16 Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes You Can Make in 30 Minutes (or Less)

Garden Veggie Linguine with Cilantro Pesto
Photo: Andy Lyons

Plant-based family recipes can please the whole crew—yes, even carnivores and kiddos! These easy vegan dinner recipes are colorful, packed with nutrition via seasonal ingredients, and contain zero animal products. Many are twists on comfort food faves, because who can resist pizza, tacos, and pasta? The best news of all: Each of these quick vegan meals can be on your table in 30 minutes or less. No meat, little prep time, all the flavor.

01 of 16

Roasted Tomato and Artichoke Pasta

Roasted Tomato and Artichoke Pasta
Blaine Moats

One of our favorite veggie hacks: Roast a panful of whatever vegetable is in season with olive oil and herbs to bring out the natural sugars. Then toss with a big bowl of pasta for a 25-minute easy vegan recipe. Craving more protein? Just crack open and stir in a can of drained beans before serving.

02 of 16

Tacu Tacu (Peruvian Beans and Rice)

Tacu Tacu (Peruvian Beans and Rice)
Aubrie Pick

In Peru, this rice and bean entrée is often served topped with meat or an egg. But we prefer this easy vegan meal that takes the same concept and the same seasonings and translates them into a fully plant-based comfort food dish that can be cut into slices and served for a date night dinner. Don't be confused by the rice-and-beans name—this meal is far from bland thanks to fresh lime, cilantro, oregano, and parsley.

03 of 16

Chickpea-Herb Flatbreads

Chickpea-Herb Flatbreads pizza recipe
Jason Donnelly

You won't even miss the cheese when you taste this pizza-like flatbread that's topped with a creamy garlic tahini sauce. The drizzle pulls together bright, fresh herbs and a savory chickpea topping—all piled onto crispy flatbread. The 20-minute Mediterranean diet-friendly dish can be served cold or lightly warmed for a quick and easy vegan dinner recipe.

04 of 16

Garden Veggie Linguine with Cilantro Pesto

Garden Veggie Linguine with Cilantro Pesto
Andy Lyons

Thank you, pesto, for being our favorite indulgent vegan pasta sauce. Marinara is great and all, but sometimes the oil and nuts found in pesto are what we need to feel satisfied after a vegan pasta dinner. This pesto is made from cilantro instead of the usual basil, with added orange and mustard flavors. It may sound a little unusual, but one bite of this quick vegan meal will sell you on the bold flavors.

05 of 16

White Bean Arugula Crostini

White Bean Arugula Crostini
Andy Lyons

Tired of the same old avocado toast? This crostini concept fits your vegan lifestyle and is more exciting than the trendy toast thanks to caramelized onions, dried tomatoes, and peppery arugula. Each serving of this plant-based family recipe (one toast) is adorned with a quarter can of cannellini beans to deliver 15 grams of filling protein.

06 of 16

Chopped Salad Taco

Chopped Salad Taco
Andy Lyons

Keep your cool with this no-cook recipe that showcases summer's best produce, including summer squash and sweet corn. Crank up the fresh factor with lime wedges and cilantro, and let everyone garnish as desired.

07 of 16

Peanut-Sauced Veggies and Noodles

Peanut Sauced Noodles
Andy Lyons

Wait, don't call for takeout quite yet! Try DIY tonight: Cook pasta and a frozen vegetable blend in the same pot of water, drain, then dress with a simple homemade peanut sauce. Top with fresh mint and crushed red pepper if you please (we do!), and the 20-minute vegan family dinner recipe is ready to go.

08 of 16

Squash and Curried Noodle Soup

Squash & Curried Noodle Soup
Blaine Moats

Want to know the secret to stirring together a 30-minute vegan meal that tastes like it simmered all day? Layer on the flavor with rich spices (here, we call for curry and turmeric) and supplement the broth base with a creamy element (coconut milk is our go-to for a vegan option). Just add a side of warm naan or your favorite bread recipe for dunking.

09 of 16

Cashew-Cream Pasta

Cashew Cream Pasta Sauce
Blaine Moats

This simple nut-based "cream" sauce is a spot-on swap for Alfredo. Try it with any cut of pasta—we recommend fettuccine or penne—and add a handful of veggies like broccoli to crank up the nutrition level. To ensure this recipe stays true to vegan ingredients, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Feel free to skip the optional cheese as shown in the image, and easily keep this recipe a 100% plant-based family dish.

10 of 16

Sesame Tofu Stir-Fry

Sesame Tofu Stir-Fry
Marty Baldwin

Rather than using chicken or beef, switch up your stir-fry routine with firm tofu. The soy protein flavor is a blank slate, so it can be a healthy vehicle to deliver all the savory sauce's goodness to your taste buds. To streamline prep of this popular vegan dish, snag a bottle of supermarket stir-fry sauce and a bag of frozen veggies so you don't have to start from scratch.

11 of 16

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

Chickpea Curry with Butternut Squash
Blaine Moats

Don't be intimidated about serving Indian cuisine to your family. "I made this for my family, including a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, and everyone liked it," says BHG.com home cook Megan C. The spice from a scoop of green curry paste is tamed nicely by the coconut milk, chickpeas, and squash, making this quick vegan dinner not too hot to share with sensitive palates.

12 of 16

Cumin-Crusted Veggie Burgers with Pineapple Salsa

Cumin-Crusted Veggie Burgers with Pineapple Salsa
Andy Lyons

Burger night isn't just for beef-eaters, you know. But mixing up a scratch vegan patty can be a pain, so we're offering a brilliant grilling idea that involves dressing up a store-bought meatless burger. With a cumin seed coating, plus grilled pineapple and pepper relish, no one will ever guess you didn't whip up the entire quick vegan recipe from scratch.

13 of 16

Spicy Tempeh Bulgogi

bowl of Spicy Tempeh Bulgogi with side of kimchi and green onions on cutting board
Adam Albright

Admittedly, bulgogi translates to "fire meat" and this has none. But our rendition trades in tempeh (fermented soybean patty) for the beef or pork with almost identical results. Seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, fresh ginger, garlic, and gochujang paste, this is one of our best vegan dinner recipes when you're craving Asian.

Buy It: Bibigo Gochujang Sauce ($4, Target)

14 of 16

Kale and White Bean Soup

Kale and White Bean Soup
Andy Lyons

Kick the canned version and stir up a cozy batch of bean soup. Why not, when this entire easy vegan meal takes just 25 minutes? Top with a handful of homemade or store-bought croutons for crunch and crowd-pleasing carbs. As with other similar soups and stews, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth to keep this dish in vegan territory.

15 of 16

Vegan Tempeh-Walnut Tacos

Vegan Tempeh-Walnut Tacos
Matthew Clark

Plant-based taco night? Yes, please! Our 30-minute vegan dinner recipe for beef-free tacos swaps in seasoned walnuts and tempeh. Combine the vegan meat substitute with lettuce, onion, guacamole, salsa, and whatever taco toppings you enjoy most.

16 of 16

Thai Peanut Squash Soup

overhead view of 5 bowls of thai peanut soup with edamame
Jason Donnelly

Sturdy vegetables (winter squash) and creamy components (coconut milk) make this easy vegan recipe feel more like a meal than a starter. Yes, even with zero meat or dairy! A scoop of peanut butter adds a lovely nutty quality and a bit of protein. Pair with a side salad, a cracker or bread you're craving, and a healthy dessert and you have a vibrant feast for the taste buds and the eyes.

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