20 Recipes That Show Vegan Food Can Be Affordable, Wholesome, and Sustainable

At One Green Planet, every day is Food Day, but on October 24^th, it’s National Food Day: a day to inspire Americans to make changes to their diets and to food policies. Thousands of events take place all across the country to bring people together to celebrate and enjoy real, whole foods, and encourage improved food policies in order to solve food-related problems on the community, local, state, and national level.

This year, the theme of Food Day is “Toward a Greener Diet.” Food activists will come together to show that food can be healthy, affordable, and produced with care. We all know that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is contributing to many health problems including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. We also know that these health problems cost Americans billions of dollars each year. We know the toll that food production places on the planet. The goal is to “save your own health and put our food system on a more humane, sustainable path” by eating real food — vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. One of the easiest ways to get healthier grains is to switch out your white rice for brown and to leave enriched pasta and bread in the dust and opt for healthier options made from whole grains.

Of course, we also know that a plant-based diet is the best way to accomplish all these goals including helping world hunger. So to get you started, here are 20 delicious recipes that show that good food is affordable, healthy, and sustainable. Eat real!

1. Mexican Pasta Bake

Tired of the same ol’ routine on Taco Tuesday? This Mexican Pasta Bake is an easy recipe that wins in both the flavor and creativity department. Pasta is tossed with a creamy avocado sauce, black beans, corn, cilantro, and crumbled tortilla chips for crunch. Then, it’s baked until warm and topped with even more avocado, sour cream, and plenty of hot sauce.

2. Walnut Polenta Pizza Crust

When you think about it, usually the only “unhealthy” part of a pizza is the crust. Otherwise, you’ve got tomato sauce, maybe some nut-based cheese, and veggie toppings. Well, for a guilt-free pizza that you can feel good about eating, replace your flour-based crust with this wholesome Walnut Polenta Pizza Crust! Made with walnuts, polenta, flaxseed meal, cauliflower, garlic, and seasoning, these babies crisp up beautifully and taste just as good as bread once topped with all of the fixings. Try it out and enjoy a uniquely energizing pizza.

3. Crispy Cauliflower Wings

Add these Crispy Cauliflower Wings to your snack rotation and watch a night with friends get ten times better. In this recipe, large cauliflower florets are dipped in a thick chickpea flour batter, baked in the oven until crispy, and then doused in spicy buffalo sauce. Serve this with a creamy vegan Ranch to balance out the heat and get ready to lick your fingers from all of the deliciousness!

4. Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Chili

It’s pumpkin season and if you love pumpkin, you’re in heaven. If you don’t, this Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Chili may just change your mind. This dish is perfect for those of us with busy lives and for those of us with limited kitchen skills. Enjoy your pumpkin, people.

5. Autumn Harvest Squash and Apple Burgers

Autumn is in the air and these Autumn Harvest Squash and Apple Burgers celebrate everything that’s delicious about the season. Butternut squash and apples make a dynamic duo, and here they are like you’ve never seen them before: in a veggie burger!

6. Grilled Blueberry Cheesy Sandwich

It’s never a wrong time for sandwiches, especially not when they’re as amazing as these Grilled Blueberry Cheesy Sandwiches. Sweet blueberry sauce, mustard sauce, and a cheesy corn sauce are sandwiched between bread and then grilled until the bread is nice and crunchy. Don’t have a grill pan? No worries — it can also be made in a skillet. Enjoy this colorful, savory, hearty, crunchy, flavorful, addictive, easy, and comforting sandwich with a topping of caramelized onions.

7. Mushroom Stroganoff

This Mushroom Stroganoff is a classic comfort food dish that pairs perfectly with a crackling fire and leaves falling outside your window. After you’ve made it once, you will quickly add it to your weekly dinner rotations until tank top season, at which point, you only might give it a rest.

8. Pasta in Creamy Garlic Mushroom Sauce

Who says you need milk or cheese to create a deliciously creamy pasta dish? The velvety sauce in this Pasta in Creamy Garlic Mushroom Sauce is made from cashews, garlic, almond milk, lemon juice, and salt. Poured over a bowl of sundried tomatoes, pasta, and sautéed mushrooms, this filling dinner entrée will delight your taste buds!

9. Scalloped Butternut Squash

This Scalloped Butternut Squash has all of the ooey-gooey cheese deliciousness you crave, without having to use any actual cheese! Tender butternut squash, cashews, vegetable broth, and nutritional yeast, are blended together to create a velvety, silky cheese sauce that pairs perfectly with the potatoes and onions. This dish is ultra-comforting, supremely flavorful, and a guaranteed hit at any get-together!

10. Portobello and Tofu Scramble Sandwich

This warm Portobello and Tofu Scramble Sandwich is a hearty breakfast option filled with savory goodness. Toasty ciabatta bread is slathered in red pesto, topped with tender Portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and a well-seasoned tofu scramble. Super satisfying and healthy way to start the day or to enjoy on those nights where you’re craving breakfast for dinner.

11. Moroccan Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

This Moroccan Roasted Acorn Squash Soup is spiced with garlic, fresh ginger, and warm spices, then puréed with coconut oil into a smooth and decadent soup that’s perfect for fall. Dates add to the sweetness of the acorn squash and complement the spicy-warm-sensation of eating this soup. This thick, full-bodied creaminess is guaranteed to make you feel warm and cozy.

12. Caramelized Onion Caper and Mushroom Tart

When it starts to get chilly out, there’s nothing like this warm, bubbly Caramelized Onion, Caper and Mushroom Tart to fill your belly. Having no crust, the creamy onion and mushroom filling in these tarts caramelize beautifully in a hot oven. Add to that some fresh thyme and salty capers, and you’ve got yourself some very special tarts. Serve for dinner with a side of greens.

13. Baked Carrot Fries

Making veggie fries is a great way to clean out the fridge and use up all the vegetables you have before they spoil. This recipe for Baked Carrot Fries simply requires carrots, some herbs and spices, and a bit of time. Roast these slices in the oven, add some orange for a unique flavor, and then pair it with hummus for a delicious side dish or snack!

14. Sweet Potato and Red Onion Falafel

This Sweet Potato and Red Onion Falafel recipe adds a little Fall flavor to your typical falafel. It uses sweet potato in addition to chickpeas! These are nice and flavorful thanks to red onion, garlic, cumin, and garam masala and, of course, crispy to boot. Top a salad with these and drizzle with a bit of vegan mayo or serve them as an appetizer.

15. Cornmeal Crusted Pizza With Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

This Cornmeal Crusted Pizza with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce has a perfectly crispy crust with a rustic touch from the cornmeal coating. The bread is so good, you might just want to munch on it alone, but when topped with the roasted red pepper cream sauce, vegan Italian sausages, and all the other toppings it’s amazing. This is a fantastic weeknight dinner, especially if you prep the dough ahead of time.

16. Curried Potatoes and Bell Peppers

This recipe for Curried Potatoes and Bell Peppers is a delightfully simple and flavorful take on fresh vegetables. Garlicky, zesty, and slightly tangy from lime, this vibrant mix is perfect for adding some color to an entrée or even making a sandwich out of. Delicious, homey, and practical – the perfect meal.

17. Chickpea Jalapeño Salad

Mashed chickpea salad is a wonderfully nutritious and filling dish that is a breeze to make and incredibly versatile. This Chickpea Jalapeño Salad is made with tangy red onion, spicy jalapeño, creamy avocado, and fresh lime juice. This mixture is the perfect toasted sandwich filling and creative salad topper.

18. Pulled Carrot Sliders With Peach Barbecue Sauce

Can’t find jackfruit in your area? Luckily, carrots make a fantastic substitute and in these Pulled Carrot Sliders with Peach Barbecue Sauce, they really shine. Carrots are shredded and then roasted to soften them up, tossed in a spicy and sweet barbecue sauce, then stacked with crisp slaw between two buns. It’s sweet, savory, has multiple textures, and is just an all-around game changer!

19. Cheesy Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Imagine a full-blown Latin meal stuffed into a bell pepper and you will have accurately envisioned these Cheesy Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers. Quinoa is mixed with black beans, corn, and tomato paste, seasoned with cumin, chipotle, and garlic, and then piled into roasted bell peppers. A little vegan cheese and cilantro on top and a bit of time in the oven results in a savory, fun-to-eat, and comforting meal we guarantee you will make again and again.

20. Minestrone Pot Pie With Biscuit Topping

This Minestrone Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping may not look like the traditional pot pie, but it has all of the makings of one like a golden brown encasing of bread and a deliciously savory and chunky filling. Specifically, this pot pie has a minestrone soup filling – broth, diced tomatoes, beans, onions, veggies – and a wheat biscuit-like crust that is flavored with coconut oil and a touch of rosemary. Talk about comfort food!

When we choose to eat real whole foods, we also choose to do better for our bodies, for families, and for the planet. Happy Food Day!

Lead image source: Mushroom Stroganoff