Who says a vegan diet has to be boring?
You will not believe these 22 vegan soul food recipes that reinvent classic comfort dishes!
From plant-based spins on fried chicken to creamy banana pudding, these recipes prove that you can enjoy all your favorite comfort foods while sticking to your values!
You’re going to adore these fantastic vegan soul foods.
1. Vegan Gumbo
While this might not contain the usual gumbo meats and shellfish, this vegan gumbo can still make your taste buds sing. It may lack animal products, but it more than makes up for it with incredible flavor.
The mixture of mushrooms, vegetables, beans, and a thick, perfectly seasoned broth ensure that it will be spectacular. Yum!
2. Southern-Style Vegan Black-Eyed Peas
Since black-eyed peas are often flavored with meat, making them vegan might seem a little tricky. However, it’s not that hard with this recipe! The trick is to season the peas with hot sauce, spices, and a dash of liquid smoke.
You’ll be blown away by the flavor that liquid smoke adds. These are so good, no one will even think about the absence of meat.
3. Vegan Southern Soul Bowl
This vibrant bowl is made up of several components: mac and cheese, cornbread, collard greens, and sweet and smoky tofu cubes. What a truly epic combination!
You’d think with all its many components, this dish would require a lot of work and time, but it all comes together in just half an hour. You can prepare this for one, or for a crowd!
4. Vegan Baked Beans
These baked beans are sweet, tangy, smoky, savory, and spicy all in one bite! What a true epitome of all the best BBQ side dishes.
The secret to how insanely delicious these beans are is not that it’s cooked for hours. In fact, this version comes together in just 1 hour thanks to a harmony of contrasting flavors from molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sriracha, and apple cider vinegar.
5. Vegan Cheese Grits
How can you possibly transform a dish that requires cheese into a vegan delight? It might not seem possible to make cheese grits without the cheese, but it’s surprisingly achievable.
As long as you’re creative in finding vegan alternatives to traditional ingredients, there’s nothing you can’t do. To mimic that cheesy flavor, nutritional yeast and vegan cheddar cheese shreds get used instead of regular cheese.
6. Vegan Banana Pudding
If you’re looking for the ultimate vegan dessert, look no further. This banana pudding is silky, creamy, and unbelievably delicious thanks to a special mix of bananas, plant-based milk, vanilla, turmeric, sweetener, and vegan butter. You might never want to make banana pudding any other way again!
7. Vegan Jambalaya
Any Creole-loving vegan is sure to enjoy this dish! While it might not be entirely authentic, this southern-style vegan jambalaya will surely make your taste buds jump up and down for joy.
With its incredible mix of hearty tomato rice, starchy beans, vegan sausages, and Cajun seasonings, what’s not to love? This jambalaya also takes only 30 minutes to make, which is a lot quicker than a traditional recipe.
8. Vegan Collard Greens
This dish is a vibrant mix of collard green and vegetable tomatoes with garlic, onions, and spices. On its own, it might not be the most exciting dish, but serve it alongside vegan mac and cheese and fried chicken, and you’ll have an unforgettable meal. If you’re serving a crowd, this is always a guaranteed win.
9. Vegan Pecan Pie
It’s time for dessert, and when it comes to vegan sweets, you just can’t go wrong with decadent pecan pie. With a sweet and crumbly crust and a thick and sticky, caramel-like pecan filling, this pie is truly phenomenal.
This plant-based twist on a classic is guaranteed to please any crowd. What are you waiting for?
10. Vegan Fried Okra
I wasn’t a fan of this slimy veggie until I tried this classic southern dish. These bite-sized snacks are incredibly addicting, and it just so happens to be vegan.
The crispy and flavorful batter is made from cornmeal, flour, and buttermilk, and seasoned with garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. What a magical dish!
11. Vegan Pot Pie
A flaky golden pastry crust encases a creamy and bubbly vegan stew. If all vegan dishes are this good, I might just convert!
Although there’s no meat, this pot pie is still wonderfully meaty thanks to the vegan sausage and tofu. However, what truly makes this pot pie such a success is the mix of colorful, flavorful vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, cremini mushrooms, butternut squash, and celery together make a wonderful medley of colors, tastes, and textures.
12. Vegan Chicken and Waffles
Does anything beat waking up on a Saturday morning to the smell of sweet waffles and savory fried chicken? These are wonderful alone, but even better together.
While the chicken component might not be legit, the flavors and textures are definitely on point. Serve it with waffles drizzled with maple syrup and vegan butter and I bet no one will even notice it’s not real chicken.
13. Vegan Corn Fritters
You can just imagine how crunchy, crispy, and flavor-packed these fritters are! Not only are they bursting with corn, but they are also full of bell peppers and green onions.
Enjoy them as a snack with your favorite vegan dip, or serve them with soup or salad for a well-balanced meal. These are also kid-approved!
14. Vegan Hoppin’ John
Have you ever heard of Hoppin’ John? If not, you’re in for a treat!
This classic southern dish of peas, vegetables, and rice might seem basic, but it tastes absolutely mind-blowing. A traditional plate of hoppin’ John usually calls for meat, but this one uses mushrooms instead to keep it vegan.
15. Ultimate Vegan Chili
It’s hard to imagine chili without ground beef, but this recipe might just be your new favorite. Swimming with beans, marinated tofu, and spices, this vegan chili is the ultimate vegan comfort food.
It comes together in just an hour and is freezer-friendly, which means you can enjoy a hot bowl whenever a craving strikes. It’s seriously amazing!
16. Vegan Potato Soup
This potato soup is unbelievably rich and creamy, making it hearty enough to be eaten as a meal on its own. You can serve it as-is, but that’s no fun, so go crazy with vegan toppings! The recipe recommends garnishing it with tempeh bacon, parsley, and roasted potato chunks, and I totally agree.
17. Vegan Beef Stew
How can there be beef stew on a list of vegan dishes? At first, I was perplexed by this recipe, too, but it’s definitely worth trying.
This stew is brimming with potatoes, carrots, and celery. The “beef” part in this stew is actually made of TVP (textured vegetable protein) or soy chunks. These chunks might not taste exactly like beef, but the broth is so delectable, it masks the flavor so well.
18. Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Milk and butter are essential to rich and creamy mashed potatoes. However, you can achieve the same results with this vegan version.
Skip the milk and make up for the lost flavor with roasted garlic and fresh chives. Also, use vegan butter instead of the regular kind. You’d be surprised at how much it tastes like the real thing!
19. Vegan ‘Fried’ Chicken
Vegans can enjoy the goodness of crispy fried chicken, thanks to mankind’s ingenuity! Now, the experience just won’t be the same to a meat lover, but if you’ve been vegan for years and are itching for good fried chicken, this recipe won’t disappoint. There are many recipes out there, but this one yields fried chicken with a crispy-crunchy skin and a moist, meaty, and tasty interior.
20. Vegan Blueberry Cobbler
You’re in for a treat with this cobbler! With a cake-like biscuit at the bottom, a crunchy and crumbly topping on top, and sweet and juicy blueberries scattered everywhere, this is the definition of dessert perfection. It’s sensational on its own, but I suggest you serve this with a scoop of vegan ice cream for that lovely warm and cold temperature contrast.
21. Classic Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
It’s simple to make vegetarian mac and cheese, but creating a vegan version could be a little tricky. How can you make mac and cheese without the cheese? Well, with this recipe, you absolutely can.
This food blogger managed to create a pretty impressive mac and cheese that actually doesn’t taste or feel plant-based. The secret? Nutritional yeast.
22. Vegan Hush Puppies
These amazing hush puppies are crunchy and crispy on the outside, but they are also soft and fluffy on the inside. Every bite is as good as it gets.
Not only are they vegan, but they’re also low in calories! Instead of deep-frying in oil, these bad boys are baked. Don’t worry, though, they’ll still be as amazing as regular, deep-fried hush puppies.