Budget in a crunch? No time to think? These 25 vegan budget meals are fast, easy, and inexpensive to make.
Looking for some fast, easy, and inexpensive vegan meal ideas when times are rushed and your budget’s tight?
Well instead of fast food, try some of these quickie vegan recipes that are homemade, nutritious, and free of culinary fuss.
A must for recessions, depressions, and general crunch times.
25 Vegan Budget Meals
1. Vegan Mac & Cheese
Grab a few boxes of organic mac and cheese and follow the instructions, bulking it up with veggies, plant proteins, and nutritional yeast. Or make your own pasta and add a quick vegan cheese sauce and veggies.
2. Loaded Baked Potatoes
Bake potatoes in their skins—more nutrients!—and top with beans, veggies, salsa, vegan sour cream, and chives. Dr. Michael Greger notes that “Sweet potatoes are healthier than plain potatoes, but if you’re going to choose the latter, seek out those with blue or purple flesh.” 🥔 😋
3. Bean Burritos
Fill warmed tortillas with refried or black beans, rice, veggies, and vegan cheese. Top with avocado, salsa, and vegan sour cream. Studies show that black beans are the most nutrient-dense. One report notes that they “have the highest antioxidant count.”
4. Lentils & Rice
Simmer lentils with spices and combine or serve over rice. You can also stuff a tortilla with the mix.
5. Spaghetti
Cook spaghetti noodles and add homemade or jarred pasta sauce with veggies and herbs. Always add nutritional yeast.
6. Veggie Dogs
Heat store-bought vegan hot dogs and serve in buns with healthy toppings, and add some home-baked fries.
7. Avocado Toast
Smash or slice avocado on toast, top with lemon, salt, garlic, and nutritional yeast. Or stack it up—get a recipe here.
8. Vegan Meatloaf
Mix lentils, oats, veggies, or beans and a vegan plant protein with chia eggs and bake with tomato glaze. It’s highly versatile with different ingredients.
9. Lettuce Wraps
Pack dark green lettuce leaves with tofu, veggies, nuts, seeds, avocado, soy or peanut sauce, and more. Get a recipe here.
Vegan Budget Meals
10. Instant Pot Stew
Dump lentils and/or beans, potatoes, carrots, and veggies & herbs into the Instant Pot. Pour over rice, noodles, or eat as it.
11. Split Pea Soup
Simmer split peas with carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and herbs. Serve over rice or with a salad and bread. Get the recipe here.
12. Ramen & Veggies
Cook organic noodles, like ramen, and add frozen or fresh veggies, tofu, miso or soy sauce, and nutritional yeast. Bulk it up for a solid meal.
13. Vegan Chili
Cook beans, tomatoes, corn, and spices in a pot, or pump up organic canned chili like Amy’s—add onion, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro with nutritional yeast and herbs. Get a recipe here.
14. Tofu Stir-Fry
Sauté tofu and mixed veggies in soy sauce and garlic: serve over rice or noodles.
15. Loaded Salad
Make a leafy green salad with organic veggies, beans, seeds, grains, dressing, vegan cheese, avocado, sprouts, the works. It’s surprising how filling it is! 🥗
16. Pizza Bread
Top sliced bread with marinara, cheese, and veggies; bake until crispy and top with garlic and chili flakes.
17. Chickpea Burgers
Mash chickpeas with oats, rice, veggies, and spices; form into patties, let sit, then pan-fry or bake. Get the recipe here.
18. Vegan Tacos
Fill corn tortillas with beans or plant protein, veggies, and cheese. Top with avocado and salsa.
19. Protein Smoothie
Rock peanut butter banana smoothies with protein powder. Top with nuts and cacao nibs.
20. Stacked Grilled Sandwiches
Load vegan cheese, tomato, onion, spinach, and garlic between bread slices and grill.
21. Granola
Bulk bake and freeze organic homemade granola and eat it as a meal or snack with fresh toppings. Get the recipe here.
22. Vegan Porridge
Porridge is an all-time favorite round the clock and can rock tons of variations. Slow cook big batches for an entire week or freeze. Get the recipe here.
23. Vegan Pizza
Good old fashioned vegan pizza can be pretty painless if you bulk bake and freeze (or buy on sale) tons of crusts. Just top, bake, and eat. Saves money, too, and more nutritious. Get the recipe here.
24. Pancakes & Crepes
Pancakes and crepes can be whipped up pretty fast and topped or stuffed with varieties of foods. The batter can be frozen. Get the recipe here.
25. Miso Soup
Miso soup is one of the healthiest soups ever—healing and inexpensive to make. Combine with a delicious cucumber noodle salad.
Takeaway
Eating vegan on a budget doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor, variety, or satisfaction. With these 25 easy and affordable meal ideas, you can nourish your body, explore new ingredients, and keep your grocery bill in check—all at the same time!
So whether you’re cooking for one or feeding a family, these ideas prove that plant-based eating can be both kind to your wallet and deliciously fulfilling.
Happy cooking! 🌱 😋 💚
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The medical and health topics covered on the PlateofGrass website have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to prevent or cure any disease. This article and its content is presented ‘as is’ for informational purposes only.
