Have you tried Meatless Mondays? It is a popular initiative that encourages people to eat more plant-based foods.
The idea is simple: one day a week, skip the meat and enjoy a vegan or vegetarian meal instead.
You’d be surprised at the number of vegan recipes you can find that are just as, if not more, tasty than any meat dish. This helps reduce the environmental impact of meat consumption and offers a range of health benefits.
In this blog, we’ll be sharing 8 vegan-friendly meals that are perfect for a Meatless Monday.
Sweet Potato Roasted Corn Chowder – Full recipe here
Two Peas and Their Pod‘s Roasted Corn Chowder is made with sweet potatoes, roasted poblano peppers, coconut milk, and topped with avocado, cilantro, and pepitas. It’s a great summer side dish or warm, hearty soup for chilly weather.
Meatless Barbequed Beef(less) Loaf – Full recipe here
Recipe by Pinky Cole, CEO & Founder of Slutty Vegan and Bar Vegan in Atlanta, Georgia. Chickpeas have turned out to be one of the greatest, underrated beans! It is the star of this dish, along with the barbeque sauce, of course. This would make even the pickiest of eaters love vegan food.
Vegan Blueberry Sheet Pan Pancakes – Full recipe here
Who doesn’t love a fluffy pancake bursting with fresh blueberry flavor? This easy-to-make vegan pancake by I Can You Can Vegan only calls for eight ingredients and takes only 25 minutes to prep and prepare. These pancakes are made without eggs, milk or dairy! Skip flapping jacks at the stove and save time by baking these in the oven. Pair with your favorite Maple Syrup or a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
Vegan Tacos at Chipotle – Takeout!
Not in the mood to cook? If you’re craving tacos, chipotle has a great mix of vegan options: burrito bowls, burritos, salads and tacos. Tacos are a fun and easy meal that can easily be vegan-friendly. Load them up with all the vegan fixins, including rice, beans, fajitas, salsas, lettuce, and guacamole.
Vegan Buddha Bowl – Full recipe here
Buddha bowls are a popular and healthy meal that’s easy to customize. You can include a variety of veggies, grains, and protein sources like tofu or beans. For this bowl, Well and Full keeps it simple (which we love!).
Vegan Snacks – Full list here
These are not your usual, run of the mill vegan snacks. Although we love a good hummus-and-carrot combo, we were super inspired by the Greatist’s list of vegan snacks. Our top three favorites include Healthy 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cake Pops, Panfried cinnamon bananas, and Turmeric snack bites.
For a hearty, protein-packed meal, try Saucy Kitchen’s vegan Arabic lentil soup. There are so many good recipes online for lentil soup, but we are suckers for Arabic flavors. Lentils are also a great replacement meat for other dishes (including vegan shepherd’s pie or vegan lasagna).
Our final favorite is a vegan stir-fry with crispy tofu. To ensure this stays vegan, opt out of fish sauce; stick to coconut aminos, sesame oil, and nori furikake seasoning on your veggies; and air-fry your tofu chunks to save a little time.
Meatless Mondays are a great way to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or just starting to explore meatless options, these eight vegan-friendly meals are perfect for any day of the week.