34 Plant-Based Protein Recipes We Can't Get Enough Of - Chatelaine (2024)

Neapolitan Lentil Pasta (Pasta e Lenticchie)

Lentils come together with arugula and pasta to make a filling one-dish meal. Get our Neapolitan Lentil Pasta (Pasta e Lenticchie) recipe.

Photography by Erik Putz. Food styling by Matthew Kimura. Prop styling by Madeleine Johari.

Vegan Juicy Lucy Burger

A plant-based take on the classic spin on a cheeseburger, with gooey, melty (plant-based) cheese *inside* the burger patty, instead of on top. Get our Vegan Juicy Lucy Burger recipe.

(Produced by: Stephanie Han Kim; Photography: Erik Putz; Food styling: Haley Polinsky; Prop styling: Madeleine Johari)

Roasted Chickpea Salad

Full of flavour and easy to make, this is a salad you'll want over and over. Get our Roasted Chickpea Salad recipe.

Photography by Erik Putz. Food styling by Matthew Kimura. Prop styling by Madeleine Johari.

Vegan “Scallop” And Navy Bean Cassoulet

Mushrooms stand in for scallops in this hearty and delicious dish, which feature lots of beans for added protein. Get our Vegan “Scallop” And Navy Bean Cassoulet recipe.

Photography by Erik Putz. Food styling by Matthew Kimura. Prop styling by Madeleine Johari.

Cold spicy peanut noodles with cold tofu

Noodles and cubes of crispy smoked tofu are tossed in a spicy peanut sauce in this delightful plant-based noodle bowl. Get our cold spicy peanut noodles with cold tofu recipe.

Photo, Carmen Cheung.

Sheet pan aloo gobi and chickpeas with coconut raita

This plant-based Indian-inspired sheet pan dinner requires both minimal prep and clean up. Get our sheet pan aloo gobi recipe.

Photo, Carmen Cheung.

Roasted mushroom tacos

Roasted oyster mushrooms make an ideal substitution for meat in this plant-based taco recipe. Serve them with our homemade cashew crema. Get our roasted mushroom tacos recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Hearty vegan minestrone

Packed with delicious vegetables and pasta, this plant-based hearty soup is sure to fill you up. Get our hearty vegan minestrone recipe.

Photo, Carmen Cheung

Vegan veggie quiche

Quiche gets a plant-based makeover with a coconut oil-based pastry and chickpea flour "egg" filling. Get ourvegetable and chickpea quiche recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Chickpea omelette omurice

We turned omurice–a traditional Japanese omelet and rice dish–into a vegan version by turning an easy chickpea flour pancake into the omelet wrap. Get our chickpea omelette omarice recipe.

Photo, Carmen Cheung.

Vegan vegetable kebabs

We used ground flax meal to make a creamy lemon-garlic dressing for these plant-based vegetable kebabs and quinoa. Get our recipe for vegetable kebabs with lemon-garlic sauce.

Photo, Carmen Cheung.

Tofu “chicken” nuggets with maple bbq sauce

These plant-based nuggets are made with smoked tofu and pasta. Serve them with our homemade maple bbq sauce, just like your favourite fast food joint. Get our vegan "chicken" nuggets recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Vegan mushroom bolognese

Red kidney beans are the protein of choice in this hearty pasta dish packed with flavour. Get our vegan mushrom bolognese recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Mixed veggie pakora

These savoury Indian fritters are delicious dunked in tamarind chutney and served with hot chai. Find chickpea flour in the natural-foods section of most grocery stores or in Indian grocers (or, if you have a high-powered blender, you can make your own from dry chickpeas!). Get this pakora recipe.

Photo, Christie Vuong.

Crispy tofu stir fry with peanut sauce

Stir fry recipes, like this one, are a weeknight saviour. Fast, saucy and delicious, all you need are some vegetables, a basic sauce and a protein of your choice. Serve over rice or noodles. Get our crispy tofu stir fry with peanut sauce recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Tofu kedgeree recipe

Smoked tofu shines as the plant-based protein in this curry dish that comes together in just 30 minutes. Get our tofu kedegeree recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Spicy crispy tofu noodle bowl

Gochujang—a traditional Korean condiment—adds a spicy twist to this soba noodle dish topped with crispy tofu and edamame (both sources of protein). Get our crispy tofu noodle bowl recipe.

Photo, Ashley Capp. Food styling, Ashley Denton. Prop styling, Madeleine Johari.

Sheet pan tofu with sesame and roasted vegetables

Dinner doesn’t get much easier than this! A one-pan dish with ginger and garlic, plus chili sauce and heat, is an easy way to add a little plant-protein into your diet. (Did you know? Soy is the only plant source that is also a complete protein). Get our sheet pan tofu with sesame and roasted vegetables recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Vegetarian haggis cottage pie

Lentils are the star of this mashed-potato-topped one-pan vegetarian dish that makes for a perfect cold-weather main. Get our vegetarian haggis cottage pie recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Herb falafels with smashed cucumber salad

Top a green salad with herbaceous falafels (made from chick peas). Did you know? The majority of a cucumber’s nutrients are found in the skin! (So leave the vegetable peeler alone tonight.) Get our herb falafels with smashed cucumber salad recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Grilled satay tofu skewers

Coconut, curry and peanut marinated tofu gets crisped up on the grill for an amazingly simple and flavourful meatless skewer. Serve with a fresh and Thai herb saladfor a complete meal. Get our grilled satay tofu skewers recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Tuscan white bean and tomato pasta

Fresh cherry tomatoes and herbs give a bright lift to the buttery bean and al-dente pasta base. Add sautéed garlic-bread-crumbs to finish. Get our Tuscan white bean and tomato pasta recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Superfood sandwich

Stack it up! This sandwich takes our grainy brown bread recipe (you can always use your favourite store-bought loaf) and loads it up with toppings like an edamame spread, fresh vegetables, hummus and more. You have to try it. Get our superfood sandwich recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Tempeh burger

Tempeh is a dense fermented-soy cake that has a firm, pleasantly chewy texture that makes it perfect for a burger patty. Here we’ve served it with crisp kale chips, pickled carrots, radish and fresh pesto. It’s definitely not your average burger. Get the recipe now and find morevegetarian burger recipes here.

Kitchen tip: Look for tempeh in the refrigerated natural foods section of the grocery store. Get our tempeh burger recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Thai tofu quinoa bowl

Ideal as a make-ahead work lunch or quick weeknight dinner, this bowl is high in protein and features quinoa, tofu, edamame, carrots and cabbage—all recommended foods in Canada’s new food guide. Get our Thai tofu quinoa bowl recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Black rice and edamame salad

Adding more soy doesn’t mean the menu has to be all tofu, all the time. Affordable frozen edamame is available in freezer aisles everywhere, and adds both colour and healthy nutrition to a dish or plate. Here we’ve mixed it withcilantro, black rice and shiitake mushrooms to turn it into a hearty side salad. Get our black rice and edamame salad recipe.

Photo, John Cullen.

One-pan mushroom gratin with white beans

A one-pan dish of savoury, browned cremini mushrooms, wilted Swiss chard, creamy white beans and more. Baked with with a crunchy panko and fresh parsley topping, every bite is one to savour. Get our one-pan mushroom gratin with white beans recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Butter beans in salsa verde

This recipe from Christine Flynn's cookbook, A Generous Meal,fits neatly into the category of “things that happen to be gluten-free and vegan,” which can be handy when you’re serving a group. Get this butter beans recipe.

Photography by Suech and Beck. Excerpted from A Generous Meal by Christine Flynn. Copyright © 2023

Falafel buddha bowl

Bring on the legumes, whole grains and vegetables. With falafel, pepitas, bulgur, beets, squash, arugula and more, what doesn’t this bowl have? Get our falafel buddha bowl recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Red lentil coconut-miso soup

A hearty, healthy soup that makes enough for lunchtime leftovers (for the whole family) tomorrow. Kitchen tip: Look for pre-washed, pre-chopped kale in the supermarket to cut down on prep time. Get our red lentil coconut-miso soup recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Cauliflower farro bowl

Lentils, farro (a whole grain) and golden roasted cauliflower are the stars of this delicious, plant-based dish. Dress it up with a tahini-lemon dressing and fresh herbs, and we can’t get enough. Get our cauliflower farro bowl recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Mediterranean quinoa bowl

Cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, hummus, tzatziki, avocado and more come together in a sensational, healthy dinner bowl that you can’t wait to dig into. Get ourmediterranean quinoa bowl recipe.

A quinoa grain bowl. Photo, Erik Putz.

Mushroom grain bowl

A super-nutritious meal of earthy mushrooms, green lentils, quinoa, hazelnuts and goat cheese—with a fresh red wine vinaigrette—is a tasty pick for any night of the week. Get our mushroom grain bowl recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Squash salad with pumpkin seeds

Squash, quinoa (a whole protein!), bright green broccoli florets, beans and pumpkin seeds put this dish squarely inside the recommended category of Canada’s new food guide. And the feta adds a salty, briny punch that lifts the whole dish. Get our squash salad with pumpkin seeds recipe.

How to make a mushroom grain bowl