Trying to be vegan on a budget? No problem! Despite common misconceptions about this lifestyle, it’s actually not that difficult to find cheap vegan food and prepare delicious meals out of it.
From hearty beans to pasta, rice, potatoes, TVP, and seasonal veggies, being on a budget and eating a plant-based diet is certainly possible if you focus on these staple foods.
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Find beginner-friendly recipes, lazy vegan meals, hearty casseroles, or comforting soups around our website for more ideas!
Enjoy the following cheap meals and don’t miss out on our printable cheesy potato bake recipe at the end of this article.
Best Cheap Vegan Meals
Vegan Chili Sin Carne
This hearty vegan bean chili calls for finely chopped seasonal vegetables, two types of beans and some basic pantry staples like spices and canned tomatoes.It’s perfect for batch-cooking and can be served on its own, alongside rice, cornbread, rolls, potatoes or tortilla chips.
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Vegan White Sauce Pasta
If you’re in need of a simple yet scrumptious budget-friendly dinner idea, this colorful vegan pasta with white sauce is likely to become your go-to recipe.You can use any pasta of your choice and fresh or frozen veggies that are slathered in a simple creamy sauce.
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Thai Vegetable Stir Fry
Another flavorful and highly customizable cheap meal is this veggie stir-fry. From zucchini to broccoli, carrot, winter squash, mushrooms or peas — anything goes!The easy Thai stir fry sauce calls for simple ingredients like soy sauce, white vinegar, ginger and garlic and will make any veggies taste fantastic.
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Vegan Chow Mein Noodles
Similar to our stir fry above, this Chow mein noodle dish is easy to make in under 30 minutes and packed with nutrients and flavor!Drown any sautéed veggies in the delicious homemade sauce and serve with cooked noodles.
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Quick Green Curry Fried Rice
An umami-rich meal perfect for dinner! This simple fried rice is made in 1 pan and ready in 20 minutes. The perfect way to use up leftover rice!
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Cozy Lentil Carrot Soup
Nothing beats a comforting soup during colder days! This super budget-friendly lentil soup calls for carrots, potatoes, a handful of greens and a couple of spices.It’s a high-protein dinner idea you can use up over a couple of days and won’t get enough of!
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Mushroom Pea Risotto
This creamy mushroom risotto can be made with any type of rice and is super satisfying! It’s a one-pan dinner ready in about 30 minutes, made from affordable ingredients and undetectably vegan.Find customization options including seasonal veggie add-ins in the article!
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Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
These scrumptious vegan tacos are filled with roasted chickpeas, crispy cauliflower bites, fresh salsa and some leafy greens.Try this crowd-pleasing family-friendly dinner that’s loved by meat-eaters!
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Easy Vegan Bean Burritos
Do you have some leftover cooked rice? Make easy vegan bean burritos! This accessible recipe consists of tortilla wraps that are filled with smashed beans, salsa, green onion, corn, lettuce, tomato and bell pepper.Customize the ingredients to your liking and enjoy a quick and portable lunch!
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Spaghetti with Veggie Bolognese
This hearty mushroom and lentil pasta sauce will leave even the hungriest eaters satisfied!It’s a flavorful and crowd-pleasing recipe that’s super budget-friendly, can be customized to your liking and served with any pasta of your choice.
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Photo credit: foxeslovelemons.com
Split Pea & Sweet Potato Stew
Looking for a great way to use up weary vegetables in your refrigerator to reduce food waste and save some money?This thick, rich, warm and comforting stew offers depth of color, a hint of sweetness and lots of flavors.
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Photo credit: www.worldofvegan.com
Crispy Vegan Tofu Tacos
Try these 30-minute tacos filled with crispy tofu, sliced red cabbage, salsa, lime juice and cilantro for a simple yet tasty weeknight meal!This recipe even works for meal prep, can be customized with your favorite taco fixings and is a true win with the family.
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Photo credit: healthmylifestyle.com
Easy 30-Minute Chili Mac
Another awesome and easy-to-make family dinner idea is this vegan chili mac! Ready in only half an hour, it’s full of delicious flavor and super satisfying. If you love hamburger helper, this recipe is for you!
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Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Let’s add a great cheap vegan lunch idea to the list. This delicious chickpea salad sandwich is really filling, nutritious and great for making ahead of time.Save money by not eating out during lunch break with a sandwich like this!
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Photo credit: thevegconnection.com
Coconut Curry Soup
If you need a warm and comforting bowl of soup during a cold night, make this coconut curry soup! It’s a super flavorful make-ahead dish for lazy days and calls for accessible ingredients like canned chickpeas, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, some spices and a good handful of chopped veggies.
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Photo credit: plantbasedonabudget.com
Budget-Friendly Tortilla Pizza
Not just super convenient and budget-friendly, but also highly customizable and so delicious: this tortilla pizza ticks all the boxes!Just spread some tomato sauce on tortilla wraps, add mixed chopped veggies and your favorite toppings, then bake for 10 minutes.
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Photo credit: wallflowerkitchen.com
Easy Tofu Fried Rice
This tofu fried rice is such a simple yet flavorful recipe! All you need to make it is tofu, rice, soy sauce, cooking oil and veggies.With over 20 grams of protein per serving, it’s a really satisfying meal.
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Photo credit: www.rescuedogkitchen.com
Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Speaking of protein-packed, this lentil Shepherd’s Pie is very hearty, wholesome and satisfying. With a good amount of healthy veggies, tangy gravy and topped with mashed potatoes, this family-friendly dinner is baked to golden brown perfection!
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Photo credit: shaneandsimple.com
Easy White Bean Soup
If you’re looking for a crazy delicious yet beginner-friendly meal, this white bean soup is for you!Perfect for meal planning and batch cooking, it features cannellini beans, spinach, chopped carrots and onion plus a handful of spices.
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Photo credit: www.apinchofhealthy.com
Cold Italian Pasta Salad
This classic Italian pasta salad with flavorful fresh veggies, onion and briny olives is so tasty and accessible.Perfect to feed a crowd and especially delicious during hot summer days, you can use any veggies of your choice to go with the simple dressing and cold pasta!
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Photo credit: strengthandsunshine.com
Lentil Sloppy Joes
Vegan sloppy joes aren’t just filling and inexpensive, they are also quick and easy to make! This crowd-pleasing meal keeps you full for hours and reheats well the next day, so add it to your meal prep list and have your family lick their plates.
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Photo credit: eatplant-based.com
Southwest Sweet Potato Bean Skillet
Do you enjoy a hearty breakfast? Try this flavorful Southwest skillet featuring sweet potato, kale, black beans, onion, bell pepper and a good amount of spices.Ready in 30 minutes total, this recipe is great for weekend brunch and works well for meal prep!
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Roasted Veggie Rice Bowls
If you’re no stranger to our website, you know that we absolutely love bowls! This delicious recipe calls for budget-friendly ingredients like rice, canned chickpeas, leafy greens and seasonal veggies that get roasted in the oven.Bowls like these are endlessly customizable and great for using up food in your kitchen!
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Photo credit: www.veggieinspired.com
One-Pot Vegan Pasta Fagioli
This hearty one-pot pasta takes only around 30 minutes to make and is high in protein and fiber.Featuring two types of beans, a touch of rosemary and a ton of flavor, this classic Italian dish is appreciated by the whole family.
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Photo credit: watchlearneat.com
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Stew
Add this easy and wholesome plant-based stew to your weekly dinner rotation as a meatless meal that’s a true hit with non-vegans!It has a slightly sweet and smoky flavor, packs a good amount of protein from the lentils and is seasoned to perfection with oregano and thyme.
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Photo credit: twocityvegans.com
Chickpea Noodle Soup
Did you love chicken noodle soup as a kid growing up? If so, then try this vegan version of the classic comfort food.It’s so easy to make and accessible thanks to the canned chickpeas used as an animal protein replacement.
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Photo credit: www.veggiessavetheday.com
Simple Sweet Potato Soup
Easy to make, full of nutritious ingredients and so creamy, this sweet potato soup is a great dinner staple.It features cauliflower, garlic, onion, kale, canned tomatoes, coconut milk and a handful of pantry spices which make this recipe really flavorful.
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Photo credit: happyhealthymama.com
More Vegan Recipes
If you liked these cheap vegan meal ideas, check out the following collections for more budget-friendly recipes!
- 20+ Vegan Burger Recipes
- 22+ Recipes with Hummus
- 35+ Vegan Recipes for Meat Lovers
- 28+ Delicious Vegan Bowls Recipes
- 22+ Tasty Vegan Sandwiches
Did you like these cheap vegan meals and try our easy potato bake below? Be sure to rate the recipe, leave a comment and Pin this article here.
Find tasty budget-friendly vegan meals for the whole family in this article! From pasta and pizza to soups, stews, tacos, bowls and more. The following cheesy potato bake is super comforting, healthy and very family-friendly!
Serves 4
Ingredients
Easy Potato Bake
- 2 lbs potatoes 900 g, peeled
- 2 onions sliced
- High-Protein Cheese Sauce
- Vegan cheese shreds optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 °F/200 °C and prepare a baking dish.
- Cut the potatoes and onion into slices, then layer them in your baking dish, alternating between them.
- Once you’re halfway done, cover everything with half of the cheese sauce. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, onions and sauce.
- Cover your baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 20 more minutes or until the potatoes have softened.
- Allow the potato bake to rest for a few minutes before serving warm on its own or alongside a salad.
Notes
- You can add any cheese sauce you wish to this recipe. Seasonal veggies like carrots or cauliflower also taste well in this casserole!
- Increase the fat content by adding cashews, olive oil or canned coconut milk to the cheese sauce and adjust to taste.
- Find 30+ more easy budget-friendly vegan recipes in the article above.
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Find tasty and filling cheap vegan meals for the whole family in this article! From pasta and pizza to soups, stews, tacos, bowls and more.