What is a plant-based diet?
A plant-based diet is built around foods derived from plants, including fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds, with few or no animal products.
What's the difference between a vegan and plant-based diet?
While these two dietary approaches are very similar, a plant-based lifestyle allows for the occasional consumption of animal products, should an individual choose to eat these. On the other hand, veganism avoids consuming all animal-based products and by-products.
Best plant-based recipes
Chickpea curry with spinach and potatoes
This easy curry serves four and makes for a wholesome midweek meal packed with chickpeas, spinach and fragrant spices.
More like this
Vegan jackfruit massaman curry
A tin of jackfruit (which you can pick up at almost any supermarket) is the magic ingredient in this vegan massaman curry served with salted peanuts.
Slow-cooker cashew and potato curry
A creamy, aromatic Sri Lankan curry, made simply in a slow cooker. This recipe doesn't require any fancy ingredients and offers a great plant-based dish the whole family will love.
Vegan Thai green tofu curry
We've swapped chicken for smoked tofu and crunchy veg to transform this Thai green curry into a vegan option. It can be made in just 25 minutes and it's low in calories, too.
Aubergine dhansak
Cook aubergine pieces with fragrant spices and red lentils for a healthy midweek meal. Serve with naans for a hearty dinner.
Chickpea chana masala
Make chickpeas the star of the show with this vegan curry that can feed a hungry crowd. Scoop up with roti for a filling dinner.
Creamy vegan aubergine curry with peanut butter
This creamy coconut and peanut aubergine curry is a comforting dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes. It serves four, but any leftovers can be enjoyed for lunch the next day.
Hummus, kale and coriander noodles
Check out this easy vegan salad recipe with crunchy kale and fiery ginger, topped with a creamy hummus and peanut butter dressing – an easy midweek meal for two.
Whole roast cauliflower with warm harissa hummus
Make cauliflower the star of your Sunday roast with our vegan recipe. Served on a bed of warm harissa hummus, the gentle spices give this dish a fragrant flavour.
Vegan chilli non carne
A sweet 'n' smoky chilli non-carne recipe (see what we did there?) made with vegan mince, two types of beans and plenty of spices for added kick. For a truly vegan chilli, look for vegan mince here or use Quorn for a veggie chilli (Quorn mince contains egg white).
Vegan quinoa chilli with black beans
This quinoa and black bean chilli recipe is high in protein and happens to be vegan, but still tastes impossibly creamy.
Sweet potato chilli con carne
Our low-calorie veggie chilli contains under 500 calories and is packed with flavour from the sweet potato and quinoa – a perfect warming midweek meal. Try more easy vegan dinner recipes.
Vegan black bean chilli
Check out our easy slow-cooker chilli with fiery chipotle. This is a hearty take on the classic chilli con carne that the whole family will love. To make it vegan, serve without the soured cream addition.
Vegan coronation tofu salad
We’ve swapped chicken for tofu to give coronation salad a vegan twist. It’s easy to make and low in calories, too.
Gochujang roast sweet potato salad with mixed grains
Pack plenty of texture into this low-calorie salad with roast sweet potatoes, mixed grains, radishes and cucumber, and lift with a punchy Korean dressing.
Vegan Thai noodle salad with herbs and watermelon
Ready in 20 minutes, this vibrant vegan salad is packed with juicy watermelon and crunchy peanuts for a fresh dinner for two.
Roasted courgette, chickpea and lemon salad
Ready in just 20 minutes, this vegan salad makes an ideal side dish, packed with chickpeas, baby courgettes and punchy rose harissa.
Crunchy veg and smoked tofu salad with sesame dressing
Crunchy veg and smoked tofu add great textures to this vegan salad, with a nutty sesame dressing bringing the whole dish together.
Buddha bowl salad
This vibrant vegan bowl is easy to make – just throw grains and veg together, then drizzle with a spicy tahini dressing for a punchy kick.
Tray-roast squash, sweet potato and grain salad
Get ahead with your weekly meal prep by roasting a batch of squash for this grain salad. It’s easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes.
Wholewheat spaghetti with long-stemmed broccoli, chilli and lemon
This vegan recipe for wholewheat spaghetti with long-stemmed broccoli, chilli and lemon is quick and easy to make. Plus, it's pasta for under 500 calories – yes, please!
Tomato, lemongrass and rice soup
Use up tinned chopped tomatoes and infuse with punchy spices to create this nutritious vegan soup.
Tofu fried rice
Check out our vegan fried rice with smoked tofu. Make this quick and easy recipe for a low-calorie midweek meal for two.
Jackfruit tacos
Smoked paprika jackfruit tacos, served with homemade tomato salsa and plenty of chilli sauce. The perfect party food for your vegan friends!
Sweet potato linguine with vegan puy lentil ragu
Sweet potato linguine is more robust than courgetti, so can withstand a bit more cooking. Served with a warming vegan bolognese-style ragu, this gluten-free, low-calorie main is perfect for dinner.
Vegan moussaka bowls
Check out this easy alternative to oven-baked moussaka. Ready in just 15 minutes, these vegan moussaka bowls contain the flavours and textures of a slow-cooked dish without the wait.
Vegan tempeh and pineapple kebabs
Chunks of tempeh are marinated in soy, rice wine, garlic and Chinese five-spice before joining juicy pineapple on skewers and hitting the grill in this easy vegan BBQ recipe.
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Tracey Raye is the health editor for olive and BBC Good Food. Tracey, MSc, is a registered nutritionist, holding a master’s degree in Personalised Nutrition. She is passionate about harnessing the power of all things health and well-being – in a way that enhances, rather than limits our lives. She covers our nourishing recipes and collections, oversees our health strategy and stays adrift of the latest health and lifestyle trends in order to bring you the tools and inspiration you need to find what health means for you.
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Regarding the concepts mentioned in this article, let's discuss each one:
Plant-Based Diet:
A plant-based diet is centered around foods derived from plants, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It emphasizes the consumption of these plant-based foods while minimizing or excluding animal products. The goal is to prioritize plant sources of nutrition for health, environmental, or ethical reasons.
Vegan Diet:
A vegan diet is a type of plant-based diet that excludes all animal-based products and by-products. This includes not only meat, poultry, and seafood but also dairy, eggs, honey, and other animal-derived ingredients. Vegans choose this lifestyle for ethical, environmental, and health reasons, as well as to avoid animal exploitation.
Plant-Based Recipes:
The article mentions several plant-based recipes that are suitable for individuals following a plant-based or vegan diet. These recipes include dishes like chickpea curry with spinach and potatoes, vegan jackfruit massaman curry, slow-cooker cashew and potato curry, vegan Thai green tofu curry, aubergine dhansak, chickpea chana masala, creamy vegan aubergine curry with peanut butter, hummus, kale and coriander noodles, whole roast cauliflower with warm harissa hummus, vegan chilli non carne, vegan quinoa chilli with black beans, sweet potato chilli con carne, vegan black bean chilli, vegan coronation tofu salad, gochujang roast sweet potato salad with mixed grains, vegan Thai noodle salad with herbs and watermelon, roasted courgette, chickpea and lemon salad, crunchy veg and smoked tofu salad with sesame dressing, Buddha bowl salad, tray-roast squash, sweet potato and grain salad, wholewheat spaghetti with long-stemmed broccoli, chilli and lemon, tomato, lemongrass and rice soup, tofu fried rice, jackfruit tacos, sweet potato linguine with vegan puy lentil ragu, vegan moussaka bowls, and vegan tempeh and pineapple kebabs.
Please let me know if you would like more information on any of these concepts or if there's anything else I can assist you with!
