Meal prepping can make all the difference in sticking to a healthy plant-based diet, but it can be time consuming. To make it as easy as possible I’ve rounded up the best vegan meal prep recipes that take only 30 minutes or less to make!
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Why Meal Prep?
Meal prepping can save time and frustration later by having meals ready to eat when hunger strikes. Have you ever had a long day and come home to an empty fridge? What do you normally end up doing? I don’t know about you but I usually end up ordering takeout. That not only gets expensive but is usually unhealthier than what I could make at home.
With meal prep I have control over what goes into my food. I can make it as healthy or unhealthy as I want. I can tailor it to my fitness goals by adjusting calories to my needs. It takes the guesswork out of what to eat so that I’m more likely to stay on track.
Meal prep is perfect if you arelooking to:
eat healthier meals more consistently
reduce food waste
lower your grocery bill
save time in the kitchen
With meal prepping I find that I consistently save money on groceries, save time, and eat more healthy foods on a regular basis allowing me feel my best.
Sometimes vegan recipes can seem complicated and overwhelming. That’s why I put together this list of vegan meal prep recipes that are not only delicious but easy to make, requiring 30 minutes or less, and only simple, easy to find ingredients.
Whether you are just starting out on a vegan diet, you are just trying it out for Veganuary, or you’ve fallen into a food rut, meal prep is a great way to sort out your meals in less time.
Make a plan
In order to get the full benefit of meal prepping, you first need to start with meal planning. Some people may have the gift of throwing together a meal without a plan or recipe but for the rest of us, we need a recipe and a shopping list.
This also ensures that we have everything we need to make our meals by having a detailed shopping list. I hate the feeling of getting ready to cook only to realize I don’t have an ingredient. Do you continue cooking, or do you stop and run to the store real quick?
This Vegan Meal Planning Guide for Beginners runs through my whole process of meal planning each week. Learn to meal plan efficiently and get ready to save tons of time and stress each week!
To get you started, I’ve created some free printables for planning your week and making your shopping list. As you go through these 30 easy meal prep recipes, select the ones you want to make for the week and write them down in the weekly meal planner. Then add the ingredients to the shopping list so you never forget an item.
Lastly, having the right tools can speed up the time I’m in the kitchen which makes meal prep infinitely more enjoyable and less like a chore. Here’s a full list of kitchen gadgets I recommend for making vegan cooking a breeze.
RELATED: See which meal prep containers are best for each situation and what to look for when selecting food storage containers.
Breakfast
There’s just something about having breakfast ready to go in the morning that makes the day go more smoothly. These recipes are all easy to make the night before or at the beginning of the week to grab and go on those busy mornings.
The BEST Chickpea Flour Scramble
These are the best vegan scrambled eggs made with chickpea flour! A great egg-free alternative that's also gluten-free, high in protein and can be made in just 15 minutes!
These easy vegan chocolate overnight zoats are the healthiest breakfast you’ll ever eat! Crunchy and creamy chocolate oatmeal with seasonal fruit, high in fiber and carbs – the perfectly healthy and filling meal prep-friendly recipe that’s also incredibly customizable.
No eggs (or soy!) needed for these frittatas! These easy, make-ahead Mini Chickpea Flour Vegan Frittata Bites are gluten-free, allergy-free, grain-free, and perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack! A protein rich and veggie packed recipe the kids will love to eat!
Your favorite candy bar turned into a healthy and delicious breakfast! Made with mostly whole food ingredients to recreate the delicious combination of coconut, almonds and chocolate that make up Almond Joys. Make your morning more joyful!
When starting the day on a healthy foot is the goal, this make-ahead vegan baked oatmeal with blueberries is a satisfying breakfast lover’s dream come true!
Rich in omega-3, this humble breakfast brings out toasted nuts and oats’ warm flavors. You can dress it up however you like but this recipe is designed to be unpretentious and let the essential ingredients shine. An easy recipe to have in your weekly meal prep rotation.
These are the best chocolate chip vegan muffins and are ready in 30 minutes! They are soft and fluffy and full of chocolate chips! They're made healthier with whole wheat flour but you'd never know, making them a great breakfast option, snack or even dessert!
These are the perfect meal prep recipes for lunch. Great to pack for school or work or just to have a healthy meal prepared when needed.
Spicy Chickpea Caesar Kale Wraps
These easy kale wraps are filled with nutrient-rich kale, crispy buffalo chickpeas, and drizzled with a luscious vegan Caesar dressing. You can easily meal prep the dressing and crispy chickpeas ahead of time so that you can have a nourishing and satisfying meal ready quickly!
Sweet Potato & Chickpea Mason Jar Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
This salad in a jar is perfect for meal prep! Make in advance to have salads prepped all week. It's flavor packed and filling for a satisfying lunch or dinner.
This Chickpea Thai Quinoa Salad is gluten-free, easy to meal prep, and deliciously healthy. This salad combines quinoa, chickpeas, carrots, cabbage, and cilantro is topped with a creamy peanut sauce for a quick meal.
This healthy veggie wrap recipe is filled with creamy homemade dairy-free & oil-free edamame hummus, loads of avocado, and tons of healthy vegetables. Plus, this recipe can be made in 20 minutes or less and makes for an easy meal prep lunch all week!
This Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice adds a pop of flavor to a traditional dish. The rice is not actually fried and it uses no oil so it’s a healthy quick meal on busy nights, especially if you do some meal prep!
Wraps stuffed with a smoky chickpea, tomato, and onion mixture, crisp slices of refreshing cucumber, and fresh spinach make the best lunch or dinner! The chickpea wraps are easy to make for meal prep and are ready in 30 minutes! Enjoy them at home or eat them on the go for a satisfying and filling meal.
Meal Prep Bowls with Broccoli, Grapes, Pecans and Quinoa
These meal prep bowls are loaded with veggies, quinoa, and the most amazing lemon dressing! An easy meal prep recipe that makes a delicious lunch or dinner on busy days. This meal prep bowl is naturally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. It’s packed with quinoa, roasted broccoli, grapes, and pecans.
This creamy vegan potato salad with cashew mayo will be your go-to potluck recipe! Light and crunchy, it’s perfect for healthy meal prep and easily customizable. Ready in 15 minutes, this flavorful and herby potato salad is easy to make while taking this classic dish to the next level.
Here’s a delicious go-to make-ahead meal that you won’t mind repeating during the week. Roll this coconut curry tofu salad into your favorite wrap, or serve it in a bowl of fresh arugula, rice, or quinoa.
Dinner is usually the most labor-intensive of the meals—but not these! All of these can be easily batched cook to make several servings for the whole week at once. And yes, they’re all ready in 30 minutes or less too!
Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce
Creamy coconut milk pasta sauce is so easy to make and takes a simple pasta dish to the next level. It's velvety and flavorful, effortlessly transforming any pasta dish into a satisfying and comforting meal.
Learn how to make this vegan tofu adobo taste just like the traditional Filipino dish! This recipe uses tofu cubes baked to golden brown perfection and simmered in a sweet, salty, and tangy adobo sauce. It's ready in around 35 minutes for a quick and healthy meal!
Take your taste buds on a flavorful journey with this Spicy Mexican Spaghetti. This fusion dish blends the beloved Italian classic with the bold and vibrant flavors of Mexico. Made in one pot, perfectly cooked spaghetti bathes in a zesty, spicy tomato sauce. Experience the best of both worlds in a single, delicious bite—Spicy Mexican Spaghetti is a fiesta for your palate!
This recipe for Black Beans and Rice is super easy to make in just 15 minutes (and budget friendly!). It’s also extremely versatile and can be added to tacos, burrito bowls, tofu scrambles, and more.
This hearty vegan white bean chili is the perfect comforting meal as the weather cools down. Make it within 30 minutes and customize your meal with yummy toppings.
This simple Thai coconut rice with green curry and veggies is a creamy, delicious, comfort food made easy in 1 pot in less than 30 minutes. Toss in your favorite veggies with a can of coconut milk, water, and spices, and you have a delicious, no-fuss meal in no time! It’s delicious reheated for lunches and meal prep!
This super quick 20-minute vegan black bean quinoa chili contains less than 10 ingredients, is oil free, whole food plant based, soy free, and gluten free. One serving contains 450 calories and over 22 g of plant based protein!
Serve this brimming-with-flavor soup in deep bowls that you can cozily wrap your hands around on a chilly evening. It’s easy to make, easy to eat and one of those recipes that gets even more flavorful with time, so it is perfect for making ahead. It even freezes well.
This spicy baked peanut tofu is ready in 30 minutes or less, contains just 9 ingredients, is entirely oil-free, and will be a new weeknight dinner favorite!
This hearty Vegan Stew recipe is perfect for the cold weather. Make it on the stove top or in a slow cooker for chilly nights: it’s comfort food heaven! Make a big batch and re-heat all week long to have dinner on the table in no time. Pair it with something different every time for variety (brown rice, polenta, quinoa, steamed veggies or mashed cauliflower).
I’m always looking for easy meal prep snack recipes because this is one area where I frequently rely on processed foods. These easy snack recipes will save you the snack stress and stop reaching for the chips.
5 Ingredient No Bake Granola Bars (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to whip these up. These bars are so easy to make, you'll never buy store-bought granola bars again. They are very filling, boasting 9g of protein using only whole food ingredients, and are vegan and gluten free!
These chocolate peanut butter cookie dough balls make a tasty, quick snack throughout the week. They only require 5 ingredients and are easy to whip up!
Blueberry, strawberry, or raspberry chia pudding made with almond milk is an easy make-ahead overnight breakfast or snack that tastes like dessert. This chia pudding recipe is packed with nutrition to fuel your day.
These Almond Butter Oat Energy Balls taste all sweet and buttery but with sugar stabilizing rolled oats, they won’t have the kids bouncing off the walls. Parent win.
Ready to plan your next meal prep? If you want to make this a weekly habit and make it as efficient as possible, join us in the Health My Lifestyle Meal Planner. It has hundreds of easy plant-based recipes that take 30 minutes or less to make along with customizable meal planning tools.
What members get:
A new customizable vegan meal plan each week with 100% plant-based recipes
An automated shopping list to take with them to the store
Detailed nutritional breakdown for each recipe, including the calories and carbs and protein to easily adjust their meal plan for their goals
Access to two free ebooks, Ultimate Meal Prep Tips and Healthy Lifestyle Tips
The Meal Planner is only $9.99/month (less than the price of one takeout meal) and members can cancel or pause their membership at ANYTIME. So many members are already saying the plan has helped them save tons of $$$ on their grocery bill and that they can finally stick to a healthy vegan diet!
Check out the 30+ easy meal prep recipes above or make this super easy vegan bowl. Mix and match your favorite proteins, vegetables, grains, and sauces to create the perfect vegan meal prep recipe!
If using tofu, bake or air fry at 400℉ until golden and crispy; about 15 minutes in the air fryer and 20-25 minutes in the oven.
Meanwhile, cook your grain of choice according to package instructions. You will need 2 cups cooked, which is typically 2/3 cup uncooked brown rice and quinoa and 1 cup uncooked pasta.
Combine sauce ingredients in medium bowl, then portion out into individual small sauce containers.
Divide the protein, grains, and vegetables into meal prep containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, serve cold or reheat as desired, then drizzle with dressing and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts based on tofu, brown rice, broccoli, and vegan stir fry sauce.
Want to eat healthier but don’t know where to start?Get a free customizable meal plan and stop the struggle!
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Rachel Lessenden
Founder of Health My Lifestyle
Welcome to HML, I'm Rachel! I'm here to help you transition to a healthy plant-based diet in the easiest way possible. I share simple recipes and tips you can implement today to make it practical and approachable.
