29 Quick Vegan Dinner Recipes For Busy Weeknights
Neapolitan Lentil Pasta (Pasta e Lenticchie) (Photography by Erik Putz. Food styling by Matthew Kimura. Prop styling by Madeleine Johari)
Eating a more plant-based diet—even if it's just for tonight's dinner!—can have a host of health and environmental benefits. Eating more plants is one of the top four most-impactful actions individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint.
Vegans are also less likely to get type 2 diabetes or have high blood pressure. And, with the prices of beef and chicken in Canada on the rise in 2026, it's a great way to save money at the grocery store. Plus, with these quick vegan dinner recipes, getting a healthy meal on the table is easier than ever. Let's kick off the new year, plant-based style.
Neapolitan Lentil Pasta (Pasta e Lenticchie)
Lentils come together with arugula and pasta to make a filling one-dish meal. Get our Neapolitan Lentil Pasta (Pasta e Lenticchie) recipe.
Tempeh Bolognese
Elevate your next pasta dinner with crumbly tempeh, the perfect blend of bell peppers, mushroom and garlic, and aromatic basil for garnish. Get this tempeh bolognese recipe.
Easy Vegan Nachos
Not only are these vegan nachos seriously delicious, but they also come together in a flash, making them a no-brainer choice for weeknight dinners. Get this vegan nachos recipe.
Harissa Baked Beans
Everyone needs a go-to bean recipe, and this has been recipe developer Stefanie Phillips's go-to for as long as she can remember. A riff on the classic English beans on toast, it’s made better with harissa, a North African chili paste. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that will please the whole table. Get this baked beans recipe.
Crispy Tofu Stir Fry With Peanut Sauce
Stir fry recipes, like this one, are a weeknight saviour. Fast, saucy and delicious, all you need are some vegetables, a basic sauce and a protein of your choice. Serve over rice or noodles. Get our crispy tofu stir fry with peanut sauce recipe.
Sesame-Ginger Tofu Soba Noodle Salad
Calling all noodle lovers—this hearty salad is packed with crisp veggies, flavourful tofu and sautéed spinach. Get our sesame-ginger tofu soba noodle salad recipe.
Hearty Vegan Minestrone
Packed with delicious vegetables and pasta, this plant-based hearty soup is sure to fill you up. Get our hearty vegan minestrone recipe.
Vegan Kimchi Soondubu
Dishes that taste better the next day were practically made for lunch prepping, and this silky, spicy stew—a vegan riff on soondubu jjigae—fits the bill and reheats beautifully. Many traditional versions of this dish include an anchovy broth or pork belly; using earthy dried shiitake mushrooms and dasima (dried-kelp sheets) for the base broth instead makes it just as delicious. Get Chantal Braganza's vegan kimchi soondubu recipe.
Sheet Pan Aloo Gobi And Chickpeas With Coconut Raita
This plant-based Indian-inspired sheet pan dinner requires both minimal prep and clean up. Get our sheet pan aloo gobi and chickpeas with coconut raita recipe.
Kung Pao Cauliflower Stir Fry
Ditch the meat and the takeout tonight. Get our kung pao cauliflower stir fry recipe.
Thai Tofu Quinoa Bowl
Ideal as a make-ahead work lunch or quick weeknight dinner, this bowl is high in protein and features quinoa, tofu, edamame, carrots and cabbage—all recommended foods in Canada’s new food guide. Get our Thai tofu quinoa bowl recipe.
Black Rice And Edamame Salad
Adding more soy doesn’t mean the menu has to be all tofu, all the time. Affordable frozen edamame is available in freezer aisles everywhere, and adds both colour and healthy nutrition to a dish or plate. Here we’ve mixed it with cilantro, black rice and shiitake mushrooms to turn it into a hearty side salad. Get our black rice and edamame salad recipe.
Golden Tofu Soup
Thanks to a package of pre-cut stir-fry vegetables, there's virtually no prep for this robust and creamy Thai soup. Get our golden tofu soup recipe.
Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl
Cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, hummus, tzatziki, avocado, quinoa and more come together in a sensational, healthy dinner bowl you can't wait to dig into (omit the feta to make it vegan!). Get our Mediterranean quinoa bowl recipe.
Red Lentil Coconut-Miso Soup
Packed full of veggie goodness, with added protein from the lentils, this is a perfect easy winter warmer. Get our red lentil coconut-miso soup recipe.
Cauliflower Farro Bowl
Loaded with lentils, mint, apricots and tahini, this cauliflower farro bowl will disappear in record time. Get our cauliflower farro bowl recipe.
Bri Beaudoin’s Firecracker Tofu with Broccolini and Chili Garlic Oil
"Some of my favourite food memories are of being at my Grandma Popo’s house. She’d pour sizzling hot oil over bowls of rice—the crackling sounds and intoxicating smell of oil, flavoured with whatever she was into that day, always worked its magic. This recipe uses the heat of the oven to steep the oil with plenty of garlic and red pepper flakes, while the tofu and broccolini bake alongside." Get Bri Beaudoin’s firecracker tofu with broccolini and chili garlic oil recipe.
Sesame-Ginger Tofu And Vegetable Soba Noodles
Healthy and filling, this veggie-laden soba noodle bowl is ready in just 30 minutes. Get our sesame-ginger tofu and vegetable soba noodles recipe.
Chickpea And Sweet Potato Curry
This gluten-free, one-pot recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. And it won't mess up the kitchen, so you can forget dish duty and pull up a couch for a little extra prime-time me time. Get our chickpea and sweet potato curry recipe.
Hearty Quinoa And Bean Soup
One of our most-loved recipes! In just 30 minutes, this hearty vegetable soup is ready to be ladled out. Get this quinoa and bean soup recipe.
Creamy Vegetable Coconut Curry
Not only is this curry, with a medley of veggies, vegan, but you can also make it a complete gluten-free meal by serving it over a bed of basmati rice. Get our creamy vegetable coconut curry recipe.
White Bean And Tomato Pasta
Ready in less than 30 minutes, this white bean and tomato pasta is topped with toasted bread crumbs for delicious crunch. Get this white bean and tomato pasta recipe.
Tofu Kedgeree Recipe
If you're looking for an easy, flavourful weeknight meal, this recipe is a winner. It's filled with a delicious blend of veggies and smoked tofu for protein. Get our tofu kedgeree recipe.
Sheet Pan Tofu with Sesame and Roasted Vegetables
Add this recipe to your weeknight roster. Why? All you have to do is throw all your ingredients on a sheet pan and then place it in the oven! Get this sheet pan tofu with sesame and roasted vegetables recipe.
Vegan Juicy Lucy Burger
A plant-based take on the classic spin on a cheeseburger, with gooey, melty (plant-based) cheese *inside* the burger patty, instead of on top. Get our Vegan Juicy Lucy Burger recipe.
Vegetable Kebabs With Creamy Lemon-Garlic Sauce & Quinoa Salad
We used ground flax meal to make a creamy lemon-garlic dressing for these plant-based vegetable kebabs and quinoa. Get our vegetable kebabs with creamy lemon-garlic sauce and quinoa salad recipe.
Roasted Chickpea Salad
Full of flavour and easy to make, this is a salad you'll want over and over. Get our roasted chickpea salad recipe.
Chickpea Omelette Omurice
We turned omurice–a traditional Japanese omelet and rice dish–into a vegan version by turning an easy chickpea flour pancake into the omelet wrap. Get our chickpea omelette omarice recipe.
Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies & Chickpeas Bowl (1 can)
Roasted vegetables pack crisp texture and great caramelized flavour into every bite of this healthy dinner dish. Get this sheet pan roasted vegetables and chickpeas bowl recipe.
Gingery Tofu and Rice Noodle Soup
For chilly winter days, or anytime you're craving something comforting, turn to this easy-to-assemble soup that comes together in just 30 minutes. Get our gingery tofu and rice noodle soup recipe.
How to make gingery tofu and rice noodle soup
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Born in London, Ont., Gillian was Chatelaine’s former deputy editor, digital. She has also worked at Toronto Life and the National Post. Gillian cares deeply about fighting climate change and loves birds, sad lady singers, bikes, baking and wide-legged denim. She lives in Toronto's east end with her partner, two children and Rosie, her very exuberant Bouvier des Flandres.
