15 of our Top Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipe Picks from 2023!

These 15 budget-friendly vegan recipes from the Food Monster App are so good and so cheap! A big concern about transitioning to a vegan diet is the price of groceries and food, but these budget-friendly recipes prove that it’s so easy to eat well without spending a ton of money. Eventually, you will remember how to make these amazing dishes by heart and learn how to create your own budget-friendly dishes from scratch!

We understand the struggle, so we put together a list of the ultimate 15 plant-based budget-friendly recipes of 2023.

1. Egg Roll In A Bowl

Source: Egg Roll In A Bowl

A vegan egg roll in a bowl is all the flavor of your favorite Chinese restaurant appetizer turned inside out and cooked in one skillet. This Egg Roll In A Bowl by Shane Martin is an easy, healthy, and delicious dish ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s oil-free, low-carb, and can easily be made gluten-free.

2. Tomatoes Provencal

Source: Tomatoes Provencal by Tessa Kiros

These are a delicious treat. The important thing here is that the tomatoes are ripe and tasty. You can use a mixture of sizes – just not too big, though. As a starter, a few of these Tomatoes Provencal by Tessa Kiros of these alone are lovely.

3. Vegetable Pancit

Source: Vegetable Pancit

Pancit is a traditional Filipino dish made with rice noodles. While pancit dishes often feature meat, this Vegetable Pancit by Meatless Monday is a light and healthy take that’s a perfect fit for healthy eating resolutions.

4. One Pot Tuscan Pasta

Source: One Pot Tuscan Pasta

This One Pot Tuscan Pasta by Ashley Madden is guaranteed to please everyone at the table. The Italian-inspired tomato sauce, mushrooms, and pasta are cooked together simultaneously and served hot right from the pot. I’ve used portobello mushrooms for their extra-meaty texture, but you can use any variety you love. The coconut sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes but is optional, as is the addition of red pepper flakes and spinach.

Credit: Reprinted with permission from Plant-Based Delicious by Ashley Madden. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Ashley Madden.

5. Lentil Salad

Source: Lentil Salad

This Lentil Salad by Dominique Ebra is a classic combination of fresh green lentils, crunchy cucumber, red bell pepper, red onions, and herbs, with a simple lemon and maple syrup dressing. A satisfying, healthy staple protein-packed dish, this lentil salad recipe is great to make for lunch, dinner, or a side dish.

6. Mediterranean Vegetable Stew (Soufico)

Source: Mediterranean Vegetable Stew (Soufico)

Soufico is a traditional dish from Greece and a particularly popular meal in Ikaria. This island in the Aegean, about forty miles off the eastern coast of Turkey, is reportedly one of the healthiest regions in the world, boasting a large population of centenarians who still lead active lives. I discovered this delicious and healthy dish through American National Geographic fellow and New York Times best-selling author Dan Buettner. Let’s all dig into the fountain of youth, shall we? Serve this Mediterranean Vegetable Stew (Soufico) by Agatha Achindu over a bowl of farro, rice, fonio, or whatever you love at the moment. You can’t go wrong with this stew.

7. Oatmeal Cookie Granola

Source: Oatmeal Cookie Granola

To say I’m obsessed with this granola would be a massive understatement. Before I left for college, I sent my mom the recipe and begged her to send me a batch while I lived in the dorms! It took quite a bit of trial and error, but it turns out that crispy rice cereal is the secret to irresistibly light and crunchy clusters. Simmering the sugars also creates these massive clumps that are perfect for late-night snacking. On that note—I leave you with a word of caution: This Oatmeal Cookie Granola by Elaine Skiadas stuff is highly addictive.

Credit: Reprinted with permission from Fantastic Vegan Recipes for the Teen Cook by Elaine Skiadas. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Elaine Skiadas.

8. Green Herb and Zucchini Strata

Source: Green Herb and Zucchini Strata

If you’re someone who has trouble getting out of bed in the morning, this hearty breakfast casserole will do the trick! Although strata is typically made with eggs, cheese, and bread, this Green Herb and Zucchini Strata by Elaine Skiadas is a lightened-up version that features a rich chickpea flour custard, grated zucchini, and lots of fresh herbs. The craggy top turns golden brown and crunchy in the oven while the interior stays soft—almost like stuffing!   Credit: Reprinted with permission from Fantastic Vegan Recipes for the Teen Cook by Elaine Skiadas. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Elaine Skiadas.

9. Simple Five-Ingredient Banana Bread

Source: Simple Five-Ingredient Banana Bread

This Simple Five-Ingredient Banana Bread by Kayla Cappiello is the perfect base for whatever your favorite flavors are. You can add any toppings or mix-ins you want to this recipe. Want to make it a raisin cinnamon banana bread? Add 1/2 cup raisins and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon. Want to make it a peanut butter chocolate chip banana bread? Use peanut butter and mix in an extra 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. You can also choose to top each slice as you eat it. I made the base banana bread, then each night for dessert, I microwave my slice for 30 seconds and then top it with peanut butter, chocolate syrup, caramel, and strawberries.   Copyright © 2023 by Kayla Cappiello. (If applicable, please also include Photos copyright © Jen Costa, Fox & Hare Photography, on pages v, vi, viii, 4, 5, 6, 14, 18, 180, 181.) Excerpted by permission of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

10. Roasted Vegetable Tacos with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Source: Roasted Vegetable Tacos with Lemon Garlic Aioli

These Roasted Vegetable Tacos with Lemon Garlic Aioli by Kayla Cappiello are bursting with flavor!   Copyright © 2023 by Kayla Cappiello. (If applicable, please also include Photos copyright © Jen Costa, Fox & Hare Photography, on pages v, vi, viii, 4, 5, 6, 14, 18, 180, 181.) Excerpted by permission of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

11. Sheet Pan Ratatouille

Source: Sheet Pan Ratatouille

This Sheet Pan Ratatouille by Toni Okamoto does take a while from start to finish, but because the ratatouille is in the oven for the majority of that time, I still consider this a quick and easy dish! Unlike some ratatouille recipes that have you layer thinly sliced vegetables in an ornate spiral design, here the veggies are simply diced and tossed together on a sheet pan—no need to worry about your design or stand stirring a pot on the stove. There’s so much to love about ratatouille, especially its versatility. Try it atop rice, a hollowed-out roasted squash, or pasta, or spoon it over a thick slice of bread and top with your favorite vegan cheese. Excerpted from Plant-Based on a Budget: Quick and Easy (BenBella Books).

12. Hearty Heartful Ratatouille

Source: Hearty Heartful Ratatouille

This Hearty Heartful Ratatouille by Lola Till is extra flavorful because it’s roasted to perfection!

13. Black Bean Soup

Source: Black Bean Soup

This Black Bean Soup by Adam Sergott is simple and delicious!!

14. Mediterranean Seed Falafel

Source: Mediterranean Seed Falafel

A lot of people love falafels but don’t like deep-fried foods, or have difficulty digesting the soaked chickpeas/garbanzo beans that are usually in falafels. Here’s a raw and chickpea-free falafel that is surprisingly easy to make, and will fill you up for many hours! Feel free to use whatever seeds you have on hand for these Mediterranean Seed Falafel by Dunja Gulin! From Falafel: Delicious Recipes for Middle Eastern-Style Patties, Plus Sauces, Pickles, Salads, and Breads. Photograph by Tim Atkins © Ryland Peters & Small 2023

15. Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Roasted Sriracha Chickpeas

Source: Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Roasted Sriracha Chickpeas

Fresh and crunchy, this Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Roasted Sriracha Chickpeas by Annabelle Randles is packed with plant goodness. It’s tossed in my flavorful Asian-style dressing and topped with spicy roasted chickpeas and creamy avocado. Allowing the salad to rest for half an hour while you roast the chickpeas helps the vegetables soak up the flavors of the dressing.

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