38 Tasty Vegan Recipes For Meat Eaters Who Are Trying to Cut Back on Animal Products
There are a lot of benefits to eating less meat — lower risk for heart disease and cancer, better digestion, and less stress on the environment, for instance. If you're trying to cut back on animal products as an omnivore or you're just looking for some dishes that are free from meat and dairy, we've rounded up our favorite vegan recipes that are as delicious as they are healthy. They're so tasty, in fact, that you'll probably forget what meat even tastes like!
Image Source: Wallflower Kitchen
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The unique combination of ingredients in this sweet potato noodle enchilada stir-fry will have your taste buds flying through the roof.
Quinoa is anything but boring in this sesame-ginger salad with protein-packed edamame, crunchy cabbage, and rich sesame oil. Eating the colors of the rainbow is always good for your health, and all the different flavors in this salad work perfectly together.
With more than 13 grams of fiber and nearly 17 grams of protein, this light, clean, and potassium-rich dish will refuel your body after a tough workout, help you rehydrate, and even help soothe sore muscles.
Skip the frozen version and make your own veggie burger with this easy recipe — you'll skip out on fat, calories, cholesterol, and preservatives.
When you feel like you really need a detox, this rainbow salad will do the trick. It's high in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A, and the lemony dressing takes the flavor up a notch.
Want some comfort food? Cook up these tasty lentil meatballs.
You can prep this vegan and gluten-free chickpea and sweet potato curry recipe in your slow cooker before work and have a restaurant-worthy meal for dinner. This recipe adds spinach (for some added vitamins and fiber), but you can omit it if you're not a fan of greens in your curry.
You won't be missing beef at all with this decadent vegan bolognese recipe. Hearty tempeh joins forces with all the fresh veggies, herbs, and spices of traditional bolognese, and this sauce is a crowd-pleaser for both carnivores and vegans.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry
These yummy tempeh reuben wraps are the ideal thing to eat on a lazy weeknight.
Prepackaged broccoli slaw makes the base of this warm "noodle" dish that's perfect for cold nights when you're craving comfort food. High in fiber, protein, and vitamin C, this 345-calorie nutrient-rich stir-fry can be prepped, cooked, and served in just 15 minutes.
One POPSUGAR editor made these vegan stuffed shells for her husband and totally fooled him for the real thing. This spin on the Italian favorite makes each shell only 60 calories each — compared to almost 200 calories each! The next time you're craving a cheesy pasta dish, whip up a batch of these.
Pinto, black, and kidney beans give this veggie soup a hearty feel and a ton of protein. This dinner is perfect for a cold night when all you want is a heaping bowl of something warm and flavorful.
If you're tired of tofu or want to start cooking with tempeh, this Mexican tempeh quinoa salad will become a staple in your dinner rotation. This colorful dish combines tons of flavors like cumin, cayenne, and cilantro, and the nutritional value is immense: almost 10 grams of fiber and 17.4 grams of protein — all for 350 calories per serving.
This easy chickpea soup is made from fridge and pantry staples you probably already have, and it tastes almost better the second day, making it a great option for lunch or dinner leftovers.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry
This veggie-packed miso soup is the perfect vegan recipe for two if you're craving takeout Japanese food but don't want to ruin your healthy streak.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Perry
When you're craving spaghetti with meat sauce, cook up these maple cumin lentils over spaghetti squash. It's just 323 calories per serving.
Even if a barbecue isn't in your near future, you'll want to whip up a batch of this veggie pasta salad. It's lower in fat and higher in nutrients than regular pasta salad, which makes it a good and good-for-you lunch that you'll look forward to.
Rich, creamy soup without any dairy? Yep, it's possible with this vegan cauliflower soup that's filled with vitamins and fiber to boost your immunity. You won't miss the cream at all with this flavorful and superhealthy soup.
Why not serve a little breakfast for dinner? This tofu scramble with kale and sweet potatoes is packed with protein — almost 19 grams for just under 270 calories.
If you need a healthy substitute for takeout, try this cauliflower rice stir-fry.
This heart-healthy dinner is a great option if you're watching your cholesterol while upping your protein. Get the recipe for a delicious roasted sweet potato and black bean burrito.
If you're not getting enough fiber in your diet, buckwheat groats are an ideal addition to your lunch rotation. This vegan buckwheat salad recipe includes tempeh bacon and an Asian sesame dressing for even more flavor.
This metabolism-boosting chickpea and kale stew packs 24 grams of protein per serving, so it will keep you feeling full and satisfied.
If you're in need of a filling, creative vegan lunch that comes together fast, it doesn't get any better than this mayo-free vegan chickpea and avocado salad.
This tofu breakfast scramble will get you through any hectic morning.
Cozy up to this delicious, satisfying tempeh stir-fry when you're in need of a hearty meal after a tough workout.
Instant Pot vegetarian chili — it can't get any easier or tastier than that.
When you're craving Mexican food but don't want to deal with ground beef, these jackfruit and pinto bean baked taquitos were made for you.
If you're craving a cheesy American classic (without the dairy, of course), try this vegan mac and cheese. Nutritional yeast and Earth Balance butter make this vegan version a still-delicious take on meals from yesteryear.
Fresh, healthy, and full of flavor, these Mediterranean vegetable wraps with freekeh are a fantastic alternative to red meat, chicken, or fish.
If you're in need of a healthy, refreshing salad, this vegan caesar salad is for you.
This veggie and hummus sandwich is the perfect thing to pack for lunch.
Feeling like some Asian food tonight? Make this spaghetti squash pad Thai. It'll answer all your cravings.
This hearty vegan chili con carne will make you forget what meat even tastes like.
Change up your midday meal with a light curry that you can make (and eat) the night before. This zucchini chickpea tomato curry recipe will have you excited for leftovers for lunch.
Reminiscent of tuna salad, this vegan chickpea and hijiki salad sandwich from Vegan With a Vengeance contains chickpeas mashed with carrots, apple cider vinegar, vegan mayo, and other tuna salad staples. If you can't find hijiki, try using another type of seaweed instead.
You'll want to make a big batch of this soba noodle salad with ginger peanut dressing for dinner; the leftovers will make an even tastier lunch! Creamy, tangy, and with a kick, this will become one of your favorite vegan lunch options.
The lemongrass, soy sauce, and garlic-marinated tofu in this Vietnamese sandwich are so flavorful that you won't miss the meat.
