Whether you’re participating in “Veganuary” or simply looking for a way to incorporate more vegetables into your weekly rotation, these four plant-based recipes are easy to prep in advance for quick meals during your busiest weeks. Do your vegan meal prep on Sunday to set yourself up for a week full of nutritious meals!
Why You’ll Love These Meal Prep Recipes
I know firsthand how important it is to have meals on deck for busy weekdays. In addition to being an Associate Editor here at StyleBlueprint, I spend my days training for my next marathon, working on personal projects, and spending time with friends and family.
This leaves little time for cooking, but I try to make every meal at home. The only way to pull it off is with PREP! These are four of my favorite recipes to enjoy throughout the week, and here’s why I think you’ll love them too:
- High-protein recipes:Â Most of these recipes have 15 grams of protein or more, utilizing plant-based protein sources like tofu, chickpeas, hemp seeds, brown rice, and beans. The Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce only has five grams of protein, but it can be served with high-protein pasta to increase that value.
- Quick to assemble: Once prepped, these meals come together quickly, making it easy to enjoy for a busy weekday lunch or dinner. Everything can be tossed together and served in minutes!
- Loaded with flavor: As a vegan chef, I never skimp on flavor — even when I’m in a time crunch! These recipes have been tested and perfected for optimal flavor and texture, using high-quality ingredients. For most ingredients, you’ll even find substitutes in case you can’t find something at your local grocery store.
Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce
This sheet pan recipe requires a little bit of chopping time, but once the veggies are prepped, you simply roast them and toss them in a blender. Then, serve with your favorite pasta shape and garnish with fresh basil. I like to serve mine with garlic bread on the side to scoop up extra sauce — the pasta is so indulgent yet surprisingly light and healthy!
One of the best parts about this pasta sauce recipe is that you can adjust the vegetables with the seasons, using what you have on hand or what you pick up at your local farmers’ market. Find the creamy pasta sauce HERE.
Vegan Taco Bowl
This loaded taco bowl is piled high with romaine lettuce, brown rice, black beans, corn, pan-fried tofu, crunchy veggies, and a creamy plant-based yogurt dressing. While it has a lot of different components, the bowl comes together quickly when prepped in advance. There are many variations to this bowl, so feel free to adjust the ingredients to come up with your own creation!
Enjoy this dish on its own, or top it with tortilla chips for a little extra crunch and indulgence. You can find the recipe HERE.
Asian Noodle Bowl
Depending on what you’re in the mood for, this Asian noodle bowl can be served cold as a noodle salad with raw, crunchy veggies, or you can toss it in the skillet for stir-fried noodles. Either way, it is made with a spicy chili garlic sauce and umami-rich baked tofu. Each serving has 22 grams of protein, making it a great post-workout meal!
The great thing about this recipe is there are so many different variations. Serve it with an alternate topping, like peanut sauce, or try a different protein — though you won’t believe how delightfully crisp and flavorful this tofu is! Find out how to make this Asian noodle bowl HERE.
Caesar Pasta Salad
While Caesar salad may be a go-to for weekday lunches, take it up a notch with this hearty pasta salad recipe. Keep things fresh by storing each component separately. The garlicky roasted chickpeas come together in 15 minutes, and the dressing is made in a pinch using a blender. When draining the pasta, don’t forget to save pasta water to help thin out the dressing so it is easier to toss with the noodles.
Between the chickpeas and hemp seeds, this pasta salad offers 15 grams of protein per serving. It is light and refreshing while being surprisingly filling! Get the recipe HERE.
Meal Prep Tips
- Sort by time:Â Make a list of each recipe component you plan to make in advance and how long it will take. Start with whatever will take the longest and work your way down from there. For example, if brown rice takes 40 minutes to cook, you can prepare roasted vegetables and chickpeas while the rice cooks.
- Prepare large batches: When meal prepping, make double (or even triple!) batches of any staples, like brown rice, pasta, lentils, beans, or baked or pan-fried tofu. When making the Caesar pasta salad, for example, cook twice the amount of pasta so you have some ready for the roasted vegetable pasta sauce.
- Store everything separately:Â Keep things fresh and flavorful by leaving the assembling until just before you’re ready to serve a dish. Keep sauces and dressings in separate jars, and store raw veggies in their own airtight containers.
- Set aside time to meal prep: While meal prepping can take some time, it will save you loads of time during the busy week! Find a realistic time on your calendar to do your vegan meal prep.
Enjoy!
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