Vibrant Vegan Meal Prep: A Guide to Healthy, Plant-Based Eating with 15 Flavorful Recipes
Eating a plant-based diet offers numerous health benefits, and meal prepping is an excellent strategy to ensure your meals are balanced, varied, and delicious. Here are 15 vegan meal prep recipes along with estimated calorie counts per serving to get you started on your journey to vibrant health:
Chickpea Curry - 4 Servings
~400 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~13g
Fat: ~15g
Ingredients: 2 cans chickpeas, 1 can coconut milk, 1 onion, 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper, 2 cups cooked brown rice.
Instructions: Sauté chopped onion in olive oil until translucent. Add curry powder, chickpeas, and coconut milk. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve over brown rice.
Lentil Bolognese - 4 Servings
~400 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~18g
Fat: ~3g
Ingredients: 1 cup lentils, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 carrot, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper, 2 cups cooked spaghetti.
Instructions: Cook lentils according to package instructions. Sauté onion, garlic, and grated carrot in olive oil. Add cooked lentils, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over spaghetti.
Vegan Buddha Bowl - 4 Servings
~500 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~15g
Fat: ~18g
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked quinoa, 1 can chickpeas, 1 avocado, 2 cups spinach, 1 red bell pepper, 1 cucumber, 1 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper, 2 tbsp hummus.
Instructions: Divide ingredients among 4 bowls, starting with quinoa as the base. Top with chickpeas, sliced avocado, spinach, diced bell pepper, and cucumber. Drizzle with olive oil and top with a dollop of hummus.
Vegan Chili - 4 Servings
~350 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~14g
Fat: ~3g
Ingredients: 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 bell pepper, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp olive oil.
Instructions: Sauté onion, garlic, and diced bell pepper in olive oil. Add beans, diced tomatoes, and chili powder. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad - 4 Servings
~400 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~8g
Fat: ~14g
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked quinoa, 2 bell peppers, 1 zucchini, 1 red onion, 2 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper, 2 tbsp balsamic glaze.
Instructions: Chop vegetables and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. Toss cooked quinoa with roasted vegetables, remaining olive oil, and balsamic glaze.
Black Bean Tacos with Mango Salsa - 4 Servings
~450 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~14g
Fat: ~4g
Ingredients: 1 can black beans, 1 ripe mango, 1 red onion, 1 jalapeno, 1 lime, 8 corn tortillas, Salt, pepper.
Instructions: Rinse and heat black beans. Dice mango, onion, and jalapeno, and mix with lime juice, salt, and pepper to create salsa. Serve beans and salsa on tortillas.
Tofu Stir-Fry with Brown Rice - 4 Servings
~500 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~20g
Fat: ~13g
Ingredients: 1 block tofu, 4 cups mixed stir-fry vegetables, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 cups cooked brown rice.
Instructions: Press and cube tofu. Sauté tofu and vegetables in sesame oil. Add soy sauce and serve over brown rice.
Mushroom Risotto - 4 Servings
~500 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~9g
Fat: ~7g
Ingredients: 1 cup arborio rice, 2 cups mushrooms, 1 onion, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper.
Instructions: Sauté onion and mushrooms in olive oil. Add rice and 1 cup broth. Stir constantly, adding broth 1 cup at a time as it is absorbed.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie - 4 Servings
~450 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~17g
Fat: ~2g
Ingredients: 1 cup lentils, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 cups mashed potatoes.
Instructions: Cook lentils according to package instructions. Sauté onion, garlic, and diced carrots. Add cooked lentils and diced tomatoes. Layer mixture in a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burrito Bowls - 4 Servings
~500 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~14g
Fat: ~8g
Ingredients: 2 sweet potatoes, 1 can black beans, 1 avocado, 2 cups cooked brown rice, 1 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper, 1 tbsp lime juice.
Instructions: Dice and roast sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. Assemble bowls with rice, roasted sweet potatoes, rinsed black beans, and sliced avocado. Drizzle with lime juice.
Vegan Sushi Bowls - 4 Servings
~400 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~9g
Fat: ~5g
Ingredients: 2 cups sushi rice, 1 cucumber, 1 carrot, 1 avocado, 1 nori sheet, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar.
Instructions: Cook sushi rice according to package instructions and mix with rice vinegar. Dice cucumber, carrot, and avocado. Cut nori into thin strips. Assemble bowls with rice, vegetables, and nori. Drizzle with soy sauce.
Red Lentil Dahl - 4 Servings
~450 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~18g
Fat: ~13g
Ingredients: 1 cup red lentils, 1 can coconut milk, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 cups cooked basmati rice.
Instructions: Cook lentils according to package instructions. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add curry powder, cooked lentils, and coconut milk. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over basmati rice.
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce - 4 Servings
~350 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~2g
Fat: ~7g
Ingredients: 1 spaghetti squash, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper.
Instructions: Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds. Roast cut side down at 400°F for 40-45 minutes. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add diced tomatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Shred spaghetti squash with a fork and top with tomato sauce.
Vegan Poke Bowls - 4 Servings
~400 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~20g
Fat: ~13g
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked sushi rice, 1 block tofu, 1 cucumber, 1 avocado, 1 carrot, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil.
Instructions: Press and cube tofu. Sauté in sesame oil and soy sauce. Assemble bowls with rice, cooked tofu, and diced cucumber, avocado, and carrot.
Lentil Soup with Whole Grain Bread - 4 Servings
~350 Calories per Serving
Protein: ~18g
Fat: ~4g
Ingredients: 1 cup lentils, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 tbsp olive oil, Salt, pepper, 4 slices whole grain bread.
Instructions: Sauté onion, garlic, and diced carrot in olive oil. Add lentils and broth. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until lentils are tender. Serve with whole grain bread.
These plant-based recipes will keep you fueled, satisfied, and excited about your meals throughout the week. Enjoy!
Please remember to adjust portion sizes and ingredients according to your specific dietary needs and goals. This guide should serve as a helpful starting point in your journey towards healthy, plant-based meal prepping.
