A Month of Vegan Dinner Ideas for Families

August 27, 2019
Make a healthy meal you can feel good about feeding your family with these kid-friendly vegan dinner recipes.
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Falafel Burgers

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Pureed chickpeas, seasoned with the characteristic flavors of falafel, make excellent veggie burgers. We use a two-stage method for cooking the patties, first browning them in a skillet and then finishing them in the oven. Garnish the burgers with tzatziki or tahini sauce (see associated recipes), pickled red onions, lettuce and tomatoes.

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Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

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To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.

3 of 31

Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara

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Carbonara, traditionally bathed in eggs, gets a vegan makeover using roasted and pureed butternut squash instead to make it ultra-creamy. A topping of ground almonds, garlic and sage gives it texture and an herby, savory flavor in place of the cheese and bacon.

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Udon Noodle Bowl

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This Asian-inspired Udon Noodle Bowl can be ready in just 30 minutes. It's a perfect weeknight meal, quick and incredibly satisfying.

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Gingered Vegetable Curry

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This Asian-inspired recipe uses coconut milk, ginger, and curry for a robust flavor.

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Vegan Chili Mac

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Raw cashews are the base of this velvety smooth sauce. (A high-speed blender will yield you the creamiest results.) Nutritional yeast and tomato paste provide rich umami flavor to this easy vegan dinner.

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Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

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Classic eggplant Parm is filled with cheese, but this vegan eggplant Parmesan combines nondairy mozzarella cheese with nutritional yeast for a dairy-free cheesy substitute that gives you the comfort food factor without animal products. For the breading, use egg replacer, which you can find in natural-foods stores and the special-diet section of large supermarkets.

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Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu

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You won't miss the scrambled eggs and fish sauce in this vegan version of the Thai favorite because the flavorful sauce hits just the right balance of sweet, spicy and umami.

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Tofu Poke

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This fast vegan version of poke (the traditional Hawaiian salad of diced raw fish tossed in a soy-sesame sauce) swaps in extra-firm tofu for fish while loading your bowl with vegetables and crunchy toppers like pea shoots and peanuts. Serve over brown rice instead of the zucchini noodles to add a hearty boost of fiber.

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Beefless Ground Beef

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Crumbled extra-firm tofu is a great stand-in for ground beef for a meatless meal. This vegan substitute is perfect in lasagna, tacos, soup and more. We boost the flavor with garlic powder, paprika and tamari, but feel free to add your own flavorings.

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Sweet & Savory Hummus Plate

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Fresh veggies with dip, juicy fruit and even a sweet treat make up this easy-to-make picnic dinner that's great for packing up or enjoying at home. Plus, this combo excludes the most common allergens and food intolerances (it's free from dairy, eggs, soy, nuts and gluten) so just about everyone should be able to enjoy it without worrying.

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Tabbouleh, Hummus & Pita Plate

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This Mediterranean-inspired vegan picnic dinner features traditional fare like tabbouleh, hummus, olives and fresh fruit and vegetables. It's perfect to pack and take along or even to serve as an easy, healthy meal at home.

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Use-All-the-Broccoli Stir-Fry

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Spiralized broccoli stems transform into tender "noodles" in this lo mein-inspired vegetarian recipe. Serve on top of brown rice or buckwheat soba noodles.

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Kung Pao Broccoli

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Broccoli florets soak up the flavors from Chinese five-spice powder--a combination of sweet spices including anise, cinnamon, cloves and subtly spicy Szechuan peppercorns. Serve over black rice.

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Vegan Jackfruit Tacos

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Tex-Mex-flavored jackfruit mimics the taste and texture of pulled pork carnitas in this delicious vegan taco--and it's a lot faster to make than traditional carnitas, which are typically cooked for hours. An easy avocado crema and quick tomato salsa add bright, fresh flavors. For this recipe, you'll want unsweetened almond milk without any vanilla--be sure to check the ingredients, as some contain vanilla flavoring even if they aren't labeled as vanilla.

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Rainbow Buddha Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

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This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

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Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

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Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!

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Chickpea & Quinoa Buddha Bowl

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It seems Buddha bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!

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19 of 31

Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl

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Skip the hassle of making sushi rolls at home and just go for this grain bowl. Start with a base of brown rice and add veggies, dressing and creamy avocado for a delicious and easy meal.

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BBQ Carrot Dogs

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Shock everyone with this recipe for veggie dogs that actually taste like hot dogs. They're an amazing (and healthy!) vegan alternative to traditional meat hot dogs. Serve in whole-wheat hot dog buns and top with all your favorite toppings, such as sauerkraut, relish, ketchup and mustard, for the ultimate barbecue meal.

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Roasted Gnocchi & Brussels Sprouts with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

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In this quick vegetarian dinner recipe, you can skip boiling the gnocchi--they'll cook through while roasting on the sheet pan with the rest of the ingredients. If you can't find Meyer lemons, use 1 small regular lemon in Step 2 and use 4 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons orange juice in Step 4.

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22 of 31

Rainbow Veggie Spring Roll Bowl

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With tons of colorful vegetables, sesame rice noodles and a healthy peanut sauce, this noodle bowl is a hit with adults and kids alike. Assemble the bowls before serving or let everyone make their own. Serve with Sriracha hot sauce, if desired.

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Chickpea Curry (Chhole)

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Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

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Elise's Sesame Noodles

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Whole-wheat pasta bolsters fiber and nutrients in this popular Asian noodle salad. The recipe is from Annelise Stuart of Germantown, New York.

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Coconut-Crusted Tofu with Peach-Lemongrass Salsa

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The crunchy-crisp tofu and our spicy-sweet salsa are inspired by that restaurant-chain classic, deep-fried coconut shrimp. Make it a meal: Stir fresh cilantro into basmati rice and serve alongside. Try sliced bananas drizzled with “lite” coconut milk for dessert.

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Squash & Red Lentil Curry

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This healthy red lentil curry recipe has a rich flavor and complexity that tastes like it takes hours to prepare. Butternut squash and coconut milk combine with the lentils to make a hearty vegetarian dish. Serve with brown rice or naan bread.

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Spicy Vegetable Lo Mein

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Skip takeout and make a healthier Chinese lo mein at home that's packed with vegetables. Make sure you drain your noodles well before adding them, as wet noodles will turn your stir-fry into a soggy mess. For a less spicy option, omit the sriracha hot sauce.

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28 of 31

Three-Pea, Cashew & Tofu Stir-Fry

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Pressing tofu before making this tofu stir-fry recipe gives it a chewy, satisfying texture. Three green peas--sugar snaps, snow peas and shelling peas--balance it out with brightly flavored crunch. Hoisin--a dark brown, thick, spicy-sweet sauce made from soybeans and a complex mix of spices--gives the stir-fry rich depth of flavor with just one ingredient. Look for it, as well as chile-garlic sauce, in the Asian section of the market.

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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

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Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.

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Black Bean Croquettes with Fresh Salsa

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Staples like canned black beans and frozen corn transform into spicy croquettes in mere minutes. Serve with warm corn tortillas, coleslaw and lime wedges.

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31 of 31

Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili

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This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal. Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there's no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.

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