31 Easy Plant-Based Recipes - Love and Lemons (2024)

These easy plant-based recipes will satisfy any craving! They include vibrant grain bowls, hearty veggie burgers, noodles, sushi, and more.

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I’m popping in today to highlight some of my favorite plant-based recipes! If you saw my post over the weekend, you know that I get tons of questions about plant-based eating at this time of year. It makes sense – in the last few years, plant-based diets have gotten a lot of press. They’re said to be better for your health and better for the planet. What’s not to love?

Well, many people don’t know where to start. Sure, they know that they should eat whole grains, veggies, fruits, and legumes. But while these components are nutritious, they don’t add up to delicious, satisfying meals on their own.

That’s where these plant-based recipes come in! They take the building blocks of a plant-based diet – the aforementioned veggies, grains, etc. – and transform them into dishes that are exciting, filling, and fun to eat. Below, you’ll find vibrant grain bowls, hearty veggie burgers, tasty sandwiches, noodles, sushi, and more. Whether you’re a longtime vegan or experimenting with plant-based recipes for the first time, you’re sure to find something you love!

Bowl Plant-Based Recipes

These colorful bowls check all the plant-based boxes! They’ve got protein, they’ve got whole grains, they’ve got veggies. Best of all, they taste fantastic.

Best Buddha Bowl
Cozy roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and brown rice make this bowl hearty and satisfying. I round it out with massaged kale, radishes, carrots, and cabbage, but all sorts of veggies would work here. Experiment with roasted cauliflower, broccoli, or butternut squash!

Kimchi Brown Rice Bliss Bowls
I could eat this healthy vegan bowl every night of the week! Savory grilled tempeh, kimchi, and peanut sauce pack it with bold flavor.

Adzuki Bean Bowls
No adzuki beans? No problem. This refreshing grain bowl is great with black beans too!

Roasted Veggie Grain Bowl
There’s a lot to love about this bountiful bowl – roasted veggies, hearty quinoa, and pepitas for crunch. But the best part is the sauce. It’s a super-green, super-yummy kale pesto that you’re going to want to drizzle on everything.

Cauliflower Rice Kimchi Bowls
Cauliflower rice acts as the base of this grain-free grain bowl. I love to make this recipe when I’m craving a healthy reset. It’s light and fresh, but baked tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and a coconut-ginger-lime sauce make it flavorful and satisfying.

Macro Veggie Bowl
When we lived in Austin, I loved eating at a macrobiotic restaurant called Casa de Luz. This recipe is my at-home version of one of their dynamic bowls, complete with steamed veggies, brown rice, sauerkraut, mung beans, and a sunny turmeric-tahini sauce.

Plant-Based Recipes for Burgers and Sandwiches

You don’t need meat to make a hearty burger or a substantial sandwich! These plant-based recipes for burgers and sandwiches are fun, delicious main dishes for dinner or lunch.

Best Veggie Burger
When I say best, I mean it. This plant-based burger is hearty, savory, smoky, and satisfying. Oh, and it’s grill-able too!

Portobello Mushroom Burger
Plant-based recipes don’t get easier than this. Douse portobello mushroom caps in balsamic and tamari, and grill them until they’re juicy and charred. Then, pile them into hamburger buns with all the fixings, and eat!

Veggie-Centric Plant-Based Dinner Recipes

But…aren’t plant-based recipes always “veggie-centric?” Ok, yes. But in this category, plants are really at the center of the plate. Slabs of cauliflower become hearty “steaks.” Roasted spaghetti squash replaces pasta. Baked sweet potato transforms into a creamy sauce. Seriously, what can’t vegetables do?

Cauliflower Steaks with Lemon Salsa Verde, page 145 of Love & Lemons Every Day
I use cauliflower 2 ways in this elegant entree. First, I roast the “steaks.” Then, I blend more cauliflower into a luscious, lemony sauce. Assemble plates with a swoosh of the sauce and a “steak,” and sprinkle bright, briny salsa verde on top!

Stuffed Acorn Squash
A tempeh and mushroom filling makes this stuffed acorn squash a satisfying main dish. Don’t skip the pomegranate arils on top – they offer a sweet, bursty contrast to the savory filling.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
How do you make a puffy baked sweet potato even more delicious? Top it with a bright broccoli salad and a to-die-for sauce! Seriously, you’re going to love the sauce here. It’s a creamy, cozy blend of baked sweet potato flesh, cashews, and rosemary. Yum!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Tomatillo salsa adds zesty flavor to these super-veggie stuffed peppers. Cauliflower, bell pepper, and spinach round out the rice and bean filling.

Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant, page 179 of Love & Lemons Every Day
I tested this recipe two ways: grilled and baked. I loved the two versions so much that I included them both in the book. Save the grilled version for the summer, and make the baked one when it’s cold out!

Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas and Kale
Sun-dried tomatoes and fresh rosemary add depth to this comforting plant-based recipe. I posted it over 6 years ago, but it’s still one of our most popular recipes. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

Noodles and Sushi

I’m obsessed with these plant-based recipes for noodles and sushi, and I think you will be too! Punchy, flavorful sauces make all these dishes satisfying and fun to eat.

Sesame Soba Noodles
These yummy noodles are one of my favorite plant-based recipes! Feel free to vary the veggies with the seasons. I love snap peas and radishes in the spring, but cucumber, carrots, shaved cabbage, and sautéed mushrooms are great here too.

Maki Sushi
Roasted shiitake mushrooms add rich flavor to these veggie sushi rolls. They’re fantastic on their own, but they’re even better with carrot-ginger sauce for dipping!

Radish “Noodles” with Cashew-Coconut Sauce, page 161 of Love & Lemons Every Day
Spiralized daikon radishes act as the “noodles” in this veggie-forward bowl. Can’t find multicolored daikon? Don’t worry about it. Use zucchini noodles instead!

Peanut Noodle Kale Bowls, page 147 of The Love & Lemons Cookbook
Need dinner on the table in under 30 minutes? Make these peanut noodles! If you’re gluten-free, you can still enjoy them. 100% buckwheat soba noodles and brown rice pasta both work perfectly here.

Substantial Salads

Say goodbye to sad salads forever! These bountiful salads are flavorful and filling enough to be meals on their own.

Hearty Soups and Stews

I saved the best for last! Hearty soups and stews might be my favorite category of plant-based recipes. They’re easy to make without animal products, and they’re soothing and nourishing. You’ll have them on repeat throughout the fall and winter!

Butternut Squash Soup
Fresh sage and rosemary add rich autumnal flavor to this vegan butternut squash soup. On cold nights, there’s nothing I crave more.

Vegan Broccoli Soup
My dairy-free riff on classic broccoli cheese soup! Its thick, creamy texture comes from blended potato, carrots, and cashews, and fresh dill, apple cider vinegar, and nutritional yeast create its savory, cheesy flavor.

Curry Lentil Soup
This curried lentil soup is one of our weeknight favorites! It’s made with simple ingredients, and it’s easy to make, but it’s still richly flavorful.

Easy Coconut Curry
Served over rice, this comforting curry is a filling, flavorful, and surprisingly quick meal. It’s everything I want on a weeknight!

Easy Vegetarian Chili
How could I make a list of plant-based recipes without including veggie chili?! Top this smoky, spicy stew with creamy avocado and pickled onions for pop.

Tomato Basil Soup
Roasted tomatoes infuse this warming soup with rich, savory flavor. Serve it with toasted baguette, or top it with homemade croutons for crunch!

Cream of Mushroom Soup
This creamy soup tastes decadent, but it’s secretly healthy. Blended cauliflower – not nuts or dairy – creates its luscious texture.

More Favorite Plant-Based Recipes

Love what you’re seeing here? You’ll find even more plant-based recipes in these posts:

50 Easy Dinner Ideas
Healthy Lunch Ideas
60 Healthy Breakfast Ideas
47 Best Healthy Snacks
30 Best Soup Recipes
37 Best Salad Recipes
15 Rice Bowl Recipes

Plant Based Recipes: Buddha Bowls

rate this recipe:

5 from 11 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Serves 4

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These buddha bowls are one of our favorite plant based recipes!

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, cubed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 watermelon radish or 2 red radishes
2 medium carrots
1 cup shredded red cabbage
Squeeze of lemon
8 kale leaves, chopped
2 cups cookedbrown riceorquinoa
1 cup cooked chickpeasorcooked lentils
¾ cup sauerkraut or other fermented veggie
2 tablespoons sesame seeds or hemp seeds
Turmeric Tahini Sauce, for serving
Microgreens, optional
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread onto the baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Thinly slice the radish into rounds (this is best done on a mandoline), and use a vegetable peeler to peel the carrots into ribbons.
Toss the radish slices, carrots, and shredded cabbage with a squeeze of lemon. Set aside.
Place the kale leaves into a large bowl and toss with a squeeze of lemon and a few pinches of salt. Use your hands to massage the leaves until they become soft and wilted and reduce in the bowl by about half.
Assemble individual bowls with the brown rice, chickpeas, kale, carrots, radishes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, sauerkraut, sesame seeds, and microgreens, if using. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the Turmeric Tahini Sauce.

Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

These easy plant-based recipes are designed to satisfy any craving and include a variety of dishes such as vibrant grain bowls, hearty veggie burgers, noodles, sushi, and more. Plant-based diets have gained popularity in recent years due to their perceived health benefits and positive impact on the environment. These recipes aim to make plant-based eating delicious, satisfying, and accessible for everyone, whether they are long-time vegans or trying plant-based recipes for the first time.

Vibrant Grain Bowls

Grain bowls are a popular choice for plant-based meals as they offer a combination of protein, whole grains, and vegetables. Here are some examples of vibrant grain bowl recipes:

Best Buddha Bowl: This bowl features cozy roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and brown rice, along with massaged kale, radishes, carrots, and cabbage. You can experiment with different vegetables like roasted cauliflower, broccoli, or butternut squash [[1]].
Kimchi Brown Rice Bliss Bowls: These bowls are packed with bold flavors from savory grilled tempeh, kimchi, and peanut sauce [[2]].
Adzuki Bean Bowls: This refreshing grain bowl can be made with adzuki beans or black beans and is a great option for a nutritious meal [[3]].
Roasted Veggie Grain Bowl: This bountiful bowl combines roasted veggies, hearty quinoa, and pepitas for crunch. The star of the dish is a super-green kale pesto sauce [[4]].
Cauliflower Rice Kimchi Bowls: This grain-free bowl uses cauliflower rice as the base and is topped with baked tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and a coconut-ginger-lime sauce [[5]].
Macro Veggie Bowl: Inspired by a macrobiotic restaurant, this bowl includes steamed veggies, brown rice, sauerkraut, mung beans, and a turmeric-tahini sauce [[6]].

Plant-Based Recipes for Burgers and Sandwiches

Plant-based burgers and sandwiches can be just as hearty and satisfying as their meat-based counterparts. Here are a few plant-based recipes to try:

Best Veggie Burger: This plant-based burger is described as hearty, savory, smoky, and satisfying. It can even be grilled for added flavor [[7]].
Portobello Mushroom Burger: A simple yet delicious option, this recipe involves grilling portobello mushroom caps marinated in balsamic and tamari. Serve them in hamburger buns with your favorite toppings [[8]].
Crispy Baked Falafel: These crispy baked falafels are packed with flavor and can be enjoyed with pickled onions, tahini sauce, fresh herbs, and veggies [[9]].
Chickpea Salad Sandwich: This mayo-free chickpea salad gets its richness from tahini. It can be stuffed into sandwiches with olives and blanched green beans for added crunch [[10]].
Crispy Shiitake BLT: A plant-based twist on a classic BLT, this recipe uses crispy shiitake bacon and vegan mayo. Serve it on toasted whole grain bread [[11]].

Veggie-Centric Plant-Based Dinner Recipes

In this category, vegetables take center stage and are transformed into hearty main dishes. Here are a few examples:

Cauliflower Steaks with Lemon Salsa Verde: This elegant dish features roasted cauliflower "steaks" served with a luscious, lemony sauce and a bright salsa verde [[12]].
Stuffed Acorn Squash: Acorn squash is stuffed with a filling made from tempeh and mushrooms, creating a satisfying main dish. Pomegranate arils add a sweet contrast to the savory filling [[13]].
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes: Baked sweet potatoes are topped with a broccoli salad and a creamy sauce made from baked sweet potato flesh, cashews, and rosemary [[14]].
Stuffed Poblano Peppers: These stuffed peppers are filled with a rice and bean mixture, along with cauliflower, bell pepper, spinach, and zesty tomatillo salsa [[15]].
Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant: This recipe offers two versions: grilled and baked. Grilled eggplant is perfect for summer, while the baked version is great for colder weather [[16]].
Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas and Kale: This comforting recipe combines spaghetti squash with chickpeas, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh rosemary for a flavorful plant-based meal [[17]].

Noodles and Sushi

If you're a fan of noodles and sushi, there are plenty of plant-based options to enjoy. Here are a few recipes to try:

Sesame Soba Noodles: These flavorful noodles can be customized with seasonal vegetables like snap peas, radishes, cucumber, carrots, cabbage, and sautéed mushrooms [[18]].
Maki Sushi: Veggie sushi rolls are enhanced with roasted shiitake mushrooms and can be enjoyed with carrot-ginger sauce for dipping [[19]].
Radish "Noodles" with Cashew-Coconut Sauce: Spiralized daikon radishes act as the "noodles" in this veggie-forward bowl. Zucchini noodles can be used as a substitute [[20]].
Peanut Noodle Kale Bowls: These peanut noodles can be made in under 30 minutes and can be enjoyed with buckwheat soba noodles or brown rice pasta for a gluten-free option [[21]].

Substantial Salads

These salads are not your average side dishes. They are flavorful, filling, and can be enjoyed as complete meals. Here are a few examples:

Radish Salad: This salad features roasted and raw radishes, topped with a lemony radish green pesto [[22]].
Kale Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing: Creamy avocado, toasted seeds, crispy roasted chickpeas, and a carrot-ginger dressing make this salad energizing and satisfying [[23]].
Roasted Cauliflower Salad: French green lentils, briny olives, pickled onions, and dried fruit add enticing textures and flavors to this salad [[24]].
Healthy Taco Salad: This plant-based taco salad is made with crispy tortilla strips, shiitake-walnut taco "meat," and a creamy cilantro lime dressing [[25]].

Hearty Soups and Stews

Soups and stews are comforting and nourishing, and these plant-based recipes are no exception. Here are a few options:

Butternut Squash Soup: Fresh sage and rosemary add autumnal flavor to this vegan butternut squash soup [[26]].
Vegan Broccoli Soup: This dairy-free version of broccoli cheese soup gets its creamy texture from blended potato, carrots, and cashews [[27]].
Curry Lentil Soup: This curried lentil soup is richly flavorful and easy to make with simple ingredients [[28]].
Easy Coconut Curry: A filling and flavorful curry served over rice, perfect for a quick weeknight meal [[29]].
Easy Vegetarian Chili: This smoky and spicy stew can be topped with creamy avocado and pickled onions for added flavor [[30]].
Tomato Basil Soup: Roasted tomatoes give this soup a rich and savory flavor. Serve it with toasted baguette or homemade croutons [[31]].
Cream of Mushroom Soup: Blended cauliflower creates a creamy texture in this decadent soup, which is packed with mushroom flavor [[32]].

These recipes are just a sample of the wide variety of plant-based dishes available. Whether you're looking for vibrant grain bowls, hearty burgers, veggie-centric dinners, noodle dishes, substantial salads, or comforting soups and stews, there are plenty of options to explore in the world of plant-based cooking. Enjoy experimenting with these recipes and discovering new flavors and textures!