When you first start looking into veganism it can feel a bit overwhelming. A whole world of ingredients you didn’t even know existed and a long list of neglected vegetables awaits. But vegan meals are full of flavour and they can be easier than you might have thought. We’ve compiled a list of 5 easy vegan meals for beginners to help get you started on your vegan journey.
All of these meals are designed to be quick, easy, cheap, and use a lot of ingredients that you hopefully already have stocked, even if you are a new vegan! And don't forget, vegan supplements are another important aspect to consider if you're a vegan beginner, so make sure to check out our vegan range.For reference, all costs have been worked out from prices on ASDA online. When possible I’ve priced each ingredient according to suggested portion sizes, excluding spices. As you can imagine, it’s a challenge figuring out how much a teaspoon of a spice costs. When in doubt I’ve priced it up as £0.10. Once you’ve bought a dried spice, you should be able to store it in a cupboard for a while.
Jump to:- Aubergine Masala
- Creamy Peanut Butter Noodles
- Ultimate Vegan Fajitas
- Lentil Dahl & Homemade Naan Bread
- Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
Aubergine Masala
Up first is our vegan aubergine masala. A perfect start to your vegan journey as there’s no meat alternatives, just plain veg that you’ve probably cooked with before. A rich tomatoey sauce with a “meaty” charred aubergine. This is a great mid-week meal.Protein: 8.1g | Carbs: 55g | Fat: 12.5g | Calories: 379kcal
| Aubergine | £1.40 |
| Turmeric | £0.10 |
| Cumin | £0.20 |
| Coconut Oil | £0.10 |
| Red onion | £0.26 |
| Garlic | £0.10 |
| Ginger | £0.10 |
| Coriander | £0.10 |
| Tinned plum tomatoes | £0.20 |
| Vegetable stock | £0.04 |
| Coconut milk | £0.50 |
| Total (for three servings) | £3.30 |
| Total (per serving) | £1.10 |
Creamy Peanut Butter Noodles
Up next is our creamy peanut butter noodles. A vegan, beginner friendly, 15-minute-meal and high in plant-powered protein, with 17g per serving. This is another one that requires no meat-like substitutes, it’s all veggies. And you can add whatever you’ve got lying about in the fridge too. Perfect for those nights when your cupboards are starting to look a little bare.
Protein: 17.8g | Carbs: 55.8g | Fat: 18.8g | Calories: 468kcal
| Sesame seed oil | £0.10 |
| Peanut butter | £0.40 |
| Sriracha | £0.30 |
| Soy sauce | £0.60 |
| Maple syrup | £0.30 |
| Lime juice | £0.09 |
| Coconut oil | £0.10 |
| Spring onion | £0.20 |
| Garlic | £0.20 |
| Ginger | £0.10 |
| Noodles | £2.00 |
| Peanuts | £0.30 |
| Total (for four servings) | £4.69 |
| Total per serving | £1.17 |
Ultimate Vegan Fajitas
Sticking to the 15-minute theme, we’ve got our ultimate vegan fajitas with portobello mushrooms. You’ve probably made fajitas at some point before, making this a perfect transition meal for vegan beginners. Mushrooms give a meaty texture and guacamole gives that refreshing kick.
And for added protein, just add some beans of your choice (we recommend kidney or black beans).
Protein: 12g | Carbs: 35g | Fat: 15g | Calories: 439kcal
| Peppers | £0.60 |
| Onion | £0.21 |
| Mushrooms | £1.50 |
| Fajita seasoning | £0.70 |
| Jalapeño peppers | £1.00 |
| Tortillas | £1.00 |
| Total (for two servings) | £5.01 |
| Total per serving | £2.51 |
Lentil Dahl & Homemade Naan Bread
Anything that’s “one-pot” is guaranteed to make life easier, even if it’s just because of less washing up. This one-pot lentil dahl is no exception. Add everything into your pan, and watch the magic happen. This recipe also teaches you how to make your own naan breads, which may sound complicated at first, but is actually pretty easy! A great way for vegan beginners to get into cooking.Protein: 11.6g | Carbs: 33.5g | Fat: 14.4g | Calories: 335kcal
| Onion | £0.21 |
| Ginger | £0.20 |
| Garlic | £0.20 |
| Turmeric | £0.59 |
| Cumin | £0.59 |
| Curry powder | £0.59 |
| Red lentils | £1.00 |
| Chopped tomatoes | £0.50 |
| Vegetable stock | £0.80 |
| Plain flour | £0.20 |
| Dairy free yoghurt | £0.80 |
| Total (for four servings) | £5.68 |
| Total per serving | £1.42 |
Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
Our fifth and final recipe is cauliflower as you’ve never seen it before...drenched in buffalo sauce. Forget the buffalo chicken you’ve had in the past, and beginner vegan won’t look back after trying a couple of these tacos.Protein: 11.1g | Carbs: 23.5g | Fat: 15.5g | Calories: 278kcal
| Buffalo sauce | £1.00 |
| Garlic powder | £0.10 |
| Olive oil | £0.20 |
| Cauliflower | £0.85 |
| Tacos | £0.70 |
| Lettuce | £0.50 |
| Red cabbage | £0.44 |
| Sour cream | £0.40 |
| Total (for six servings) | £4.19 |
| Total per serving | £0.70 |
Take Home Message
By now, you should be prepared with an arsenal of easy vegan meals perfect for beginners. And we hope we’ve shown you that vegan food never has to be boring. All that’s left for you to do is get cooking, so strap on your apron, and let’s go.READ THESE NEXT:
