Opinion Easy dinners & desserts: 25 go-to recipes for new vegans

Looking for some simple, satisfying plant-based recipes to add to your repertoire? Ease into vegan cooking with these classic comfort meals & desserts!

If you’re still new to making plant-based meals, it’s totally normal to find yourself drawing a blank on what to cook sometimes. After all, even though there are countless delicious recipes out there, you may not have tried enough of them to have some reliable favourites front-of-mind yet.

So be patient with yourself – this ease and familiarity will come with time!

Even if you only try one or two new veg recipes each week, you’ll soon build up a mental list of some plant-based dishes you know and love, and maybe even have a few on regular rotation in your kitchen.

Here are some staple vegan recipes to help get your plant-based repertoire started:

1. Nonna’s Italian Chickpea Soup

You definitely don’t need to be a Nonna to nail this brothy, minestrone-style soup. It’s super easy to make, and full of nourishing ingredients like chickpeas, carrots, and tomatoes.

2. Creamy Mushroom & Thyme Risotto

Everyone needs a go-to risotto recipe, and it doesn’t get much cosier than this one. Every buttery, umami mouthful is studded with rich mushrooms and aromatic hints of thyme.

3. Veggie Fried Rice

A quick, throw-together fried rice is a great meal to remember for busy weeknights. Hot tip: Add vegan ‘fish’ sauce and a drop of liquid smoke to give it that authentic fried rice flavour.

4. Spinach & Tofu Scramble

For a filling, protein-packed breakfast, you can’t go past a hearty plate of tofu scramble. Amp it up with black salt to add that ‘eggy’ taste, and add whatever big brekky sides you like.

5. Homestyle Eggplant & Chickpea Curry 

When in doubt, try a vegan-friendly curry. This melt-in-your-mouth number is surprisingly simple, featuring tender morsels of eggplant and the soft bite of chickpeas.

6. Tortilla Soup

This Mexican-inspired soup is packed with more beans than you can shake a tortilla chip at – but that shouldn’t stop you from trying. It’s so moreish, you’ll want it every week!

7. Pan-fried Pesto Gnocchi

Is there anything better than a dish you can toss together in the pan and have ready in 20 minutes? We’d argue no – especially if that dish involves crispy, golden pillows of gnocchi.

8. Hokkien Noodle Stir-fry

For those nights when you feel like takeout but also feel inspired to make your own easy version at home! This hokkien stir-fry is a great way of using up any veggies in the back of your fridge.

9. White Bean Stew with Crispy Roast Carrots 

Picture a comforting bowl full of veggie goodness and protein-packed white beans… Yum! If you’re ever out of ideas, stews like this one are low-effort, delicious, and nutrient-dense.

10. Quick Poke Bowl

This plant-based take on a poke bowl is refreshing, satisfying, and quick to whip up in a pinch throughout the week – just keep the ingredients pre-chopped in your fridge.

11. Vegan Butter ‘Chicken’ 

How nifty is it that you can use banana blossom to replicate the taste and texture of chicken? Alternatively, use one of the many plant-based chicken products available in stores.

12. Pesto Pasta with Olives & Sun-dried Tomatoes 

Who doesn’t love a bright, punchy pasta dish that only takes 10 minutes to cook? This recipe is full of flavour thanks to the salty olives, herby pesto, and tangy bursts of sun-dried tomato.

13. Classic ‘Meatball’ Sub 

We’d love to shake the hand of whoever first thought of putting meatballs on a sub. What an absolute gift to the world! This vegan version is unbelievably filling and perfectly saucy.

14. Smashed Zucchini & Smoked Almonds on Sourdough 

Why stick with plain old avocado on toast when you can level up to smashed zucchini and smoked almonds? There’s something about this flavour combo that you just can’t beat.

15. Easy Mushroom Bourguignon

This cosy bourguignon will warm you from the inside out. With tasty fried mushrooms and notes of red wine, it pairs especially well with buttery mashed potato or creamy polenta.

16. Tofu Palak ‘Paneer’

If you haven’t tried vegan Indian food yet, this palak ‘paneer’ recipe would be a brilliant place to start. It uses firm tofu instead of paneer as the vessel for all the sauciness and spices.

17. Chocolate Celebration Cake

No baking repertoire would be complete without an old reliable chocolate cake recipe. Perfect for any occasion, you’d literally never guess this one was egg- and dairy-free!

18. Cinnamon Scrolls

These cinnamon scrolls come together super quickly, and make your kitchen smell like heaven in the process. And the icing drizzle, to top it off, is so divine you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful.

19. Lemon & Apple Olive Oil Cake

Light, fluffy, and fruity, this delicately sweet lemon and apple cake will stick in your mind from the very first bite. It’s foolproof to make, goes well with tea, and is guaranteed to impress!

20. Oreo Cupcakes

Need a tray of sweet treats that look impressive but were (literally) a piece of cake to make? These Oreo-laden cupcakes absolutely fit the bill – they’re cute, easy, and utterly addictive.

21. Banana, Walnut & Chia Bread 

 

Ideal to have on hand as a breakfast bite, lunchbox treat, or afternoon tea, this chia-speckled banana and walnut bread will demand your attention until there’s nothing left but crumbs.

22. Brown Butter Choc Chip Cookies 

These aren’t your ordinary choc chip cookies… Using browned butter to make the dough somehow lends them a deeper, richer flavour. Once you’ve tried this recipe, you’ll never go back.

23. Vegan Tim Tams

Solve the age-old problem of Tim Tams not being vegan by making your own dairy-free batch at home! They look the part, taste the part, and will disappear just as fast.

24. Double Chocolate Chunk Brownies

The only thing better than regular chocolate brownies? Double choc chunk brownies. Luckily there are heaps of dairy-free chocolates available these days for your vegan baking needs.

25. Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Spongy, zesty lemon cake and poppy seeds are such a dreamy combination. This is a lovely  recipe to make if you’re heading to a picnic in the park or need to bring a plate to an event. 

There’s more where that came from! If you’re keen to discover even more easy, tasty plant-based meals – as well as some handy tips to keep you inspired on your journey – be sure to order your free veg starter kit here.

We’re here to help make eating more veg as easy as possible, and are happy to answer any questions you might have along the way. Get in touch anytime for more plant-based recipe recommendations or advice.