Vegan Dinner Recipes

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

Make it Your Own

  • Pine nuts can be very pricey at the grocery store. Use walnuts or cashews as a great substitute instead of pine nuts for your sauce.
  • This Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto is a thicker sauce. If you would like it to be thinner add ½ cup of vegetable broth to thin it out.
  • This sauce does not call for a lot of added salt. Add more by slowly adding ½ teaspoon at a time, taste testing it in between servings.
  • My local grocery store only sells sun-dried tomatoes in a jar, so that is what I ended up using. Though, sun-dried tomatoes sold in a plastic container also works great as well.

Sun- Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Delicious homemade Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce. Made with wholesome and healthy ingredients. Pair this sauce with your favorite type of pasta and you will have a new family friendly recipe.


Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp oil, I used avocado
  • 1 large onion, chopped in small pieces
  • 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, I used them from a jar
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes, I used a 14.5 ounce can
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 1 cup fresh basil, packed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 box of pasta, cooked according to the back of the package.

Directions

  1. Heat a medium sized pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the oil, chopped onions, garlic and stir. Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent but not browned.
  2. Add the canned diced tomatoes, nutritional yeast, and salt to the pan and stir. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  3. In a food processor or high powered blender, combine the ingredients from the pan along with the pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil. Pulse until the sauce has become a desired smooth consistency.
  4. Add sauce to your cooked pasta and top with garnishes. For this pasta I like to use pine nuts, cheese, or fresh basil. Eat and enjoy!
  5. When properly stored this sauce will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Stuffed Eggplant with Orzo Pasta


Make it Your Own

  • When scoring your eggplant make sure to cut deep enough into the eggplant but not to much that it breaks the skin.
  • Want to add more veggies to your Stuffed Eggplant? Use 1 cup of chopped cherry tomatoes and 2 cups of fresh spinach.
  • Watch your eggplant boats really carefully when putting it in the oven to boil. The cheese and eggplant can burn very quickly and easily.

Stuffed Eggplant with Orzo Pasta

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Healthy yet comforting Stuffed Eggplant. This baked eggplant is filled with delicious orzo pasta, spinach, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and topped with cheese. Make this tasty recipe as a side or main dish.


Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp oil, I used avocado oil
  • 8 oz of orzo pasta
  • 1 onon, chopped into small pieces
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
  • 2 cups mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp + ½ tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 4 medium-large eggplants, cut lengthwise using a large knife.
  • ½ tsp crushed red peppers
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, I used vegan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees F (204 c).
  2. Place the eggplant halves facing flesh side up. Using a sharp knife cut the flesh in diagonal lines, about an inch apart. Turn and repeat the same cutting steps on both sides of the eggplant. Your eggplant should look like there is a diamond pattern.
  3. Using the knife cut around the edge of the eggplant leaving ¼ perimeter of the skin.
  4. Brush 1 tablespoon of oil on the flesh of the eggplant. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper evenly on top of the eggplant. Bake for 40 minutes.
  5. While the eggplant is baking bring a medium sized pot filled with water to a boil. Cook orzo pasta according to the instructions on the back of the box. Drain water, and set aside.
  6. Heat a large pan on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until onions are translucent.
  7. Add the cooked orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, ½ tsp salt, oregano, basil, thyme and mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Slowly add in the vegetable broth and fresh spinach. Turn off heat and set aside.
  9. Take eggplants out of oven. When cooled, scoop the eggplant flesh out and mix it in with orzo pasta Be careful not to rip the skin.
  10. Divide the orzo filling between the eggplant. Sprinkle boats with cheese and place in the oven to broil 500 F to 550 F (260 – 290 C.) for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted.
  11. Let cool and sprinkle with crushed red peppers (optional). Leftovers last up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.

Chickpea Dumpling Soup

Make it Your Own

  • Don’t want to add dumplings? No problem, this soup taste delicious without it.
  • Garnish your soup with fresh herbs and bread.
  • Making this soup for the entire family? Double the recipe. This recipe will make enough soup for 3 adults.

Chickpea Dumpling Soup

  • Servings: 3
  • Difficulty: easy
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This comforting soup is a simple and easy meal to make ahead of time. Packed with hearty carrots, celery, and pillowy dumplings. Pair this meal with fresh bread or crackers for a complete meal.


Ingredients

  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces.
  • 4 stalks of celery, washed and chopped into bite sized pieces.
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped into small bite sized pieces.
  • 1 Tbsp oil, I used olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 32 fluid ounce carton of vegetable broth, I used low sodium
  • ½ cup filtered water
  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Dumplings

  • ½ cup filtered water
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, substitute for gluten-free flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp oregano
  • ⅛ tsp pepper


Directions

  1. In a medium bowl combine all of the dumpling ingredients together and whisk until a batter is formed. Set aside, we will use this later.
  2. Heat a large pot on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and carrots. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
  3. Add the chopped celery, salt, oregano, thyme, pepper, garlic powder, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  4. Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, filtered water, and chickpeas.
  5. Turn the stovetop to medium-high and bring soup to boil. Slowly add one tablespoon of dumpling batter to the soup. Repeat this process until you have used all of the batter. It should be around 8-9 tablespoons.
  6. Cook on medium heat for an additional 2 minutes. Divide into bowls and serve.
  7. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 days.

Vegan Meatballs

Make it Your Own

  • Love fresh herbs? Top your meatballs with fresh basil, oregano, thyme, or parsley.
  • Do you like your Vegan Meatballs with a lot of melted cheese on top? After placing your meatballs in sauce sprinkle ½ cup to 1 cups of mozzarella cheese on top. Turn your oven on broil and bake for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese melts. Just make sure to watch it carefully, turning it on broil can burn easily.
  • Skip using marinara sauce from a jar and making your own. Try my Fall Harvest Sauce. I would just recommend making it ahead of time.

Vegan Meatballs

  • Servings: 18 balls
  • Difficulty: easy
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Looking for a cozy recipe this weekend? Make these Vegan Meatballs! Loaded with veggies, protein, and flavor. Such a simple and easy recipe that you can make time and time again.


Vegan Meatballs

  • 2 cups lentils, cooked according to the back of the package
  • ¾ cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 cups of mushrooms, chopped (8 oz package)
  • ½ cup white onion, chopped ( about half of an onion)
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder, substitute for chopped garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp oil, I used avocado oil

Garnish

  • 1 – 2 cups of marinara sauce, I used store bought sauce.
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • ¼ cup vegan mozzarella cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176.6 C). Spray baking pan with cooking oil or line it with parchment paper and set it aside.
  2. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the mushrooms, onions and oil. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until ingredients become soft. Do not drain the extra liquid from the skillet. You will transfer all of it to the food processor.
  3. In a food processor or high powered blender combine the cooked lentils, mushrooms, onions, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, basil, thyme, oregano, garlic salt, and pepper. Pulse ingredients until it becomes a dough-like texture.
  4. Using a cookie scoop or medium spoon scoop the vegan meatball mixture. Using your hands pack it into firm balls. Avoid rolling the meatballs on the counter, it will dry it out.
  5. Evenly place the Vegan Meatballs on the baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Transfer 1 -2 cups of marinara sauce to the bottom of your baking pan.
    7. Arrange the Vegan Meatballs in the pan with the sauce. Using a spoon slowly move the meatballs in the sauce covering them. Add back to the oven to warm through, about 7-10 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle Vegan Meatballs with mozzarella cheese, crushed red pepper, and chopped parsley. Pair with pasta, eat, and enjoy!


Roasted Tomato Butternut Squash Soup

Make it Your Own

  • Don’t have cherry tomatoes? Substitute the cherry tomatoes for 1 large tomato.
  • Do you like spicy things? Instead of adding ¼ tsp of crushed red pepper use ½ tsp to your soup.
  • Making this soup for the entire family? Double the recipe. This recipe will make enough soup for 3 adults.

Roasted Tomato Butternut Squash Soup

  • Servings: 3
  • Difficulty: easy
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Creamy Roasted Tomato Butternut Squash Soup. Loaded with tons of hearty and healthy veggies. This savory soup is not only delicious but is the perfect meal to make ahead of time.


Ingredients

  • 2 large tomatoes, cut in thirds
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes
  • 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into cubes
  • 1 russet potato, scrubbed clean peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
  • ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp oil, I used avocado oil

Garnish

  • Pepitas
  • Roasted Chickpeas, I roasted these with 1 tsp avocado oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, and 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Fresh thyme
  • Croutons
  • Salt
  • Pepper


Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with foil and fold the foil edges up.
    2. 2.Place the tomatoes, butternut squash, potato, and garlic on the pan. Drizzle vegetables with oil and bake for 40 minutes.
  2. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a high powered blender and add the additional ingredients to the blender.
  3. Blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy.
  4. Divide into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings.
  5. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in a air tight container for 3 days and 2 months in the freezer.

Vegan Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Fall Harvest Sauce

Make it Your Own

  • Don’t have fresh spinach? Use frozen spinach instead. Just make sure to get as much water out of them before adding to the ricotta mixture.
  • Skip making your own harvest sauce and use homemade marinara sauce or sauce from a jar.
  • If you are adding vegan mozzarella cheese to the top of your shells add it before baking so the cheese melts.

Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Fall Harvest Sauce

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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These shells are the perfect weekday dish that your whole family will love. Stuffed with a creamy vegan ricotta filling and topped with a homemade tomato and butternut squash sauce. These stuffed shells will be your favorite go-to dinner.


Ricotta Stuffed Shells

  • 8 ounces jumbo pasta shells
  • 14 ounce container tofu, drained and patted dry
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 3 cups (packed) fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, cut finely
  • 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese (optional)

Harvest Sauce

  • 1 tsp oil, I used avocado
  • 3 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 3 cloves of garlic, cut finely
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ½ cup vegetable broth, for thinning

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176.6 C).
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook shells in boiling water for half of the time following the back of the pasta package. Drain water, and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl crumble tofu with a spoon or your hands breaking into small pieces.
  4. Heat a pan on medium heat. Add the crumbled tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, spinach, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until fresh spinach leaves start to wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  5. Heat a large pan on medium to high heat. Drizzle with oil and add the butternut squash, garlic, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook until soft.
  6. Transfer harvest sauce ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add vegetable broth to thin sauce.
  7. Coat a shallow baking dish with the harvest sauce.
  8. Assemble pasta shells by filling each half-cooked shell with the ricotta mixture. Place the stuffed shells facing up in the baking dish.
  9. Top shells with additional harvest sauce and vegan mozzarella cheese (optional). Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Drizzle with additional nutritional yeast and fresh chopped basil.

Crispy Tofu Nuggets


Make it Your Own

  • Want them extra spicy? Double the hot sauce that you add to the milk mixture.
  • This recipe makes about 12 , so if you want more double the recipe.
  • Want extra crispy Tofu Nuggets? After baking your nuggets for 30 minutes set oven on broil for an additional 2 minutes watching them very carefully.

Crispy Tofu Nuggets

  • Servings: 3
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These Tofu Nuggets are crunchy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. Baked instead of fried, making these healthier than your normal nuggets. Pair these with fries, veggies and your favorite dipping sauce and you have the perfect meal!


Tofu Nuggets

  • 1 package of tofu, pressed
  • 1 cup dairy-free milk
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp hot sauce, I used sriracha
  • 1 Tbsp oil, I used avocado
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 C). Spray a large sheet pan with oil and set aside.
  2. Cut your pressed tofu into nugget pieces. I cut mine into 3 inches by 1 ½ inch pieces making a rectangle shape.
  3. In a medium bowl combine the dairy-free milk, soy sauce, hot sauce, oil, oregano, salt, pepper, ground flaxseed and mix. Set bowl aside.
  4. In a separate bowl combine bread crumbs and nutritional yeast. Mix together and set aside.
  5. Dunk your tofu nugget in the milk mixture covering the whole nugget. While it’s wet bread the nugget with the breadcrumb mixture covering both sides.
  6. Arrange breaded nugget on the oiled sheet pan evenly and repeat process.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out, flip, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. To get extra crispy Tofu Nuggets set oven on broil for an additional 2 minutes watching them very carefully.
  8. Leftovers will last 2-3 days in the fridge and a 1 month in the freezer wrapped up.


Veggie Summer Rolls

Make it Your Own

  • Use any type of vegetables that you have in your refrigerator. Some great fillings that also taste great in a summer roll are lettuce, zucchini, rice noodles, fruits, basil, and tempeh.
  • If you have a peanut allergy skip the peanut sauce and dunk you Summer Spring rolls in soy sauce, liquid aminos (GF), hoisin sauce, or sriracha.
  • The first time I made these rolls were at a party. Cut up all of the lovely fillings and place them in the middle of the table. Fill a couple bowls of water and let you guest make their own Summer Spring Rolls. It’s fun and delicious!

Veggie Summer Rolls

  • Servings: 10 rolls
  • Difficulty: easy
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These Veggie Summer Rolls are healthy, refreshing, and easy to make. They can be the perfect appetizer, side, or main entree.


Ingredients

  • 10 rice paper wrappers (GF)
  • 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
  • 1 cup purple cabbage, chopped into 3 inch slices horizontally
  • 1 cup lettuce, spring mix or butter lettuce chopped
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 stalks green onion, chopped
  • 1 package of tofu chopped into 3 inch slices and baked
  • 2 cups of rice noodles, cooked (GF)
  • 1 avocado, chopped, optional
  • 1 lime, sliced (optional)


Spicy Peanut Sauce

  • 3 Tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 tsp agave syrup
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp soy sauce or coconut aminos (GF)
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 1 tsp lime juice

Directions

  1. Combine all of the spicy peanut sauce ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a small serving dish and set aside. 2. Fill a medium bowl with warm water. Place one rice paper in a bowl of water for 1-2 minutes until it becomes soft.
  2. Lay the wet rice paper flat on a cutting board that has been wrapped in a towel. Place 1 to 2 pieces of tofu, carrots, cucumber, cabbage, lettuce, and rice noodles in the middle of the wrap horizontally. Sprinkle sliced green onions and cilantro on top of the veggies. Beware that the rice paper rips easily so you want to be very cautious that you lay the veggies in a direction that they will not pierce the rice paper.
  3. Fold the top of the rice paper toward the middle of the vegetables and then the right and left side of the rice paper tucking everything in, then roll it up. The rice paper will automatically stick everything together making this process easy.
  4. Cut the Summer Spring Rolls in half so you can see all of the beautiful vegetables. Dunk them in spicy peanut sauce and eat immediately!

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

Make it Your Own

  • Want your pizza extra crispy? Melt vegan butter and brush on the crust. Turn your oven on broil and bake for an additional 2 more minutes. Watch it closely because the pizza will burn easily.
  • Don’t have a round pan? Make a rectangle size pizza, it still is pretty and taste as yummy as the round pizzas.
  • Are you not vegan? Substitute vegan cream cheese for regular cream cheese.

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

  • Servings: Serves 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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This pizza is creamy, savory, and super easy to make! When I think of my favorite pizza I think of a veggie pizza with a thick, chewy crust. This spinach artichoke pizza is all of that plus more.


Dough

  • 1 tsp of Agave or maple syrup
  • 2 tsp of active dry yeast or 1 packet
  • 1 cup of warm water 105° -110° fahrenheit.
  • 1 Tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 tsp of dried oregano, basil, garlic, and thyme (optional)

Filling

  • 8 ounces or one container of vegan cream cheese
  • 3 cups of spinach
  • 14 ounces or 1 can of artichoke hearts
  • 1 tsp of crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit (204 c).
  2. In a small bowl, mix the warm water and yeast and set aside. The yeast should start to foam in the bowl of water. Be careful not to make your water to warm or the yeast will not foam correctly.
  3. Mix the flour, agave, salt, and warm water and yeast together in a bowl. Add oregano, basil, garlic and thyme to the bowl (optional).
  4. Knead dough for 3-5 minutes forming it into a ball. Add a Tbsp of water if it is still to dry.
  5. Cover dough with a kitchen linen and place in a dark and warm place for 30 minutes. Allowing dough to rise almost doubling in size.
  6. Prepare the spinach and artichoke pizza topping. Heat your small pot over medium heat and add the cream cheese. Stir until melted into a creamy sauce.
  7. Add the spinach, artichoke and pepper flakes (optional) and mix. Set aside.
  8. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin. I use parchment paper for the surface but a clean counter will work. If you notice the dough sticking add 1 tsp of flour to the surface. Fold 1/2 to 1 inch from the edge of the pizza toward the middle to create a thick crust.
  9. Spray your pizza pan with non stick oil and pre-bake the pizza dough for 5 minutes.
  10. Take pizza out and spread the pizza filling evenly on the pizza and bake for 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Want your crust golden brown? See recipe notes.
  11. Leftovers will last in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Place in the freezer for up to a month.