This big list of 50+ Vegan Lunch Recipes are a great way to make lunch time easy and delicious! From easy sandwiches to soups and salads you can prep for the next day, to full blown meal preps, you'll find tons of new recipe inspiration in this post.
Hey Internet, we've got some more easy recipes for you today! When you're looking an easy vegan lunch, you need recipes that either don't take long to make or can be made ahead of time. After many years of running ZardyPlants, we have plenty of both. So we've decided to make this resource to help people find our best lunch recipes.
Lunch is such a challenging meal time for a lot of people. Most folks are busy, and some have to eat lunch away from home at the office, school, or on the go. Even if you're home, you might not have the time or energy to cook yourself a lunch every day. There are already two other meals to do that for!
Besides decision fatigue, there are so many other things to consider when figuring out vegan lunch ideas. Your taste buds, your budget, your macros (if you're tracking those), and just figuring out a balanced meal that's both delicious and nourishing so it will keep you satisfied and energized throughout the rest of your day, or at least until dinner time.
That's where we come in! At the time of writing this, we've both been vegan for nearly ten years and we've had ZardyPlants for over half of those years. Are all of our meals for ZardyPlants? No, but we do try and balance our vegan meals with protein, healthy fats, carbs, colors (fiber + nutrients from fresh fruit and veggies!) and of course flavor.
This list has everything from cheap meals using basic ingredients to unique recipes with a little more to them. But they all have a few things in common: they're all flavorful, they're all easy to make either ahead of time as a meal prep or day of depending on what works for you, they're all suitable for a vegan diet, and they're all pretty well balanced.
Some of them, such as our Vegan Tuna Melt, may require you to add in your fresh fruit or veg on the side, but that's a pretty normal thing for a sandwich recipe and these sandwiches are a little more unique than your typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Though there's nothing wrong with a classic PB&J in our opinion.
More Compilations You'll Love
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- Vegan Soup Recipes and Vegan Stew Recipes
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Anyway, let's get into this amazing vegan lunch ideas compilation!
Vegan Lunch Ideas
This big list of Vegan Lunch Ideas has over 50 recipes that are budget friendly, mostly meal prep friendly, and definitely taste bud friendly! If you're looking for easy lunches to make and take to work, school, a picnic, or wherever, look no further than this huge compilation of vegan lunch recipes!
This easy Vegan Philly Cheesesteak is incredibly delicious and makes a fun lunch or dinner to share—or not! Packed with a realistic but healthy homemade meat alternative, caramelized onions, and smothered in homemade melty, gooey vegan cheese in a hoagie roll, this is a truly satisfying vegan sandwich recipe.
This creamy Vegan Gnocchi Soup is so cozy and easy to make in under 25 minutes. It tastes just like the Olive Garden classic but with chickpeas instead of chicken without sacrificing any flavor.
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 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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
This easy Butter Bean Stew is a great way to take canned beans and turn them into an amazing meal. It's ready in 30 minutes, it's an easy dinner that will give you leftover for the next day or so!
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.
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 crackers and fresh vegetables!
Chewy, smoky, and delicious, this Soy Curl Bacon is easy to make and super versatile. Use it in a vegan BLT wrap like we have here, or add it to your favorite sandwich, breakfast, or pasta.
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.
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!
These super simple Vegan Pinwheels are spinach artichoke flavor and perfect for a packed lunch, picnic, party appetizer, or an easy snack. This recipe is super customizable and takes just 10 minutes to prepare.
These super simple Vegan Pinwheels are spinach artichoke flavor and perfect for a packed lunch, picnic, party appetizer, or an easy snack. This recipe is super customizable and takes just 10 minutes to prepare.
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.
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.
Vegan Taco Soup is a cozy and comforting soup that is just bursting with the best flavor. With soy curls made to taste just like beef, a broth filled with tomato and spices, and lots of amazing toppings, you have the perfect meal in no time. Feeds the entire family or is great for meal prep!
Epic delicious food couldn’t get any easier with this Air Fryer Pizza, making any night a pizza night! Load it up with anything you like, throw it in the air fryer, and in 10-12 minutes you’ve got delicious homemade pizza.
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!
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.
Ready for the Best Vegan Mac and Cheese on the Internet? This Mac's vegan cheese sauce is rich, gooey, and super easy to make and uses only 4 ingredients! Just grab your favorite elbow noodles, cook and strain them, and then mix the other ingredients in the same pot. Everything should come together in just 15 minutes! No blender, no nuts, no fuss!
This firm, savory, satisfying Lentil Mushroom Loaf is a classic holiday main that actually works great as a meal prep for vegan lunches! Add a slice or two to a container with some mashed or roasted potatoes and steamed or roasted veggies for an easy meal prep.
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!
This sweet and spicy Vegan General Tso’s Chicken is a delicious veganized Chinese takeout inspired dish. Gluten-free and packed with flavor and vegetables, this fast and easy lunch or dinner is as healthy as it is tasty!
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.
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.
Easy vegan Instant Pot black beans with rice on the side, this meal is absolutely delicious, filling, and pantry-friendly. Perfect for meal prep, freezes well, sticks-to-your-ribs, inexpensive, and packed with plant-based protein and necessary vitamins / minerals.
This Vegan Tortellini Soup recipe is an easy way to warm up on those chilly days! Savory and creamy, it's an easy dinner that's the perfect way to feed your family or meal prep for the week. Did we mention it's also a one-pot meal?
This Vegan Chickpea Florentine Pasta is a creamy, savory, cheesy, tangy pasta meal that comes together in just 30 minutes and only uses one pot! Loaded with veggies and protein-packed chickpeas, this light and saucy pasta is also super satisfying and delicious.
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.
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.
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.
Easy, sweet, salty, and super garlicky, these Vegan Garlic Noodles might just become your new favorite go-to meal. With just 5 ingredients and no oil or dairy, this dish is quick and easy, coming together in just 15 minutes.
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.
Packed with veggies and flavor, this 15 minute Kale Mushroom Pasta is the perfect balance between healthy, comforting, and easy. Use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta for a nourishing meal that does not compromise flavor for nutrients.
Cozy, satisfying and easy to make, this Vegan Potato and Leek Soup is pure comfort food. It’s great for dinner, meal prep, leftovers, freezing, picky eaters, you name it. And if you don’t like leeks, it’s just as easy to substitute onions or leave them out.
This vegan Tuscan Butter Bean Ragout is the perfect cozy and easy meal. Pair it with crusty bread, rice, pasta or enjoy just on its own. This vegan butter bean recipe is perfect for using up scrap veggies in the fridge, meal prep, or quick and wholesome meal for family.
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.
This ridiculously delicious Sticky Tofu might just be one of the best things we’ve ever made. It’s incredibly easy to make, customize, and it goes with basically everything.
This fresh and delicious Tofu Poke Bowl couldn’t be any easier to make at home and features delicious baked sesame ginger tofu. Customize it however you like and prep enough to enjoy all week for quick and easy but healthy meals.
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.
Ultra luscious and flavorful, this Vegan Creamy Pasta takes only 20 minutes to make with simple ingredients you’re likely to have in your kitchen. This is a super versatile dish you can customize with your favorite seasonings and add-ins, as well as adjusting the flavors to suit your tastes.
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.
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.
This crispy Tofu Buddha Bowl is a healthy and satisfying way to eat for lunch or dinner. With tofu, sweet potatoes, avocado, kale, tomatoes and red cabbage, it all comes together with our Maple Mustard Tahini Sauce. It's a rich yet fresh bowl that's a great way to get some healthy fats and nutrients. Best part is you can meal prep a lot of the ingredients before hand for an easy dinner!
Ultra delicious, Loaded with veggies and packed with flavor, this Vegan Biryani is sure to become a new favorite meal. Surprisingly easy to make, this delicious Indian-inspired dish is healthy and nutrient dense without compromising on taste.
Full of sweet, salty, spicy, sour, and savory flavor, this Vegan Kung Pao Chicken is completely amazing and easy to make. This Kung Pao is better than takeout, and it’s better for you but it does NOT compromise on incredible flavor.
Crispy, tender, and flavorful, these Vegan Schnitzel are actually made from tofu and they’re incredibly delicious. This easy meat alternative comes together in just 15 minutes, can be made in one of three ways (instructions provided), and is the perfect protein for any meal.
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 noodles or pasta for a ton of flavor!
Satisfying as an entree or exciting side, this Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice is surprisingly easy and quick to make. It’s not even that spicy, but it could be made more spicy if preferred.
Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets are a super easy snack or main for lunch or dinner! You just rip apart a block of tofu, cover it in wet ingredients, shake them in a bag with breading, and then air fry them. These vegan tofu nuggets taste just like chicken nuggets and are a great source of plant-based protein.
Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl is a great way to have a cheap yet healthy dinner! With savoy cabbage, carrots, TVP, and other low cost ingredients, you get 4 meals out of this recipe. So grab your wok and let stir fry some vegetables!
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.
When you need your sushi fix but don't have time, Customizable Sushi Bowls can make for a healthy meal. With premade rice you can enjoy them all week! Try them with our awesome Watermelon Tuna for a really amazing experience!
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