Before we get in to these foolproof vegan recipes, a little backstory. In May of 2019, after 30+ years of being “anti-vegan”, a.k.a. eating meat every day to ensure I had enough protein, trying to get vegetarians to try my bacon, and other obnoxious meat-eater behaviors, we decided to try this “whole food plant based diet.” Like many people who use the internet, we couldn’t seem to get away from vegan and whole food plant based blogs, posts, and photos and we couldn’t take it anymore! We had to figure out what it was all about. Two documentaries later, we were vegans. A year’s worth of testing and trying different recipes, we’ve nailed down 10 foolproof recipes from our first year as vegans that you need to try!
I won’t get into the ins and outs of vegan versus whole food plant based or the “why’s” of our decision to make this change. I respect everyone’s opinion on the matter and trust that if they’re just open-minded enough to try one of these recipes… they won’t be so quick to judge. The important take-away here is that there are INCREDIBLE vegan food options that will fill your belly and your soul because they are that good. You can learn a little bit more about our decision to make this change by heading to our About page.
Whether you are already vegan, contemplating going vegan, just looking to switch up your recipe rotation, trying vegan options because you heard it’s good for you or because you *promised* a vegan friend you would… you cannot go wrong with any of these. They’ll make your “Meatless Mondays” turn into “Tofu Tuesdays” and before you know it you won’t even realize you don’t eat meat anymore!
10 FOOLPROOF VEGAN RECIPES
These recipes include familiar and easy-to-find ingredients that won’t have you searching or wondering what you’re making. Dig into this list of our go-to meals and you’ll be immediately thankful you did!
# 1 – VEGAN BURRITOS
I literally wake up excited when I know I have this burrito filling waiting for me in the fridge. It is SO simple to make, makes a ton for leftovers, and is so scrumptious! If you need quick meal prep, I highly recommend making this in an Instant Pot and eating it every day that you possibly can. (Seriously.)
Link: Vegan Burritos – Nora Cooks
Side notes: We have made this with and without the kale and either way is amazing. I’m a HUGE fan for getting kale into my body anyway that I can.
# 2 – Fiesta Salad
When thinking of foolproof vegan recipes, this takes the cake. There’s not a single party or potluck that we’ve gone to where we haven’t taken this Fiesta Salad… and it is a BIG hit. And now we have started getting requests to bring it again. It’s fresh taste and vibrant colors cannot go wrong. We love having this on its own or with tortilla chips as a dip. It’s amazingly full of veggies and it’s completely whole food plant based!
Link: Fiesta Salad – Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
Side notes: We have made this with and without the jalapeno — both are great! We have also thrown this into tortillas and made burritos.
# 3 – Cauliflower “Meatballs” for Spaghetti
Spaghetti is one of my all-time favorite foods so finding this recipe was a savior. It makes a great meal for a meat-eater or kiddos because it’s comforting, familiar, and delicious.
Link: Cauliflower “Meatballs” for Spaghetti – The Foodie Takes Flight
Side notes: After we cook the “meatballs”, we put them in the sauce to let them simmer and soak up some extra goodness and oh… my… god… You’ve got to try it!
# 4 – Kung Pao Style Cauliflower
Forget takeout. Forget going to a Chinese restaurant. Make it at home! This recipe is incredible on it’s own or over rice and is sure to please everyone at the table!
Link: Kung Pao Style Cauliflower – The Foodie Takes Flight
Side notes: We leave out the leeks, Szechuan peppercorns, and dried chilis just because we don’t typically have them on-hand and they aren’t readily available at our local stores and we still love every.single.bite.
# 5 – Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup
Ok, let’s get real. We don’t care what season it is — this soup should not be limited to autumn! This soup is everything. Make it and thank us later.
Link: Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup – Gimme Some Oven
Side notes: Make it and thank us later. No seriously. Make it and thank us later. K. Thanks!
# 6 – Vegan Red Curry Noodles
We thought we had a good life until we realized all along we’ve been missing Red Curry Noodles. That’s really all that needs to be said. Find out for yourself!
Link: Vegan Red Curry Noodles – Simply Quinoa
Side notes: We have tried alternate versions including switching up the veggies and making a green curry over rice instead of noodles. Everything has been amazing but the original is still top of the charts.
# 7 – BBQ Jackfruit Pulled “Pork” Sandwiches
We make these as sliders, and did you know that slider buns are SEASONAL?! It’s a crime. So we tend to make this one more in summer when sliders are deemed acceptable by society.
Link: BBQ Jackfruit Pulled “Pork” Sandwiches – Bianca Zapatka
Side notes: We had our first experience working with jackfruit making these and were blown away by how meat-like the texture was.
# 8 – Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup
This will be brought to every Thanksgiving dinner for the rest of our lives. This simple soup is so flavorful and delicious and will be a huge crowd-pleaser.
Link: Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup – Cookie and Kate
Side note: We like to go a little heavier when adding coconut milk, especially when we are little heavy-handed on the curry and it’s too spicy for us.
# 9 – BBQ Cauliflower Tacos with Green Tahini Sauce
This might not be one of the foolproof vegan recipes if you do not have easy access to tahini, which we’ve found to be in the aisles with ethnic foods in them. That being said, we have served these to every meat-eater that has come over to our house in the last year. Including my father who had not eaten cauliflower in 40 years. All raving fans! These are easy to make and even easier to eat.
Link: BBQ Cauliflower Tacos – Dishing Out Health
Side notes: Tahini *might* be tough to find in your supermarket, but for us it’s on the shelf in the ethnic foods section, comes in a tin can.
#10 – Cauliflower Tikka Masala
If you’re not a fan or familiar with Indian cuisine — we get it. We’ve been there. But we are here to ask you please give it a chance and your mind can be changed. You will love this and the flavors and you’ll find yourself searching out local Indian restaurants.
Link: Cauliflower Tikka Masala – Real and Vibrant
Side note: We eat this over rice but try to keep the ratio to be higher on the cauliflower side than the rice side.
TIP
For recipes that have tofu, which often needs to be pressed to remove any excess liquid, using a tofu press like this bamboo press can be a life saver in time and effort.
Link: Simple Drip Bamboo Tofu Press
BOTTOM LINE
If you are a lover of fantastic tasting food, then these 10 foolproof vegan recipes are a must-try. Being vegan, vegetarian, or otherwise does not matter. Obviously please keep any food allergies or restrictions in mind when making these. But trust us and give these a shot. You will not be displeased. And if you make any tweaks or variations to any of these that you found made them better, let us know! We’re always looking to make our mouths and our stomachs happier.
