10 Favorite Plant-Based Recipes
Eating plant-based is easy when you have a plan! When I whip up fully plant-based meals, I make sure they’re packed with flavor, feature varied textures and are 100% satisfying. From pasta to tacos to tangy Asian-style noodles, get ready to fall in love with these 10 favorite plant-based recipes.
MUSHROOM AL PASTOR TACOS
Traditionally made with spicy spit-grilled pork and topped with fresh onions, pineapple and cilantro, Al Pastor Tacos are anything but short on flavor. What’s the perfect plant-based substitute for pork, you ask? Mushrooms. Always mushrooms (although I wouldn’t throw a Jackfruit Al Pastor taco out the window).
GINGER MISO RAMEN WITH BOK CHOY, MUSHROOMS & CORN
If you’re looking for a quick and easy detox meal, this Ginger Miso Ramen will do just the trick. Ginger, long known for its medicinal properties, can help ease nausea, reduce inflammation and treat indigestion. As a fermented food, miso (made from fermented soybeans) provides the gut with beneficial bacteria and also packs a punch of B vitamins, which prevent infections and support healthy digestion.
SWEET POTATO & LENTIL CHILI
Chili is one of my favorite foods because it packs SO MUCH plant-based goodness — beans, lentils, sweet potato, onions, bell peppers and even carrots. This Sweet Potato & Lentil Chili makes about 6-8 servings, so you can guarantee there’s enough for leftovers. And while I could genuinely eat this chili straight out of the crock pot, it’s even better garnished with diced red onions and a bit of hot sauce!
SPICY RED LENTIL SPAGHETTI
Spicy Red Lentil Spaghetti is the ultimate “grown-up” pasta dish! he spice comes from a serrano pepper, red pepper flakes and smoked paprika; it’s more of a slow, tip-of-the-tongue burn than it is an all-out scorcher. Organic red lentil spaghetti includes 12 grams of protein per serving, and cooked red lentils give the sauce a Bolognese-like texture. The sauce is absolutely loaded up with veggies and spices, and special ingredients like soy sauce (trust me) and nutritional yeast amp up the volume on the umami.
MUSHROOM ASADA TACOS
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Carne Asada. It’s a Mexican dish of grilled and sliced beef — often served in taco form — which is marinated and seared to perfection. The marinade can vary wildly, but it often includes lime juice, salt & pepper, garlic and cilantro. Do you see where I’m going with this? Portobello mushrooms are just screaming to be turned into a succulent asada-style taco. They’re meaty, can soak up seasonings like there’s no tomorrow and are easily caramelized into oblivion.
RAMEN STIR-FRY WITH SESAME ORANGE GINGER SAUCE
While I love stir-fry, it can sometimes get a bit boring. The same old veggies, the same old sauce…every now and then, it’s good to shake things up. Enter in this non-traditional stir-fry: Ramen Stir-Fry with Sesame Orange Ginger Sauce and Crunchy Chickpeas! The orange comes through without being too overpowering, and the chickpeas add interesting saltiness and crunch.
PLAIN JANE LO MEIN WITH CHINESE VEGETABLES IN HOT GARLIC SAUCE
I suggest stopping by your local international or Asian grocery store to buy some fresh lo mein noodles for this dish — they seriously make all the difference. The simple noodles pair beautifully with the deliciously saucy Veggies in Hot Garlic Sauce. We used a mixture of broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms and onions, but feel free to use whatever vegetables you’d like. Bok choy or cauliflower would both make great additions. Skip the takeout this weekend and try this recipe!
BAKED BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH RED CHILE SAUCE
Taco night never tasted so good! These healthy Black Bean Tacos with Red Chile Sauce are the perfect weeknight meal. Loaded with plant-based protein and tons of veggies + flavorful spices, the tacos are super easy to throw together and are drizzled with the most delectable homemade red chile sauce. To make them fully plant-based, leave off the cheese or sub in your favorite non-dairy cheese.
CHANA MASALA WITH TURMERIC GREEN BEANS
Cancel takeout tonight and whip up this Slow Cooker Chana Masala! While this isn’t one of those “dump it and forget about it” slow cooker recipes, the bit of prep required still takes hardly any effort. I easily could’ve eaten the Chana Masala straight from the slow cooker with a spoon — it was seriously that good — but I opted to be a bit more, ahem, adult, and serve it with quinoa and Turmeric Green Beans.
HOT & SOUR SOBA NOODLES
Hot & Sour Soup meets spicy Dan Dan Noodles, but with a Japanese soba noodle twist! These Hot & Sour Soba Noodles are slurpable, easy to whip up and feel totally decadent. Featuring a rich broth of shiitake, maitake, oyster & enoki mushrooms, the dish can be customized to be more hot or sour by stirring in additional garlic chili sauce and/or rice vinegar. Leave out the eggs to make this a 100% plant-based dish.