45 Quick Vegan Meals for Super Easy Midweek Dinners

45 Quick and easy vegan dinners for midweek or lazy weekends. Simple plant-based recipes for when you don't have time or energy to spend ages in the kitchen.

45 Quick Vegan Meals for Midweek Dinners

Getting home from work late, and feeling tired after a busy day is a common occurrence, so I want quick vegan meals.  Mid-week dinners that are easy to make. I bet you feel the same too.

If there are too many ingredients or the meal is going to take too long to make, then it's just not going to happen.

My freezer is small, so I tend to cook from fresh. Before you ask me why I don't batch cook and freeze, it's because my freezer is so small.

In this collection of quick plant-based recipes,  I have gathered some of the most delicious but easy vegan dinners.

They are all simple to make but are big on flavour.

You could choose any of them and have dinner on the table in no time at all.

Quick Midweek Meals

Dinner doesn't have to take long and be complicated. 

All you need are a few good fresh and store cupboard ingredients and some herbs and spices.

A quick weeknight dinner should:

1. Be quick
2. Have a short list of ingredients
3. Have no weird or hard-to-find ingredients
4. Use what I have in the store cupboard and fridge
5. Be something my family will enjoy (I'm not cooking two meals)
6. They must not break the budget
7. Taste great!

Tips for quick vegan meals

The vegan diet is nothing to be scared of, in fact you will probably never eat better. It's full of fresh veggies and pulses.

A few tips and you will be ready to go.

Here are my tips for quick vegan dinners that will be on the dinner table before you know it. 

1. Have a well-stocked pantry with a good range of herbs, spices and stock cubes
2. Keep a good selection of canned beans and pulses
3. Make sure you have tinned tomatoes, passata and tomato puree
4. Stock up on some dried basics like pasta, rice, grains and couscous
5. Bottles of olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce and sriracha are essential
6. Most recipes start with onion and garlic, so make sure you always have some
7. Fill your salad drawer with both salad and fresh vegetables

Meal plan

Even though I can always pull a quick meal together from what I have in my fridge and store cupboard, I always like to meal plan.

When I meal plan, I only need to buy extras to supplement what I have and there is less waste.

I do think it means cheap vegan meals that save money.

But most importantly, it takes a lot of stress out of the week as you know which meal you are making each day.

It really reduces the mental load.

And of course, you can always swap the days.

Best Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes

I've been searching the web for some of the best quick vegan recipes (and lazy vegan meals) and I've found lots to share with you. 

I've included some of my recipes too, which have been tested out and approved by my family before I share them.  

I hope you try some of these simple vegan recipes and they inspire you to make your busy midweek dinners more varied.

For quick vegan lunches, check out back to school vegan lunches for kids (which are great lunch ideas for adults too or 41 insanely good vegan lunches.

Quick Vegan Dinner Ideas

You are going to love these quick vegan recipes!

1. Cheesy Cauliflower 'Steaks

These easy cheesy cauliflower steaks are grilled in the air fryer with spices for an easy but delicious veg-packed dinner.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

2. Green Goddess Farfalle with Dairy-Free Pesto

A tasty pasta with dairy-free pesto, broccoli, spinach and peas. Super tasty and healthy, but filling too. This pasta dish is good served hot for a quick vegan dinner or cold as a pasta salad for lunch or a light dinner.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

3. Creamy Curried Kale and Chickpeas

A favorite dish, a creamed spinach with chickpeas similar to Palak Paneer but without the cheese. There's plenty of protein and minerals in this easy vegan dinner.

recipe and photo

Fat Free Vegan

4. Spinach and Coconut Dal

A delicious, but frugal family meal, that can be thrown together in under half an hour. Great for during the week, when you get in from work late and need to put a meal on the table.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

5. Spicy Lentil Sausage Rolls 

The most amazing mini spicy lentil vegan sausage rolls. Easy to make and loved by kids and adults alike. Serve them for a quick family dinner with chips (or potato wedges) and baked beans.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

6. 5 Minute Sriracha Noodles

These super quick 5-minute sriracha noodles are a deliciously fast vegan dinner or lunch with no fuss, made in one pan.

recipe and photo

The Vegan Lunchbox

7. Greek Pasta Salad

A fresh pasta salad with the flavours of Greece, little balls of vegan cream cheese and a zingy dressing for a light but quick dinner.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

8. Vegan Smoky Red Pepper & Cheese Bean Burgers

Smoky red pepper, cheese and bean burgers. These juicy, smoky burgers are easy to make and great served stacked high in buns with salad and some vegan cheddar melted over them. Ready in 20 mins.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

9. Kale and Cashew Pesto Spaghetti

A creamy green sauce for spaghetti that's super silky and coats the pasta beautifully. The pesto is homemade from kale and cashews. A delicious plant-based dinner on the table quick!

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

10. Black Bean and Red Lentil Chili

Black lentils hold their shape while red lentils break down slightly to thicken the chili. This is one of those dishes that tastes best after the flavors have a chance to blend, so if possible, make it ahead of time and reheat before serving.

recipe and photo

Fat Free Vegan

11. Spiced Carrot, Lentil and Spinach Soup

A gently spiced soup that has so much flavour. It's vegan and dairy-free and perfect if you are watching your weight. It's only 184 calories for a huge bowlful or 138 calories for a standard bowlful.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

12. Korean Sweet Potato Noodle Stir Fry (Japchae) with Marinated and Baked Tofu

 This is a classic Korean stir fry dish using deliciously chewy, gluten-free sweet potato vermicelli. Although mainly a party or celebratory dish in Korea, it is easy enough to make for the family as a quick vegan midweek meal.

recipe and photo

Food to Glow

13. Zucchin (courgette) Bhaji and Tarka Dal

These zucchini bhaji have a great flavour and texture and best of all - they use up a LOT of zucchini! Tarka dal is made for dipping these bhaji.

recipe and photo

Maple Spice

14. Mini Margherita Puff Pizzas

Easy mini Margherita pizza pies that can be made in under 30 minutes. They are easy enough for children to make and they always love to eat them. Serve with a salad for a light dinner.
.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

15. Creamy Mushroom and Leek Risotto

A creamy leek and mushroom risotto recipe, with tips on how to make the perfect risotto and a free printable recipe. Add this to your meal plan for a quick meal this week.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

16. Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

A rich spaghetti sauce, sweet with the flavour of tomatoes, with some warmth from a little spice and the smoky flavour of roast red peppers and red onions. Who could say no to a tasty pasta dish like this?

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

17. Quick and Easy Five Vegetable Dal

Just add herbs or spices and vegetables to cooked grains and dinner is on the table in around 20 minutes. Serve with naan or flatbread for a nutritious, quick and easy vegan meal.

recipe and photo

Utterly Scrummy Food For Families

18. Fridge Lentil Soup

A warming lentil soup, made to use up salad drawer stragglers. Healthy, nutritious and very, very tasty. A great way to use leftover vegetables to make a speedy dinner.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

19. Black Bean Quinoa Chili

The thing we really like about this soup is the black velvety texture from pureeing about one-third of the cooked beans before they go into the soup, but you can forgo the blending and keep it chunky.

recipe and photo

Food to Glow

20. Baked Sesame Tofu Sticks with Peanut Butter, Tahini, and Ginger Sauce

Baked Sesame Tofu Sticks with Peanut Butter and Tahini Sauce are a great snack or a simple midweek meal served with salad.

recipe and photo

Kalyn's Kitchen

21. Spiced Tofu and Mushroom Tacos

Homemade soft, warm tacos filled with a roasted pepper tapenade, salad leaves, roast spiced tofu, roast red onions and roast mushrooms. A fast and easy vegan meal, perfect for Taco Tuesdays.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

22. Rocket & Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta

A super-easy and uber-nutritious mid-week pasta dish that appeals to adults and children. Use whatever seasonal vegetables you have and you can use pine nuts instead of pumpkin seeds but the pumpkin seeds are loaded with zinc, which is great for fighting off colds.

recipe and photo

Food to Glow

23. Fajita Dirty Fries

For a plant-based Tex Mex treat, try these vegan fajita loaded dirty fries. Serve them as they are or with a dressed salad for a fun family dinner.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

24. Simple Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

The flavour of the tomatoes sing in this pasta. I roast the tomatoes in the air fryer, but you can roast them in the oven too. Perfect if you are looking for easy vegan recipes.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

25. Easy Falafel Curry

This falafel curry is a brilliant way to serve falafel, coated in a creamy, spicy sauce. It makes such a hearty, filling curry for a plant-based diet. Perfect served over rice with naan bread for dunking.

recipe and photo

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

26. Black Bean Burgers with Peanuts

These are the best vegan black bean burgers I've tried. Super simple to make. These veggie burgers are made with peanuts and oats, (you can swap peanuts for another type of nut). Perfect for busy weeknights.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

27. Tofu Fried Rice with Quick Sweet & Sour Sauce

An easy recipe for tofu fried rice with vegetables in a fresh sweet & sour sauce. Made with microwave rice for a quick lunch or easy dinner.

28. Caulliflower and White Bean Soup

An easy vegan cauliflower soup with white beans and gently spiced for extra flavour. Blend it smooth or just part blend it. It's on of those easy meals that's filling and healthy.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

29. Mushroom Potato Hash

A tasty vegan mushroom and potato hash topped with herby yoghurt and sriracha. Serve with thick slices of toasted bread for a tasty but light dinner.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

30. Chinese Chickpea Stir Fry

This protein-packed chickpea stir fry is a quick and easy vegan dinner that's full of flavour. On the table in just 20 minutes. The whole family will love it.

recipe and photo

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

31. Two Minute Cheese & Onion Noodles

In a rush? Want something quick and cheesy for dinner? Try these Asian-style 2-minute cheese & onion ramen noodles with spring onions & sesame seeds. One of the best vegan recipes when you are really too exhausted to cook or only have a few minutes to make a quick meal.

recipe and photo

The Vegan Lunchbox

32. Asparagus Tart with Vegan Cheese Sauce

An easy vegan asparagus tart that celebrates summer. Made with puff pastry and a cheese sauce base with herbs for extra flavour. Serve hot for dinner with baby potatoes and veg or serve cold the next day for lunchwith salad.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

33. Mushroom Pesto Spaghetti

A simple recipe for the most delicious vegan mushroom pesto spaghetti with a freshly made cheese-free pesto and spinach for extra greens. Such a tasty dinner option.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

34. Chickpea Spinach Curry

This creamy chickpea and spinach curry is a healthy, easy, and budget-friendly vegan meal packed with flavour and nutrients. Ready in just 30 minutes, this tasty veggie curry is perfect for a quick midweek meal. Serve with pilau rice and naan bread for a filling dinner.

recipe and photo

Effortless Foodie

35. Spicy Bean Burritos

These vegan spicy bean burritos with vegan cheese are a banging choice for lunch or dinner. Serve them with tortilla chips and salsa. The perfect meal when you want a light midweek dinner.

recipe and photo

The Vegan Lunchbox

36. Mushroom & Black Bean Chilli

This mushroom and black bean chilli is perfect for easy midweek dinners. It's easy to make with only a few ingredients and makes 2 portions. Simple and tasty vegan chilli.

recipe and photo

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

37. Quick Vegetable Paella

An easy recipe for vegetable paella with the flavours of Spain. This colourful rice dish is packed with vegetables, rice, spices and herbs. It can be cooked in a large frying pan, wok or a shallow casserole pan, which is what I used. It's a really easy rice dish and it's packed with flavour.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

38. Sheet Pan Korean BBQ Tofu

Sheet Pan Korean BBQ Tofu – so easy for a weekday vegan dinner! Serve in a bun or with baked sweet potatoes, rice or even a variety of simple salads, including my easy sesame-lime slaw.

recipe and photo

Food to Glow

39. Sweet Potato & Lentil Curry

This easy vegan sweet potato and lentil curry (also known as dal) is filling, hearty and packs a punch in flavour. Best of all it's made in under 30 minutes, so a perfect mid-week meal option when time is short. Delicious served with homemade naan bread and mango chutney.

recipe and photo
Effortless Foodie

40. Tex Mex Corn Chopped Salad

The most delicioous Tex Mex Corn Chopped Salad with vegan feta and an easy homemade ranch dressing served with tortilla chips for a light Mexican style dinner.

recipe and photo

The Vegan Lunchbox

41. Easy Chinese Curry

An easy and low calorie vegan Chinese curry with vegetables and tofu. An easy fakeaway dinner. Serve with rice and chips in true Chinese takeaway style.

photo and recipe

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

42. Microwave Vegan Mac & Cheese

Microwave mug macaroni cheese is the perfect quick vegan meal for one when you want dinner super quick. It's just right for a comforting easy dinner. Less dishes to wash too. 

photo and recipe

Tinned Tomatoes

43. Mexican Vegetable & Bean Soup

This easy, slightly spicy soup can be made with whatever veg is in season. It is rich and absolutely delicious.

recipe and photo

Food to Glow

44. Best Couscous Salad with Vegan Feta

Rock lunchtime or dinner with the best vegan couscous salad. A plant-based salad with fluffy couscous, protein-rich lentils, salty feta & tasty veg. Plant-based meals are really the best.

photo and recipe
The Vegan Lunchbox

45. Quick Green Spaghetti

A quick blended, green sauce for spaghetti made with creamy avocado and spinach. Perfect for a quick midweek dinner. A healthy but super tasty pasta dish that children and adults will love.

recipe and photo

Tinned Tomatoes

I hope that these quick vegan meals for super easy midweek dinner give you some inspiration and you try a few of them soon.

They are all veg-packed, full of flavour and more importantly they are quick to make, most of them taking half an hour or less.

If you need more inspiration?

Looking for more easy vegan recipes? 

Check out these vegan food guides.

• 25 Awesome Puff Pastry Recipes for Vegans
• 41 Insanely Good Vegan Lunches
• The Ultimate Sandwiches Guide  
• (50 Droolworthy Veggie & Vegan Sandwiches)
• Ultimate 4th of July Vegan BBQ Guide
• Best Vegan and Dairy-Free Products (UK)
• Most Popular Vegan Recipes 2017