Ask a skeptic what vegans eat for lunch and they’ll paint you a pretty sad picture—like a plate of plain lettuce with some beans and chopped veggies or some sort of bland AF vegetable soup.
Haters gonna hate—and lunch can be tricky enough as it is, even if you haven’t taken all animal foods off the table. I mean, you want something that is both easy to make in advance and interesting enough that you’ll actually look forward to it all morning long. Plus, it’s gotta be decently nutritious—unless of course you want to feel sluggish all afternoon.
Well, guess what: Limited as you may think they are, vegan lunches check all of these boxes—and pretty easily. “Vegan meals can be very meal prep-friendly because preparing veggies and plant-based sources of protein is simple and doesn’t require a ton of time in the kitchen, says nutritionist Maggie Michalczyk, RD. “Plus, most of the components (with the exception of some veggies) will last for a few days.”
Her one major tip for preparing vegan lunches? Make sure you incorporate a source of plant-based protein, so that the meal has more staying power. Michalczyk recommends building your lunch around a staple like chickpeas, quinoa, chickpea pasta, lentils, grains, or nuts and seeds.
Another plus: You don’t even need to fire up your stovetop or oven to prep most vegan proteins. (Three cheers for canned beans.)
Are you sold, or are you sold? Get your plant power on—and keep your eats interesting—with these 50 easy vegan lunch ideas.
It’s like a DIY Chipotle bowl, but even more flavorful. Made with your standard savory black beans and cilantro lime brown rice, you also get to top it with yummy add-ons like pickled onions, cilantro hemp pesto and vegan sour cream.
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Per serving: 601 calories, 33 g fat (4 g saturated), 69 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 1,246 mg sodium, 17 g protein
Pump the breaks: This pumpkin mac recipe is the only mac ‘n’ cheese you’ll ever crave from this point forward. Along with its star ingredient, pumpkin, it contains vegan parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, almond milk, chopped fresh herbs and pumpkin pie spice. What’s not to love?
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Per serving: 297 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 54 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 306 mg sodium, 11 g protein
We often equate street food with meat, but this DIY pita is packed with plant-based ingredients like sliced mushrooms and onions, a homemade cucumber dill tzatziki, and fresh greens.
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Per serving: 220 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 33 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 351 mg sodium, 13 g protein
Pasta salad isn’t just a side dish at barbecues anymore. Treat yourself to a heaping bowl of the good stuff, AKA gluten-free brown rice and quinoa pasta, roasted broccoli, hemp pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, macadamia nut cheese, and chili flakes. It hits all the right notes in the taste and nutrition department.
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Per serving: 224 calories, 10 g fat (1 g saturated), 28 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 182 mg sodium, 8 g protein
Ah, yes: the sweet (and/or spicy) taste of takeout with a healthy twist. This Indian-inspired wrap is layered with a creamy red pepper lentil hummus, and a hearty potato, cauliflower and pea stir fry. Best of all, you don’t need a fork and knife to dig in.
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Per serving: 396 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated), 30 g carbs, 14 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 646 mg sodium, 12 g protein
If you’ve been eyeing your coworkers’ tuna poke bowls come lunch, it’s time to get in on the action with a vegan version. Instead of raw tuna, the recipe uses Roma tomatoes, which boast a naturally meaty texture with an umami flavor. And yes, it’s covered in obligatory spicy mayo.
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Per serving: 798 calories, 33 g fat (6 g saturated), 115 g carbs, 13 g fiber, 17 g sugar, 1,757 mg sodium, 13 g protein
Leftovers often taste better than the main event. That’s why this festive sandwich is a game-changer. Simply treat yourself to some tasty vegan lentil “meatloaf” for dinner, and transform it into a cheesy and cranberry-tart meal the next day.
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Per serving: 432 calories, 18 g fat, 40 g carbs, 15 g protein
With nearly half of your fiber intake requirements for the day and a bit of kick from both fresh and marinated jalapeños, this hearty lunch sandwich is the perfect midday pick-me-up.
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Per serving: 268 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 35 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 514 mg sodium, 18 g protein
Fresh ingredients like quinoa, toasted pepitas, thyme, red onion and butternut squash make this lunch salad anything but sad. Plus, it uses reduced-sugar dried cranberries for a sweet surprise that’ll make this salad oh-so-satisfying.
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Per serving: 261 calories, 11 g fat (1 g saturated), 39 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 339 mg sodium, 5 g protein
It’s not hard to see why this comforting lunch idea is one of the top-rated recipes on Vegan Richa’s site. White garlic sauce and celery ranch dressing make it a creamy and tangy take on plant-based pizza you never knew you needed—and it totally beats delivery.
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Per serving: 255 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated), 36 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 620 mg sodium, 9 g protein
This sandwich is great for on-the-go and easy to pull together. Plus, the lemon and cranberries give it seriously unique flavor.
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Per serving: 406 calories, 13.5 g fat, 60.5 g carbs, 17.3 g fiber, 10.7 g sugar, 12.3 g protein
These light, fruity, citrusy wraps are perfect for summertime.
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Per serving: 558 calories, 23.5 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 76.3g carbs, 13.3 g fiber, 18.2 g sugar, 16.2 g protein
Made with hearty chickpeas and broccoli, this salad is hearty—and super unique, thanks to lots of curry flavor.
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Per serving: 434 calories, 17.7 g fat, 56.4 g carbs, 14.9 g fiber, 15.6 g sugar, 15.8 g protein
If you like your lunches colorful, this one is jam-packed with an entire rainbow’s-worth of veggies.
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Per serving: 422 calories, 18 g fat (3 g saturated), 1607 mg sodium, 51 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 12 g protein
This sweet, tangy, salty burger has so much flavor that you won’t miss meat for a second.
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Per serving: 443 calories, 21 g fat (2 g saturated), 923 mg sodium, 44 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 16 g sugar, 17 g protein
This fragrant, summery soup is loaded with healthy veggies. Up the protein by adding plenty of green peas or another legume to your finished blend.
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Per serving: 188 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 362 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 7 g protein
This bright, antioxidant-rich bowl is the place to start for beginners who want to prep a whole week’s-worth of vegan lunches.
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Per serving: 519 calories, 28.4 g fat (14.5 g saturated), 518 mg sodium, 59.2 g carbs, 12.5 g fiber, 13.7 g sugar, 13.2 g protein
Consider your Chinese takeout cravings completely crushed.
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Per serving: 321 calories, 8.2 g fat (1.4 g saturated), 816 mg sodium, 48.7 g carbs, 4.8 g fiber, 7.7 g sugar, 13.5 g protein
You will literally lick this lemony maple tahini dressing straight out of this Buddha bowl. Promise.
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Per serving: 474 calories, 21 g fat (2.8 g saturated), 565 mg sodium, 62 g carbs, 11.4 g fiber, 7.2 g sugar, 13.2 g protein
Stuff this Thai-inspired salad (complete with peanut sauce!) in mason jars for colorful grab-and-go meals.
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Per serving: 432 calories, 27.5 g fat (4.1 g saturated), 1065 mg sodium, 32.5 g carbs, 8.2 g fiber, 12.1 g sugar, 18.3 g protein
Low-carb zoodles are easy to make in big batches and dress up with creamy peanut butter sauce. Add marinated tofu or tempeh to up the protein punch.
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Per serving: 245 calories, 2 g saturated fat, 221 mg sodium, 15 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 7 g protein
This seasonal soup comes together in just about a half-hour and pairs well with a hearty sandwich or a veggie burger.
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Per serving: 163 calories, 5 g saturated fat, 628 mg sodium, 19 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 3 g protein
This warm, comforting meal gets a major boost of fiber and protein by swapping regular pasta for noodles made from chickpeas.
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Per serving: 349 calories, 1 g saturated fat, 358 mg sodium, 46 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 19 g protein
Consider this simple sammie the perfect beginner’s introduction to chickpea salad.
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Per serving: 231 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 276 mg sodium, 29 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 9 g protein
Peanuts, ginger, and plenty of herbs give this noodle-y lunch major flavor. Just throw in cubed tofu or seitan for some protein.
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Per serving: 110 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 571 mg sodium, 8 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 4 g protein
This Whole30 and vegan salad make a perfect base for a vegan lunch. Just mix in some chickpeas and rice or quinoa.
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Per serving: 691 calories, 42 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 1299 mg sodium, 75 g carbs, 12 g fiber, 16 g sugar, 7 g protein
This easy, beginner-friendly salad is colorful, crunchy, and spicy. It’s perfect alongside a black bean burger.
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Per serving: 253 calories, 10 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 140 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 8 g protein
This bowl is basically a deconstructed taco and I am here for it.
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Per serving: 379 calories, 14 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 299 mg sodium, 53 g carbs, 16 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 14 g protein
The plantains are really just the icing on the cake of this mindblowingly delicious tropical bowl.
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Per serving: 470 calories, 6.5 g fat, 251.3 mg sodium, 91.5 g carbs, 14.6 g fiber, 18.6 g sugar, 14.6 g protein
The vinaigrette made with Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar takes this already-tasty salad to the next level.
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Per serving: 279 calories, 12.7 g fat, 34.2 g carbs, 7.1 g fiber, 3.2 g sugar, 8.4 g protein
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