8 Quick And Easy Vegan Meals To Cook After A Long Day

If you’ve landed on this page then you’re probably, or most definitely, looking for super tasty, easy vegan recipes which don’t expect you to have every ingredient known to man…right?

Well, fortunately for you, you’re in luck! Considering it’s World Vegan Month (November 2021), we decided to make sure you have delicious vegan recipes that your friends won’t refer to as ‘rabbit food’.

*sighs deeply*

We’re sOO over people assuming that all vegan food tastes like crap. Those sorts of people give us bad vibes, and we’re not about that. 

Packed full of your favourite plant-based ingredients, we’ve curated a list of the top 8 quick and easy vegan meals to cook after a long day.

You’ll never have to worry about whether you’re getting the right amount of nutrients for a substantial meal, as these delicious dishes are full of everything you could ever want.

From saporous pasta dishes to aromatic curries, keep on reading to expand your range of vegan recipes to cook. 

1. Vegan Katsu Curry 

Serves: 2         Credit: The Veg Space

Who needs Wagamama’s Katsu Curry when you can make it yourself, in the comfort of your student accommodation?

It’s one of those dishes that can be easily replicated and is sure to impress your friends or partner. 

In total, this Vegan Katsu Curry recipe will take you around 50 minutes, from prepping to cooking in the oven. 

Interested? Save this page and make it for your next tasty meal. 

Ingredients

280g Extra Firm Smoked Tofu

60g plain flour

100ml unsweetened dairy-free milk

1tbsp soy sauce

100g panko breadcrumbs

Rapeseed or sunflower oil for shallow frying

2tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil

1 onion

1 tsp ready-chopped garlic

1 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp plain flour

250ml vegetable stock

150ml coconut milk

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp light brown sugar

Instructions

1. Pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper and squeeze out any excess moisture, then slice into three chunks. Set aside to dry out further. 
2. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or casserole. Finely chop the onion, garlic and ginger and add them to the pan. Cook gently to soften.
3. Add the turmeric and curry powder, and cook for a further minute at a gentle heat, then stir through the plain flour.
4. Add the vegetable stock a little at a time, stirring well so no lumps of flour remain.
5. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then add the coconut milk, sugar and soy sauce. Let the sauce bubble for 10-15 minutes then turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the batter for the tofu by mixing the plain flour, dairy-free milk and soy sauce in a small bowl. Whisk well until no lumps remain.
7. Pour the batter into a plate or shallow bowl, and tip the panko breadcrumbs into another plate or bowl.
8. Take one slice of tofu, and dip it in the batter on both sides until it is fully coated. Lift it out and shake gently so the covering of the batter is fairly thin.
9. Place it straight into the plate of breadcrumbs, then cover it, pushing down gently so they cover the tofu. 
10. Set aside and repeat.
11. Pour oil about 2cm deep into a deep frying pan, and heat it for shallow frying.
12. When the oil is hot enough, carefully add one or two slices of tofu. 
13. Don’t crowd the pan – it is best to cook one or two at a time.
14. Keep cooking and turn occasionally until they are golden and very crispy – ideally about 2-3 minutes on each side.
15. When they’re cooked, remove them to a piece of kitchen paper and set them aside. Remove the oil from the heat, and let it cool completely.
16. Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use a stick blender to blitz it to a very smooth purée. If you can’t get it as smooth as you like, you can pass it through a fine sieve, (though use a metal sieve if you can, or it may be stained by the turmeric).
17. And serve!

2. Vegan Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings 

Serves: 3        Credit: Hardy Plants

Who said wings have to just be for meat eaters?!?! NO ONE EVER.

This Vegan Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings recipe is honestly something else, and we defo recommend making it in your spare time. 

It can even be made gluten-free what’s not to love?

Ingredients

3 cups cauliflower, cut into florets

¾ cup flour of choice

¾ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

½ batch teriyaki sauce 

Instructions

1. Make your dipping sauce by mixing nondairy milk, flour and spices in a bowl. Whisk to ensure no clumps remain.
2. Add a small portion of panko breadcrumbs to a plate. Don’t add them all at once (sometimes the dipped cauliflower will drip and make the other crumbs wet, making it hard to stick to)
3. Preheat the oven to 218 degrees.
4. After cutting your cauliflower, put together your dipping and rolling station. 
5. Dip your floret first in the dipping sauces and make sure it’s covered. 
6. Next, drench it in the panko so it’s covered and place it on the pan. 
7. Once all pieces are covered, place the tray in the oven for 15 minutes.
8. Remove it, flip each wing and cook for another 15 minutes.
9. Remove them from the oven and drink them in the teriyaki sauce. Bake one more time for about 5 minutes.
10. And serve!

3. Lemon Spaghetti with Spinach

Serves: 2        Credit: Vegan Heaven

If you need a warm dish, that gives off home comfort sort of vibes, then definitely opt for Lemon Spaghetti with Spinach!

Lemon is not just for pancakes, putting it in your vegan pasta dish will honestly spruce up any meal.

It’s one of the simplest plant-based meals you could cook, fantastic after a busy day of uni!

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 ½ cups vegetable stock

1 cup canned coconut milk (full fat)

9 oz spaghetti

3 cups fresh spinach

lemon juice of ½ lemon

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt

Pepper

Red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat some oil and sauté the onion for 3 minutes until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add the spaghetti, the vegetable stock, the coconut milk, and the lemon juice. Stir a couple of times and gently push the spaghetti into the liquid when they’re soft enough (this might take a couple of minutes. Try not to break them when they’re still too hard). Cook for 15-18 minutes.
3. When the spaghetti is al dente, stir in the spinach and the lemon zest. Cook for 2 more minutes and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

4. Vegan Lentil Bolognese

Serves:  4           Credit: Ela Vegan

Bolognese is an absolute classic when it comes to dishes to cook *chefs kiss*. 

After a lot of thought, do you know anyone sees who doesn’t love a spag bol? ‘Cos we certainly don’t.

To make it vegan, we’re substituting the beef mince with Lentils, a great source of vegetarian protein! 

Honestly, a treat with some garlic bread on the side – you need to try it ASAP.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

1 medium onion

1 medium celery

10 oz fresh mushrooms

2 medium carrots

4 cloves garlic

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp coconut sugar

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salt and black pepper 

⅓ red wine

3 cups chopped tomatoes

2 cups vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

1 cup dry lentils

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

½ cup plant-based milk

1 tsp cornstarch

8 oz spaghetti

Vegan parmesan

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, mushrooms and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic, sweetener, and all spices. Saute further, stirring frequently. 
2. Add red wine, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf and drained lentils.
3. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. 
4. Meanwhile, cook your favourite pasta as per the instructions
5. Add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Mix the milk and cornstarch in a small bowl and add to the pan. 
6. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. And serve!

5. Garlic and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves: 4      Credit: Ela Vegan 

Garlic AND Broccoli in the same dish? Yes, please. Doesn’t that sound like pure heaven?!

What makes it even better is it barely takes much effort at all. So don’t expect to be slaving away in the kitchen whilst cooking this vegan recipe.

If this tickles your fancy, make sure to save this page for future reference. 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

5 garlic cloves

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp smoked paprika

Black pepper and sea salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 medium broccoli

⅓ cup vegetable stock

1 can of chickpeas

Cooked rice 

½ cup of water

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic and all spices. Saute for 3-4 mins.
2. Add broccoli florets and vegetable stock. Fry until the broccoli is tender but not soft, around 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine water, soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup and cornstarch. Whisk together.
4. Pour the sauce into the pan and add chickpeas.
5. Bring to a boil until the sauce simmers. Fry for a further few minutes.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings.
7. And serve!

If there are any quick and easy vegan meals you need, these are the few we would 10000% recommend. Even if you don’t enjoy cooking, they’re so simple it’ll barely feel like a chore. We even have a blog dedicated to vegetarian recipes, so why not check that out whilst you’re browsing? It’s full of delicious meals – tried and tested by us!