The older I get the more I love meals where I can just throw whatever I have into one pot, bowl, or skillet. I’ve noticed that these “easy dinners” usually fall into five distinct categories: stir fries, bowl meals, curries, soups and stews, or salads. It doesn’t matter what ingredients you have on hand or what you happened to get at the farmer’s market or in your CSA that week, you can usually toss just about anything into one of these easy vegan dinners.
And guess what? If you have some family members who are vegan and some that aren’t, it’s super easy to cook a meat on the side and add it to individual portions of any of these meals!
Stir Fry
Stir fry is the ultimate use-whatever-you-have meal. All you need is a hot pan, a few handfuls of vegetables or proteins, a simple sauce, and some noodles or rice to spoon to soak up all that delciousness. Ultimately, the stir fry is all about the stir fry sauce. Check out these simple vegan stir fry recipes to explore some different simple stir fry sauces:
Spicy Coconut Vegetable Stir Fry
Spicy Coconut Vegetable Stir Fry
Salad Bar Vegetable Lo Mein
Simple Mushroom Broccoli Stir Fry Noodles
Simple Mushroom Broccoli Stir Fry Noodles
Pan Fried Sesame Tofu with Broccoli
Pan Fried Sesame Tofu with Broccoli
SNAP Challenge: Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles
Bowl Meals
The “bowl meal” formula is easy. Base (grain or greens) + protein + vegetable(s) + sauce. Every bowl is a complete meal, no need to plan side dishes. And an added bonus: bowl meals are great for meal prepping, so tomorrow’s lunch is covered! Here are some of my favorite vegan bowl meals:
Sweet Chili Stir Fried Tofu Bowls
Coconut Jerk Peas with Pineapple Salsa
Coconut Jerk Peas with Pineapple Salsa
Sesame Tempeh Bowls
Broiled Balsamic Vegetables with Lemon Parsley Rice
Broiled Balsamic Vegetables with Lemon Parsley Rice
Soy Marinated Tofu Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Chili Garlic Tofu Bowls
Sweet Potato Grain Bowls with Green Tahini Sauce
Curry
Curries are another “it’s all about the sauce” meal. As long as you have a delicious curry sauce, you can pour it over any vegetable or protein and your meal is going to be awesome. I like to make my curries with either a tomato based sauce or a creamy coconut based sauce. Both varieties are super easy, flavorful, and versatile! Try these simple vegan curries:
Creamy Coconut Curry Lentils with Spinach
Creamy Coconut Curry Lentils with Spinach
Curried Chickpeas with Spinach
Curried Chickpeas with Spinach
Chana Saag
Chana Saag – Chickpea and Spinach Curry
Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Lentils
Salad
Salads aren’t just for side dishes! Pile ’em high with lots of vegetables and whatever protein you prefer, and you’ve got a filling meal with more color, flavor, and texture than most people get in one day. Get creative with your salad greens, too. In addition to the traditional mixed greens, spinach, or Romaine, you can also build a great salad on kale, cabbage, or parsley. Beef up your salad by adding a grain or a handful of nuts for extra filling power. Try these meal-worthy vegan salads:
Roasted Vegetable Salad Meal Prep
Roasted Vegetable Salad Meal Prep
Lemony Artichoke and Quinoa Salad
Lemony Artichoke and Quinoa Salad
Cold Peanut Noodle Salad
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Apple Dijon Kale Salad
Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad
Soup & Stew
Soups and stews are the cold-weather counterpart to my big ol’ summer salads. They’re always very quick and easy to make, they don’t require any difficult cooking skills, and they are so flexible. Plus, because they’re usually large-batch recipes, they’re great for busy people. Soups and stews make great leftovers and often freeze well. So if you’re a busy bee but want to still eat meals full of flavor and texture, check out some of these vegan soups and stews:
Vegetable Barley Soup
Vegan Peanut Stew
Secret Ingredient Tomato Soup
Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen
Easy Rosemary Garlic White Bean Soup
Easy Rosemary Garlic White Bean Soup
Vegan Winter Lentil Stew
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili
Slow Cooker Lentil Vegetarian Chili
Chunky Lentil and Vegetable Soup
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