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15 Easy Vegan Dinner Ideas

December 2, 2019 by Rachel Carr Leave a Comment

Whether you’ve decided to try a vegan diet for the first time, or you’re a long-time vegan/vegetarian and you’re looking to eat healthier this year, time is an issue when it comes to a healthy diet. It’s probably one of the top reasons people get off track from their diet goals! I know it’s been that way for me! I will usually end up eating out when I haven’t made the time to grocery shop or prep ahead for my meals, and then there’s the dreaded “what do we eat tonight?”

If you can relate to that, then I hope that this article will be a great resource for quick, easy dinner ideas.

Before we dive into the recipes, let’s discuss a few things that will help you be ready to cook when it’s time to make dinner…

Stock a Healthy Pantry

Having healthy meals to make in a hurry can really make the difference when switching to a plant based diet. Stocking your kitchen properly will give your the tools and ingredients that are essential for whipping up a healthy meal. Make sure you have a variety of the following items to keep cooking healthy a breeze:

  • nuts – keep a variety as they all have different nutrients. Think almonds, cashews, walnuts, brazil nuts and filberts.
  • seeds – I love pumpkin seeds especially, but I also always have sesame seeds, chia seeds and hemp on hand.
  • legumes – keep your vegan protein on lockdown with healthy legumes like lentils, chickpeas, split peas and black beans.
  • whole grains – I always have quinoa and wild rice, and usually a little jasmine rice as well.
  • organic spices – organic is best as spices are subject to a lot radiation when they are shipped. My favorite spices include cumin, curry powder, black pepper, oregano, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, cayenne, paprika, chipotle powder, and ginger. During the holidays I will use nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
  • sea salt – get rid of your iodized table salt and choose a high quality sea salt to get all those precious minerals!
  • whole grain or gluten free pasta – I don’t eat a lot of pasta but I do keep a container in my pantry for when I am in the mood.
  • olive oil and coconut oil – there are lots of great oils to cook with but I find myself coming back to these two most often
  • maple, agave or date syrup to sweeten things – ditch white sugar and use these sweeteners sparingly when you get a sweet tooth.

Meal prep to make weeknight dinners easier

It’s helpful to spend a few hours at the beginning of the week to prep some of the more labor intensive items for your week so that when it’s time to cook you’re just assembling! I think it’s helpful to make the following things in advance:

  • sauces
  • dressings
  • marinades
  • cut veggies
  • sliced fruit
  • smoothie mixes
  • soups
  • stews
  • casseroles

Now let’s get into the recipes!

Grain Dishes

Green Rice

Roasted Baby Pumpkin with Truffled Wild Rice and Mushrooms

Szechuan Tofu and Sticky Rice

Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Quinoa Risotto

Sandwiches

  • M.A.L.T. Sandwich

Baked Potato or Sweet Potato

  • Curried Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potato

Buddha Bowls

  • Green Goddess Bowl 
  • Chili Glazed Winter Squash Buddha Bowl
  • Oaxacan Buddha Bowl with roasted sweet potato 

Easy Pasta Dishes

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Penne

  • Penne With Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
  • Farfalle with Artichoke and Garlic
  • Truffled Black Pepper Pasta
  • Mac and Cheese

Hearty Soups & Stews

  • Spicy Chickpea Stew 
  • Red Lentil Stew
  • Channa Saag
  • Millet Black Bean Chili

Entree Salads

  • Roasted Delicata Squash Salad
  • Za’atar New Potato Salad

Casseroles

  • Celery Root Shepherd’s Pie
  • Gluten Free Tofu Lasagna

Zoodles!

  • Satay Zucchini Noodles
  • Raw Vegan Zucchini Arrabiata
  • Avocado Pesto Zucchini Pasta

Polenta 

Quinoa and Fresh Corn Polenta

  • Fresh Corn and Quinoa Polenta

Vegan Tacos

  • Lentil Tacos 
  • Raw Vegan Korean Tacos 
  • Mushroom Kabocha Tacos 

Smoothies

  • Vital Greens Smoothie
  • Liquid Sunshine Turmeric Smoothie
  • Raspberry Acai Smoothie Bowl
  • Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Pizza

  • Ancient Grain Pizza with Summer Vegetables

Avocado Toast 

  • Avocado Toast with Watermelon Radish and Chimichurri

Curry

  • Thai Coconut Curry with rice noodles
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Filed Under: Entrees, Fall Recipes, Gluten Free, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes, Supper, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegan Cooking Basics, Vegetarian, Winter Recipes

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Hi! I’m Rachel and I’m the chef behind PlantCraft! I create simple plant based recipes that are as healthy as they are delicious. Many of my recipes are also raw vegan and gluten free. ALL of my recipes are vegan. Bon Apetit!

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