8 Plant-Based Recipes That Will Make You Forget Meat & Dairy Exist

It’s been almost 25 weeks since I re-started my plant-based journey and one of the things I knew I had to do differently from my first try was to use more recipes instead of trying to create my own concoctions.

When I was cooking with meat and dairy, I could create dishes in a few seconds. I would throw things together based on what was on sale and what I had on hand.

With plant-based, I didn’t have the same amount of experience. So when I tried winging it in the past, I failed. My meals were boring and probably nutritionally devoid at times.

Instead of making that mistake again, I decided to really use more recipes this time.

I was surprised to learn how easy and quick some of the recipes were. Now, they’re my go-to favorites.

Because of this, I wanted to share my favorite flavor-packed recipes with you today so you can have an easier time finding plant-based options you love. Even if you’re not fully plant-based, you can still enjoy these every once in awhile. They’re perfect for meatless days!

#1: Plant-Based Pad Thai (It Tastes JUST Like Takeout)

plant-based-Pad-thai

I make this meal ALL. The. Time. Both for friends and just for me, it’s something I crave weekly.

It’s a bit of leg work up front with prep but it only takes 10 minutes to cook once the veggies are all chopped up so it’s really not that bad. I find that the prep is a great way to sneak in an extra arm workout and keeps my lazy butt off the couch. So..#DoubleWin in my book

I also use a mandoline like this one to speed up the prep work.

As for the pasta, I swap that out for traditional Asian rice noodles since the authentic texture gives me the take-out feeling I crave for a fraction of the cost.

If this sounds yummy to you, check out the recipe below:

#2: Roasted Veggie & Hummus Bowl

Sometimes it’s easier to create a kitchen sink bowl where I roast a bunch of veggies and throw it all together with some rice and hummus than to gather the 12 ingredients I need for a recipe.

To do this, I usually start by roasting things like:

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Red potatoes

And anything else I have that’s about to turn.

I then lay this over some quinoa, rice, or any other complex carb I have. Sometimes I even use the sweet potatoes as the starch base.

Then I like to jazz up my bowl using things like avocados, sunflower seeds, olives, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and, once again, anything I have in the house.

I try to make this look visually appealing and then voila! You are done my friend.

#3: Deviled “Eggs”

plant-based-deviled -eggs

Since going plant-based, I haven’t actually craved eggs but I was super intrigued by this plant-based deviled “eggs” recipe and had to try it.

Does it taste like eggs?

Nope!

Does it make you feel like you’re eating the real thing?

Ehh. Sort of.

You can still tell it’s a potato and not an egg but, for me, that’s a good things since the reality of eggs schieves me out.

I also think my first few attempts were on the dry side so fair warning there.

Overall, I thought these were fun and tasty so I will definitely be making them again.

#4: Better the Next Day “Mac and Cheese”

Unlike eggs, mac and cheese is something I’ve been craving since making the plant based switch. But…the thought of cheese really grosses me out (despite the fact that I used to be obsessed and addicted to it).

So of course I had to find a plant-based mac and cheese recipe.

Thanks to the internet, I didn’t have to search too far as one fell into my lap as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed.

(Sidenote: Now I routinely save plant-based cooking videos on there because it’s so convenient later on when we don’t know what to do for dinner)

Back to the mac.

This one is super interesting. The cheese is made out of things like salsa, peppers, and…soaked cashews. Yeah, weird right?

I knew the soaked cashews would add a creamy texture and there wasn’t any fake substitute cheeses to contend with so I decided it was worth my time.

And it did not disappoint.

But..full disclosure…it was better the next day. I felt like the cheese texture initially wasn’t there but when it sat overnight and thickened, it surfaced and did its job.

Here’s the recipe to try out for yourself:

#5: Thai Tacos

plant-based-thai-tacoes

These thai tacos take less than 10 minutes to put together and they’re usually inhaled faster than that since we love them so much.

The base here is chickpeas with some spices and most (okay, 95%) of the flavor is in the coleslaw. It’s to die for.

If you’re interested in these bad boys, check out the recipe.

#6: Meat-free Sloppy Joe’s

I didn’t have too many Sloppy Joe’s growing up. Yes, they were on the menu, but did I have an obsession with them like Eric does? Where you actually crave them? Nope.

But, since he was willing to go plant-based and give it a shot, I was willing to deliver something he’d actually be interested in.

Enter these Sloppy Joe’s.

They’re made with lentils and beans and I don’t want to say anything more than this recipe delivered too.

The texture of those two combined with the rest of the ingredients and spices made for the best Sloppy Joe’s I’ve ever had.

The only thing I would do differently next time is to soak the lentils overnight.

I’ve read that this reduces the gas and bloating that comes from your body not being so used to digesting lentils. I tried this recipe while I was transitioning and it definitely made me bloat at first. But not anymore.

Check out the recipe:

#7: Noodle-free Thai Green Curry

plant based thai green curry

If I’ve had a starch heavy day, I reach for a dinner that’s made with mostly veggies and light.

This recipe is just that.

It has all the flavors of a tasty thai green curry but it’s not so filling that I’m too stuffed to go to bed.

It’s also one of the first recipes I tried before going full on plant-based so you know if I’m saying the flavors are on point, it ain’t no lie girl.

To see the recipe check this out.

#8: Vegan Bacon

eggplant-bacon

Another Facebook video that fell into my feed was this one for vegan bacon using eggplants.

I’ve tried it twice now and I’m not 100% there on the texture but since the flavor is so damn delicious, it doesn’t stop me from inhaling them all.

We had a vegan bacon like this in a restaurant and the crispy, crunchy texture was identical to bacon. So I plan on making these until I get to that point.

My mistakes: the first ones I did were too thin. The second ones were a bit thicker but still didn’t work for some reason.

Because of this, they were great the day-of and not at all yummy reheated.

Again, I’m not giving up on these bad boys. And if you figure out how to make them work, let me know!

Okay so the last recipe on here is one that I haven’t tried yet but I will be making it soon because they look de-lish.

Bonus Recipes: Veggie Nuggets

veggie-nuggets

These nuggets look like the real thing except they’re made from pure veggies instead of mystery meat and I can’t wait to try them.

Check them out. It’s pretty cool.

Which one will you try first?

You don’t have to be 100% plant-based to enjoy these recipes. In fact, they’re perfect for any meatless Monday or other designated all veggie day. Trust me, the flavors in these dishes will not disappoint.

I’d love to hear which recipe you’d try first!

If you decide to try one, send me an email (devan@behappynothangry.com) or drop a comment in my private Facebook group letting me know how it went.

In the end, going plant-based doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor. I bet you were surprised to see that this list didn’t include salads or smoothies because there’s more to this lifestyle than that!!

To finding plant-based recipes that actually taste good,

Devan