Easy and Smooth Hummus
October 17, 2018
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Vegan recipes leave out animal products without leaving out flavor, with plant-based mains, snacks, and baked goods that work for vegans and for anyone trying to eat more plants. Reader favorites include Sikil Pak (a traditional Mayan pumpkin seed dip that is naturally vegan), with bean-based dinners and breakfasts rounding out the collection. Most recipes here use ingredients you can find at a regular grocery store, no specialty shopping required.
Vegan recipes remove animal products from the ingredient list, no meat, no dairy, no eggs, no honey. The most vegan-accessible category is dessert recipes, where dairy and egg substitutions are well-established and the results land within 5% of the original. The substitutions matter more than the absence. A vegan baked good that swaps butter for refined coconut oil and eggs for a flax slurry produces results most eaters cannot distinguish from the dairy version. A vegan recipe that uses the wrong substitutes (like soy milk in a custard that needs cream) produces a result so different it is barely the same dish. The recipes here specify which substitutions work and which do not.
Vegan cookies, brownies, and quick breads work cleanly with flax eggs and plant-based butter. Yeasted breads were always nearly vegan to begin with, bread is mostly flour, water, salt, and yeast. Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies are the vegan-adjacent entry point that demonstrates the flax-egg principle without sacrificing texture or chew. The egg replacer holds the dough together the same way a real egg does, and the resulting cookie is indistinguishable in a blind test.
The harder vegan-modified category is custard-based and meringue-based dishes, which depend on eggs for structure. Aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) is the closest meringue substitute and works for most foam-based desserts. Cottage Cheese Banana Bread demonstrates the broader principle of dairy substitution, the cottage cheese version can be remade with vegan cottage cheese (a soy or almond base) without much textural change.
For broader vegetarian and dietary context, vegetarian recipes and special diet recipes overlap with vegan but allow eggs and dairy. Many home cooks navigate one strict-vegan household member alongside vegetarians and omnivores, and recipes that work for all three simplify family meal planning. The strictest vegan recipes also work for the rest of the table without anyone realizing the restriction, which is the whole point of good substitution.
Easy vegan recipes include oatmeal bowls, banana oat muffins, vegetable stir-fries, lentil soups, chickpea salads, and dairy-free smoothies. These recipes rely on whole plant ingredients and simple cooking techniques.
To make vegan recipes, replace animal-based ingredients with plant-based alternatives. Use flax eggs or applesauce instead of eggs, plant milks instead of dairy, and oils or nut butters in place of butter. Choose whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables for balanced meals.
Popular vegan oatmeal recipes include baked banana oatmeal, overnight oats with almond milk, peanut butter oat bowls, and berry chia oatmeal. These recipes are naturally dairy-free and easy to customize with plant-based toppings.
Easy vegan drink recipes include almond milk smoothies, oat milk lattes, fruit protein shakes, chia frescas, and dairy-free hot chocolate. Use plant-based milks and natural sweeteners for balanced flavor.
Looking for more diet-friendly options? Explore our gluten free recipes and healthy recipes for additional plant-based and wellness-focused ideas.