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35+ Basic Vegan Recipes for New Vegans!

Being vegan isn’t that easy in the beginning. You basically have to build up a new repertoire of basic recipes. This round-up includes my absolute favorite breakfast, lunch/dinner, snack, bread, milk, condiment, cheese and dessert recipes. 

Basic Vegan Recipes For New Vegans

Whenever you adopt a new diet or lifestyle change, the first days, weeks, months are the hardest! But I want to make things easy (or at least easier) for you and I’ve included my favorite basic vegan recipes for new vegans in this round-up! These recipes have helped me in my transition phase!

Here’s an overview:

  • Breakfast (savory like tofu scramble and sweet classics like pancakes and waffles)
  • Lunch/Dinner (lots of pasta (because quick!!), savory strudel and a simple stir-fry)
  • Snacks (hummus and crackers are life!)
  • Bread (A basic white bread loaf, carrot bread, spelt chapati, crispy flatbread,…)
  • Milk (almond and hazelnut milk are my favorites for drinking, coconut milk for cooking)
  • Condiment/Spreads/Dips (date-sweetened BBQ sauce, garlic sunflower seed dressing, 3-ingredient caramel sauce,..)
  • Cheese (cashew and almond parmesan, oooey-gooey nooch cheese and baked almond feta)
  • Dessert (muffins, chocolate chip cookies, cake and ice cream – the holy grail of desserts?)

Veginner's Cookbook

The Veginner’s Cookbook – The Ultimate Starter Guide for New Vegans and the Veg-Curious

My very first cookbook is out now! Whether you’re trying to make the switch, a struggling vegan or just looking for a way to include more plant-based recipes in your diet – We’ve got you covered! 
The book includes:
* 75+ veginner-friendly and well-tested recipes
* Bianca’s Kitchen Hacks & Sascha’s Landmine Situations
* and much more!



Vegan Breakfast Recipes

tofu scramble in a pan served with tortillas

Tofu Scramble that tastes and smells like eggs but without the cruelty.

Vegan Banana Bread Pancakes with Chocolate Chunks | ElephantasticVegan.com

Banana Bread Pancakes – these are the fluffiest pancakes ever! And you don’t need any weird egg replacements!

Vegan Chai Waffles | ElephantasticVegan.com

Chai Waffles – If you’re a fan of chai, you’ll love these flavorful waffles!

vegan gingerbread granola and homemade almond milk

Gingerbread Granola – This granola is easy to make and keeps forever. Great to always have around!

Dairy-Free Overnight Oats with warm blueberry sauce

Blueberry Overnight Oats – Cold oats, warm blueberry sauce, do I really need to say more?!

Vegan Raspberry Chia Pudding | ElephantasticVegan.com

Raspberry Chia Pudding – You can prepare it the day before and have it ready in the morning. Great to take to work as well!

Quick & Easy Lunch & Dinner Ideas

A fork digging into Tomato Olive Pasta

Tomato Olive Pasta sprinkled with Cashew Parmesan

Vegan Pulled Portobello Tacos closeup

Pulled Portobello Tacos – a light and delicious meal!

Creamy Avocado Basil Pasta with tomatoes and olives

Avocado Basil Cream Pasta topped with tomatoes and olives

BBQ Couscous Bowl | ElephantasticVegan.com

BBQ Couscous Bowl with crispy tofu!

Vegan Potato and Spinach Strudel from the top served with cilantro sunflower sauce

Potato and Spinach Strudel served with a sauce made from sunflower seeds!

Vegan Egg and Veggie Stir-Fry | ElephantasticVegan.com

Vegan Egg and Veggie Stir-Fry – better than take-out!

Easy Vegan Snack Recipes

Everything Crackers dipped in Hummus

Homemade Hummus with canned chickpeas

Vegan Za'atar Crackers in a bowl with hummus

Za’atar Crackers – homemade crackers are the best! Plus you can play around with different toppings!

Better-than-store-bought Vegan Breads

Basic White Bread - vegan| ElephantasticVegan.com

Basic White Bread – a must-have recipe!

Vegan Carrot Bread cut in slices

Mixed Flour Carrot Bread – so flavorful and soft!

Crispy Sesame Flatbread | ElephantasticVegan.com

Crispy Sesame Flatbread – keeps like forever!

Spelt Chapati - Simple Indian Flatbread | ElephantasticVegan.com

Spelt Chapati – Simple Indian Flatbread

White Sandwich Bread

White Sandwich Bread – great for grilled cheese sandwiches!

Plant-Based Milk Recipes

Date-Sweetened Hazelnut Milk | ElephantasticVegan.com

Date-Sweetened Hazelnut Milk – so smooth and silky! Perfect to add into coffee!

Homemade Almond Milk with Cookies

Almond Milk – perfect for cookie dunking :)

Homemade Coconut Milk | ElephantasticVegan.com

Homemade Coconut Milk – great for cooking!

Condiments and Spreads

Vegan Date-Sweetened BBQ Sauce | ElephantasticVegan.com

Date-Sweetened BBQ Sauce – really good with grilled tofu or veggies!

Mango Chutney from the top with spoon

Mango Chutney – a classic in the Indian cuisine!

Smoky & ‘Meaty’ Tomato Dip – it’s a delicious sauce for pasta or lasagne as well!

Garlic Sunflower Seed Dressing/Dip – did you know you can make a delicious creamy white sauce out of sunflower seeds?

1-Minute, 3-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce | ElephantasticVegan.com

1-Minute, 3-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce – delicious over nice cream!

Vegan Cheese Recipes

Vegan Cashew Parmesan

Cashew Parmesan – simple to make and lasts a long time. It’s a pantry staple!

Almigiano - Vegan Almond Parmesan | ElephantasticVegan.com

Almigiano – Almond Parmesan – You can also use almonds for the vegan parmesan.

Vegan Nooch Cheese Sauce with tortilla chips

Nooch Cheese Sauce – ooey gooey cheese sauce. Perfect for lasagna, pizza or as a dip for tortilla chips!

Baked Almond Feta with Rosemary | ElephantasticVegan.com

Baked Almond Feta with Rosemary – The perfect use for leftover pulp from making almond milk!

Sweets and Desserts

Soft Baked Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies with plant-based milk in the background

Soft Baked Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies – 6 ingredients and 25 minutes is all you need to cookie heaven!

1 Ingredient Ice Cream (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free) | ElephantasticVegan.com

Nice Cream – 1-ingredient ice cream made without an ice cream machine!

Simple Vegan Chocolate Muffins | ElephantasticVegan.com

Simple Vegan Chocolate Muffins – your family and colleagues will love you!

Vegan Rhubarb Crumble Cake | ElephantasticVegan.com

Rhubarb Crumble Cake – Instead of rhubarb you can also use blueberries, peaches, apples.. whatever fruit you like!

Vegan Raspberry Popsicles

Vegan Raspberry Popsicles – the perfect refreshment for hot summer days!

Don’t forget to bookmark or pin this page, so you’ll always have the recipes handy when you need them.

Let me know in the comments below, what are your favorite basic vegan recipes?


Veginner's Cookbook

The Veginner’s Cookbook – The Ultimate Starter Guide for New Vegans and the Veg-Curious

My very first cookbook is out now! Whether you’re trying to make the switch, a struggling vegan or just looking for a way to include more plant-based recipes in your diet – We’ve got you covered! 
The book includes:
* 75+ veginner-friendly and well-tested recipes
* Bianca’s Kitchen Hacks & Sascha’s Landmine Situations
* and much more!



Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they will help me keep this site up and running!

Julie Stonestreet

Saturday 19th of October 2019

Thank you Bianca for this amazing site. This is the perfect go-to site for someone who is commencing a vegan diet. I love the fact I can print the recipes so easily - I haven't found that anywhere else. You are doing a grand job on helping the world turn vegan! x

Ida

Thursday 31st of May 2018

I really loved this list! Went through and saved a bunch of recipes! Thank you so much :)

Bianca

Tuesday 5th of June 2018

My pleasure!! :)

Seren

Thursday 12th of April 2018

This list is incredible. Loved it! It is bit hard to be a vegan. I would love to try some of these recipes.

Bianca

Friday 13th of April 2018

Thank you, Seren!