Community
Print
If you’re keen to give Veganuary a try this January, but are worried about what you’re going to make yourself to eat, cease your fretting. Your plant-based compadres are here with 20 vegan recipes that you can cook quickly and easily without needing a Michelin star. There are so many nutritious – and tasty – plant-based meals that can be ready in a flash, so we’ve picked out some of our favorite easy vegan recipes to keep you going through January.
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is a non-profit organization that began in January 2014. As the name suggests, founders Jane Land and Matthew Glover had the idea to create an initiative that supports people trying a vegan lifestyle and diet for the first month of the year. The second year in 2015 saw 12,800 signups. Now, the campaign has seen sign-ups in every country on earth except North Korea. Veganuary 2024 reached an estimated 25 million people.
Many businesses, cafes, and restaurants have got on board with Veganuary — in 2024, more than 2,100 new vegan products and menu options were launched specifically for Veganuary. In January 2023, Burger King announced a collaboration with vegan bacon company La Vie, fellow burger chain Byron also announced a new vegan burger on its menu, and McDonald’s launched the Double McPlant. Domino’s launched the vegan American Hot, Heinz released the vegan version of its iconic Cream of Tomato soup, and there were many more exciting launches.
Veganuary’s ambassadors include singer Billie Eilish, actor Joaquin Phoenix, TV personality Lucy Watson, and actor Evanna Lynch.
Mashed chickpea sandwich
Let’s kick things off with an ultra-quick lunch option that’s packed with protein, nutrition, and taste. Maya at FitGreenMind brings us this chickpea sarnie that looks stunning and has the taste profile to match. The combination of chunky chickpea mash, both fresh and sundried tomatoes, and vegan feta is so delectable, that this could quickly become a 1pm staple for you.
Find the recipe here.
Easy sheet pan broccoli and tofu
If you were a child who winced at the sight of broccoli and haven’t got over that yet, it’s time to swiftly change that. And it’ll be an easy job when it’s paired with the most succulent tofu known to humankind. This meal is the creation of Ashley Madden from Rise Shine Cook, and besides looking and tasting fabulous, you can enjoy the antioxidant, protein, and vitamin C afterglow once you’ve eaten it.
Find the recipe here.
Sweet chili tempeh
On paper, tempeh, which is fermented tofu, might not sound like the yummiest item in food land. But its time to banish any prejudice against this protein powerhouse, which, when cooked and seasoned correctly, is outrageously tasty. And this sweet chili recipe is simply plant-based heaven. Shout out to World of Vegan for coming up with it — this dish uses minimal ingredients and will only take 30 minutes of your time.
Find the recipe here.
Mexican bean salad
This salad comes from the mind of Eisa from Happy Skin Kitchen. Once you have the ingredients assembled, this one will only take about five to ten minutes. You may want to spend longer than that eating the salad, as the creamy avocado and black beans combined with the tangy notes of apple cider vinegar and cherry tomatoes make this a certified winner.
Find the recipe here.
Mediterranean chickpea stew
If you agree that rice is nice, then it’s time to stew it up with citrus Mediterranean notes — imagining you’re sat on a balcony enjoying a sea view on the island of Capri is optional. This chickpea dish oozes creaminess (and protein!), and the parsley leaves and lemon juice ascend the dish to flavor heaven. Thank you, World of Vegan for adding this to our world.
Find the recipe here.
High protein vegan apple and tofu bowl
Perhaps you didn’t previously imagine apples and tofu as bedfellows, but it’s time to get them both on your radar. These sweet and savory flavors will supercharge your Veganuary experience, and the protein from the tofu is bolstered by yummy edamame beans. Drizzle the delicious homemade dressing over the bowl that also encompasses carrots and avocado. And it only takes 13 minutes — hurrah!
Find the recipe here.
Roasted cauliflower and apple
A super simple, and fibre-rich meal comes in the shape of this cauliflower-based dish. Bulked out with peppers, and shallots, and made almost too tasty with harissa, garlic, and sherry vinegar, we can finally put the misconception that healthy eating can’t be exciting straight in the bin. Set aside a mere 30 minutes for this quick cook. Try making this one at home and your happy gut will be high-fiving you for hours afterward.
Find the recipe here.
Bean, kale, and lemon stew
Another epic stew recipe for your quick and nutritious Veganuary dinner is coming to you from Viva!’s Vegan Recipe Club. As well as the protein-powered beans, the kale will have you glowing afterward, and the lemon zest will leave you wanting to revisit this recipe many times over. The best stews are vegan, you heard it here first! Half an hour is all you’ll need for this beauty.
Find the recipe here.
Peach pasta salad
Get ready to become a salad convert for life! Here is another Veganuary-ready recipe that brings sweet and savory together in joyous matrimony. Another peachy feature of this dish is its mega nutritious, quick to put together, and it only takes thirty minutes. Fresh dill, cherry tomatoes, dijon mustard, avocado, and agave are the sensational flavors of this brilliant vegan pasta salad. Sending a chef’s kiss to Munchmeals by Janet for creating this one.
Find the recipe here.
Green cannellini bean stew
A hearty stew that’s great for your heart, physically and emotionally? Count us in. Salute Romy London for bringing this bean dish into the world, a meal that does the challenging task of being both profoundly healthy and profoundly tasty. Perfect for a frosty winter evening, this 40-minute stew ticks protein off your checklist and is packed with greens. Just imagine this dish bubbling away on your hob at home, and it will be tricky to resist making it for yourself.
Find the recipe here.
Cauliflower and potato tray bake
If you’re feeling the cold, then it’s time to get your favorite oven tray out of the cupboard. Natlicious Food created this cauliflower and potato tray bake to bring you the nutritious comfort meal of your dreams. It’s full of protein thanks to our chum tofu, and the ‘nooch’, aka nutritional yeast, brings a delightfully cheesy flavor. To ascend this meal to creamy heaven, serve with hummus.
Find the recipe here.
Soba with miso pecan butter
If time is short for you this Veganuary, noodles are a great meal to save time, so get a pot boiling. Desiree Nielsen is really tantalizing us with this recipe that brings so many textures and flavors under one roof: the noodles are paired with crunchy cucumbers and green onions, a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi, and her genius miso pecan butter to add rich and nutty notes.
Find the recipe here.
Spaghetti with garlic, oil, chili, and breadcrumbs
Perhaps you’ve heard of “spaghetti aglio e olio,” which simply translates as “spaghetti with garlic and oil.” Sometimes, the simplest dishes really are the best. Romy London has a spicy twist on this classic Neopolitan recipe; by throwing chili and breadcrumbs into the mix, you’ve got yourself a 25-minute cooking experience that will have you salivating as these flavors marinade together. Vegan parmesan is optional but highly encouraged.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan butter chickpea curry
We’re more than halfway through this Veganuary-themed list, and it would have been a crime to not throw a curry in there sooner or later. And boy, do we have a curry for you. Get ready to banish butter chicken to the history books with this vegan take on the classic recipe. Chickpeas become the cruelty-free star of the show thanks to Romy London, and coconut milk, nutritional yeast, and vegan butter combine to make it a showstopper.
Find the recipe here.
Creamy 10-minute vegan chickpea bowl
If you thought we were done with creamy chickpea dishes, I’m afraid you were very much mistaken. This bowl of goodness only takes 10 minutes, so dreamland if you’re working from home and need something extra quick. Vegan cream cheese, chickpeas, garlic, and onion, oh my. Health is wealth, and this bowl tastes very wealthy indeed. All credit once again to Romy London.
Find the recipe here.
Baked hummus pasta
Pasta? And hummus?! You’d be better believe it, and this pasta bake will quickly cast the word ‘sacrilege’ out of your mind. Because, as it transpires, classic Italian seasonings and the rich creaminess of hummus were meant to be, all along. Tender rigatoni pasta is the star of the show, bolstered by some of pasta’s best friends, including basil, oregano, and rosemary, and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Courtesy of Catherine Perez at Plant-Based RD.
Find the recipe here.
Caramelized onion butter beans
You had me at caramelized. Catherine Perez at Plant-Based RD is back, and we’re rolling out the red carpet for her because this one is an absolute stunner. The creamy butter beans are paired with sweet, caramelized onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and a touch of balsamic glaze and nutritional yeast for a rich, umami flavor. Toasted sourdough and vegan parmesan are an optional touch, but so worth it.
Find the recipe here.
Autumn everything bowl
This recipe, ideal for a quick Veganuary meal, comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s I Can Cook Vegan and will prove that you can cook vegan, too. Tempeh is so back, cooked in smoky bacon style, joining steamed kale, quinoa, and lentils. The piece de la resistance is the beet yogurt sauce — drizzle it on top, and welcome to autumnal heaven.
Find the recipe here.
Big breakfast sandwich
Don’t worry, breakfast, we haven’t forgotten you. And for the most important meal of the day, we’re going big with a capital ‘B’. The Ultimate Plant-Based Cookbook brings us this ultimate sarnie from the culinary mind of Sarah Cobacho. It even has 36 grams of protein, phwoar! You may have heard of chickpea omelets, but this time its the turn of the mung bean to kick eggs out of the kitchen. The tempeh is cooked BBQ style with smoky tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika. Meanwhile creamy avocado, pickled onions, and fresh spinach round this sandwich out into a nutritional powerhouse.
Find the recipe here.
Read more: 11 Vegan Packed Lunches To Take To The Office
Corn fritters with avocado smash and arugula salad
Get ready for your new obsession: corn fritters. And once you pair it with the avocado smash and arugula salad in this recipe this Veganuary, said obsession could become borderline unhealthy. This meal-prep friendly number comes from Trudy Crane and Chloé Crane-Leroux’s new cookbook The Artful Way to Plant-Based Cooking. The titular fritters are made with a simple mixture of corn, peas, red onion, and fresh herbs. Smoked paprika is the not-so-secret weapon.
Find the recipe here.
