm tofu that's crumbled and seasoned with soy sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, and other spices, is a tasty testament to just how versatile tofu can be.  

Recipe: Sofritas Burrito Bowl

If you're serving a group of vegans and meat lovers alike, cook up this mushroom Wellington. It has enough umami flavor and puff pastry to please everyone at the table.

Recipe: Mushroom Wellington

Serve with a layer of guacamole for an even more decadent burger. 

Recipe: Black Bean & Roasted Red Pepper Veggie Burgers

This one-pot dish comes together in less than 30 minutes and can be easily reheated with just a bit of water. Serve with vegan Parmesan for a kick of salty umami.

Recipe: Tuscan White Beans

If you're a self-proclaimed beginner in the kitchen, try making this pesto. Just add all the ingredients to a blender and boom — you have flavorful, fresh pesto so good you could sell it. 

Recipe: Vegan Pesto Pasta

The absolute easiest way to make gnocchi might be with cauliflower. Just toss flour, salt, olive oil, and some steamed cauliflower into a food processor, and you're basically ready to shape homemade gnocchi. 

Recipe: Cauliflower Gnocchi

This recipe gets its color and rich flavor from dry red wine — which, coincidentally, is also the ideal beverage to pair it with. 

Recipe: Hearty Vegetable Stew

As the commenters can confirm, this recipe is super adaptable. Zucchini squash, garlic, and sweet potato all go great in this versatile "meat" sauce, depending on what veggies you have on hand.

Recipe: One-Pot Lentil Bolognese

These meatballs come together with a mixture of mushrooms, beans, onion, bread crumbs, parsley, and other seasonings. If your mixture feels crumbly, make the balls a little smaller and try adding more breadcrumbs.

Recipe: One-Pot Vegan Swedish "Meatball" Pasta

If you don't have a potato masher to use for this recipe, a sturdy fork or whisk gets the job done, too. 

Recipe: Sweet Potato & White Bean Burgers

Add a dollop of hummus or half a sliced avocado for an extra touch of creaminess. 

Recipe: Farro Lentil Salad

Note that the sauce thickens up considerably once it's cooled down, so don't throw out the reserved liquid until you're sure you have the right consistency.

Recipe: Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta

In Valencia, Spain, paella is often served in the very pan that it's cooked in — a testament to the importance of the delectably crispy rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan. For an easier clean-up, use a non-stick pan. 

Recipe: Meatless Paella

While this recipe includes instructions for homemade BBQ sauce, you can also use a store-bought variation for the same delicious results. 

Recipe: Sweet Potato Chickpea BBQ Veggie Burgers

This is another great recipe to make on Sunday evening for a dinner that leaves enough leftovers for a few weekday lunches.

Recipe: One-Pot Butternut Squash Pilaf

Walnuts are a vegan's best friend — they're crunchy, great for texture, and are packed with ~good fats~. 

Recipe: Cauliflower Walnut Burritos

Tempeh is the underrated star of the meat-free protein world. It packs 18 grams of protein per three-ounce serving and, as this recipe proves, is easy to dress up with your favorite spices. 

Recipe: Tempeh Taco Salad

Five ingredients are all you need for this pad Thai sauce — plus all the red Thai chiles your mouth can handle. 

Recipe: Vegan Pad Thai

At least once a month during the summer season, I find myself googling "best dishes to take to a BBQ." And this summer pasta salad — which is easy to transport, tastes great at room temperature, and is irresistible to all palates — seems to tick every box. 

Recipe: Grilled Corn Summer Pasta Salad

This meal — which consists of rice, pigeon peas, vegetables, and plenty of seasoning — is so good, it's actually Puerto Rico's national dish. 

Recipe: Arroz Con Gandules

If you have nutritional yeast and a few basic ingredients — including onion powder, carrots, potatoes, and vegetable broth — then you can make this heavenly "cheese" sauce. You'll want to put it on every savory dish you make from here on out, trust me. 

Recipe: Vegan Mushroom “Cheesesteak” Sandwich

It's all about texture in this recipe for meatless sloppy joes, which relies on finely diced onion, bell peppers, and textured vegetable protein (or defatted soy flour) to create that satisfying bite. 

Recipe: Meatless Sloppy Joes

Spicy seared tofu + crisp refreshing veggies + soft buns = 💓

Recipe: Vegan Tofu Bao Buns With Pickled Vegetables

It tastes so much like chicken, we put it in the name. If you're transitioning into a meat-free lifestyle, this recipe is a great one to add to your dinner rotation. 

Recipe: Stir-Fry Tofu That Tastes Like Chicken

To complete this meal, serve the cauliflower in a warm pita pocket with pickled vegetables and lemon yogurt. 

Recipe: Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Prepare the chickpea mixture ahead of time, then fry or bake them as soon as you're ready to eat for optimal crispiness. 

Recipe: Homemade Falafel