23 Easy Veganuary Recipes For 2023
These veganuary recipes are great for starting your vegan journey. Discover vegan versions of classic recipes that’ll impress even meat-eaters.
The times when vegan food was seen as only salads are long gone. These vegan recipes are just as hearty, filling and satisfying as their non-vegan versions.
Veganuary is a challenge that invites you to eat vegan meals for an entire month. The idea started in the UK in 2014, and it’s gaining popularity fast.
January 2021 saw a record-breaking one-million pledges to go vegan since they began in 2014.
But it’s more than a 30-day challenge. You’ll discover a new lifestyle while learning new skills along the way. Plus all the tasty creations that come with it.
23 Tasty Vegan Recipes For Veganuary 2023
1. Pan-fried Vegan Gnocchi
Gnocchi is a noble pasta. The potato dumplings are incredibly versatile and are one of the most satisfying types of pasta in Italy. Plus, this recipe is egg-free and dairy-free. What’s not to love?
We’re making ours with potatoes and sweet potatoes. You don’t need much more than a little flour to bind them together.
Plus, when sauteed with earthy shiitake mushrooms paired with colorful chopped broccoli, it becomes a meal that’s hard to forget.
2. Jamaican Curry Tofu
When the bright flavors of the Caribbean meet the Indian masterful use of spices, you get Jamaican curry. Once you try it, you don’t want to go back.
We’re adding a whole scotch bonnet pepper to this one to add some heat and authentic flavor! Of course, you can make yours milder.
With a side of white rice, this is a restaurant-quality meal. You know you’ll want to have a double.
3. Vegan Gyoza Dumplings
Gyozas are the loveliest of dumplings. Thin and crispy, they’re the perfect one-biters.
Of course, gyozas are a blank canvas for creativity. We can fill them with everything we want. In this case, a meaty combination of oyster mushrooms and cabbage.
We’re glazing these beauties with a lovely teriyaki sauce with grated ginger and sesame oil. Can you taste them already? We know we do!
4. Vegan Butter “Chicken” with Cauliflower and Tempeh
If you think going vegan means missing out on your favourite dishes, fear not! Today we’re capturing the very essence of a classic butter chicken, but with much more style.
Cauliflower and tempeh are fantastic alternatives to chicken. Together with Indian spice, coconut milk and pureed tomatoes, you’ll end up with a fast and easy five-star vegan dinner that’s just too good not to share.
5. Thai Tofu Red Curry
Curries are wide and varied. They come in all flavors and colors. What they all have in common is that they’re spicy delicious.
Fragrant Thai spices and coconut milk infuse chunks of tofu to create the most comforting dish.
You’ll find a soy-free variation as well, in which we use chickpeas. With curry like this, the sky’s the limit!
6. Spaghetti and Lentil Mushroom Meatballs
Did someone say spaghetti and meatballs? You got it. We’re making the meatiest lentil and mushroom meatballs ever. Real delightful treats for an Italian-American classic.
Meat-less meatballs are made with almond flour, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, fragrant herbs, and protein-rich lentils.
Check out our quick tomato sauce recipe too. Share this family meal with your loved ones, guilt-free!
7. Teriyaki Tofu Stir-fry
For a quick and easy Asian-inspired meal, nothing beats stir-fries. This Teriyaki tofu stir-fry is ready in thirty minutes or less.
Feel free to make it your own. Add broccoli, carrots, green beans or any veggies you’d like. Serve this dish with rice or noodles for an easy meal.
8. Vegan Stuffed Shells
Conchiglioni are large shell-shaped pasta, and they’re tons of fun. You can stuff them for a hearty meal that tastes like Italy.
We pack edible seashells with almond ricotta, garlic, seasonings, and fresh chopped basil in this recipe.
Top these with a tasty marinara sauce for a comforting dish that takes you home in every bite.
9. Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta
Light, fresh and creamy, this pesto sauce is incredibly delicious. So much you would never guess that it has no oil or nuts whatsoever.
It’s all about the herbs. Basil and parsley, together with creamy avocado, garlic and lemon juice, become a perfect sauce.
Top your favourite pasta with this colorful pesto and enjoy.
10. Sweet Potato Chili
A Southern classic, there’s nothing heartier than a rich bowl of chili. It’s the best way of enjoying beans.
There’s more good news! You can cook this one in your Instant Pot, so you don’t have to do much.
The secret behind a proper chili is mixing and matching flavors, colors and textures. This makes one crowd-pleasing stew.
Top yours with fresh cilantro leaves, tortilla chips and avocado for the complete experience.
11. Vegan One Pot Pasta
Who doesn’t love one-pot dishes? They’re fast and easy to cook with little mess to clean up.
This might be a pretty straightforward dish, but don’t think for a second that it doesn’t have layers of lovely flavors.
The classic combo of garlic, onion and tomatoes, together with fresh herbs, works like a charm. Added veggies, including spinach and broccoli, make the dish even more wholesome.
12. Taco Salad Bowl
Is it Taco Tuesday already? If not, don’t worry. Every day is taco day in our book.
Now, what’s better than a taco? A taco salad bowl, of course! Completely gluten-free, dairy-free and meatless, this colorful bowl is just superb.
We’re making a hearty lentil taco filling and a spicy salsa as well. Once you put together all the components, you’ll end up with a Mexican-inspired hearty lunch or a light dinner.
13. High Protein Vegan Breakfast Bowl
We often forget about breakfast, but it’s true what they say, it’s the most important meal of the day.
That’s why we’re showing you how to put together a high-protein vegan breakfast bowl. We’re talking beans, tofu, bread, a refreshing salad and sweet ripe plantains.
A pinch of turmeric and smoky chipotle powder do the trick to take this bowl to the next level.
14. Vegan Jamaican Stew Peas
The most traditional Jamaican flavors, all in one plate. That’s our meatless Stew Peas.
Spicy, fresh and hearty. We get there by combining nicely seasoned kidney beans (spiced up with a hot scotch bonnet pepper and allspice) and “spinners” dumplings.
We recommend serving this one with steamed veggies, a hefty portion of white rice to soak up the sauce and creamy avocado.
15. Vegan Biscuits and Gravy
This Southern breakfast favourite is the ultimate comfort food to have with the family.
We’re making these vegan biscuits from scratch because we want them tasty. Then throwing together a rich and creamy mushroom gravy. You don’t want to miss out on these.
16. BBQ Vegan Pulled “Pork” Sandwich
The secret behind this vegan BBQ pulled pork is lots of spices and aromatic herbs. A little vinegar, molasses and tomato paste amps up the flavor. It all makes king oyster mushrooms taste blissful.
Do try out the coleslaw. It’s fresh and tangy and contrasts nicely with this meat-free main dish.
17. Vegan Hamburger Helper
A one-pot meal that’s ready in about an hour, mess-free. A homage to Betty Crocker’s famous hamburger helper that takes macaroni to new levels of excitement.
Comfort food right here, a warm bowl that will take you to your fondest childhood memories.
For this one, we used vegan ground meat from Beyond Meat and spiced it up with paprika, chipotle and pasta sauce.
We’re making a vegan cheese sauce too! This one is easy to love.
18. Vegan Skillet Cornbread
Southern soul food brings comfort to Veganuary. This recipe for vegan skillet cornbread keeps all the soul without the dairy. Fresh, stone-ground cornmeal provides rich flavor, unlike other fine-ground cornmeal that can be bland.
We’re using a skillet to evenly crisp the bottom of this cornbread. Leaving out the sugar to let the natural corn flavor shine. It’s a perfect accompaniment to many Southern-style dishes, from Sweet Potato Chili to Hoppin’ John.
19: Vegan Hoppin’ John
Hoppin’ John is a traditional Southern food often served at New Year’s. It combines smoky vegan meats with rice and red peas. It’s a comforting dish that shouldn’t be saved for just once a year.
While you can make this recipe with other types of rice and peas, it’s worth the effort to source Carolina Gold rice and red field peas for amazing, authentically Southern flavors.
20. Easy Vegan Pad Thai
Skip takeout and make this pad Thai at home instead! The cuisine of Thailand is loaded with intense spices and bright citrus flavors. This recipe has the bonus of being gluten-free due to the rice noodles.
We’ll use a wonderful combination of spice, citrus, and sweetness to make these noodles, topped off with crunchy elements of peanuts and bean sprouts. The noodles come together quickly, so it’s a perfect weeknight meal.
21. Vegan Red Beans & Rice
Louisiana-style red beans and rice takes the humble kidney bean and makes a wholesome meal out of it. It’s loaded with Cajun spices and vegan sausages.
This stew is easy to make and a Southern staple your whole family will love.
It cooks slowly, simmering until the kidney beans are soft and absorb tons of flavor. Be sure to serve it with some cornbread.
22. Vegan Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
You don’t have to skip the wings at your next party or tailgate. Swap them for these crispy cauliflower wings loaded with delicious sticky teriyaki sauce.
The wings are easy to make with a simple batter and then cooked quickly in an air fryer.
Coat the wings in teriyaki sauce, or check the notes for substitutions like buffalo wings or dry rub wings!
23. Vegan Tomato Basil Soup
More Helpful Guides for New Vegans:
23 Vegan Recipes for Veganuary 2023
Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.
Ingredients
Flavorful Pastas:
Hearty Dinners:
Tofu:
Simple Appetizers and Sides:
Instructions
- Select your desired recipe to make from the above options.
- Enjoy!