35 Basic Vegan Recipes for New Vegans! | Elephantastic Vegan (2024)

Posted on Last updated:

5 Comments

Being vegan isn’t that easy in the beginning. You basically have to build up a new repertoire of recipes. This round-up includes my absolute favorite breakfast, lunch/dinner, snack, bread, milk, condiment, cheese, and dessert recipes.

35 Basic Vegan Recipes for New Vegans! | Elephantastic Vegan (1)

Whenever you adopt a new diet or lifestyle change, the first days, weeks, or months are the hardest! But I want to make things easy (or at least easier) for you and I’ve included my favorite basic vegan recipes for new vegans in this round-up! These recipes have helped me in my transition phase!

Here’s an overview:

  • Breakfast (savory like tofu scramble and sweet classics like pancakes and waffles)
  • Lunch/Dinner (lots of pasta (because quick!!), veggie balls and pulled portobello tacos)
  • Meat & Fish Alternatives (such as seitan steak, seitan sausages, banana blossom fish and crab cakes)
  • Snacks (hummus and crackers are life!)
  • Bread(A basic white bread loaf, carrot bread, naan, crispy flatbread,…)
  • Milk (almond and hazelnut milk are my favorites for drinking, coconut milk for cooking)
  • Condiment/Spreads/Dips (date-sweetened BBQ sauce, garlic sunflower seed dressing, 3-ingredient caramel sauce,..)
  • Cheese (cashew and almond parmesan, oooey-gooey nooch cheese and baked almond feta)
  • Dessert (muffins, chocolate chip cookies, cake and ice cream – the holy grail of desserts?)

Vegan Breakfast Recipes

Quick & Easy Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble is THE perfect vegan alternative for scrambled eggs. A special ingredient will make it taste and smell super eggy!

Get the recipe

Vegan Banana Bread Pancakes with Chocolate Chunks

Looking for a dairy-free and egg-free pancake recipe? Then you’ll love these vegan Banana Bread Pancakes with Chocolate Chunks! And you’ll never have to decide between banana bread and pancakes again!

Get the recipe

Vegan Chai Waffles

These vegan Chai Waffles topped with maple syrup taste and smell just like Christmas. These are made without eggs or dairy – but 100% flavorful. With cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and all the typical chai spices!

Get the recipe

Vegan Gingerbread Granola

This vegan Gingerbread Granola smells and tastes just like Christmas. It’s easy to make and includes all the typical gingerbread spices: ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Get the recipe

Vegan Blueberry Overnight Oats

Recipe for vegan and gluten-free Blueberry Overnight Oats. Prepare the oats the day ahead and top with warm blueberry sauce the next morning. So good!

Get the recipe

Raspberry Chia Pudding

Recipe for a vegan and gluten-free Raspberry Chia Pudding. Chia Puddings are awesome because you can make them the night before and therefore enjoy them in the morning without any hassle.

Get the recipe

Quick & Easy Lunch & Dinner Ideas

Easy Tomato Olive Pasta (Vegan)

This easy Tomato Olive Pasta Recipe is the perfect quick and fuss-free lunch or dinner! Ready in just 15 minutes and made with basic ingredients.

Get the recipe

Vegan Pulled Portobello Tacos

Pulled Portobello is a great vegetarian and vegan alternative to pulled pork. These Pulled Portobello Tacos are easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Get the recipe

Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

Soy granule is the perfect alternative for the traditional meaty Bolognese sauce! This vegan Spaghetti Bolognese is quick to make, tastes like the real deal and no one would think it’s vegan!

Get the recipe

BBQ Couscous Bowl

Recipe for a simple BBQ Couscous Bowl with curried couscous, broccoli and tofu, slathered in BBQ Sauce. It’s the perfect healthy lunch or ideal to bring to work/school.

Get the recipe

Veggie Balls (IKEA-style)

These IKEA-style Veggie Balls are made with chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, corn, and peas. They are flavorful and easy to make. Packed with flavor and nutrients.

Get the recipe

Meat & Fish Alternatives

Homemade Vegan Sausages

No need to buy expensive veggie sausages anymore! These Homemade Vegan Sausages are easy to make and delicious. Thanks to two tricks, they are not tough and rubbery like seitan often is.

Get the recipe

Vegan Seitan Steak

This vegan Seitan Steak is juicy and super easy to make! You can combine all the ingredients in a food processor – so no kneading required! By adding sparkling water and canned chickpeas to the mix, our seitan is softer than many of the tough seitan cutlets you can usually buy in stores. It goes perfectly with roasted potatoes and herb butter.

Get the recipe

Vegan Tempeh Bacon

Real bacon is high in cholesterol and saturated fats! This Vegan Tempeh Bacon is a much healthier plant-based alternative. It’s quick and easy and you can make it in the pan. The tempeh slices are smoky and crispy – perfect for breakfast with some tofu scramble or in wraps, burgers etc.!

Get the recipe

Banana Blossom Vegan Fish

This Vegan Fish made with Banana Blossoms is life-changing – especially if you thought that you would never eat anything tastes like fish again! The soft and flaky texture of the banana flowers is perfect as the base!

Get the recipe

Vegan Crab Cakes

These vegan Crab Cakes are quick and easy to make. I've added all the typical ingredients for a fishy flavor: nori, dill, lemon juice, and capers to a hearty base of artichokes and chickpeas. Delicious!

Get the recipe

Vegan Smoked Salmon (Carrot Lox)

You can make delicious vegan Smoked Salmon out of carrots! Everything Bagel + Vegan Cream Cheese + Carrot Lox = HEAVEN!

Get the recipe

Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad

Chickpeas make a great tuna-inspired sandwich filling. The dill, nori, capers, lemon juice, mustard, and tahini add to that typical flavor. The „tuna“ salad is also delicious in wraps!

Get the recipe

Easy Vegan Snack Recipes

The Best Hummus made with dried chickpeas

Say Hello to your new favorite Hummus recipe made from dried chickpeas.

Recipe yields 1 1/2 cups.

Get the recipe

Vegan Za’atar Crackers

With a few simple ingredients you can make delicious crackers. Top them with za’atar seasoning and you have the best crispy Za’atar Crackers ever! Vegan.

Get the recipe

Better-than-store-bought Vegan Breads

Basic White Bread

You can use this basic white bread recipe for all kinds of breads: bread loaves, burger buns, flatbread, pizza crust, bagels, pretzels,… Anything is possible!

Get the recipe

Mixed Flour Carrot Bread

Recipe for an easy-to-make and super flavorful vegan Carrot Bread using two kinds of flours. With lots of flax seeds and caraway seeds.

Get the recipe

Crispy Sesame Flatbread

Recipe for a crispy, yeast-free, vegan Sesame Flatbread. It’s the perfect bread to enjoy with hummus or to serve with soups! So easy to make and it’s quite addictive!

Get the recipe

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread)

Easy Vegan Naan – if you’re into super fluffy flatbreads, then this is THE recipe for you! The dough is just a simple yeast dough, which you can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Get the recipe

Vegan Sandwich Bread

Nothing is better than freshly baked, warm, homemade bread! This fluffy vegan Sandwich Bread is easy to make and smells amazing!

Get the recipe

Plant-Based Milk Recipes

Date-Sweetened Hazelnut Milk

Do you want to make your own Hazelnut Milk at home? It’s actually super easy! I have a date-sweetened recipe for you, that is super yummy and delicious. It’s great for cereals, chia puddings or for hot cocoa.

Get the recipe

Almond Milk

Recipe for homemade, from-scratch Almond Milk. Super silky and better than store-bought! Add sweeteners, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon or whatever you feel like!

Get the recipe

How to make Homemade Coconut Milk

You want to make your own Coconut Milk? Great idea! It’s super easy to make and I’ll show you how! It is perfect for cooking e.g. curries.

Get the recipe

Condiments and Sauces

Vegan Peppercorn Sauce

This Vegan Peppercorn Sauce is quick & easy and you only need staple ingredients to make it. It's perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts and helps bring them to the next level!

Get the recipe

Vegan Date-Sweetened BBQ Sauce

Recipe for a vegan, date-sweetened BBQ sauce. The perfect condiment for cookouts! It’s smoky and sweet, perfect for tofu, tempeh, and grilled veggies!

Get the recipe

Vegan Mango Chutney

Recipe for an easy-to-make and delicious vegan Mango Chutney made with a fresh mango. It’s perfect to spread on papadums (crispy Indian bread) or to serve with summer rolls or crispy homemade vegetable pakoras!

Get the recipe

Vegan ‘Meaty’ Tomato Dip

This is the perfect smoky & ‘meaty’ Tomato Dip to serve with Tortilla Chips! Thanks to soy granule, no one will know that it’s actually vegan!

Get the recipe

Garlic Sunflower Seed Dressing

This raw, vegan and glutenfree Garlic Sunflower Seed Dressing can be used as a super delicious dip or on a salad as a dressing – you simply adjust the consistency by adding more or less water.

Get the recipe

Vegan (Salted) Caramel Sauce

This is the easiest vegan Caramel Sauce ever! You’ll only need 3 ingredients and 1 minute to whisk it together! Drizzle it over nice cream, pancakes, or crepes! It’s true magic!

Get the recipe

Vegan Cheese Recipes

Vegan Cashew Parmesan

Vegan Parmesan is one of the super-easy-to-make homemade staples. You’ll only need three ingredients! Make some vegan Parmesan now because it’s perfect for pasta, pizza, risotto and so much more! It keeps for a long time.

Get the recipe

Almigiano – Vegan Almond Parmesan

Recipe for a vegan Almond Parmesan, perfect over pasta, lasagna, pizza or rice-based dishes. This is not only a dairy-free alternative to traditional parmesan, but also gluten-free and free of all animal products.

Get the recipe

Nooch Cheese Sauce

Easy and quick homemade vegan Cheese Sauce. Try this Nooch Cheese Sauce with Nutritional Yeast Flakes. Perfect for Lasagne or Mac & Cheese.

Get the recipe

Baked Almond Feta with Rosemary

Recipe for a vegan Baked Almond Feta with Rosemary. Made with the leftover almond pulp from making almond milk! Perfect to crumble over pasta, lasagna, or risotto!

Get the recipe

Cashew Mozzarella

Easy recipe for a vegan Mozzarella Cheese made out of cashews. You’ll only need 7 ingredients! It’s perfect for pizza, quesadillas, or grilled cheese sandwiches!

Get the recipe

Sweets and Desserts

Soft Baked Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies I’ve ever made. They are soft with a slight crisp on the outside, slightly flaky, slightly fudgy. Plus they are really easy and quick to make. You’ll only need 6 basic ingredients!

Get the recipe

Peanut Butter Nice Cream with Magic Chocolate Shell

This Salted Peanut Butter Nice Cream topped with Magic Chocolate Shell and Chocolate Granola is a dream come true! I’ll gladly skip any breakfast/lunch/dinner for this treat!

Get the recipe

Vegan Blueberry Lemon Streusel Muffins

Recipe for vegan Blueberry Lemon Streusel Muffins. The tangy lemon streusel go perfectly well with the sweet blueberry muffins. So easy and so good! You don’t need any dairy or eggs for muffins.

Get the recipe

Vegan Rhubarb Crumble Cake

Recipe for a super fluffy vegan Rhubarb Crumble Cake – all dairy-free and egg-free. The cake consists of a simple one-bowl vanilla batter, soft rhubarb pieces and perfectly browned crumble / streusel.

Get the recipe

Vegan Blueberry Ombre Popsicles

You’ll only need 2 ingredients for these Vegan Blueberry Ombre Popsicles! They are the perfect summer treat and look so pretty!

Get the recipe

Don’t forget to bookmark or pin this page, so you’ll always have the recipes handy when you need them.

Let me know in the comments below, what are your favorite basic vegan recipes?

35 Basic Vegan Recipes for New Vegans! | Elephantastic Vegan (46)

The Beginner’s Guide to Everyday Vegan Cooking is out now!

Whether you’re trying to make the switch, a struggling vegan or just looking for a way to include more plant-based recipes in your diet – We’ve got you covered!
The book includes:
* 75+ veginner-friendly and well-tested recipes
* Bianca’s Kitchen Hacks & Sascha’s Landmine Situations
* and much more!

35 Basic Vegan Recipes for New Vegans! | Elephantastic Vegan (47)

Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they will help me keep this site up and running!

35 Basic Vegan Recipes for New Vegans! | Elephantastic Vegan (2024)

FAQs

What are the rules for the 7 day vegan challenge? ›

No meat, poultry, seafood, dairy or eggs for 7 days (any 7 straight days). Announce to your friends, family, followers that you're doing the challenge. Add your name to the list of Challengers. Use the recipes/meal plans on this site if you like.

Can vegans eat pasta? ›

Do vegans eat pasta? Most packaged pasta—including spaghetti, penne, and more—is vegan. It's worth checking the label to be sure, as some pasta contains eggs, but most of the pasta you see on the supermarket shelves is 100% vegan!

What food do vegans eat? ›

A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

How to eat vegan without cooking? ›

16 No-Cook Vegan Recipes to Beat the Heat
  1. Berry Overnight Oats.
  2. Chia Breakfast Parfait.
  3. Enchanted Smoothie Bowl.
  4. Chickpea Salad Rolls.
  5. Tofu "Egg" Salad Sandwich.
  6. Rainbow Hummus Sandwich.
  7. Thai Crunch Salad With Peanut Dressing.
  8. Rainbow Salad.
Jul 21, 2022

What happens to your body when you go vegan for a week? ›

At the start of a change to a vegan diet, you could experience a variety of differences to your body. These may include being hungrier, getting gassier, a change in your skin or body odor, weight loss or gain, better or worse sleep, headaches, tiredness, or having more energy.

How much weight can you lose in 2 weeks on a vegan diet? ›

Vegan diet to lose weight

Studies have shown that a vegan diet can reduce your weight by an average of 5.6 pounds in 18 weeks, or less or more than a third of a pound per week!

Why is rice not vegan? ›

Is white rice vegan? Plain white rice is, generally speaking, vegan. It contains only the rice grain without the hull, making it a good alternative for people who have trouble processing high-fiber foods. White rice often comes topped with non-vegan butter, so be sure to order yours plain.

Is peanut butter vegan? ›

The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.

Can vegans have pizza? ›

If you're a diehard pizza fan, you may be under the impression that if you were to change your diet to vegetarian or vegan, you wouldn't be able to enjoy your favorite food any longer. This just isn't true! Pizza is still a staple among those following a meat-free or completely plant-based diet.

What snack foods can vegans eat? ›

52 vegan snacks
  • Vegan flapjacks. A star rating of 4.4 out of 5. ...
  • Curried cashew dip. A star rating of 4.2 out of 5. ...
  • Protein balls. A star rating of 5 out of 5. ...
  • Marinated tofu. A star rating of 0 out of 5. ...
  • Hummus snack packs. A star rating of 5 out of 5. ...
  • Chickpea panisse. ...
  • Spicy microwave popcorn. ...
  • Spicy sweet potato hummus.

How to eat vegan for beginners? ›

  1. Make Vegetables the Stars of Your Meals. ...
  2. Eat a Variety of Foods. ...
  3. Choose Whole Grains. ...
  4. Discover New Plant-Based Proteins. ...
  5. Don't Assume Vegan Food Products Are Healthier. ...
  6. Focus On Fish-Free Omega-3s. ...
  7. Don't Forget About Vitamin D. ...
  8. Pump Up Your Iron.
Sep 30, 2022

How to be vegan when you're broke? ›

Staple vegan foods such as oats, lentils, pasta, rice and chickpeas are among the cheapest foods and are in *a lot* of vegan recipes, so should definitely make an appearance on your list. Oh, and avoid shopping whilst hungry. You're more likely to stray from the plan...

What not to eat when going vegan? ›

Vegans don't eat any foods made from animals, including:
  • Beef, pork, lamb, and other red meat.
  • Chicken, duck, and other poultry.
  • Fish or shellfish such as crabs, clams, and mussels.
  • Eggs.
  • Cheese.
  • Butter.
  • Milk, cream, ice cream, and other dairy products.
  • Mayonnaise (because it includes egg yolks)
Nov 3, 2023

What is 7th day vegan? ›

Seventh-day Adventists are a Christian denomination that is widely known for its emphasis on health and wellness. One of the most notable practices of Adventists is their commitment to a plant-based diet. While not all Adventists are vegetarian, only 40% choose to abstain from eating meat.

What should I eat in a week vegan? ›

What to Eat on a Vegan Diet
  • Beans.
  • Lentils.
  • Edamame.
  • Soy.
  • Tofu.
  • Nuts, seeds and nut butters.
  • Whole grains (oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, wheat bread)
  • Seitan.
Nov 11, 2023

What are the rules for vegan before 6? ›

Limitations: From the time you wake up in the morning until dinner or 6 p.m., you may eat only a vegan diet, featuring fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. For dinner, nothing is off-limits -- you may eat whatever you like.

How long does it take to detox after going vegan? ›

1. Short-term vegan cleanse – This group often uses the vegan diet to cleanse their bodies usually between 3-30 days. 2. Lifestyle change – This group are those going vegan for long-term health benefits, ethics and/or environmental reasons.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Last Updated:

Views: 5466

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Birthday: 1998-02-19

Address: 64841 Delmar Isle, North Wiley, OR 74073

Phone: +17844167847676

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: LARPing, Kitesurfing, Sewing, Digital arts, Sand art, Gardening, Dance

Introduction: My name is Amb. Frankie Simonis, I am a hilarious, enchanting, energetic, cooperative, innocent, cute, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.