104 Easy Vegan Summer Recipes — From fresh salads to cooling treats to recipes for your backyard barbecue, this list has got the best vegan recipes for those hot summer days! This summer season get ready to make the best food of your life with this list of epic vegan summer dishes.
Hey Internet, want to beat the summer heat? We've rounded up our best vegan summer recipes to make the best food for very little effort. This list has it all from vegan summer salads like our Vegan Goat Cheese Salad with Strawberries and Pecans to vegan grilling recipes like our Vegan Souvlaki and Seitan Burgers (coming soon!). Whether you need a full meal or a sweet treat we've got you covered. There are even a few no cook meals for when you just don't want to put in much effort (we've been there).
You'll find plant-based recipes to take to a backyard barbecue or a poolside party as well as just some quick lunch and dinner recipes to make for the family. We've even included a few summery desserts!
Summer is almost in full swing where we are and I really wanted to gather a list of our best vegan summer meals. For me, that includes recipes that use simple ingredients like fresh summer produce like ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, crisp cucumbers, fresh fruit, fresh herbs, and more.
Vegan Picnic Recipes
We have plenty of delicious vegan summer recipes for your next summer picnic (also great for pool parties!) with fresh plant-based ingredients. Bonus: most of these meals are easy to meal prep and don't require a hot oven or tons of effort, making them the perfect picnic or summer cooking recipes.
These meals include fresh vegan pasta salads like our Vegan Ranch Pasta Salad with homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing, Orzo Pesto Salad, Vegan Macaroni Salad, and Liz also has a recipe for an Oil-Free Pasta Salad with a delicious balsamic vinegar dressing. Honestly, the perfect way to create a vegan pasta salad is just to add veggies, proteins, and an awesome sauce to your favorite cooked pasta. Try any of our great vegan sauce recipes and make your own creation!
Speaking of salads, there are other cold recipes that are perfect for hot days such as our Vegan Watermelon Feta Salad that features our homemade Vegan Feta, but if you aren't a fan of feta, it would also be great with our (even easier) Vegan Goat Cheese!
We've got tons of other salads too like Vegan Waldorf Salad, Creamy Vegan Avocado Salad, Vegan Italian Salad with an awesome creamy Vegan Italian Dressing, Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Pickled Red Onions and Crispy Chickpeas, and more.
If you're a vegan potato salad person, try this Whole Food Plant Based Potato Salad.
And our Vegan Ceviche is more of a vegan seafood recipe, but it's also kind of salad-like. It's REALLY good with some tortilla chips too!
Vegan Barbecue Recipes
The term vegan barbecue recipes means anything you can take to (or serve at) a backyard cookout. So this can be anything from food you can throw directly onto the grill OR it can be anything else, like some of the recipes we mentioned above. So bring some of these recipes to your next bbq!
Our favorite things to grill are our tofu-based Vegan Souvlaki, our seitan-based Vegan Sausage, and our Seitan Burgers (coming soon!). It's also worth pointing out some of our seitan recipes can be thrown on the grill such as our Seitan Chicken and Vegan Steak. You can of course also grill veggie burgers or anything else you like.
Sweet corn is another summer staple we love to throw on the grill. Once made, you can throw it into a Vegan Taco Salad or check out our recipe for Vegan Elote!
To go along with those main dish options, we love some salad with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, red onion, and creamy avocado. Other really nice fresh salad options for a vegan BBQ include our Melon Salad and Liz's Kale Salad with Blueberries and Grapes. Or try our new Butter Bean Salad! We also have a Vegan White Bean Salad that's very tasty.
Vegan Summer Breakfast Recipes
You still need to eat breakfast in the summer, so I'll also share some great vegan summer breakfast ideas!
My favorite thing to make in the summer is overnight oats! You can really do any flavor at all, but we especially love our recipes for Cookie Dough Overnight Oats, Coffee Overnight Oats, Matcha Overnight Oats, Protein Overnight Oats, Blueberry Pie Overnight Oats, and Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats.
Chia pudding is a similar yet different option for easy no cook vegan breakfast ideas (though they also work as a healthy summery dessert option!) and you can also go almost any direction with the flavor. We have quite a few going, such as out Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding (add banana for a chunky monkey situation!), Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding, Peach Chia Pudding with our easy Caramelized Peaches, Apple Pie Chia Pudding with our easy Caramelized Apples, and seasonal Pumpkin Chia Pudding for when you might wish it's fall!
I don't know if our Vegan French Toast Sticks or Plant Based Pancakes qualify as summery breakfasts but they are some of my favorite breakfasts to make.
It must be all the fresh vegetables in it, but Tofu Scramble definitely feels like a summery recipe to me. My hubby loves to eat it on one of our homemade Vegan Bagels. I prefer it with fresh fruit on the side.
Speaking of tofu, have you checked out our super quick Vegan Cottage Cheese? It's so easy to make and very versatile. Serve it on toast and a little Vegan Honey or with some blueberries in a halved cantaloupe or in hollowed out tomatoes. It's also great for lunch with some chopped cucumber (or a different veggie), cherry tomatoes, and sliced kalamata olives if you want! Throw on a drizzle of olive oil or some cubed avocado for some healthy fats and that will make you a very easy lunch.
Vegan Summer Lunch Recipes
Many of our Vegan Sandwich Fillings would work well for a summer lunch, but here are a few of our favorites: Vegan Chicken Salad, Vegan Lobster Rolls, Vegan Tuna Melt Sandwiches, Vegan Bacon Grilled Cheese, Vegan Philly Cheesesteak, and of course our Vegan Meatball Subs. We also have a Chicago-style Vegan Italian Beef coming soon, so get your taste buds ready!
We also love buddha bowls like our Vegan Shawarma Bowl, Crispy Tofu Buddha Bowl, Vegan Poke Bowl, and Vegan Buddha Bowl with Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa. Bonus: any of these make the perfect dish to meal prep.
You can also try fun recipes that use produce in a unique way, like these Bell Pepper Nachos (use mini bell peppers or chop regular peppers and large pieces) or these Portobello Pizzas. A great way to get in more veggies!
Oh and of course you can eat leftovers of any of the amazing vegan summer dinner recipes in the next section. Or make them fresh for lunch!
Other ideas include summer rolls (fresh spring rolls) with (try these with our Vegan Peanut Sauce or Spicy Almond Butter Sauce, vegan sushi (perhaps using our Watermelon Tuna?).
Vegan Summer Dinner Recipes
Need more easy recipes for family dinners this summer? We've got you covered. These easy recipes feature fresh vegetables that are in season during the summer. Try our Vegan Garlic Scape Pasta, Vegan Ricotta Pasta with juicy tomatoes, or our Vegan Cashew Pesto with your favorite pasta. Many of these recipes are also great to take to summer potlucks!
If you're up to your ears in homegrown zucchini, we've got a few recipes for that as well! Try our Vegan Zucchini Boats, Creamy Vegan Zucchini Soup (try with our Crispy Tofu or Easy Vegan Croutons!), Zucchini Risotto, Pasta with Zucchini and Mushrooms, Vegan Squash Casserole, and even our Vegan Savory Muffins which can totally be served at dinnertime like a dinner roll!
Easy pasta dishes are perfect for vegan summer dinner recipes in my book. Who doesn't love an easy recipe with simple ingredients? Try our Miso Mushroom Pasta, Vegan Rasta Pasta, Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta, Vegan Scallops with Garlic Butter Pasta, Vegan Pastina, Creamy Vegan Orzo, Broccoli Pasta Sauce, Vegan Tuna Casserole, Vegan Chickpea Florentine Pasta or Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta. Bonus: most of these recipes require only one pot (and sometimes a blender)!
If you like rice more than pasta, try our Vegan Asparagus Risotto, Garlic Risotto, or Vegan Mushroom Risotto. Or try our flavorful Vegan Paella or Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice!
Some people don't like soup in hot weather, but if you're a soup lover any time is the perfect time for soup! Try our Vegan Orzo Soup, Vegan Corn Chowder, Vegan Zuppa Toscana, Vegan Chicken and Stars Soup, or Vegan Taco Soup for the next time you want an awesome soup regardless of what time of year it is.
Vegan Summer Desserts
Ready for some delicious desserts perfect for summer? I can't think of anything more quintessentially summer like Vegan Strawberry Shortcake! We've got plenty of other baked vegan summer desserts too such as Vegan Tres Leches Cake, Vegan Hummingbird Cake, Vegan Coconut Cake (which is perfect for Independence Day if you serve it with fresh berries on top!), and Vegan Matcha Pound Cake.
If you want the taste of cake without all the work, try our Strawberry Mug Cake or Peach Mug Cake!
Other fun baked options include our Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins, Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, Vegan Lemon Loaf, and even our Vegan Smores Cookie Bake with Homemade Vegan Graham Crackers.
We have a few other great single serving dessert options such as our Peach Chia Pudding, Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding, and Cookie Dough Overnight Oats! I realize that these also sound like breakfast, but trust me, with enough maple syrup they can easily be a dessert too!
Oh and we have an amazing Vegan Smores recipe with non-campfire cooking options if you want to make them at home.
If blended desserts are your thing, check out our Coconut Milkshake made with creamy coconut milk or any of our other dessert-drink hybrid recipes such as our Tahini Milkshake, Matcha Milkshake, Vegan Strawberry Milk, or our Chocolate Peanut Butter Tofu Smoothie which has a ton of protein with no protein powder!
Speaking of blended, how about a few vegan ice cream recipes that don't require an ice cream maker? We have some great nice cream recipes such as our Cherry Nice Cream, Protein Nice Cream, Avocado Nice Cream, Lavender Nice Cream, Mango Nice Cream, and Toasted Coconut Nice Cream. You should also try our Blue Smoothie Bowl recipe!
And I can't leave out our incredible vegan Chocolate Tofu Mousse and Vegan Chocolate Pudding recipes!
I think we've talked about all the different options enough and there's a better way for me to show you all the amazing vegan summer recipes we have: a list! Check out the list below for tons of recipes. Hope you enjoy!
Vegan Summer Recipes
This enormous list of over 100 Vegan Summer Recipes has everything you'll want to cook this summer! Whether you don't want to turn on your oven or you would if it was for something really special, we've got tons of ideas for vegan summer lunches, vegan summer desserts, vegan summer salads, vegan bbq recipes, vegan picnic recipes and so much more! Check out these great vegan summer recipes and start planning.
Vegan Summer Breakfasts
When it's already hot by the time you wake up, a bowl of hot oats might not be that appealing. You'll love these vegan summer breakfast recipes!
Cookie Dough Overnight Oats are an easy breakfast that tastes like dessert for those busy mornings loaded with protein, slow digesting carbs, and much-needed chocolate! Just mix up everything the night before and you'll have a satisfying and portable meal once you wake up! With peanut butter, vanilla, and mini chocolate chips, you'll look forward to this 5 minute meal prep.
Peach Chia Pudding is a fun summertime treat! With juicy fresh peaches, this fruity pudding is great as a healthy breakfast or snack. Just blend up the ingredients and then add the mix and chia seeds into a jar and you're good to go.
Sweet but nutrient-packed, this delicious and easy green smoothie is refreshing, satisfying, and nourishing. It makes a great complement to any plant-based breakfast but is a tasty treat any time of day.
Protein Overnight Oats are the easiest way to get in your plant-based protein. With 5 simple ingredients, you can meal prep your breakfast an easy breakfast in just 5 minutes! Try it with chocolate protein powder or any other flavor.
Coffee Overnight Oats are a delicious way to perk yourself up in the morning! Just five minutes of work before you go to bed and you'll have an easy breakfast that has cold brew coffee in it to get you started. A must try recipe for coffee lovers! This recipe is dairy free and gluten-free as well!
Matcha Overnight Oats will be your new favorite way to wake up each morning! These oats only take about 5 minutes or less of work to make. Just pop them in the fridge the night before and in the morning you'll have a sweet and fresh treat that will wake you up. A must try if you're a matcha lover!
Incredibly delicious and delightfully easy, these Vegan Savory Muffins are the perfect breakfast for anyone who isn’t into sweet breakfasts or just needs to switch it up a bit. Make up a quick batch of these veggie-packed muffins at the beginning of the week and enjoy easy, portable breakfasts or snacks for several days after.
This easy vegan Tofu Scramble with Veggies takes only 10 minutes to cook and makes a nutritious and delicious savory breakfast. This customizable recipe is perfect for meal prep and the whole family will enjoy it.
Sweet, tart, and delicious, this Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding makes the perfect plant-based breakfast or dessert. This vegan chia pudding is loaded with flavor and micronutrients your body needs, and it will keep you satisfied for many hours.
This incredibly easy Vegan Dutch Baby is served with caramelized peaches (or any fruit) and a dusting of powdered sugar for a delicious and impressive breakfast, dessert, or brunch recipe. Assemble in minutes and bake for 25 to get a delicious family-friendly vegan dish in under a half hour.
Crunchy, chocolaty, healthy and quick, this easy coconut cacao granola is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free! Packed with natural chocolate and coconut flakes, this granola is perfect to prep at the beginning of your week to eat with breakfasts, snacks, smoothies--even dessert! Layer it with fruit and homemade soy yogurt for the perfect vegan parfait!
The best flavor combination joins forces with breakfast to make this delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding. This thick and nutritious pudding is loaded with protein, healthy fats, many micronutrients, and is naturally sweetened for a tasty yet healthy vegan breakfast.
Protein-packed and full of eggy flavor, this loaded Vegan Omelette is satisfying and delicious. Make it in just 10 minutes with simple pantry ingredients and any fillings you like such as our vegan chorizo for a customizable and quick yet wholesome breakfast.
Creamy, tasty, and easy to make, this Vegan Cottage Cheese is protein-packed super versatile. Enjoy with toast and fruit, stuffed in tomatoes, or as part of another dish for a low fat and protein-rich meal.
Flavorful, filling, and fluffy, these Vegan Egg Muffins are fantastic for meal prep and made with JUST Egg (substitutions available). These customizable little vegan egg cups are perfect for savory breakfast lovers and picky eaters alike, and they’re loaded with veggies and protein.
Fluffy, delicious, and nutritious, these healthy Plant Based Pancakes are an easy breakfast that will please even the pickiest of eaters. Full of fiber, protein, and micronutrients, these delicious pancakes are indulgent only in taste so you can feel satisfied and ready to take on your day.
Family-friendly and insanely easy, Vegan French Toast Sticks are what breakfast dreams are made of. Sliced bread? Nah, it’s way more entertaining as batons that you can dunk and swish in syrup--fun for kids and the young at heart!
This easy and refreshing Blue Smoothie Bowl is the perfect breakfast for warm weather. All you need is a few minutes, a few ingredients, and whatever toppings you like and you’ve got a gorgeous breakfast or snack.
Soft, simple, and delicious, these Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins are sweet, bright, and easy to make for breakfast or dessert! Top them with my 3-minute blueberry glaze for a little extra sweetness.
Vegan Summer Desserts
Whether you can't fathom turning your oven on or you want to bake an impressive vegan dessert for a backyard party, you'll find some great options in this section. Check out these vegan summer desserts that include everything from cake to milkshakes to ice cream and everything in between!
A treat like no other, this Vegan Ice Cream Cake is the ultimate no-bake dessert. Layers of creamy vegan ice cream in a cookie crust with a chocolate shell and cookie crumbles on top… Nostalgia has never tasted this good!
Classic and nostalgic, these super simple vegan smores are a fun dessert to make outdoors or at home, no fire required. Both kids and adults will love making these smores any time of the year. Use dark chocolate, gelatin-free vegan marshmallows, and cinnamon graham crackers to make this simple but perfect dessert.
Chocolate Tofu Mousse is a super easy and delicious dessert! Just grab a blender, blend up all your ingredients, put it in a glass or airtight container, and then let it set in the refrigerator. Top with vegan chocolate shavings and whipped cream and the best way to do dessert!
This Peach Mug Cake is a super easy dessert to have in the summer! Just mix your cake batter in a mug and then gentle add some juicy peaches. This is a must try during peach season!
Cherry Nice Cream is a fun and fresh dessert that's bursting with cherry flavor! With only 4 ingredients, this nice cream is a non-dairy ice cream made with frozen bananas. Whether you make it in a food processor or a high-speed blender, you have a healthy yet sweet treat in just 5 minutes.
Creamy, thick, and delicious, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Tofu Smoothie is an incredibly high protein vegan smoothie without protein powder. Loaded with 40 grams of protein and other nutrients like fiber and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, this vegan protein shake is incredibly quick and easy to make and seriously delicious. Enjoy this silken tofu smoothie as breakfast, dessert, or a nourishing post-workout recovery shake.
Luscious, rich, moist and packed with coconut flavor, this perfect vegan coconut cake is a show stealer at any party. Frosted with homemade vegan buttercream frosting and toasted coconut flakes, this isn’t a cake you’ll soon forget--in fact, you’ll want to make it again and again!
Creamy, sweet, and delicious Vegan Strawberry Milk is easy to make and loaded with fresh strawberry flavor! This vegan strawberry milk recipe uses only 4 ingredients like real strawberries to make an incredible treat with barely any effort. Spend only 10 minutes making this delicious drink and chill until ready to use.
This Sweet Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Air Fryer Toasted Sandwich is a warm and gooey treat you need to try! It's such an easy recipe that is ready in just minutes. Just pop the sandwich in an air fryer basket and you've got the perfect comfort food.
Caramelized Peaches are an easy way to turn summer peaches into a sweet treat. So gooey and sugary, they make for the perfect topping for a delicious dessert or breakfast recipe. Try them with a scoop of ice cream or on top of some overnight oats or chia pudding.
Protein Nice Cream is a fun and cooling way to get your protein in. This chocolate banana ice cream is made out of frozen banana, giving this healthy treat a natural sweetness. With soy milk (or milk of your choice), cocoa powder, and chocolate protein powder, this is a recipe with simple ingredients that you'll love making all the time!
Soft, sweet, and easy to make, these Vegan Coconut Balls (Bolitas de Coco) are a super easy no-bake dessert perfect for summer. They are a vegan take on a traditional Costa Rican dessert and require only 4 ingredients!
This Lavender Nice Cream is light and delicate yet refreshing and delicious! Made from just a few simple ingredients and free of added sugar, it’s absolutely delightful and easy to make.
These sweet little Vegan Snickers Bites are ridiculously easy to make and involve no baking and barely any labor. These vegan chocolates are the perfect treat for adults and children alike--and anyone can make them regardless of cooking experience.
This healthy easy vegan edible cookie dough is made from chickpeas, dates, nut butter, and oats. It takes just 5 minutes to whip up and is a delicious, high protein snack or dessert.
This Tahini Milkshake is a chilly yet cozy drink! Nutty tahini is a rich, peanut-butter-like spread that is made from sesame seeds. With some frozen banana and a pinch of cinnamon, you'll have a comforting yet easy dessert or snack with this tahini shake recipe!
Creamy, dreamy, luscious mango nice cream made from mangoes and bananas! This delicious and quick dessert is healthy, easy, and will make you think you’re in a tropical paradise! Well, it will at least taste like it. ;)
Sweet, fruity, and fluffy, this Vegan Hummingbird Cake is absolutely delicious and easy to make. Impress family, guests, yourself, your dog--anyone will be begging for another slice of this tender fruit-filled cake.
Avocado Nice Cream is a super rich and creamy summer treat that you can make in your food processor! This recipe is a great way to save ripe avocados by dicing them up and freezing them before they go bad. With fresh mint leaves (optional flavoring) and mini chocolate chips, this no-banana nice cream is almost custard-like!
Vegan Party Food for Summer
From backyard barbecues to picnics, potlucks, pool parties, and more, here's a bunch of fun vegan summer recipes to take to your next big gathering!
This epic Vegan Charcuterie Board is loaded with goodies like vegan meats, vegan cheeses, fancy olives, fruit, and nuts--it was really fun and easy to put together and we’ll show you how to make a great board. It’s the perfect centerpiece for holidays and summer parties that will wow family, friends, and guests.
This refreshing and flavorful Vegan Ceviche is a delicious but fishless version of a traditional Peruvian dish. It makes a great appetizer or meal, especially for a gathering, when served with tortilla chips or in lettuce cups.
Creamy, crowd-pleasing and classic, this Vegan Macaroni Salad will be wolfed down by vegans and non-vegans alike at any gathering or meal. Serve it as a main dish or a side along whatever you like for a refreshing yet satisfying and delicious bite.
Creamy and loaded with flavor, this awesome Vegan Cheese Ball is easy to make, fun to decorate, and perfect for an appetizer or party snack. Highlight it on a vegan snack board or just dig in with some crackers and enjoy!
Bright, flavorful, and easy to make, this Orzo Pesto Salad is a delicious and quick entree or side. Made with fresh and simple ingredients and lots of flavor, this versatile dish will be enjoyed by everyone.
Fun and delicious, this vegan sheet pan quesadilla is easy to assemble in less than 10 minutes, and then bakes in the oven making it an easy and mostly hands-off dinner! Use your favorite fillings and enjoy with friends, family, or by yourself because the leftovers are delicious too.
Vegan Guacamole is a great addition to any Taco Tuesday! With creamy avocado, spicy jalapeno peppers, fresh lime juice and zest, and fresh tomatoes, you'll want to put this simple recipe on everything. Enjoy it with your favorite tortilla chips!
Vegan Fish Cakes are super tender, delicious, and really easy to make! This recipe uses soy curls to make a mixture that is flakey and fish-like, which turns out to be the perfect recipe for fish replacements. They're great as a savory snack, appetizer or main dish when served with your favorite side dish. We also made an easy Vegan Tartar Sauce to serve with them!
Creamy, zesty, tangy homemade vegan ranch mixed with pasta and fresh veggies--is there anything better? This simple and delicious pasta salad is great warm or chilled, and the perfect dish to take to a potluck or cook at home for yourself or your family, and free of any nuts, gluten, oil, or sugar. It also uses my homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing!
Fresh, zesty, and delicious, this easy Vegan Elote is the perfect food to serve at a BBQ, potluck or side on your dinner table. You don’t need a grill or much time at all to make this delicious side dish that will have your guests or family members raving and begging for more.
Spicy Harissa Whipped Tofu Dip is a great way to turn silken tofu into a tasty snack or party food! With a creamy texture and a spicy kick, all you need are a few chips and you have a dish for easy entertaining. Works great as a pasta sauce as well!
Smoky and packed with umami flavor, this easy Vegan Mushroom Pâté is the perfect appetizer or snack (it’s gluten-free too with one easy substitution!). Vegan pâté is a great feels-fancy dish but is simple and easy to make.
Refreshing, simple, and delicious, these Vegan Pina Coladas will make you feel like you're in a tropical paradise… even if you’re on your couch in the middle of Illinois. Make them with or without alcohol for a light treat for those hot summer days.
This vegan oil free hummus is super easy to make and incredibly creamy. Serve it up as a meal loaded with veggies and pita or keep it in the fridge as an easy snack with veggies or crackers when you get peckish!
Vegan Summer Lunch Recipes
While you can totally have these at dinner too, this collection of sandwiches and more just kinda says LUNCH, to me, you know? Here are a bunch of summery vegan lunch ideas.
These Vegan Honey Mustard Chicken Wraps are perfect for lunch or dinner, or even as a snack. They’re customizable and easy to assemble so they’ll please the whole family, and they’re ready in less than 20 minutes!
This super tender, sweet and tangy Vegan BBQ Chicken is made from soy curls and it’s unbelievable! Super hands off, this 3 ingredient recipe is the perfect vegan protein for any sandwich, salad, or meal. It also works great for meal prep!
Epic delicious food couldn’t get any easier with this Air Fryer Pizza, and you won't have to turn on your oven! Load it up with anything you like, throw it in the air fryer, and in 10-12 minutes you’ve got delicious homemade pizza.
A healthy twist on a classic, these Easy Vegan Tuna Melt Sandwiches might become your new favorite lunch. Made from wholesome, plant-based ingredients and ready in 15 minutes or less, they're a delicious protein-packed upgrade to grilled cheese.
This Vegan Meatball Sub recipe is so juicy and packed with flavor and protein! Stuff your hoagie rolls with vegan meatballs, tomato sauce, vegan provolone, and a little vegan parmesan on top. A great recipe for vegan game-day food, this is the ultimate vegan comfort food!
These easy vegan Portobello Mushroom Steaks are juicy and meaty, but totally meat-free and healthy! Marinated and oven-baked, my mushroom steaks are perfect along side any vegetable or grain.
Healthy, flavorful, and satisfying, this easy Tofu Buddha Bowl is the perfect weekday meal and is super versatile. With crispy tofu and fresh vegetables, this meal is healthy, flavorful, and satisfying. This recipe is also perfect for meal prep because you can prep a large quantity of the components and build your bowl quickly each day!
Tofu Quesadillas are super easy to make! With just three ingredients, you'll have an amazing meal in just 5 to 10 minutes. Dunk them in some homemade vegan sour cream or guacamole!
This Vegan Lobster Roll is a fun and healthy twist on the New England classic. The perfect sandwich for summer, this recipe is perfect for vegans and folks allergic to shellfish--and it’s ready in just 15 minutes!
Chewy, smoky, and delicious, this Soy Curl Bacon is easy to make and super versatile. Use it in a vegan BLT wrap like I have here, or add it to your favorite sandwich, breakfast, or pasta.
This creamy, refreshing, and delicious Vegan Chicken Salad is a quick and easy meal you can make for yourself, your family, or even a barbecue or potluck. It’s gluten-free, oil-free, and ridiculously tasty in a sandwich or with some fresh vegetables!
Easy vegan seitan gyros in under an hour, loaded with veggies and fresh vegan tzatziki sauce and most importantly, FLAVOR! This Greek-inspired meal is perfect for a family, or enjoying throughout the week for easy lunches or dinner.
Packed with flavor and fun to make, this Vegan Shawarma Bowl is the customizable bowl of your lunch, dinner, or meal prep dreams. Loaded with homemade Vegan Shawarma (gluten-free!), hummus, pickled red onions, harissa, and other goodies--you can build a bowl (or do it in a flatbread!) according to your tastes.
These loaded Vegan Tortas might just become your new favorite meal. A fresh roll filled with incredibly flavorful tofu, avocado, vegan cheese, and more make this a delicious and satisfying vegan sandwich.
Bursting with flavor, this easy and quick BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich with Vegan Coleslaw is a great family lunch or dinner, but also perfect for an outdoor gathering. Young jackfruit cooks while the vegan coleslaw is put together, enabling this dish to clock in at just 15 minutes to make.
Gooey, cheesy, and really easy, this incredible Vegan Grilled Cheese with Bacon is the epic warm and toasty sandwich you've been longing for. Two slices of perfectly crispy golden brown bread are absolutely STUFFED with melty vegan cheese and smoky homemade vegan bacon for an amazing vegan sandwich experience. This sandwich will be loved by kids and adults alike—and it comes together in only 10 minutes!
Vegan Summer Dinner Recipes
Conversely, here are sume vegan summer dinner recipes that could also work for lunch! And yes, you could also have the leftovers for lunch!
Fast, delicious, and easy, this Garlic Scape Pasta is a simple and delicious seasonal 15 minute dish that happens to also be vegan. Whip this up for a quick weeknight dinner or serve to guests.
Pasta with Zucchini and Mushrooms is a fun way to have an easy 30 minute dinner with lots of veggies. Just make our rich and flavorful cashew sauce in a blender, boil some pasta, and cook your vegetables in a large skillet. Combine everything and then you have the perfect meal for the whole family to enjoy anytime!
A classic side reinvented, this creamy and cheesy Vegan Squash Casserole will steal the show. Summer squash layered with onion, fresh basil, a decadent creamy cheese sauce, and finished with a crispy crust everyone will want to dive into.
Broccoli Pasta Sauce is a super easy and tasty way to sneak more vegetables in your whole family's food. Just steam or air fry your broccoli florets and then blend them with the other ingredients and you'll have an amazingly creamy sauce. Make it with frozen or fresh broccoli!
Vegan Stuffed Zucchini is a delicious entree that uses hollowed out fresh zucchini as a boat for an incredible filling. Our vegan zucchini boats are filled with tender soy curl morsels and can be flavored either as vegan beef or vegan sausage. Plus it's ready in just 35 minutes. So grab a spoon and start carving some zucchini!
Miso Mushroom Pasta is a creamy, savory dish that's loaded with flavor and super easy to make. Just sauté mushrooms in a pan and then make your sauce. With a little bit of coconut (substitutions available) and the right pasta noodles, this creamy pasta recipe comes together in just 15 minutes!
Vegan Peanut Noodles are a sweet and spicy entree that will leave you feeling satisfied. The flavorful vegan peanut sauce uses pantry staples, is ready in 5 minutes, and you only need a mixing bowl to make it. Add it to your favorite pasta for a ton of flavor!
Creamy Zucchini Risotto is super flavorful and easy to make. This easy entrée or side is loaded with fresh vegetables and beautiful flavor.
Savory, lightly spicy, and super flavorful, these Vegan Birria Tacos are loaded with jackfruit birria, vegan Mexican cheese, and fried up with the flavorful stew used to cook the birria. This is an incredible meal or appetizer to serve guests, family, friends, or even just a fun and indulgent meal to make for yourself!
This hearty and delicious Sheet Pan BBQ Tofu Meal is made on one or two sheet pans (depending on how many veggies you want!) and is super hands-off. Loaded with crispy BBQ tofu, the BEST crispy potatoes, surprisingly delicious roasted onions, roasted asparagus, and sweet corn, this is a meal that’s perfect for guests, a weeknight dinner, or meal prep.
These rich and flavorful Easy Vegan Scallops are served in a flavorful garlic butter sauce over pasta with sun dried tomatoes and fresh herbs. This dish feels fancy enough for date night or a dinner party, but it’s easy enough for a weeknight meal.
Tender yet chewy and packed full of flavor, this Vegan Carne Asada is the perfect filling for tacos or burritos but also delicious with some rice and veggies. This protein-packed gluten-free and vegan meal is one your family and guests will love.
Creamy, flavorful, and easy to prepare, this Vegan Sun-dried Tomato Pasta will be your new favorite weeknight dinner. Pantry staples come together to make this quick, and delicious vegan pasta for a simple and satisfying meal.
This super easy vegan Spanish paella is a delicious 40 minute dinner packed with plant-based protein and wholesome ingredients. Extra firm tofu is marinated in olive brine for a seafood flavor and baked until crispy, then added to the delicious rice and vegetable mixture in this classic Spanish dish.
I wasn't sure where to put this but it's so versatile AND it's made from summer produce: Watermelon Tuna! Our Watermelon Tuna is watermelon that’s marinated and baked in a savory brine that really makes it taste like sashimi-style vegan ahi tuna! It’s tender and luscious, not at all like the watery sweet fruit everyone knows. Give it a try!
Creamy, flavorful, and delicious, this Saucy Tahini Pasta with Crispy Tofu is a bowl full of delicious that’s ready in 20 minutes or less. Load it up with your favorite veggies and customize the sauce to your liking for your new favorite go-to lunch or dinner.
This super creamy and light Vegan Pasta Primavera is absolutely packed with fresh vegetables and tons of flavor. This dish makes it easy to enjoy a variety of fresh vegetables without sacrificing time or taste.
Marinated and grilled or baked, this Vegan Souvlaki made out of tofu or your favorite meat alternative makes for a great main dish, especially when loaded into a pita with your favorite toppings. This easy vegetarian souvlaki is great any time of year and is great for meal prep or serving to guests.
Delicious and fun, this Vegan Rasta Pasta recipe is inspired by an original Jamaican dish and is an easy, quick meal to make on weeknights or when you’re short on time. Featuring vegan chicken and surrounded by fettuccine, bell peppers, green onions, homemade jerk seasoning, and vegan parmesan cheese to create a flavorful meal you’ll be proud to serve.
This vegan Instant Pot Corn Chowder is simple, healthy, and utterly divine. Made from frozen or fresh corn, this delicious, hearty meal is great for meal prep and makes for an easy, nourishing meal. Stovetop instructions also provided.
This bright, fresh, and flavorful Vegan Cashew Pesto is the perfect addition to pasta, toast, crackers, potatoes, or whatever else you can think of. It’s so easy to make and so delicious that you’ll want to put it on just about everything!
This creamy and refreshing Vegan Ricotta Pasta is not only insanely easy to make, but delicious and will please the whole family. Delicious cold or warm, this pasta is great for potlucks or leftovers--even great for picky eaters! Boost the flavors with lemon and freshly cracked black pepper if desired.
Fresh yet filling, these delicious Vegan Fish Tacos are a crazy fun 30 minute meal. Loaded with fresh goodies like creamy avocado, tangy red cabbage, and a spicy chipotle aioli, these vegan tacos are like a flavor explosion in your mouth.
This roasted vegetable pasta is prepared with only a pot of water and a sheet pan in the oven. It comes together in just 30 minutes and is super cozy yet light and refreshing.
Vegan Summer Salads
Looking for something bright and refreshing? You'll love these vegan summer salads!
Butter Bean Salad is fresh and filling! With the buttery flavor of these big beans, fresh vegetables, and a super easy vinaigrette, this recipe is a great side dish with any meal. Take it with you on your next picnic.
Melon Salad is a fruit salad that is perfect for a hot summer day. Using a melon baller, scoop from three sweet melons to make little spheres that are fun-sized bites. With a sweet and citrusy light dressing and fresh mint leaves, this refreshing salad will be favorite chilled delight for lunch, dinner, or dessert.
This Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons and Pickled Onions is a delicious twist on a classic salad. This salad is also protein-packed, super satisfying, and takes less than 15 minutes to throw together!
Creamy, satisfying, and refreshing, this vegan avocado salad is divine but incredibly easy to make. Fresh and flavorful, this salad is an elevated yet approachable, family friendly, and comes together in less than 15 minutes.
Colorful and crisp, this Vegan Italian Salad is delicious and filling enough for a meal or makes the perfect side. The classic Italian flavors and zesty, creamy dressing will leave you wanting more, and luckily this salad is easy and simple enough to make all the time! Serve with my Creamy Vegan Italian Dressing or Oil-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Creamy, fresh, sweet, and tangy, this Vegan Goat Cheese Salad with Strawberries and Pecans has it all! Super fresh, easy, and fast, this entree salad comes together in under 30 minutes and is sure to impress your family and your guests.
This Vegan Waldorf Salad is creamy, refreshing and perfectly balanced for a delicious side or entree. Made from grapes, apples, walnuts and optional celery and served in a beautiful lettuce lined bowl, this is a dish you can bring to any gathering or complement any spread at your dinner table.
Protein-packed and super flavorful, this Vegan Taco Salad is easy, delicious, and filling. This delicious salad in a homemade taco shell bowl will quickly become a household favorite.
Vegan watermelon feta salad is incredibly refreshing, light, and super easy to throw together in less than 15 minutes. Use my easy vegan feta cheese or store-bought vegan feta for a delicious summer salad that’s perfect for sharing… or not.
Bright, simple, and flavorful, this Vegan White Bean Salad is the perfect summer side or light meal. With fresh ingredients like avocados, cucumbers, dill, and lemon, this satisfying bean salad comes together in minutes and is a great dish to bring to a potluck or BBQ.
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