You don’t have to be vegan to love these homemade plant-based lunch recipes that are ready in about 15 minutes. Some pack up well to make them portable, others are best made and eaten right away at home.
As pleasurable as this time of year is for some of us who like the routine and busy-ness that the approach of fall brings, one thing many of us don’t have is much time. Leisurely lunches just aren’t a thing in most of our weekday realities, and buying lunch every day gets expensive. So read on for some cool (and warm!) ideas …
These recipes and ideas will appeal to adults and teens, and some just might speak to kids who are open to plant-based flavors and textures.
WRAPS & SANDWICH SPREADS
Chickpea Salad & Sandwich Spread: If you’ve been vegan for a while, you probably have your own version of this chickpea salad recipe. Contributed by Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen, this contemporary classic is just as good dolloped onto salad greens as it is as a spread on fresh bread.
Ridiculously Easy “Tofuna” — Tofu Salad or Sandwich Spread: “Tofuna,” aka tuna-style tofu salad, is my go-to recipe as a sandwich spread. You can also stuff it into pita bread, wrap it up with leafy greens, or mound over a simple green salad. Though all you absolutely need are three ingredients, the two optional ingredients are highly recommended.
Ultimate Tofu Eggless Salad: Tofu eggless salad has the look and feel of egg salad, though it’s not intended to fool anyone! Whether as an egg salad knock-off or not, it’s delicious in its own right. Serve open face or closed on fresh bread or in a pita. Shredded lettuce, green sprouts, or baby greens make it that much better. You can also skip the bread altogether and dollop it on a green salad — or serve in a large romaine leaf.
Baked Tofu Wraps with Greens, Apple, and Avocado: These easy baked tofu wraps feature baby greens, avocado, and the surprising pop of tart green apple.The ingredient that pulls everything together is French dressing. Its tart-sweet flavor is the perfect “secret sauce” for these wraps. That said, they’d be just as good with a tahini dressing, vegan ranch dressing, or even just vegan mayo.
Olive Hummus Wraps with Greens & Avocado: Featuring an easy homemade olive hummus, these wraps are an easy and delicious lunch for home, school, or work. That being said, if you don’t want to take the extra time (maybe 5 minutes) to make your own olive hummus, go ahead and use prepared hummus and add some sliced olives to the wrap.
SALADS
Rainbow Salad Bowl: You don’t have to slavishly follow a recipe to make an eye-popping rainbow salad bowl. Simply use plenty of colorful veggies and serve in an arrangement by color. As a quick lunch dish, this needs a bit of protein so toss some chickpeas or cubes of baked tofu over the top.
Super-Easy Avocado and Bean Salad: This easy salad is richly flavored with olives and cherry tomatoes. It can be can be made with pinto or red beans and is simply dressed in lime juice. Extra-virgin olive oil, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds are suggested as optional embellishments.
Super-Quick Two-Bean Salad: This super-easy two-bean salad can be made in 10 minutes or less. Bonus — this simple dish gives you the plant-powered goodness and protein of seeds as well. It makes a great portable lunch packed into a container for work or school or to enjoy for lunch at home, served with tortilla chips or fresh bread, and fresh fruit.
HOT FOODS
Super-Quick Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach & Peas: A quick butternut squash soup that comes together in minutes has to rely on a clever shortcut. And for this one, that’s a carton of butternut squash puree. Add lots of fresh baby spinach and scallions, and a heavenly hot soup is yours for lunch.
Easiest, Cheapest Raman Noodle Vegetable Soup: This ramen noodle vegetable soup comes in handy when you need a hot, comforting soup, and you need it right away. No chopping other than scallions! The clever hack here is using a bag of frozen mixed Asian vegetables. They taste surprisingly fresh and stay nice and crisp in the soup if you’re careful not to overcook.
Super-Easy Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala): An easy chickpea curry (also known as chana masala) is an always-welcome, practically last-minute meal. For an in-a-hurry lunch, simply add fresh flatbread or pita and a fruit to finish; if you’d like to make this for dinner, a simple salad and grain are nice accompaniments.
Hoisin-Ginger Udon Noodles: Featuring plenty of bok choy, here’s a flavorful 5-ingredient dish that’s ready in minutes. Depending on how many servings you need for lunch, you may have enough to stretch to dinner. For extra protein, serve with a couple of slices of baked tofu or tempeh bacon.