20 Vegan Recipes to Celebrate the Lunar New Year in Style!

Happy Chinese New Year! Families will get together to begin the week-long celebration beginning with Chinese New Year’s Eve. That’s when multiple generations of families hold reunion dinners which are considered to be the most important meals.

If you want to celebrate by going out to eat, that’s great. We can help by showing you The Best Veggie Items on the Menu in a Chinese Restaurant. But making your own Chinese food is fun too and easier than you think. Plus, you get to choose the ingredients so you know there will be no MSG, no sky-high levels of sodium and it can be as spicy (or not) as you want.

Learn all about the ingredients, flavor profiles, and techniques in How to Make Your Own Vegan Chinese Dishes at Home. Get all the Secrets to Sautéing and Stir-Frying Veggies Chinese Style and you’ll be making your own dishes with no problems. Want to know more about sesame oil, 5-spice powder, and ginger? Here’s how to Spike Up Your Meals With These Chinese Spices and Sauces. If you think there’s no way you could ever make tofu as crispy as the restaurants do, we can tell you The Secret to Making the Crispiest Tofu for All Your Dishes.

We have tons of Chinese recipes and ideas for Chinese New Year and every day as well. Read How to Celebrate Chinese New Year Vegan-Style and 25 Epic Vegan Recipes for Chinese New Year. Get even more recipes in Don’t Order Takeout! Make These 20 Vegan Chinese Dishes Instead! Get out your best red dishes and ring in Chinese New Year with our newest, most delicious Chinese recipes.

1. Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup

Start your celebratory dinner with this Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup. The hot comes from chile pepper and the sour comes from vinegar. It’s filled with lots of veggies, tofu, and bold Asian flavors. This stand-out soup is perfect for your New Year’s dinner as well as any night of the week.

2. Chinese Seaweed Salad

This Chinese Seaweed Salad is refreshing, healthy, and a great addition to a dinner of East Asian-inspired cuisine. Healthy kombu kelp seaweed is tossed with a homemade Chinese-style spicy dressing made with a special spice broth filled with fragrant spices. You’ll definitely want to pile your plate up with a second helping.

3. You Po Mian: 10-Minute Chinese Hot Oil Noodles

You can have delicious You Po Mian or Chinese Hot Oil Noodles in just ten minutes. This robust and spicy noodle dish is full of the authentic flavors of Chinese cuisine and it’s unlike anything you’ll find in Chinese take-out. The traditional version of this dish uses wheat noodles, however, by using rice noodles, it becomes both lighter and gluten-free!

4. BBQ Jackfruit Buns

BBQ pork buns are a staple on any Chinese dim sum menu, but let’s leave the pigs alone and use jackfruit instead! These BBQ Jackfruit Buns are just as meaty, juicy, and tender and absorbs the BBQ marinade perfectly. Stuffed in soft and fluffy dough and dipped in soy sauce – these are pure dim sum heaven!

5. Vegan Fish-Flavored Eggplant

Eggplant cooked with fish flavors is an authentic Szechuan dish but don’t worry, there aren’t actually any fish or fish products in this recipe. This vegan Fish-Flavored Eggplant is flavored with chili bean paste and soy sauce to give the eggplant a deceptively “fishy” taste. One bite of this sweet, sour, and spicy vegan fish-flavored eggplant is sure to make you feel like you’re eating authentic Chinese food, no matter where you live!

6. Fermented Sweet and Sour Cauliflower

This Fermented Sweet and Sour Cauliflower is a different spin on the traditional dish. The cauliflower is covered in a sauce made from vegetables and spices and then fermented in a mason jar for a few days. The result is a heaping quantity of soft, flavorful florets that are sweet and sour. The perfect way to serve these vegetables is on a bed of warm rice with steamed broccoli.

7. Kung Pao “Chicken”

This Kung Pao “Chicken” is a veganized and gluten-free version of the Chinese classic dish. It’s made with soy curls to give the dish a chewy, satisfying bite. Veggies galore are added to the dish and the peanuty, spicy sauce is just perfect.

8. Sautéed Chinese Hollow Stem Spinach (Kong Xin Tsai)

There’s nothing like a big bowl of flavorful greens and this Sautéed Chinese Hollow Stem Spinach is just heavenly. Also known as “kong xin tsai” in Mandarin, this long, leafy veggie has hollow stems. It’s cooked simply with garlic and low-sodium soy sauce. If you can’t find it, use your favorite leafy green. Serve this delectable dish as part of a spread of Chinese dishes such as seasoned tofu, dumplings, and steamed rice.

9. Yeasted Scallion Pancakes with Spicy Ginger Sauce

Scallion pancakes are a favorite on Chinese menus but what if you’re gluten-free? Then you make these Yeasted Scallion Pancakes with Spicy Ginger Sauce. Psyllium husk is the magic ingredient to give elasticity to the dough. You’ll have to try it to believe it! When these pancakes are freshly fried up and dipped in ginger sauce, your taste buds will be doing backflips out of pure happiness.

10. Steamed Purple Yam and Cocoa Rolls

Steamed buns are a common breakfast dish in northern China and are usually made with wheat flour. These Steamed Purple Yam and Cocoa Rolls, however, are gluten-free. Pureed purple yams give them their pretty color and cocoa makes them delicious. These steamed rolls are chewy, soft and a great way to kick off the New Year.

11. Vegetable Udon Stir-Fry With Spicy Sauce

Not only is this Vegetable Udon Stir-Fry with Spicy Sauce delicious but it’s filled with lots of veggies. Broccoli and carrots give it some crunch while black-eyed peas and tofu add a boost of protein. The sauce is made spicy with Sriracha but you can tone it down if you want. The whole dish is done in under 30 minutes so it’s a perfect weekday dinner.

12. Black Sesame Vegetable and Tofu Stir-Fry With Chili Sauce

This Black Sesame Vegetable and Tofu Stir-Fry is a quick, vibrant, uber-healthful dinner filled with broccoli, green beans, kale, water chestnuts, and those cute little baby corns. It’s tasty, light, and fast which is perfect when you need a fast dish. Try this once, and you’ll be hooked — it’s all about the spicy chili sauce. Serve this on a bed of rice, or enjoy as-is!

13. Quick and Easy Fried Rice

When you’re low on time, this Quick and Easy Fried Rice is here for you! Coconut oil, sun-dried tomatoes, and cashews boost the umami flavors while raisins add some sweetness. Lots of bold spices and just a bit of heat and you have a satisfying meal in no time.

14. Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl

This Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl is filled with marinated vegetables and fresh herbs all sitting on a bed of grains – what more could you ask for! This is super-simple to make and is sure to satisfy your cravings for something spicy. Of course, if it’s not hot enough already, just drizzle it with plenty of Sriracha!

15. Sichuan Sesame Shirataki Noodles and Cucumber Salad

If you’ve never tried shirataki noodles, it’s time to try. The clear, chewy noodles are made from the konjac yam and they are perfect in Chinese dishes. In this Sichuan Sesame Shirataki Noodles and Cucumber Salad, the noodles are the star, served with a dressing that doesn’t skimp on the savory umami flavor. This salad is refreshingly tasty and super easy to make.

16. Tofu Fried Rice

Traditional fried rice has eggs but there’s no need for that when there’s tofu. This Tofu Fried Rice has tofu cooked with fresh veggies like broccoli, carrots, and zucchini. Topped with a Sriracha sauce, this dish is packed with flavor for a simple, satisfying meal.

17. Chinese Oatmeal

After celebrating Chinese New Year’s Eve, start New Year’s Day with this Chinese Oatmeal. It’s filled with cabbage, corn, carrots, bell peppers, and lots of Asian flavors. This savory oatmeal is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We bet you never thought you could eat oatmeal with chopsticks!

18. Egg-Free Fortune Cookies

These vegan Egg-Free Fortune Cookies are the perfect way to finish up your favorite Chinese celebratory meal. Not only are they completely vegan, they’re also naturally colored with beet juice. You can insert your own fortunes for your friends, family, and colleagues too with fun predictions for the New Year.

19. Orange ‘Chicken’ With Mixed Vegetables and Brown Rice

This recipe for Orange ‘Chicken’ with Mixed Vegetables and Brown Rice is sweet, spicy, sticky, and delicious. Made with soy curls and served with a side of brown rice and variety of sautéed vegetables, it’s a meal that’ll keep you full and satisfied. It’s sure to be declared a household favorite, so you know you’ll be making it again and again.

20. Lo Han Jai: Buddha’s Delight

Whether you’re looking for a festive Lunar New Year dish to celebrate or a simple zen meal to revitalize, this Buddha’s Delight offers a special treat! Traditionally served on the first day of the New Year, it’s also a vegetarian classic that appears in many Chinese restaurants. With its rich combination of fresh ingredients and variety of delicate dried ingredients, such as fat choy (black moss) and lily flower for good luck and prosperity, the Buddha’s Delight is worthy of the title “king” of stir fry!

What delicious ways to start off the New Year. At One Green Planet, we wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year filled with prosperity, luck and all good things.