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Credit: Ali Domrongchai
Since 2014, Purple Carrot has been one of the standout names in the vegan and plant-based meal delivery kit space (really, one of the only ones). Over the past decade, the service has focused on making creative, chef-designed vegan meals accessible to home cooks of all skill levels that go far beyond basic veggie fare.
I actually was vegan for three years during high school and into college, and have cooked (and continue to cook) my fair share of plant-based meals. With that in mind, I spent four weeks ordering, cooking, eating, and documenting more than a dozen Purple Carrot dishes to see how they stack up in terms of flavor, convenience, and overall experience. Here’s my full review.
What’s so great
Wide variety of plant-based meals (50+ options every week)
Consistently beautiful and fresh produce
Good to know
On the pricey side; minimum spend $50
What Is Purple Carrot?
Purple Carrot is a plant-based meal kit delivery service that focuses entirely on vegan recipes, with pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions. Unlike most other meal kit services, every meal is 100% plant-based, which means zero animal proteins or by-products.
In addition to its standard meal kits, Purple Carrot also offers a range of convenient options, including prepared (heat-and-eat) meals, breakfasts, and lunches. You can also add extras like snacks, desserts, and grocery staples to round out your weekly delivery.
Each week, customers choose from a rotating menu of recipes, select their preferred number of servings, and receive a refrigerated box with nearly everything needed to cook the meals at home.
How to Get Started with Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot lets you preview its weekly menu before signing up, which is a helpful feature if you want to see whether you are interested in the recipes or not. Once you are ready to order, you’ll enter your email on the Purple Carrot website or app and answer a few quick questions, like how many people you’re cooking for and your general preferences. While everything is plant-based, you can choose between a variety of meal types, including 30-minute-or-less, gluten-free, and high-protein options.
Plans typically include options for two or four servings per meal, and you can choose how many dinners you’d like to receive each week. Customize your box further by adding prepared meals, breakfasts, lunches, or pantry extras for an additional cost. You’ll need to finalize your selections several days before your delivery date, but if you forget then Purple Carrot will automatically pick meals for you based on your preferences.
Credit: Ali Domrongchai
How Much Does Purple Carrot Cost?
Pricing depends on the plan and number of meals you choose, plus any add-ons. Meal kits typically cost around $9 to $14 per serving, while prepared meals tend to be priced slightly higher — around $15 — per serving. Shipping is a $12 flat fee for orders under $100, and if you place an order over $100, shipping is free.
Is Purple Carrot Worth It? Our Honest Review
Over four weeks, I tried 14 Purple Carrot meals. I intentionally chose a mix of cuisines, ingredients, and cooking techniques. My goal was to test out the variety, quality, and consistency of the recipes.
For the first week, I let Purple Chef choose my meals to see what kinds of recommendations it offers; I think because it was around the Super Bowl, there were a lot of stadium foods, like Game Day Potato Nachos. (They all sounded delicious.) The last three weeks I chose my own meals.
Week 1: Spicy Buffalo Tofu Bowls, Orange Creamsicle Chia Parfaits, Chipotle Black Bean Tacos, and Game Day Potato Nachos
Week 2: Broccolini Mafaldine Alfredo, Rosemary-Mushroom Alfredo, and Kung Pao Cauliflower
Week 3: BBQ Tofu Wraps, Spicy Peanut Curry Udon, Miso Ramen Soup, and Vibrant Falafel Bowl
Week 4: Togarashi Peanut Noodles, Kale-Farro Salad, and Chipotle Black Bean Tacos
The first thing I noticed about Purple Carrot was the variety. The menu is entirely plant-based, but it never felt repetitive or restrictive. I counted over 54 meals to choose from, which is on the higher end for meal kits that I’ve tried.
Credit: Ali Domrongchai
There was a strong mix of cuisines, comfort foods, and lighter, produce-forward meals, and plenty of options based on dietary preferences and cook times. It actually made choosing meals a bit difficult (in a good way!)
You can choose between Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for delivery (although options may vary by location) by managing your account settings before the Friday 3 p.m. EST deadline for that week’s order. There was one box that didn’t come on time, but to be fair there was a snowstorm and I received email and text updates once it shipped (plus a final alert when it arrived at my door). The one that didn’t come on time came the next morning, and everything was individually bagged and still to temperature, thanks to the ice packs.
What I Liked About Purple Carrot
Over the four weeks, I had no instances of scuffed produce (what a feat!). I’ve been used to at least a bruised onion or a cucumber with a dent, but not with Purple Carrot. It makes sense: A brand focused on fruit and vegetables would put extra TLC into picking, packing, and shipping them.
The recipe times were accurate, which I appreciate. Recipes took as little as 10 minutes from start to finish (Kale-Farro Salad) and as long as 35 minutes (Rosemary-Mushroom Alfredo). The average was around 25 minutes with minimal cleanup because everything came pre-portioned (but not pre-cut).
I am very comfortable in the kitchen and cooking plant-based meals, and I was majorly impressed with these recipes. During the first week, Purple Carrot chose Chipotle Black Bean Tacos for me, which came together in under 15 minutes and were hearty and wonderfully spiced with bits of cumin and pepper. They were so good, when it came time to order my meals for the last week, I ordered them again.
Credit: Ali Domrongchai
The two other standouts — Spicy Peanut Curry Udon and Miso Ramen Soup — delivered restaurant-level depth without any of the usual umami-driven ingredients, like meat-based stocks. Kung Pao Cauliflower had a great balance of heat and sweetness, and the baked cauliflower was crispy on the outside and wonderfully tender on the inside. BBQ Tofu Wraps were also hearty and satisfying (and made for the best lunch I had that week), and the Vibrant Falafel Bowl was fresh and filling.
Even the comfort dishes like the Broccolini Mafaldine Alfredo and Rosemary-Mushroom Alfredo were rich and creamy without feeling heavy, which isn’t always easy to pull off in plant-based cooking. Every dish was a hit — there were no misses.
By the end of the month, I was still excited to receive new boxes in the mail and experiment with new ways to cook plant-based foods.
What I Wish Were Different About Purple Carrot
My biggest drawback about delivery and packaging is the amount of plastic used. Each item is wrapped individually and portioned out, which makes cooking easier, yes, but does feel wasteful (like I’ve said in other meal kit reviews, I don’t have a better solution at this time).
The price can also feel a bit high compared to other meal kits, especially with the lack of meat-based proteins.
Should You Try Purple Carrot?
If you already eat plant-based — or are even just curious about incorporating more vegan meals into your routine — I’d say Purple Carrot is a BIG yes. It takes the guesswork out of planning and shopping while still letting you cook interesting, flavorful plant-based meals at home.
The service really shines in its variety and creativity. It strikes a nice balance between convenience and actually creative cooking. The recipes are approachable for beginners but still engaging enough for more confident home cooks, and the meals are fresh and tasty. That said, it’s not the most family-friendly option.
Meals typically serve two, so it’s better suited to individuals or couples than larger households. It’s also on the pricier side, so it might not feel like a budget option. Still, if you’re in the market for high-quality, plant-based meals, it’s well worth trying.
Why You Should Trust Me as a Tester
I’ve tested a number of meal kits as part of my job as a (formerly vegan!) groceries editor at The Kitchn. (Reviewing groceries is also one of my passions.) I ordered 14 different meals from Purple Carrot and tested them over the course of four weeks. Throughout this time, I took notes on delivery, quality, and functionality of the service. Every single meal in this review was made by me in my own kitchen.
Sign up: https://www.purplecarrot.com/
Have you tried Purple Carrot? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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