List: 20 Recipes for Veganuary
January is the time for goal setting, whether it involves creative pursuits, drinking less, reading more or eating healthier. If the latter is currently topping your list, then this post is for you! I’ve gathered up 20 of my top plant-based recipes, ranging from Curry Ramen to Pistachio Pesto Pasta to Hearty Irish Stew. #Veganuary never tasted so good.
1) CREAMY VEGAN ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA
This Creamy Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is pure MAGIC! The creaminess comes from two ingredients: light coconut milk and cannellini beans. It might seem weird to purée beans into a pasta sauce, but they help to make it super silky and rich while adding lots of plant-based protein.
Recipe here
2) VEGAN CURRY RAMEN
Ramen is a go-to vegan dish for the winter. The broth in this Curry Ramen is incredibly flavorful, and the dish is loaded with veggies like mushrooms, corn, carrots and peas. This is such an easy weekend meal that you’re sure to add into your monthly rotation!
Recipe here
3) CHICKPEA SALAD SANDWICHES WITH GERMAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD
These Chickpea Salad Sandwiches are perfect for lunch — in fact, I’m planning on whipping up a big batch of this salad to take to work next week. And while German-style potato salad usually contains bacon, this vegan version packs tons of richness through capers and roasted garlic + onions.
Recipe here
4) CAULIFLOWER + CHICKPEA TIKKA MASALA
Enter in one of my favorite Indian recipes of all time. The cauliflower soaks up the gravy, and the chickpeas add a needed punch of protein. Allow it to simmer into oblivion, and you’ll be left with a thick, almost stew-like mixture. Serve it on its own, over rice/quinoa or with naan for dipping!
Recipe here
5) TERIYAKI SOBA NOODLES WITH GLAZED MUSHROOMS & BROCCOLINI
You might be used to Asian noodles that are swimming in sauce, are overly sweet or salty or leave you feeling like total crap the next day. That’s the beauty with this dish; the sauce is flavorful and elegant without being overpowering. The veggies still maintain their flavors, and in no way could anything on your plate be described as a “gloopy mess.”
Recipe here
6) RED LENTIL PASTA WITH PISTACHIO PESTO
This dish features my all-time favorite pesto. It’s tangy. It’s rich. It’s packed with protein-laden pistachios, which have WAY more flavor than the traditional pine nuts. And here’s the kicker: the pesto contains a full five ounces of fresh spinach, meaning you’re consuming tons of dark leafy greens without even realizing it.
Note: the photos here show the pasta topped with cheese, so either leave it off or use a vegan version.
Recipe here
7) SMOKY VEGAN TORTILLA SOUP
It’s soup season, folks, and this Smoky Vegan Tortilla Soup is guaranteed to please! Its smokiness comes from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, one of my all-time favorite ingredients. Be careful how much you add, though, because the soup will end up being pretty spicy pretty fast.
Recipe here
8) CHILLED ASIAN SALAD
After weeks of rich holiday food, something healthy and fresh is just what the doctor (uh, literally) ordered. This Chilled Asian Salad with Edamame Noodles does just the trick — it's loaded with plant-based protein, is packed with a variety of veggies and is drizzled with a tangy homemade Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette. Recipe here
9) PROTEIN-PACKED STUFFED PEPPER SOUP
This Stuffed Pepper Soup contains two of my favorite plant-based proteins: lentils and quinoa. Plus, it’s packed with tons of veggies and just a bit of spice—feel free to top it with some nutritional yeast, shredded vegan cheese or vegan sour cream for balance. This is also a fantastic meal prep recipe!
Recipe here
10) VEGAN PORTOBELLO POT ROAST
Thank goodness for the versatility of portobello mushrooms and a well-seasoned vegetable broth! This recipe is a fall classic and is loaded with veggies that both fill and warm you up. We served the “pot roast” with Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine, a low-carb option that’s ready in only three minutes.
Recipe here
11) VEGAN DRUNKEN NOODLES
There’s no hard-and-fast rule to making drunken noodles (also called pad kee mao), but generally you’ll use broad rice noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, Thai basil and Thai chiles. To keep the dish vegan, I replaced the fish sauce/oyster sauce with vegetarian stir fry sauce. You’ll love how the noodles soak up the sauce!
Recipe here
12) CREAMY CURRIED LENTILS WITH QUINOA & KALE
This recipe yields a good amount—I purposefully made a big portion so I could eat leftovers for lunch throughout the week—so feel free to cut the ingredients in half or even in thirds if you don’t want a bunch extra. Red pepper flakes add just enough heat to this dish, and fresh ginger elevates it to a delectable level. It’s 100% vegan and gluten free, too!
Recipe here
13) CHICKPEA PENNE WITH MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE
The mushroom bolognese in this dish is birthed from the classic mirepoix of onions, celery and carrots but evolves into a super luxurious creation featuring three kinds of mushrooms, red wine and plenty of tomato sauce + Italian herbs and spices. To keep things healthy-ish, I opted for Chickapea brand Penne, which has nearly as much protein as an equal serving of steak. Top your pasta dish with a bit of vegan shredded cheese, and you’ll be good to go.
Recipe here
14) THAI GREEN CURRY WITH VEGETABLES
If you’ve never used green curry paste, know that it’s a touch sweeter than red curry paste and has a strong underlying flavor of coriander, which I love. You can use basically use whatever veggies you want, but I went with carrots, onions, ginger, garlic, asparagus, peas and cauliflower. Try this curry out and prepare to fall in love!
Recipe here
15) VEGETARIAN IRISH STEW
This is the ultimate vegan stew, and it also happens to be quite customizable. Add peas or sweet potatoes if you’d like, or basically any other root vegetable. Keep this recipe in your back pocket when you need to throw together a quick meal in the coming months!
Recipe here
16) EXTRA VEGGIE STIR-FRY
This recipe features about a million veggies sautéed together and tossed in a homemade sesame ginger dressing with some ramen noodles. Add basically whatever veggies you want, and there you have it—Extra Veggie Stir-Fry!
Recipe here
17) BUTTERNUT SQUASH & WHITE BEAN CHILI
Add this Butternut Squash & White Bean Chili to your #SundayMealPrep rotation! It's (1) the perfect light-yet-hearty dish for fall, (2) surprisingly vegan and (3) so good my husband ate two bowlfuls. The creaminess comes from three different white beans and a full quarter cup of nutritional yeast. You’ll love it!
Recipe here
18) SPICY CHILI SPAGHETTI
Let me preface this post by saying this is 100% the best chili I’ve ever made. It is so good. I’m a huge fan of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + smoked paprika, and this chili has both in spades. It’s smokey and hearty with just enough of a kick. Ladle it on top of whole wheat spaghetti, sprinkle it with your favorite cheddar cheese and prepare for (literally) one of the most satisfying dinners ever!
Recipe here
19) KUNG PAO CHICKPEAS WITH QUINOA & BROCCOLI
I’m always looking for easy ways to add more protein to my meals, and these Kung Pao Chickpeas totally fit the bill. Throw a few ingredients into a crock pot, set that baby on low for six hours, and when you come home from work your dinner is practically complete!
Recipe here
20) THAI CURRY NOODLE SOUP
I’m absolutely enamored with the bright, fresh flavors found in Thai food. Tangy noodles, creamy coconut-milk curries, everything finished with a bit of cilantro and a squeeze of lime—I eat it often, and I eat it gladly.
The broth is really the most important part of this soup; otherwise, feel free to mix in veggies that suit your personal tastes. The sweet potatoes add some heft to an otherwise pretty light soup, which I enjoy.
Recipe here
