Quick Take
Want to try a plant-based diet for your health but worried you'll be eating nothing but salads? Or maybe you're hoping your meat loving spouse might get on the plant-based train with you, but they're skeptical of WFPB recipes? Well good news! Eating plant-based does NOT mean eating rabbit food...and the proof's in these these mouth-watering (and carnivore-approved!), plant-based takes on comfort food classics.
9 Plant-Based Comfort Food Recipes for Meat Lovers
1. Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Image and Recipe from Simple Vegan
Cauliflower is leveled up in this classic game day snack that's sure to please even the picky eaters in your family. Get the cauliflower wing recipe here.
2. Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
Image and Recipe from Simple Vegan
You can't get more comforting than a hot plate of vegan mac and cheese. This plant-based take on the kid-friendly favoriate uses protein-rich cashews in place of cheese for a creamy, dreamy vegan sauce.
3. Vegan Chickpea Curry
Image and Recipe from Shane and Simple
Chickpeas are a superstar in the plant-based world - high in protein and oh-so-versatile, making them a great swap for meat in many of your favorite dishes. Want to eat well but short on time? Rich and comforting, this chickpea curry is your new weeknight go-to — it requires just one pot and it's ready in 10 minutes.
4. Vegan Lentil Bolognese
Image and Recipe from Healthy Girl Kitchen
You don't have to say goodbye to pasta night just because you're following a plant-based diet! Swap the meat for lentils with this super simple (and absolutely delicious) recipe for vegan bolognese and say hello to comfort food you can feel good about.
5. Oil-Free Cheesy Lasagna with Creamy Basil Sauce
Image and Recipe from Your Mom's Vegan
This vegan lasagna is another one to add to your plant-based pasta night rotation. Meat free but flavor-FUL, the creamy basil sauce adds a whole new level to this classic comfort food. You won't miss the meat or cheese, promise!
6. Hearty Vegan Chili
Image and Recipe from The Vegan 8
Need a (healthy) game day meal for your meat loving family? You can't go wrong with chili! And this hearty and flavorful oil-free vegan chili recipe is packed with beans, protein, and fiber, making it the perfect heart healthy alternative to traditional beef chili.
7. Easy Vegan Pad Thai
Image and Recipe from From My Bowl
Moving away from Standard American fare doesn't mean you have forget about your favorite takeout dishes! This flavorful vegan Pad Thai recipe is quick to make, loaded with veggies, and fills you up without the oil or meat!
8. Vegan Sloppy Joes
Image and Recipe from Nora Cooks
Trying to get your kids to eat more plant-based foods? Whip up these heavenly vegan Sloppy Joes. Smokey, naturally sweetened, and ready in under 30 minutes, they're the perfect dinner for your budding plant-based family.
9. Vegan Pulled "Pork"
Image and Recipe from Mamasezz
There's nothing porky about this decadent albeit 100% WFPB recipe, which uses a secret, unusual ingredient to deliver the most comforting vegan pulled "pork" you've tasted since ditching meat.
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Rafaela Michailidou is a Vegan Lifestyle Coach, and a freelance health and wellness content writer, with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.