25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (2024)

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posted by Jessica Hylton on Oct 14, 2019 (last updated Dec 10, 2020) 0 comments »

Here are 25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes! They are family-friendly and provide a wide variety of recipes and flavours, so you won’t ever get bored!

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (1)

One of the things that’s really been on my heart for this last part of the year is how inaccessible eating healthy can be for many people. I’ll admit, I don’t usually think of “budgeting” in most of my recipes, although I always try and make recipes that are very affordable for my family and our budget. After I got quite a few readers asking for budget friendly recipes this summer, it really made me think:

“Wait, how many budget friendly recipes do I have?”

Vegan on a Budget

I looked up a standard budget (not mine) and went from there. I’m happy to say that I was able to find lots of recipes! Not the majority, but many that with no substitutes were very budget friendly; and several that with a few substitutes definitely were. That led me to this roundup.

If you’re a reader here I never want you to feel like you can’t make my recipes. I know depending on where you live, certain items are unavailable, but 90% of the time there’s a substitute we can come up with for you. You don’t need to feel like you must be this one speciality item to cook this one meal and that you’ll never use it again! It’s part of why I stay away from fancier ingredients, and re use so many of my seasonings.

For example, Garam Masala? It’s in SO many recipes that you’ll definitely be finishing that whole container. Also know that moving forward – I’m keeping budget friendly in mind and will do my best to make a more budget friendly substitute on recipes. I’m also including a long list of cheaper substitutions at the bottom of this post that you can use at any time throughout my site.

Okay, off my soapbox now. Long story short,yes you can eat plant based on a budget, and more importantly, without going broke! It’s why I do my best to represent affordable brands, too!

Here are 25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes, friends! Also, if you have any questions – let me know please!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

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Vegan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Chili (Slow Cooker)

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (3)

One Pot Hearty Minestrone Soup

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (4)

One Pot Red Lentil Chilli

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (5)

Vegan Kings Shepherd’s Pie

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25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (7)

Vegan Crockpot Chili

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (8)

15 Minute Sesame Noodles

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (9)

Coconut Chickpea Curry

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Red Lentil Curry

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Easy Lentil Soup

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (12)

Parsley Pesto

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Easy Baked Tofu

substitute the liquid aminos for light soy sauce

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (14)

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (15)

Cauliflower Soup

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (16)

Butternut Squash Soup

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (17)

Roasted Garlic White Bean Dip

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15 Minute Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

(leave out the vegan cheese)

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (19)

Gentle Morning Kitchari

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (20)

15 Minute Vegan Pasta Salad

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Roasted Sweet Potato Soup

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Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

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Lentil Balls

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Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers

(omit strawberry bbq sauce, you can also sub rice for the quinoa)

25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (25)

Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry

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Tips for going more budget friendly on MY recipes:

  • Where you see maple syrup, you can sub more cost friendly agave syrup.
  • For quinoa, you can generally substitute the cooked equivalent of rice.
  • Where you see a speciality oil called for that won’t affect the taste, you can sub the oil you can afford
  • Usually vegan cheese is for taste, so feel free to leave it off or make your own!
  • Stick to the basics – if there’s a seasoning that doesn’t make sense for you to buy cost wise, like sesame seeds, you can skip it. Or, if you buy a new seasoning, look for recipes that it’s featured in often, for example I use garam masala a lot so it’ll definitely go to good use! Similarly, sometimes my recipes call for extra fandangos like a drizzle of coconut cream on top – if it doesn’t affect the recipe itself, you can skip it if the cost doesn’t make sense for that one item based on your budget!
  • Buy in bulk. If quinoa is affordable for you, buy it in bulk! Similarly so for items like coconut milk!
  • Don’t buy breadcrumbs. Toast some bread you already have, and crush/blend that into breadcrumbs.
  • I use walnuts a lot in my recipes, so if you buy a bulk bag, you’ll definitely use it up! It’s why I don’t use pine nuts in my pesto and instead use toasted walnuts!
  • You can definitely substitute red onions for any onions that work for your budget in my recipes.

How to Budget While Being Vegan or Healthy

As a last follow up tip, I wrote an entire blog post of all the things that we do to eat healthy affordable. In it I cover my top 15 tips that I really think would helpanyone on any budget! Be sure to check out that post: How to Eat Healthy On a Budget.

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originally published on Oct 14, 2019 (last updated Dec 10, 2020)

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25 Budget Friendly Vegan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What foods are cheap for vegans? ›

Vegan on a budget
  • tinned beans and dried pulses of various kinds.
  • vegetables (particularly seasonal ones)
  • potatoes.
  • egg-free pasta and noodles.
  • rice.
  • bread (wholemeal is ideal from a health point of view)
  • dried herbs and spices.
  • seasonal fruit.

Can you be vegan on a low budget? ›

Eating healthy and vegan is simple on a budget, and over time, the money you save with each trip to the grocery store by swapping out cruelly obtained (and expensive) foods for cheap vegan ones will add up. There are plenty of delicious, healthy, and cheap vegan foods that you can find at most grocery stores.

What do picky vegans eat? ›

  • Carrot Dogs. One of our most popular recipes, these smoky carrot dogs taste remarkably like hot dogs. ...
  • Zucchini Fritters. ...
  • Homemade Vegan Pesto. ...
  • Sneaky Chickpea Burgers. ...
  • Lentil Vegetable Soup. ...
  • Mixed Berry Jam with Chia Seeds. ...
  • 5-Minute Ketchup. ...
  • Spinach Lasagna.
Aug 18, 2023

What can I cook for my vegan girlfriend? ›

Vegan meal for two recipes
  • Sticky noodles with homemade hoisin. ...
  • Pearled spelt salad with peas & gooseberries. ...
  • Grilled Mediterranean veg with bean mash. ...
  • Miso aubergine. ...
  • Marinated tofu. ...
  • Roasted cauli-broc bowl with tahini hummus. ...
  • Veggie noodles with sesame dressing. ...
  • Pumpkin, spinach & black bean dopiaza.

How to be vegan while poor? ›

Staple vegan foods such as oats, lentils, pasta, rice and chickpeas are among the cheapest foods and are in *a lot* of vegan recipes, so should definitely make an appearance on your list. Oh, and avoid shopping whilst hungry.

What do vegans tend to lack? ›

Intake and status of vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and bone turnover markers were generally lower in plant-based dietary patterns compared to meat-eaters. Vegans had the lowest vitamin B12, calcium and iodine intake, and also lower iodine status and lower bone mineral density.

Can you live off a vegan diet? ›

With good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs. If you do not plan your diet properly, you could miss out on essential nutrients, such as calcium, iron, vitamin B12, iodine and selenium.

How many lives a year does a vegan save? ›

It suggests that 95 "is the average number of animals spared each year by one person's vegan diet." There are a variety of sources estimating average individual intakes of meat. A story in USA Today Wednesday reported that each meat-eating individual eats 7,000 animals (including fish) over their lifetimes.

What is surprisingly not vegan? ›

Honey. Honey is a controversial food for many vegans. Bees do produce it, and it is also a food source in the hive. Because bees produce it, and bees have died to make it, honey is not considered vegan.

What is a vegan who only eats eggs? ›

The straightforward answer is that you technically cannot call yourself a vegan if you consume eggs. Because eggs are not vegan, you would be called an ovo-vegetarian; or just a vegetarian for simplicity's sake as vegetarians do eat eggs.

What not to ask a vegan? ›

22 Things Not To Say To A Vegan
  • Where do you get your protein? ...
  • Just have a little of this (non-vegan food), I won't tell anyone! ...
  • I just love a rare steak. ...
  • God wants us to eat animals. ...
  • How can you live without bacon?? ...
  • You don't make friends with salad. ...
  • Don't you care about people? ...
  • How do you know someone's a vegan?
Oct 22, 2015

What is vegan for beginners? ›

Eating vegan means only consuming foods that come from plants. In other words, vegans eat fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, and they avoid all meat (including fish), dairy products, eggs, and honey. Defining veganism can get complicated, but that is dietary veganism at its core.

What do vegans miss out on? ›

Dieting on plant-based foods alone may skip out on some important nutrients like vitamins B12 and D3. Supplementing these in your diet will ensure you're getting everything your body needs to maintain health. Vegan and vegetarian diets are both very healthy ways of eating.

How to save money on food vegan? ›

Vegan on a budget: 10 money-saving tips
  1. Make a list. Aim to sit down every week and create a shopping list. ...
  2. Steer clear of vegan eating trends. ...
  3. Get herb plants for your home. ...
  4. Avoid the flashy vegan alternatives. ...
  5. Bulk buy and discover your 'lazy day dish' ...
  6. Eat before you shop. ...
  7. Make too much dinner. ...
  8. Embrace frozen peas!
Nov 1, 2023

What foods do most vegans eat? ›

A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

What to buy for vegan food? ›

Most vegan diets consist of a very wide range of nutritionally rich, tasty, and filling staples including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, plant-based vegan meat alternatives, dairy alternatives (like vegan cheeses and milks), pantry staples, breads, pastas, condiments, herbs and spices, beverages, ...

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