56 vegan meal ideas

We also have a dedicated section for healthy vegan recipes that are low in calories, as well as our favourite dairy-free dinner recipes and dairy-free recipes. Or try our vegan baking ideas, including vegan banana bread and vegan brownies.

To find out more about meat alternatives, listen to our olive podcast on the 10 things you need to know about meat alternatives and then try our tempeh recipes.

Expert Richard Makin, aka School Night Vegan, shares his secrets to plant-based recipes...

Inspired plant-based cooking can be pretty daunting. Whether you’re simply trying to eat less meat or you’re cutting out animal products cold turkey (pun intended), it can be challenging to make a plate of plants appealing. With a couple of tips and a handful of secret ingredients, however, you’ll be a vegan kitchen boss in no time. Here’s everything you wanted to know about getting the most out of vegan cooking.

Vegan meal ideas

Tempeh stir-fry

A nutty sauce pairs perfectly with the tempeh. It tastes great with rice or noodles and makes a brilliant, healthy lunchbox meal.

Vegan orzo one pot with dill yogurt

Toasting the orzo brings out its nutty flavour, which goes really well with the gentle spices in this dish.

Vegan pasta bake

Make an umami-rich vegan ragu with mushrooms and carrots, plus pre-cooked lentils to minimise prep time. Delicious baked in the oven with vegan cheese.

Crispy baked tofu

This versatile, protein-rich ingredient is given the crisp factor with our foolproof method.

Tempeh curry

This speedy plant-based curry is perfect for a midweek meal, and it's great for using up any veg you have in the fridge.

Marinated tempeh

The slight spice in this marinade adds flavour and colour to your tempeh. It's the perfect addition to any meal if you're looking for extra protein.

Giant vegan Wellington

Our giant wellington is a showstopping centrepiece packed with roasted red peppers, cooked beetroot and kale. Plus, we've made a vegan stuffing and glazed the pastry in marmite to take it to the next level.

Spinach chickpea and potato curry

Try our lightly-spiced vegan curry for a wholesome midweek meal for four that uses up your storecupboard ingredients such as tomatoes and chickpeas.

Vegan mac and cheese

Our vegan expert Richard Makin shares his secrets to perfecting this plant-based version of a comforting classic, made extra rich and indulgent with white miso.

Vegetarian shepherd’s pie

Looking for a comfort food dish to serve all the family? Try this vegetarian and vegan recipe for spiced lentil shepherd's pie which is a great vegan version of a classic. It's ready in 1 hour and is enough to feed the whole family.

Five bean chilli

Make the most of storecupboard tins in this easy vegan bean chilli. Serve this comforting one-pot with brown rice, avocado, coriander and dairy-free yogurt for a nourishing dinner.

Vegan lasagne

This lasagne is full of warming flavours, but lower in calories and contains less saturated fat than the traditional dish. It’s also vegan – perfect for anyone participating in Veganuary.

Vegan aubergine curry

Cook aubergine pieces with fragrant spices and red lentils for a hearty yet healthy vegan aubergine dhansak to feed the whole family. Enjoy with pilau rice.

Carrot and coriander soup with spicy flatbread croutons

Make this warming carrot and coriander soup for lunch and then jazz it up with Ras el hanout-spiced crunchy flatbread croutons. A comforting vegan meal for four.

Vegan bolognese

Make your bolognese meat-free with a rich ragu of dried porcini and chestnut mushrooms, and plenty of vegetables for a low-fat, vegan meal.

Tomato and red pepper soup

Soup isn't just for winter – this summery tomato and red pepper soup makes a great lunch on a warm day and will use up that glut of tomatoes from the garden, too.

Vegan tacos

These tacos are brilliant for entertaining: simply serve the warmed tortillas with the veg and beans, pickled onions, salsa, avocado and yogurt alongside, and let everyone build their own.

Seitan

Quick to make and a fantastic vegan meat alternative, a batch of seitan can be used in a variety of dishes such as stir-fries and curries.

Vegan ramen

Recreate this deliciously creamy, spicy, slurpable bowl of vegan ramen for a meal that will leave you feeling full and nourished.

Vegan enchiladas

Satisfying meat-eaters and vegans alike, serve these sweet potato, corn and black bean enchiladas in the centre of the table and watch everyone tuck in.

Vegan chilli

A sweet 'n' smoky chilli non carne recipe (see what we did there?) with Quorn, two types of bean and plenty of spices for added kick.

Vegan mushroom risotto

Typically laden with butter and cheese, risotto is well known for its comforting and indulgent qualities. Here we've invented a much lighter (and totally vegan) option that still packs in plenty of umami flavours.

Moroccan veggie soup

Check out our easy Moroccan vegan soup recipe with lemons, chickpeas and plenty of spice. This low calorie soup serves four and is ready in under an hour.

Thai red curry butternut squash soup

Looking for a flavoursome yet easy soup recipe? Try our punchy vegan thai red curry with butternut squash. Check the ingredients of the thai red curry paste, as some brands contain dried shrimp so aren't vegan.

Sweet potato linguine with vegan puy lentil ragù

Looking for a vegan bolognese recipe? Try making your ragu with lentils to go meat free. Sweet potato linguine is more robust than courgetti, so can withstand a bit more cooking. Served with a warming vegan bolognese-style ragù, this gluten-free low calorie main is perfect for the start of the cooler months.

Vegan shakshuka

Make this filling vegan shakshuka for a breakfast that’s high in protein and fibre.

Vegan Thai red curry

Match shop-bought vegan curry paste with plenty of fresh ginger, mangetout, red pepper and Quorn to make a delicious meat-free Thai red curry.

Vegan mushroom ragu

Turn this Italian dish vegan by swapping the meat for earthy chestnut mushrooms, red lentils and walnuts. You may make more ragu than you need but it freezes well.

Vegan butternut squash pie

Our spiced butternut pie with a vegan pie crust is a brilliant dinner party option and it's just as good eaten the next day – leftovers make a great lunch with a dollop of mango chutney or extra harissa swirled into coconut yogurt.

Gigantes with spinach and chard

Bring the sun-drenched flavours of Greece to the table with this traybake of butter beans, spinach and chard.

Bang bang cauliflower

Sriracha, sweet chilli, honey and lime combine to make a winning sauce in this crispy baked cauliflower dish. It’s completely plant-based, too.

Vegan biryani

Biryani is a classic dish hailing from the southern part of India, with influences from the Mughals. This plant-based version of the staple Indian meal is indulgent, hearty and full of flavour.

Vegan pizza

Throw a DIY pizza party for all your vegan friends with this delicious plant-based pizza recipe. Creamed sweetcorn makes a great saucy base for fried paprika mushrooms.

Vegan risotto

Fennel, courgette, peas and parsley make for a wonderfully green risotto. It's flavoured with a little nutritional yeast in place of parmesan to keep the dish plant-based.

Jackfruit tacos

Smoked paprika jackfruit tacos, served with homemade tomato salsa and plenty of chilli sauce. The perfect party food for your vegan friends!

Sunblush tomato and olive vegan paella

Full of antipasti favourites, this plant-based paella is packed with punchy flavour and will impress the whole family.

Roast celeriac steak

Slow-roasted celeriac has a wonderful ‘meaty’ bite and a unique mellow flavour. Spicy Korean gochujang lifts this umami-packed celeriac steak to the next level.

Farro, grilled peach and pecan salad

The grilled peaches deliver a satisfying sweetness, balanced by the zing of lime-pickled shallots and the smoky nuttiness of toasted pecans in this vibrant vegan salad.

Roasted cauli and couscous salad with zhoug and crispy shallots

Check out our vibrant cauliflower salad recipe with giant couscous, crispy fried onions and a punchy zhoug dressing. This easy salad is vegan and low in calories, too.

Vegan grilled pepper tacos with mole sauce

Mole sauce is a wonderful staple of Mexican cuisine – a satisfying blend of smoky chillies, peanuts, spices and dark chocolate. It’s usually found on enchiladas but here it compliments the sweet bitterness of green peppers, blistered over the grill for an epic vegan dinner.

Pulled BBQ jackfruit sliders with mustard slaw

Jackfruit pulls apart just like slow-roasted pork and is wonderful at soaking up this BBQ sauce, which is spicy, smoky and slightly sharp with a deep, dark sweetness.

Vegan falafel sandwich

The combination of crispy fried falafel, creamy condiments, crunchy salad and tangy pickles takes this spiced vegan sandwich to the next level. Discover our best falafel recipes here.

Shiitake seitan burger with kimchi mayo

This simple vegan recipe uses added chunky shiitake mushrooms to replicate the texture of mince and to give an umami boost.

Aubergine teriyaki bowls

Our 30-minute vibrant vegan recipe is packed with fresh flavours of crunchy radishes, firery ginger and zesty lime. More aubergine recipes here.
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Vegan coronation tofu salad

Try our easy vegan coronation salad recipe with smoked tofu, fragrant madras curry powder and sweet mango chutney. Plus this simple salad is low in calories, too.

Spicy vegan lentil burgers

Make our quick and easy vegan burger recipe with spicy lentils. Ready in just 30 minutes, these punchy patties make a super simple summer recipe for four.

Vegan buddha bowl salad

Make our low calorie vegan buddha bowl. This bright and colourful bowl of goodness is a super easy way to get some nutritional balance into your day.

Quick vegan chilli with quinoa and black beans

Try our quick vegan chilli. Make this quick and easy quinoa and black bean chilli – it's high in protein but low calorie and it's vegan.

Chinese braised winter squash

Turn your hand to making Hannah Che’s braised winter squash for dinner – the squash’s natural sweetness is complemented by the salty black beans, plus the squash is cooked until it’s buttery and tender, and on the verge of falling apart.

Chinese dry-pot cauliflower

This Chinese dry-pot cauliflower is packed with heat thanks to ginger, chilli, garlic and Sichuan chilli bean paste.

Chinese fish-fragrant aubergines

A mixture of chillies, ginger and garlic translates to a ‘fish-fragrant’ flavour, a standard in the canon of Sichuan cooking with its distinctive hot, sour and sweet profile.

Buffalo cauliflower tacos

Our vegan, low calorie buffalo cauliflower tacos are ready in just 35 minutes and are so packed with flavour that you won't even notice you're being virtuous.

Jerk cauliflower steaks with rice and peas

Check out our vegan cauli steak recipe with punchy jerk spice and soft red kidney beans. This easy dish serves two for a super simple low calorie meal.

Crunchy veg and smoked tofu salad with sesame dressing

Try our vibrant salad recipe with crispy golden tofu and crunchy vegetables. This easy vegan dish is low in calories, too.

Vegan Thai green curry

Creamy, delicately spiced Thai-style curry is a crowd-pleaser. Make this easy vegan curry in just 15 minutes using curry paste.

Vegan roast-dinner bowls

Cater for vegans this Christmas with our special festive bowls, packed with crispy roasties, parsnips, stuffing balls, cranberry sauce and plenty of gravy.