10 Easy Plant-Based Recipes For Beginners (2024)

In this article, I am going to share 10 of the most delicious, easy plant-based recipes for beginners that will help you and your family stay on a plant-based diet.

I’ve enjoyed – no – thrived – on a totally plant-based diet for over 25 years. To be honest, there weren’t a whole lot of recipes out there way back then, so right from the get-go I started making delicious food. I wanted the food to be

  1. Easy
  2. Delicious
  3. I wanted every single morsel to be jam-packed with health-affirming goodness
  4. I felt that everyone should enjoy this food, no matter who they were

My mission was on!

So I became a plant-based chef…

I became a plant-based chef and vegan recipe developer (as you do). Serving delicious food is my job. Over the years I’ve noticed what people love. I’ve observed what people find easy to make. This article is basically a tool kit of some of the most loved recipes that people go crazy for.

The following plant-based recipes for beginners recipes are…

  • Easy to make
  • Super healthy
  • Good for families
  • Freeze well (ideal if you’re single and want to batch make)
  • Very tasty

Top 10 – Easy plant-based recipes for beginners…

1. Easy Vegan Burgers – also known as the Kind Earth Burger

People can never quite figure out how I make these when I serve to my guests. When I tell my peeps that they are simply made with carrot and seed the typical response is “Say whaaaaat? For real? How come they taste so good? I gotta make these when I get home!”

What makes this plant-based recipe so good? They are ridiculous easy to make, requiring very few ingredients. These seed burgers serve well hot and cold. Being versatile, they are excellent for dinner, lunch, lunch boxes, travel. I often make these in bulk and freeze a whole batch of them for later use. We are talking seeds, carrots, garlic, sea salt and fresh or dried parsley.

2. The Kind Earth Curry – the easiest most delicious curry that everyone loves

This recipe uses simple ingredients that really want to be in the pot together. Sweet potato, tomato, and coconut. Right there! Marriage made in heaven.

What makes this plant-based curry so good? This curry requires no faffing about what-so-ever. Everything just goes in the pot – it cooks – it dances – alchemy happens – it tastes insanely delicious. You can’t go wrong. This is the ultimate easy plant-based recipe for beginners.

3. Baked Pakora – super healthy alternative to the deep fried version

This recipe uses chickpea flour and grated veggies whilst making you feel like you’d just performed a bit of magic by creating them.

What makes this baked pakora recipe so good? This is a super healthy alternative to traditional deep fried pakora. OK, so, baking your pakora is never going to be the same as the deep fried ‘drenched-in-oil’ version, yet they are still delicious incredibly delicious. They are quick and easy to make. Pakora also makes a healthy lunch box or picnic snack, serving well with chutney, sauce or any dip you fancy. If you want to heat them up the next day, just pop them under the grill for a few minutes.

4. – a super popular recipe, hot or cold, posh or simple

I feel humbled by the number of people who’ve told me that this has become a staple in their household. It features at Christmas dinners, Thanksgiving, Sunday buffets and midweek lunch boxes.

What makes this seed loaf so good? It’s a super inexpensive alternative to a nut roast. It freezes whilst serving both hot and cold. This seed loaf works nicely as a main meal for a special occassion or a regular lunch or week night dinner. Easy to digest, the main ingredients are carrot and either sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds.

5. Lentil Cottage Pie – classic feel good comfort food

Lentil cottage pie is the ultimate feel-good comfort food. It’s tasty, filling, nourishing all rolled into one.

What makes this lentil cottage pie so good? I always serve cottage pie on retreats because it goes down well with just about 99% of my guests. It’s the perfect food to serve if you have a bunch of people coming around for dinner, especially if they have a mixed variety of eating preferences. This cottage pie seems to keep everyone happy whether vegan, herbivore, omnivore or carnivore!

6. Spicy Black Beans One Pot – vegan comfort foods with warming spices

This recipe excites me. It’s one of those delightful, medleys of deliciousness, where the spices are warming, rather than hot so that you can really appreciate the ‘dance’ without being overpowered.

What makes this spicy black beans one pot so good? This recipe is simple. If you don’t have the exact same spices to hand then you can try swapping out for ones that you have available instead. It keeps nicely in the fridge and freezes well. It serves with potatoes, wedges, rice, pasta, making it a pretty versatile one-pot. A super easy plant-based recipe for beginners.

7. Lentil Vegan Lasagne – with a creamy cashew sauce

Goodness me this is delicious! Considering I’m not really a pasta person, this is rather exciting.

What makes this lentil vegan lasagne so good? Plant-based lasagne actually doesn’t get better than this. This recipe takes a little bit more time to make than all the others in the this list, but oh my goodness, it’s worth it! Feel-good food at its finest, you get to enjoy a creamy cashew sauce with a thin, tanned crust, amidst an absolutely delicious dance of flavours and textures.

8. Chickpea Mushroom Burger – super popular vegan burger

This is an excellent way to enjoy a super healthy, high-protein, vegan, gluten-free meal, whilst using good plant-based ingredients.

What makes this chickpea burger so good? Apart from the taste, the texture and the fact it makes everyone who eats them very happy… this burger is pleasantly moist on the inside with a lovely soft crisp outside. You can enjoy it with OR without the addition of a sauce. It works wonders with a salad, potato wedges, or in a bap with salad/sauce toppings.

9. Easy Turmeric Roast Potatoes – super healthy and delicious turmeric style

I am officially obsessed with these and can’t get enough of them.

What makes these roast potatoes so good? They are insanely easy to make. You chop them up, sprinkle on the tumeric etc, toss ’em and pop them in the oven. Easy or what!?!! A tiny smidgen of oil is required. Even the fussiest roast potato fans adore these.

10. Turmeric and Ginger Sweet Potato Soup – tasty and highly healthy

This turmeric ginger soup is tasty as can be! There is something about the way that the warming spices dance with the sweetness of the coconut and sweet potato. This combo creates a special blend of delectableness.

What makes this tumeric ginger soup so good? This recipe benefits from fresh ginger, garlic, dried ground turmeric and pepper. Jam-packed with loads of plant-powered nutritional benefits, it is an exceedingly easy soup to make. Add sweet potatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas and optional parsley and you’ve got a gorgeous chorus of delight in a bowl to enjoy that everyone loves! Super easy one-pot, plant-based recipe for beginners.

Thank you for reading!

I hope that you’ve found some favourites here in this list of easy plant-based recipes for beginners.

If you like what you see then you’ll LOVE my books, which are all totally plant-based, jack-packed with lots more ideas for you…

My plant-based books…

Pin “Easy plant-based recipes for beginners” for later…

10 Easy Plant-Based Recipes For Beginners (12)

10 Easy Plant-Based Recipes For Beginners (2024)

FAQs

What is a plant food for beginners? ›

To start off, you need to know the three main nutrients your plant requires. These are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, often abbreviated to N-P-K. They are represented on a fertilizer package as three variable numbers, always in the same order (ex 8-12-16).

What is a plant-based diet a complete beginners guide? ›

In addition to fruits and vegetables, plant-based diets usually include lots of nuts, seeds, whole grains, oils, legumes, beans, herbs, and spices. They tend to avoid processed foods and animal products like red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Some are more flexible than others: Mediterranean diets.

Can I eat eggs on a plant-based diet? ›

Eggs can and should be part of a plant-based diet, and these five suggestions showcase how easy it is to incorporate the incredible egg into your plant-forward dishes.

What are the 30 plant-based foods? ›

What could 30 plant points look like?
  • Green beans.
  • Beetroot.
  • Rocket.
  • Sweet potato.
  • Courgettes.
  • Carrots.
  • Mushrooms.
  • Red pepper.
Mar 3, 2023

Is peanut butter a plant-based food? ›

Invented in the United States by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in 1895, peanut butter contains peanuts and sometimes salt, sugar, and oil—all of which are plant-based ingredients. The peanuts are shelled, dry roasted, cooled, blanched, and ground into a paste until the desired consistency is reached.

What is a good DIY plant food? ›

Five Affordable and Easy DIY Organic Fertilizers You Can Find Right In Your Home
  • Eggshells. Save your eggshells people, I cannot stress this enough. ...
  • Rice Water. If you aren't washing your rice before you cook it, you should really try it...and then save the water for your house plants! ...
  • Coffee. ...
  • Potato Water. ...
  • Banana Peels.
Aug 3, 2023

What are the 5 plant foods? ›

PlantConsumable parts of the Plant
Carrot, reddish, beetroot, etc.Root
Spinach, cabbage, lettuce, etc.Leaves
Cauliflower, Broccoli, sunflower etc.Flower
Apple, orange, banana, etc.Fruits
2 more rows

What foods not to eat on a plant-based diet? ›

Conversely, you will eat less meat, processed meats, eggs, and dairy on a plant-based diet. Removing or reducing intake of these foods means that your intake of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium will likely decrease as these foods are more concentrated in these nutrients than plant-based foods.

Can you eat pasta on a plant-based diet? ›

Yes, pasta can be part of a vegan diet. Traditional pasta is typically made from wheat flour and water, and these ingredients are plant-based and considered vegan. However, when choosing pasta, it's essential to check the ingredients label to ensure there are no added non-vegan components, such as eggs.

What is the downside of a plant-based diet? ›

Some studies have shown that those on a plant-based diet are found to have lower plasma vitamin B12 levels and higher levels of vitamin B12 deficiency than those who consume animal products. Vitamin B12 is an important cofactor in DNA synthesis, and deficiency can lead to anemia and severe neurological dysfunction.

Can you eat tuna on a plant-based diet? ›

Vegans don't eat fish

As one of the main types of vegetarian diets, a vegan diet involves abstaining from eating any meat or animal products. This includes meat and poultry, as well as fish and shellfish. Vegans also avoid other foods derived from animals, including honey, dairy products, and gelatin.

Can you eat bananas on a plant-based diet? ›

Let's start, then, with a vegan diet grocery list that can be the baseline for all vegetarian diet foods list: Fruits: apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, bananas, etc. Choose in-season fruits, and opt for frozen fruit for smoothies.

Can I eat cheese on a plant-based diet? ›

What is a plant-based diet? These vegan-like diets eliminate all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and honey. As the name suggests, everything you eat — including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds — is derived from plants.

What are the most popular plant-based foods? ›

Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, seeds, and nuts are the stars of all plant-based diets. More and more people seem to be making the switch to plant-based diet foods.

What are the best plant-based foods to try? ›

Here are 11 foods and food groups you should try to include in your vegan diet plan.
  1. Legumes. ...
  2. Nuts, nut butters, and seeds. ...
  3. Hemp, flax, and chia seeds. ...
  4. Tofu and other minimally processed meat substitutes. ...
  5. Calcium-fortified plant milks and yogurts. ...
  6. Seaweed. ...
  7. Nutritional yeast. ...
  8. Sprouted and fermented plant foods.

Are potatoes part of a plant-based diet? ›

The definition of a plant-based diet can depend on who you ask. Generally, it is an eating style that emphasizes real, whole foods that come from plants, including: Vegetables: kale, spinach, tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes, squash, etc. Whole grains: brown rice, oats, quinoa, barley, etc.

Is pizza part of a plant-based diet? ›

Pizza is still a staple among those following a meat-free or completely plant-based diet. Here's our guide to how to enjoy pizza while changing your diet. Now if you're a vegetarian, you can still enjoy cheese on your pie.

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