5 wildly popular vegan recipes you’ll want to make on repeat

Crafting a new habit can start in the kitchen.

If you want to eat more plants without the drama, start with recipes that are simple, flexible, and satisfying.

The five below have a few things in common.

They lean on pantry staples, they welcome shortcuts, and they taste good enough to cook again next week without getting bored:

1) Creamy mac and cashew cheese

If there were a Mount Rushmore of weeknight comfort, this would be on it.

The idea is simple:

1. Boil pasta.
2. Blend a silky sauce with soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, miso or white vinegar, garlic powder, a touch of mustard, and hot pasta water.
3. Toss until glossy.
4. Eat straight from the pot like a raccoon with good taste.

A few small moves make it sing:

• Soak the cashews in hot water for 15 minutes if you forgot to soak them earlier.
• Use just enough pasta water to loosen the sauce gradually.
• Add a tiny spoon of miso for that cheesy tang that dairy usually brings.
• Finish with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon to brighten the richness.

If you want a hit of nostalgia, bake it.

Spread the pasta in a casserole dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a little olive oil, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes.

The top gets crackly while the inside stays creamy.

Customization keeps this on rotation:

• Steam broccoli in the last 3 minutes of the pasta’s cook time and toss it in.
• Stir in frozen peas.
• Fold in roasted mushrooms for umami.

Swap macaroni for shells, rotini, or gluten-free pasta.

Spice lovers can add a spoon of chili crisp or a dash of hot sauce.

From a decision-making angle, this recipe lowers friction.

You get a fast win that makes plant-based eating feel easy, which nudges you to repeat it.

Tiny victories, repeated, become identity.

2) Sheet-pan miso maple tofu and veggies

I could write love letters to sheet-pan dinners.

One cutting board, one pan, and zero chaos:

1. Press a block of extra-firm tofu for 10 to 15 minutes while the oven heats to 425°F.
2. Whisk a quick glaze: White or yellow miso, maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, and a little neutral oil.
3. Toss cubes of tofu with half the glaze, then spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
4. Add chopped vegetables around the tofu; think carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, red onion, or sweet potato.
5. Drizzle the rest of the glaze over the vegetables.
6. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once, until edges caramelize and the tofu is golden.
7. Sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions.
8. Serve with rice, noodles, or a bed of greens.

If you like heat, add chili flakes or sriracha; if you want crunch, top with crushed roasted peanuts.

Why this stays popular is the flavor math:

• Miso brings depth.
• Maple balances with sweetness.
• Vinegar keeps everything bright.

When those hit a hot pan, you get crispy-sweet-savory bites that feel restaurant-level with minimal effort.

Travel taught me a useful trick here.

In Kyoto, I learned to respect miso’s variety.

If your miso is dark and salty, reduce the soy sauce; if it’s mild and sweet, add a pinch of salt.

Taste the glaze before it hits the pan.

When your brain registers balance, your dinner will, too.

If tofu isn’t your jam yet, try tempeh or chickpeas.

Same glaze, same temperature, and same pan; this one is the definition of repeatable.

3) 15-minute chickpea tuna salad

Confession time: I make this during back-to-back writing days when I want lunch in five bites.

It scratches that deli-salad itch while staying plant-based and pantry-friendly:

1. Mash a can of drained chickpeas in a bowl until chunky.
2. Stir in finely chopped celery, red onion, and dill pickles or capers.
3. Add vegan mayo or a tahini-yogurt mix, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
4. Optional but excellent: Nori flakes or a splash of pickle brine.
5. Pile it onto toasted sourdough, tuck it into a wrap with lettuce, or scoop it over greens.

It keeps in the fridge for three days, which makes it perfect for meal prep.

I like to add cucumber slices or tomato to freshen every serving.

Here’s the psychology: When a recipe transforms humble ingredients into something craveable, you build trust with yourself.

You know that even on a chaotic day, you can assemble a satisfying meal without Postmates.

That confidence is worth more than it looks.

Flavor upgrades are easy:

• Swap dill for parsley.
• Add a spoon of relish.
• Stir in sweet corn.

If you want more protein, mix in hemp seeds; if you want more sea flavor, crumble a bit of roasted seaweed on top.

Consistency beats intensity.

Keep a can of chickpeas, a lemon, and a small jar of capers on hand.

When the slump hits, lunch is ten minutes away.

4) Smoky lentil bolognese

This one converted a skeptical friend who believed pasta needed meat to be satisfying.

We cooked, ate, and he stopped mid-twirl to say, “Oh.”

To get this sort of reaction, all you need is to do these:

1. Start with a soffritto.
2. Sauté finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil with a pinch of salt until soft and sweet.
3. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
4. Let the paste darken slightly to build depth.
5. Stir in crushed tomatoes, a splash of red wine if you have it, and dry brown or green lentils.
6. Add water or broth to cover, then simmer until the lentils are tender and the sauce is thick, about 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a handful of fresh basil or parsley.
8. Toss with spaghetti, rigatoni, or pappardelle.

If you want creaminess, stir in a spoon of cashew cream or a drizzle of good olive oil.

I like a shower of vegan parmesan or toasted breadcrumbs on top for crunch.

Two keys make this repeat-worthy: 

• Patience with the tomato paste: Letting it caramelize for an extra minute coaxes out natural sweetness.
• The smoky note: Smoked paprika plus a touch of balsamic mirrors slow-cooked depth without hours on the stove.

This is a Sunday pot that becomes Monday lunch and a Wednesday freezer win.

It also scales well for guests.

Double it; people love a sauce that tastes like time, even when time was 30 minutes.

A quick aside from the reading nerd in me: Behavioral science has a concept called implementation intention.

If you plan when and how you’ll do a task, you’re far more likely to follow through.

Apply it here: Write “Lentil bolognese on Sunday at 5 pm” in your calendar, and put the lentils on the counter that morning.

You just designed your future dinner.

5) One-bowl banana bread with dark chocolate

I do not trust people who say they always have overripe bananas and never use them.

This is their destiny:

1. Mash three very ripe bananas in a large bowl.
2. Whisk in brown sugar, neutral oil or melted vegan butter, vanilla, and a splash of plant milk.
3. Sprinkle baking soda and salt directly into the wet mix and stir well.
4. Fold in flour until just combined, then add chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips.
5. Optional but wonderful: Chopped walnuts, cinnamon, or espresso powder for mocha vibes.
6. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
7. Let it cool before slicing if you have the patience of a monk (I usually do not).

What keeps this on repeat is the one-bowl promise.

It’s unfussy but delivers a coffee-shop loaf you can hand to a neighbor or bring to work.

Breakfast, snack, and dessert all covered.

A small technique tip from my photography experiments: Save a few chocolate chunks and banana slices for the top.

It looks good, and we eat with our eyes first.

When you treat your food like it matters, your brain tags the habit as rewarding, which makes it easier to choose next time.

If you want to nudge it healthier, swap half the flour for whole wheat pastry flour, reduce the sugar a bit, and add a spoon of ground flax; if you want it bakery-level decadent, swirl in peanut butter before baking.

No wrong answers here!

Closing thoughts

Keep it simple, keep it tasty, and keep it moving.

Before you know it, you’ll have a short list of hits you cook almost without thinking.

That’s where eating well becomes less of a goal and more of a rhythm.

See you in the kitchen next week.