Every meal you make does not need to be a work of art.
Sometimes, we just want to throw something quick and easy together.
Do you have any favorite recipes up your sleeve for when time is short?
If your answer is no, do not fear.
Your lack of easy vegan recipes is precisely why I am here.
To bring you some quick vegan recipes that don’t compromise flavor or health.
All you need to do is save this article and refer to it each time you find yourself short of time.
Are you ready to get stuck in?
Napkins at the ready for any salivating.
Read on to discover 7 new lazy vegan recipes to try at your leisure.
Did you know easy can be healthy?
We often associate easy recipes with fast food and unhealthy options.
But I’m here to say that easy can also be healthy.
The choices we make impact on the ingredients we choose.
For optimum healthy choices, choose foods with as few ingredients as possible.
Avoid foods with ingredient lists that take longer to read than cook!
I’m all for easy meals and recipes, but they must also be nutritious and not packed full of preservatives.
Let’s not compromise our health for convenience.
If you want more nutrients to your meals, add more vegetables—particularly broccoli, which is high in nutrients and has a relatively high amount of protein.
Don’t forget the antioxidant-rich foods such as blueberries and nuts.
We all like to snack between meals.
I know grabbing a pack of chips, cookies, or chocolates is easy. But actually, it’s just as easy to reach for nuts or fruit.
All washed down with a large glass of water! Yes - don’t forget to keep your hydration levels up.
We confuse hunger with dehydration.
Teach yourself to reach for a glass of water instead of a snack.
What about the macros?
Don’t forget to be mindful of the nutrient content of your daily food consumption.
As a general guide, our daily dietary intake should consist of:
- Carbs - 45 - 55%.
- Fats - 20 - 35%.
- Protein - 10 - 35%.
This macro guide does not take our exercise levels into account. Our level of activity will have a significant impact on our macro requirements.
As a vegan, how often do you get asked that age-old question about protein? “But where do you get your protein from?”
A quick reminder of some excellent protein sources:
- Quinoa has 4g protein per 100g cooked weight.
- Pulses have 9g - 10g protein per 100g cooked weight.
- Tofu has 8g of protein per 100g
- Nuts and seeds have 3g - 5g of protein per handful
- Chia seeds have 2g of protein per tablespoon
- Grains have 4g - 8g of protein per 100g.
- Broccoli has 3g of protein per serving.
Protein is essential for repairing and building our muscles. Did you know that our body weight comprises 17% protein? Our heart is the hardest working muscle in the body. So if for no other reason, make sure you get enough protein to help support your heart.
Batch cooking
We all lead busy lives. As a rule of thumb I refuse to spend more prolonged time cooking than eating. This rule means the more people I cook for, the more time I allow myself to cook. Alternatively, I can spend longer cooking if the dish I am making also produces a few portions for the freezer or serves as a meal the next day.
Batch cooking is a fantastic way of maximizing your time while ensuring you eat healthily. No excuses for grabbing a pizza!
We may call this the best lazy vegan recipes list, but honestly, there is no laziness about it. I see only intelligence and common sense for opting for easy recipes which allow you to invest more time doing what you love and less time chained to the kitchen.
Top 7 lazy vegan recipes
I have reflected upon my favorite recipes and tweaked them for your ease. This list is a collaboration of recipes for all tastes. I have been mindful of your health, macro content, and need for flavor.
These recipes don’t require any particular skill or cooking knowledge. Just follow the instructions and then simply enjoy your efforts. Bonne Appetit.
Let’s get stuck into our recipes.
1. Dhal
Dhal is a traditional Indian dish. Although it has now become a big favorite all over the world.
It is easy to make and full of nutrients. I strongly suggest you double the ingredients and make portions for the freezer.
Lentils are power pulses. They give us 9g of protein per 100g. They also contain B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. They are high in fiber, making them brilliant for our digestion, and finally, they have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Lentils also contain a compound that helps fight type 2 diabetes and heart disease—all the more reason to include lentils in your diet.
This recipe contains approximately 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Thumb size piece of ginger
- ½ teaspoon of cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon of turmeric
- ½ teaspoon of coriander
- 1 teaspoon of garam masala
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- A handful of chopped-up spinach leaves
- 1 cup of dried red lentils
- 1 pint of vegetable stock.
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pan over the hob and add the onion. Allow this to cook for 1 minute, and add in the garlic—Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add all the spices to the pan and stir for 1 minute.
- Add in the lentils along with the stock, coconut milk, and chopped tomatoes. Stir all the ingredients together, bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Add more stock if necessary.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring in the lemon juice and the spinach.
- Serve while warm with rice, naan, or flat bread.
2. Spicy chickpea, sweet potato, and coconut soup
This soup is the perfect winter warmer recipe. It’s got a fair kick, but you can control how much spice you add in, depending on your preference.
You can leave the chickpeas out of this dish if you would rather. I like to add them in as an extra source of protein.
Chickpeas are known to satiate us for longer than your average food, which can help with weight loss. Some studies suggest that chickpeas are good for our mental health.
This recipe contains approximately 5 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tin of chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon of gochugaru or 1 red pepper
- 1 tin of coconut milk
- 3 pints of vegetable stock
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over the hob and add the onion.
- While the onion cooks, chop up the sweet potato into cubes and add this and the garlic to the pot, stir and place the lid on to allow it to sweat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tin of chickpeas to the pot along with your spice of choice, the coconut milk, and stock. Stir well.
- Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Once the sweet potato is soft, use a hand blender wand to liquidize all the ingredients.
- Serve alone or with warm bread and hummus.
3. Quinoa salad
Quinoa is the protein queen for vegans. It is packed full of all 22 amino acids, including the essential ones that our body can not make. This means it is a complete protein. Quinoa is versatile enough for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Let’s hear it for quinoa! This recipe is ideal for lunch. And as a bonus, this is a significant portion, so there is plenty to go around. Or you have enough in the fridge for a few days.
Once you become a quinoa fan, you can explore the myriad of ways we can use quinoa in cooking. From burgers to stews, buddha bowls to porridge.
This recipe contains approximately 6 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of drained quinoa
- 1 red pepper
- ½ a cucumber
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 apple
For the sauce
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 teaspoon of wasabi paste
- 1 tablespoon of tamari sauce
- 5 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
Method
- Cook the quinoa with 5 cups of water for 10 minutes or until it is ready. Rinse it and set it aside.
- Finely chop all the vegetables and the apple.
- Make up the sauce and whisk together.
- Add all the ingredients together and mix well.
- Serve with brown pitta bread and hummus or eat by itself.
4. Tasty tofu
Tofu gets a bad rep. Some people think it is bland and tasteless. But it depends on how you cook it and what marinates you use. The marinade I use for this recipe gives the tofu a depth of flavor like no other.
I highly recommend you cook up several blocks at a time and make full use of your freezer. Alternatively, you could make up the marinate and save that in portions in the freezer for next time. Anything to make life a little bit simpler!
This tofu adopts a firm consistency when it’s cold. The flavor is enhanced when it is cold, making it delicious with salad.
This recipe contains approximately 3 portions.
Ingredients
- Block of tofu
For the Marinate
- 4 tablespoons of tamari sauce
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the tofu into slabs.
- Mix the marinade up.
- Place the tofu slabs on baking paper on a tray and put marinate over each slab; place them in the oven for 30 minutes.
- A couple of times throughout the cooking time, remove the tofu, turn the slabs over, place more marinate on each one, and put them back in the oven.
- Serve with broccoli, any other vegetables, and rice.
5. Chocolate orange pots
It’s about time I catered for the sweet tooths out there. And what better way to do that than with these incredible chocolate orange pots.
I have made these for nonvegan friends, and they can’t believe the depth of flavor and the richness of the chocolate.
A dinner party winner by all accounts! The question is - who will get to lick the bowl?
This receipt contains approximately 4 portions.
Ingredients
- 600g of silken tofu
- 4 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 200g of dark chocolate of 70% + cocoa
- 1 teaspoon of orange essence
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Melt the chocolate. The best way to do this is to place a pan with a small amount of water over medium heat on the hob. Then place a heatproof bowl inside the pan with the chocolate in it.
- Once the chocolate has melted, add it into a food processor along with the tofu, maple syrup, orange essence, and pinch of salt. Mix until you get a smooth consistency.
- Decant your mixture into small dishes and place in the fridge to cool for a few hours before serving.
Top tip - if you want to spice things up, feel free to add a sprinkle of chili flakes to the mix.
6. Aubergine salad
This aubergine salad is tangy and divine. Out of all the cold salads I make, this aubergine salad is the one my friends ask for the recipe for regularly.
This dish is perfect the next day, so you may want to make a double batch and store it in the fridge overnight.
This receipt contains approximately 4 portions.
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 10 tablespoons of olive oil
For the dressing
- 6 tablespoons of boiling water
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- Handful of parsley
- Handful of mint
- Handful of chives
- 1 tablespoon of tahini
- ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of capers
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius or 392 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a roasting tray with the olive oil into the oven.
- Cut the aubergines into small cubes, and once the tray is heated, add them to the oil and place them in the oven for 20 minutes. When you place the aubergine into the oil, there should be a sizzling noise.
- Add all the ingredients of the dressing together and mix in a blender. Then fold in the herbs.
- Once the aubergine is ready, please remove it from the oven and pour it into a bowl. Add the dressing and mix well.
- Place in the fridge to cool for an hour before eating.
- Eat this with brown pitta and a standard green salad or by itself.
7. Blackbean wrap
It took me 5 minutes to make my lunch today. It was healthy, easy, and mouthwateringly delicious. These black bean wraps are a brilliant alternative to the old and outdated ham sandwich.
Black beans contain 10g of protein per 100g. They originate from Latin American and Caribbean cooking. Like lentils, they also help prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
One of the best things about black beans is that they are one of the most sustainable protein sources compared to nonvegan options.
This receipt contains approximately 2 portions
Ingredients
- 1 tin of black beans
- A few spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons of hummus
- Half a red pepper
- 1 cup of cooked rice
- 2 tortilla wraps
- Sriracha sauce to taste
Method
- Mix the black beans and rice. Feel free to heat them in a microwave.
- Mix the hummus with the black beans and rice and spread evenly onto 2 wraps.
- Add on the spinach, pepper, and sriracha sauce
- Enjoy without dribbling it down your chin
Isn’t this simple! Super healthy and delicious.
Mix and match
These recipes all lend themselves to a bit of mixing and matching.
The quinoa and aubergine salads are brilliant to have together for a lunch spread with guests. Just chuck in a simple green salad, some bowls of hummus, and flatbread, and you have a gorgeous feast.
The tasty tofu can be cut into small cubes and added to the black bean wrap.
The chocolate orange pots are a superb complement to the dhal and will leave you full and satisfied.
Conclusion
Vegan cooking doesn’t need to be tedious or time-consuming. These 7 recipes all pack a punch with flavor and nutrients. Perhaps best of all, they are great for batch cooking or eating as leftovers the next day.
Which one do you think you will be trying first? As a reminder, we have:
- Dhal
- Spicy chickpea, sweet potato, and coconut soup
- Quinoa salad
- Tasty tofu
- Chocolate orange pots
- Aubergine salad
- Blackbean wrap
I’d love to hear what easy vegan recipes are already in your repertoire? What makes them your favorites?
Go on; I challenge you to try one of these recipes. Please let us know how you get on.