20 Cheap & Easy Plant Vegan Meals To Try
Looking for cheap and easy vegan meals that don’t require loads of ingredients or hours in the kitchen? These simple plant based recipes are filling, affordable and perfect for busy days – and many can be ready in around 15 minutes.
By Lora O’Brien
Let’s face it: food is expensive these days. With rents, mortgages and everyday living costs going up, many of us are looking for ways to spend less – and eating out or ordering takeaway is often one of the first things to go.
The good news? Eating vegan doesn’t have to be expensive.
In fact, some of the cheapest and easiest vegan meals are based around basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Think beans, rice, pasta, potatoes, oats and seasonal vegetables rather than pricey meat substitutes and speciality vegan products.
Whether you’re new to vegan cooking, trying to cut your grocery bill or simply need dinner on the table fast, these cheap and easy vegan meals prove that plant based eating can be simple, satisfying and seriously tasty.
Cheap Vegan Staples To Keep In Your Kitchen
Want to make inexpensive vegan meals without constantly running to the supermarket? Keeping a few basics on hand makes life much easier.
Some of the best budget-friendly vegan staples include:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Rice
- Pasta
- Oats
- Potatoes
- Couscous
- Canned tomatoes
- Vegetable stock
- Frozen vegetables
- Seasonal fruit and vegetables
- Nuts and seeds
- Peanut or other nut butter
With just a handful of these ingredients, (preferably locally sourced), you can make everything from tacos and burrito bowls to pasta, soups and stir fries.
20 Cheap and Easy Vegan Meals To Try
1. 5-Minute Vegan Banana Smoothie
Need breakfast on the run? A banana smoothie has to be one of the easiest vegan breakfasts around.
Bananas are inexpensive, naturally sweet and make smoothies deliciously creamy without dairy. Throw everything into a blender and breakfast can be ready in five minutes.
Cheap tip: For something more filling, add peanut butter or chia seeds.
2. 5-Minute Oatmeal Power Bowl – 5 Variations
Oats are one of the ultimate cheap vegan foods. They last for ages in the cupboard, cost very little per serving and can form the basis of a seriously satisfying breakfast.
Here are five variations – there’s something for everyone!
Cheap tip: Berries too expensive? Top your oatmeal with whatever you have available: banana, raisins, berries, nuts, seeds or a spoonful of peanut butter all work beautifully.
3. Smoky Vegan Beans on Toast
Whenever someone tells me vegan food isn’t filling, I’m tempted to ask: have you never eaten beans on toast?
Beans are cheap, comforting and packed with plant based protein and fibre. This smoky version takes the humble classic up a notch, but canned baked beans work perfectly well when you need something really quick.
Cheap tip: I like adding a sprinkle of nutritional yeast on top for a slightly cheesy flavour.
4. Pan-Seared Soy & Black Pepper Tofu
Tofu is an affordable source of plant based protein, especially when compared with many processed vegan meat substitutes.
The secret is flavour. On its own, tofu can be pretty bland, but give it a good marinade and fry it until golden and crispy and it’s completely transformed.
Serve this soy and black pepper tofu with rice, or add it to a salad.
Cheap tip:: You can also stuff it into a wrap with some lettuce and tomato for an easy vegan lunch or dinner.
5. The Best Hummus
Hummus deserves a permanent place in any budget vegan kitchen.
Spread it on toast, add it to sandwiches and wraps, dollop it onto grain bowls or thin it down to make a creamy pasta sauce.
Of course, you can also keep things simple and serve it with chopped vegetables or toasted pita. And don’t forget that it’s perfect to serve up to guests at any occasion!
Cheap tip: Add an ice cube for the best texture ever. Yes, really!
6. 5-Minute Rice and Beans
If there were an award for the ultimate cheap and easy vegan meal, rice and beans would be a serious contender.
They’re filling, inexpensive and endlessly adaptable. This version gets extra flavour from onion, garlic, thyme, black pepper and fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro or chives.
Cheap tip: This is also a great recipe for using up leftover rice.
7. Pasta Pomodoro
Sometimes the simplest food is the best.
Pasta pomodoro combines juicy tomatoes, garlic and pasta to make a delicious dinner from just a handful of inexpensive ingredients.
Cheap tip: Fresh tomatoes are wonderful when they’re in season, but canned tomatoes make this an easy budget meal you can enjoy all year round. Top it off with vegan parmesan and extra olive oil. Yum!
8. Easy Roasted Vegetables
One of my favourite tricks for making cheap vegan meals throughout the week is roasting a huge tray of vegetables in advance.
Add your roasted veggies to wraps, salads, pasta or rice bowls throughout the week. It’s easy, nutritious and helps prevent food waste, too.
Cheap tip: Use whatever is affordable or needs eating: potatoes, carrots, onions, zucchini, peppers, broccoli and cauliflower are all great choices.
9. Easy Hummus Pasta
This is one of those ridiculously simple meals that’s useful to have up your sleeve.
Cook some pasta, stir through hummus and add whatever vegetables you have available. Peas and sweetcorn work especially well.
Cheap tip: This recipe dresses things up a little with sun-dried tomatoes and plenty of garlic, but the basic version can be incredibly cheap.
10. 5-Minute Easy Vegan Tacos
You definitely don’t need expensive vegan mock meat to make great tacos.
Black beans and vegetables make a cheap, filling alternative, and you can customise your tacos according to whatever happens to be lurking in the fridge.
Cheap tip: Add salsa, avocado, lettuce, corn or leftover roasted vegetables and dinner is done.
11. Loaded Vegan Quesadillas
These loaded vegan quesadillas are stuffed with grilled vegetables, black beans and smashed guacamole, then finished with fresh cilantro and jalapeños.
They’re quick, filling and a brilliant way to use leftover vegetables and beans.
Cheap tip: Want to make them even cheaper? Skip the avocado when it’s expensive and serve them with homemade tomato salsa instead.
12. Shepherd’s Pie Potatoes
Never underestimate the humble potato!
Potatoes are inexpensive, satisfying and incredibly versatile, making them ideal for anyone trying to eat vegan on a budget.
This version uses potatoes stuffed with lentils and frozen mixed veggies.
Cheap tip: You can also substitute cheaper ingredients you already have on hand.
13. Easy Vegan Pizza Pasta Bake
Pizza meets pasta? Yes, please!
Pasta bakes are one of my favourite inexpensive comfort foods because they can feed several people without requiring loads of fancy ingredients.
This version combines marinara sauce, herbs and vegan cheese for all those familiar pizza flavours in one bubbling pasta dish.
Cheap Tip: To keep the cost down, use vegan cheese sparingly or leave it out altogether and sprinkle nutritional yeast on top.
14. Simple Vegan Stir Fry
A stir fry is perfect for those evenings when you don’t really feel like cooking.
This is also one of the best cheap vegan meals for using up vegetables before they go bad.
Throw whatever you have into a hot pan, add rice or noodles and finish with a simple sauce.
Cheap Tip: This version includes tempeh for extra plant based protein, but tofu, chickpeas or peanuts can make more inexpensive alternatives.
15. Chipotle-Inspired Vegan Burrito Bowl
Love burrito bowls but don’t love paying restaurant prices for them?
Make your own!
This Chipotle-inspired vegan burrito bowl is packed with rice, beans, vegetables and loads of flavour. It’s easy to customise and considerably cheaper than ordering takeaway. Better still, most of the ingredients are inexpensive pantry staples.
Cheap Tip: Grow your own cilantro in a small pot in your kitchen window.
16. Vegan Taco Casserole
Tortilla chips, salsa, seasoned black beans and nutritional yeast come together to create this wonderfully easy vegan taco casserole.
It’s ideal for sharing and makes a fun alternative to regular tacos.
Serve it for dinner or put the whole thing in the middle of the table for a movie-night feast.
Cheap Tip: Buy your beans dry. Soak and cook them yourself. Cheaper than tins!
17. Garlicky Vegan ‘Parmesan’ Pasta Soup
You know those days when you’re hungry but the cupboards are looking rather bare?
This is the recipe for them.
Sautéed garlic and shallots provide loads of flavour before vegetable broth and pasta are added to create a warming, inexpensive soup from very basic ingredients.
Serve with bread and you’ve got a wonderfully comforting budget vegan dinner.
Cheap Tip: Buy some seeds and grow your own shallots in a pot on your windowsill.
18. Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff
Stroganoff has a reputation for being fancy, but it’s actually based around one of the cheapest ingredients there is: noodles. This creamy mushroom version makes a comforting vegan dinner without requiring dairy or vegan cheese.
The secret to that lovely savoury, cheesy flavour? Coconut milk with Dijon mustard. And a dash of cheap white wine!
Cheap Tip: No wine? Not into alcohol? Try apple cider vinegar here instead.
19. Mushroom Barley Soup
Soup is one of the easiest ways to make cheap ingredients go a long way.
Barley is inexpensive and filling, while mushrooms give this soup a wonderfully savoury flavour.
Cheap Tip: Add a crusty roll or slice of toast and you’ve got an easy vegan dinner that’s particularly good on cold winter evenings.
20. Moroccan Couscous Salad
Say goodbye to sad lettuce-and-tomato salad!
Couscous is cheap, quick to prepare and makes a fantastic base for a more substantial vegan lunch or dinner.
Just add vegetables, herbs and spices and you’ve got a colourful meal packed with flavour and texture. It’s also the perfect dish to bring to a potluck or BBQ!
Cheap Tip: It’s also great for meal prep, so make extra and save some for tomorrow’s lunch.
How To Make Vegan Meals Cheaper
You don’t need to fill your shopping cart with vegan burgers, cheeses and speciality foods to eat plant based. In fact, relying on those products can make a vegan diet surprisingly expensive.
Instead, build meals around inexpensive whole foods such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, rice, pasta, potatoes and oats.
Buying dried beans and lentils can save even more money, although canned versions are incredibly convenient when you’re short on time. Frozen vegetables are another great budget option because they’re nutritious, inexpensive and won’t wilt forgotten at the back of your fridge.
Cheap Tip: Don’t forget that if you have some veg in your fridge you know you won’t be eating for awhile, you can freeze them yourself in a zip lock bag.
And don’t forget leftovers! Yesterday’s plain rice side dish can become today’s fried rice main. Roasted vegetables can go into wraps, pasta or salads. A half-empty tub of hummus can become pasta sauce.
A little creativity goes a long way!
FAQs About Cheap and Easy Vegan Meals
What are the cheapest vegan meals to make?
Some of the cheapest vegan meals are based around simple staples such as rice, beans, lentils, pasta, potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Think lentil soup, kidney bean chilli, vegetable pasta, chickpea curry, fried rice and baked potatoes with plant-based toppings.
Is it cheaper to eat vegan foods than meat and cheese?
It certainly can be! In fact, it usually is. Whole plant proteins such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas are far cheaper than meat. Rice, oats, pasta and potatoes are generally inexpensive and can form the basis of dozens of budget-friendly vegan meals. Vegan diets only tend to become more expensive when you rely heavily on specialty products such as plant-based meats and cheeses.
What can I eat as a vegan on a tight budget?
Stock up on inexpensive staples that can be used in lots of different ways. Rice, pasta, dried or canned beans, lentils, chickpeas, potatoes, oats, frozen vegetables and seasonal produce are all great choices. Peanut butter, nuts and seeds can add extra protein and healthy fats, too.
What are some easy vegan meals for beginners?
Pasta with tomato sauce and vegetables, bean burritos, chickpea curry with rice, lentil soup, vegetable stir-fry and loaded baked potatoes are all easy vegan meals for beginners. They require very little cooking experience and can easily be adapted to whatever ingredients you already have.
What cheap vegan meals can I make in 15 minutes?
Try vegetable fried rice, pasta with tomato sauce, chickpea salad wraps, beans on toast, quick vegetable noodles, couscous with chickpeas, or a simple bean and avocado burrito. Using canned beans, frozen vegetables and leftover grains can make vegan cooking especially quick.
How can I make vegan meals cheaper?
- Plan meals around inexpensive whole foods
- Buy dried beans and grains in bulk when possible
- Choose seasonal produce and make good use of frozen vegetables
- Cooking larger portions and eating the leftovers for lunch or freezing them for another day can also considerably reduce the cost per meal.
What vegan foods should I always keep in my pantry?
Rice, pasta, lentils, beans, chickpeas, oats, canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, nut butter and a few herbs and spices will give you the foundations for plenty of cheap and easy vegan meals. Potatoes, onions and garlic are useful basics to keep on hand, too.
Can cheap vegan meals still be healthy?
Absolutely. In fact, many inexpensive vegan staples are highly nutritious. Beans, lentils, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds provide fibre, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and plant-based protein. Aim for variety rather than relying on the same few foods every day.
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