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As much as I love summer weather, what really makes my heart sing are warm comforting meals! Comfort meals are often thriving in delicious flavors and are overflowing in exciting textures. We’re going to help you gear up for sweater weather with delicious recipes.
When I think about my favorite comfort dishes, my mind often goes to meals such as lasagna, soups and the like. Growing up, many of these dishes contained meat or some other animal by-product such as dairy. Maintaining a plant-based diet seems pretty simple and it can be easy, but it requires a bit of creativity. We have compiled some of the best comforting recipes that you’ll want to make! These exciting vegan-friendly recipes will help tackle a cold and dreary day or even just cheer up your mood.
We’re going to start with a classic, chicken noodle soup. However, you’ll be happy to know there were no animals harmed in the making of this delicious soup!
Chicken noodle soup is one of the best “warm your soul” types of soup! It’s savory, comforting and perfect for a cold dreary day, or when you’re feeling sick. Instead of chicken, this recipe uses tofu but combines it with classic ingredients like noodles, celery, carrots, and the perfect seasonings. Even your meat-eating friends and family will be impressed!
http://makingthymeforhealth.com/tofu-chicken-noodle-soup/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: MAKING THYME FOR HEALTH
When seeking comforting meals, along with a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup, lasagna always comes to mind. Pasta is always comforting because, well, carbs! Although, what makes this recipe great is the vegan meat crumbles and the stellar homemade tofu ricotta.
This recipe will walk you through how to create the homemade tofu ricotta, as well as make some great recommendations to make this vegan lasagna as authentic to a traditional recipe as possible. This will surely become a new family favorite and you’ll be making this meal all year round.
https://thevietvegan.com/vegan-lasagna-spinach-tofu-ricotta/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: THE VIET VEGAN
Growing up pot pie was a classic meal in my home. However, it was often filled with chicken and other creamy dairy products. Now following a plant-based diet I’d love to try to recreate the same feeling those warm homely meals offered but without the animal products.
Thus, insert this vegan root vegetable pot pie. It’s overflowing in delicious and savory flavors and filled with hearty root vegetables. You’ll be provided with a vegan pot pie crust recipe, as well as how to achieve the savory filling.
https://www.veganosity.com/vegan-root-vegetable-pot-pies/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: VEGANOSITY
Thanks to the glorious tool, The Instant Pot, we can cook meals in their entirety quickly! This recipe is not only healthy but truly satisfying too.
This Indian inspired dish is full of savory ingredients and packed full of protein, thanks to chickpeas. You can enjoy it on its own or over a bed of rice – either way, you’ll love it!
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/instant-pot-indian-chana-masala/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: FORKLY
Along with a few other soups, butternut squash is amongst the list of my favorites. I love how flavorful and creamy it can be.
This recipe is so easy you simply place all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Set it, forget it and go about your day. When you return home or take a pause from your busy day you’ll have a wholesome dinner awaiting you. To blend it smooth you’ll want to use an immersion blender but a regular blender will work too.
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/slow-cooker-butternut-squash-soup-recipe/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: GIMME SOME OVEN
Curl up on a cold day with a warm bowl of vegan chili. Our recipe is conveniently made in the instant pot and this means you can whip up a delicious meal in a hurry!
This is a nutrient-packed meal that you’ll feel good about feeding to your family and it’ll take under 30 minutes to create. Serve with favorite toppings such as vegan sour cream and avocado.
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/incredible-instant-pot-vegan-red-lentil-chili/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: FORKLY
I made this recipe on one of the first cold days of the fall season. I shared it with non-vegan friends and they loved it just as much as I did!
This split pea soup is savory and most definitely comforting. Better yet, it was incredibly easy to make. The instructions are to cook it stove top but I threw all the ingredients into my slow cooker, cooked it on low for 8 hours and it turned out just perfect!
http://www.themostlyvegan.com/perfect-pea-soup/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: THE MOSTLY VEGAN
Soups are comforting but so are delicious bowls of pasta. Get cozy with a bowl of creamy yet dairy-free pumpkin alfredo. When the colder months roll around we need to maximize the wonderful harvest of pumpkins and other squashes too.
Our recipe will show how you can turn pumpkin puree into the perfect dreamy and creamy sauce you have ever experienced! Thanks to nooch (nutritional yeast) it has a delicious cheesy flavor. This meal will surely become a new favorite.
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/creamy-dairy-free-pumpkin-alfredo/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERRE: FORKLY
Much like pot pie, Shepard’s pie was also a classic meal my family and I enjoyed growing up. Instead of meat, this recipes gets a vegan makeover that even your omnivore friends will enjoy!
The base is made of lentils, loads of veggies and savory seasonings. To finish assembling this dish you’ll top it off with a creamy mashed potato layer.
https://choosingchia.com/vegan-lentil-shepherds-pie/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: CHOOSING CHIA
These maple baked beans would make a delicious and comforting breakfast. They’re filling enough to be enjoyed on their own or you can serve them up with toast and tofu scramble.
All the ingredients are vegan-friendly except for one, Worcestershire sauce. However, considering veganism is becoming more and more popular every day, many everyday food items are getting vegan makeovers. We’re including a link if you don’t have any vegan Worcestershire sauce easily accessible in your area.
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce ? Buy it: https://amzn.to/2y7MUIU
https://choosingchia.com/quick-and-easy-maple-baked-beans/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: CHOOSING CHIA
I love stew especially chunky hearty stew. This recipe is so savory and delicious if you’re new to the plant-based diet you won’t even miss your traditional meat stew.
In this stew, you can expect flavors of cumin, turmeric, and savory vegetable broth. Further, lentils and sweet potatoes provide loads of nutrients as well as an inviting texture.
http://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/lentil-and-sweet-potato-stew/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: EAT YOURSELF SKINNY
I’m sure you’ve had stuffed peppers but have you tried stuffed tomatoes? This recipe is savory, comforting and tastes lovely!
The idea for this recipe is to fill tomatoes with a delicious wild rice blend. First, you’ll scoop out the pulp of the tomato to create a hollow center. Then, you’ll cook the rice with vegetable broth, onions, garlic, the tomato pulp, and a few seasonings. Once cooked, you’ll fill the tomatoes with the rice and roast them in the oven until the tomatoes have become nice and soft.
https://www.theendlessmeal.com/mediterranean-stuffed-tomatoes-with-rice/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: THE ENDLESS MEAL
Enjoy a traditional Italian meal for a comforting dinner. This risotto is flavored with butternut squash, roasted brussels sprouts, and fresh sage.
The base of the risotto is made from arborio rice. Full-fat coconut milk will help provide the risotto with a creamy texture while white wine provides a sharp yet delicious flavor. This dish might sound fancy but it’s quite easy to put together.
https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/butternut-squash-risotto/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: CONNOISSEURUS VEG
I think it’s fair to say everyone loves a good quick and easy recipe. This tomato basil soup is full of vibrancy from both the flavor and the color.
This soup comes together effortlessly and only requires 4 simple ingredients. All you’ll need to put this together are fresh tomatoes and basil, a few other ingredients and 10 minutes of your time. Enjoy the soup on its own or pair with homemade vegan grilled cheese.
https://avirtualvegan.com/easy-tomato-basil-soup/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: A VIRTUAL VEGAN
Macaroni and cheese was another childhood favorite, however, I’ll admit I still love this as an adult. It’s simple, creamy and totally crave-worthy!
When I first entered the world of plant-based meals I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a creamy dish like this one. With this recipe, you can discover how you can recreate something delicious like mac and cheese easily and without any dairy products.
https://www.thegardengrazer.com/2015/05/easy-vegan-mac-cheese.html PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: THE GARDEN GRAZER
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