Preparing plant-based meals doesn’t just mean taking your favorites and removing the meat. Vegan and vegetarian meals are delicious, nutrient-dense, and provide enough energy to fuel even the most demanding workday. We’ve rounded up our favorite vegan and vegetarian recipes, including cinnamon quinoa breakfast bowl, spicy buffalo chickpea wraps, and peanut tofu satay—even if you typically eat meat, you won’t miss it here. 

Under the Hard Hat’s favorite vegan and vegetarian breakfast recipes

1. High-protein vegan avocado toast

Avocado toast is a simple, nutritious breakfast that doesn’t require much prep or cooking time—perfect for busy mornings. This high-protein avocado toast recipe combines creamy avocado and crisp toasted bread with ⅓ cup of mashed chickpeas for the protein boost hardworking pros need to sustain energy levels.

Why we love it: Avocados are a superfood packed with macro and micronutrients—vitamins C, E, and K, as well as B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and omega-3s—that provide health benefits like improved digestion, weight control, and increased brain function. Chickpeas add extra protein, iron, and fiber to this easy breakfast, and pairing them with bread makes for a complete meal. 

2. Vegetarian breakfast burritos

These yummy vegetarian breakfast burritos are a great grab-and-go breakfast, packed with scrambled eggs, homemade hashbrowns, beans, salsa, and cheese wrapped up tight in a whole wheat tortilla.  

Why we love it: This recipe takes 45 minutes to make but freezes well, so it’s an ideal candidate for meal prep—make a batch on the weekend and enjoy hot breakfast burritos all week! This recipe can also easily be made vegan by replacing eggs and cheese with plant-based alternatives. 

3. Cinnamon quinoa breakfast bowl

Substituting quinoa for oatmeal in this cinnamon quinoa breakfast bowl creates a new spin on an old favorite. Cooking quinoa in almond milk with vanilla and a few cinnamon sticks infuses it with spicy sweetness, then just garnish with the fruit and toppings of your choice to finish the dish.    

Why we love it: Besides being a complete protein, quinoa is also a great source of fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants. Top it with some chopped nuts for an additional punch of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. This hearty breakfast bowl warms you up on chilly mornings and keeps you full till lunchtime without being overly complicated. 

4. One pan breakfast beans

Beans and toast have been a staple in British culture for ages, but this recipe for one-pan breakfast beans is a far cry from the traditional English breakfast. With leeks, mushrooms, tomatoes, and white beans cooked in a homemade savory sauce, this dish bursts with nutrition, umami, and flavor. This recipe requires some prep work, so it’s better suited for slow weekend mornings rather than the weekday rush. 

Why we love it: This dish would be equally good at breakfast or dinner, but we love the energy boost that comes from starting your day with a generous helping of plant-based protein and gut-enhancing ingredients like beans, miso, nuts, and tofu. When a recipe tastes good and is good for you, it’s a win in our books.  

5. My favorite green smoothie

This green smoothie is a bright, low-calorie blend of banana, peanut butter, spinach, flaxseed, berries, and almond milk. Tossing these ingredients in a blender and taking it to go is quicker and less expensive than hitting up a drive-through, and you’ll feel much healthier for it, too.

Why we love it: Many people find it hard to eat a full meal in the morning, but starting your day with a nutritious meal can help jumpstart your metabolism, provide your body with energy, and keep your blood sugar stable. A green smoothie provides lots of plant-based goodness in a sippable format that’s easy to ingest. 

Under the Hard Hat’s favorite vegan and vegetarian lunch recipes

6. Creamy vegan potato leek soup

Potato leek soup is warm, hearty, and flavorful—the ultimate winter comfort meal. This creamy vegan potato leek soup blends leeks, potatoes, and spices into a silky texture and uses coconut milk instead of heavy cream without sacrificing richness.

Why we love it: Soups are an ideal lunch food—quick, nutritious, and filling without being so heavy that you fall into a food coma. Make a big batch on the weekend and enjoy tasty soup all week. Bringing a thermos of this potato leek soup to work is a great way to warm up on a cold day and ensure you eat a nutritious lunch that leaves you with more energy, not less. 

7. Meal prep week-long power bowls

This recipe for meal prep week-long power bowls includes pre-roasting vegetables, cooking quinoa, cutting up fresh veggies, and preparing a variety of toppings to create the building blocks of several tasty one-bowl lunches.  

Why we love it: With this recipe, you can cook once and then have ingredients ready to assemble as you need them. We love the convenience of a meal prep recipe that allows you to have nutritious midday meals without having to get up early to make them. Plus, they’re easily customizable, meaning you can create a bowl that suits your taste preference for that day.

8. Veggie & hummus sandwich

Sandwiches are a lunchbox staple, but it can be tricky to think of plant-based sandwich fillings that go beyond PB&J. This veggie and hummus sandwich squeezes bell peppers, cucumbers, grated carrot, and lettuce between two slices of whole wheat bread slathered with hummus and avocado.  

Why we love it: This sandwich hits all the right notes—low-calorie, 13 grams of protein, loads of magnesium, fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A, all in a convenient sandwich that’s easy to eat one-handed. What’s not to love? For an extra dose of protein, fiber, and flavor, throw in some mashed chickpeas or black beans.

9. Spicy buffalo chickpea wraps

Want to replace your favorite spicy fast-food sandwich with a healthier alternative? These vegan spicy buffalo chickpea wraps will do the trick. The chickpeas are tossed in your favorite hot sauce before being sauteed, folded into fresh tortillas or pitas, and topped with lettuce, onion, avocado, and tomato.   

Why we love it: We adore this recipe’s versatility. It’s excellent as is and allows for a ton of customization—make the chickpeas as spicy or mild as you like, change out the toppings, or even make it gluten-free by using a lettuce wrap instead of tortillas.  

10. Addictive sweet potato burritos

Skip the pricey food truck (and its long line) by making these addictive sweet potato burritos. The ingredients are a bit unconventional, but in our experience, the recipe title isn’t lying— the combination of kidney beans, sweet potato, spices, and cheddar cheese is indeed strangely addictive!

Why we love it: This recipe makes a dozen burritos that can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Each burrito contains 20 grams of complete plant-based protein, along with plenty of iron and fiber. The sweet flavor of sweet potatoes makes this a favorite among many kids, too—just lower the spice level if needed. 

Under the Hard Hat’s favorite vegan and vegetarian dinner recipes

11. Peanut tofu satay

If you’re iffy about tofu, this is the recipe for you (and if you already love it, get ready to bookmark your new favorite dish). To make this peanut tofu satay, fry extra firm tofu on skewers until it’s irresistibly crispy before drizzling it with peanut satay sauce made from peanut butter, coconut milk, maple syrup, sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds, and serve over rice for a dish you’ll soon be obsessed with.  

Why we love it: If you only make one recipe on this list, this is the one. The flavors, textures, and nutritional profile of this meal just hit it out of the park every time. Plus, it’s even better next-day, so get ready for another punch of flavor at lunch!

12. Roasted tomatoes with cannellini beans

These roasted tomatoes with cannellini beans have the same vibe as your favorite creamy pasta dishes but come with a nutritional punch. Create a sauce from oven-roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, coconut milk, and spices, then add cannellini beans and simmer. Serve with toasted French bread to make this meal a complete meal (and give you something to mop up every last bit of the scrumptious sauce).   

Why we love it: Created by registered dietician Bridgette Blakey, this dish comes together in under 30 minutes and bursts with flavor, umami, and nutrient-dense goodness. It’s a fabulous, comforting dish without too much spice or wild flavors—ideal for family dinners. 

13. Roasted cauliflower and lentil tacos with creamy chipotle sauce

Go beyond ground beef with these roasted cauliflower and lentil tacos with creamy chipotle sauce. Combining oven-roasted cauliflower, cooked lentils, and smoky homemade chipotle sauce served in a warm corn tortilla, these tacos are a mouth-watering vegetarian meal that can be made vegan by substituting egg-free mayonnaise.  

Why we love it: Everyone loves Taco Tuesday, and there’s even more to love it when the tacos in question are so heart-healthy and packed with micronutrients. This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free and can also be made vegan, making it a good one to have if you’re ever trying to find a meal that fits several people’s dietary restrictions.  

14. Thai coconut curry corn soup

In this Thai coconut curry corn soup recipe, celery, corn, peppers, mushrooms, and spinach simmer within a perfectly spiced, creamy golden broth. This recipe can be adjusted almost indefinitely by using different vegetables, adding tofu for more protein, or serving it on rice.  

Why we love it: This soup is brimming with bright, bold flavors and is a nutrition powerhouse. Each serving has 18 grams of protein, 10 grams of fiber, and over half the recommended daily allowance of magnesium, folic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to six days.

15. Best vegetable lasagna

With a filling made from carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, and spinach, this recipe for the best vegetable lasagna is a cheesy, protein-packed, healthy meal the whole family will love. With 30 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking time, it’s not the quickest dinner recipe, but we promise it’s well worth the wait.   

Why we love it: Cottage cheese takes the place of ricotta in this recipe, and we love how it gives this dish an added boost of protein and flavor. With meals like this, you can easily double the recipe and make two—one to eat now and one to freeze for later (when you don’t have the time or energy to cook). 

Under the Hard Hat’ favorite vegan and vegetarian dessert recipes

16. The best vegan chocolate cake

For a dairy-free cake that’s decadent, moist, and oozing with chocolate, look no further than the best vegan chocolate cake. With several secret ingredients like applesauce and apple cider vinegar, this cake tastes just as good as its non-vegan alternatives.

Why we love it: This sinfully sweet dessert is perfect for vegan eaters with a sweet tooth or a special day coming up. It’s also made in one bowl, making cleanup a breeze. 

17. Perfect summer fruit salad

Nothing’s better than a big bowl of cold fruit when it’s hot outside. This recipe for the perfect summer fruit salad combines fresh pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, oranges, grapes

and blueberries tossed in a zesty citrus sauce.

Why we love it: The best plant-based option is sometimes the simplest. Instead of fussing with substitutions for eggs, milk, and butter, this recipe is naturally vegan, featuring nature’s candy. Fruit contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making this colorful dessert easy to enjoy guilt-free.

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