These are my top cheap vegan dinners for when the budget is tight! When I first went vegan in 2016, I didn’t really know how to cook and I definitely didn’t know how to cook on a budget. While some may think that it’s naturally more expensive to be vegan, I’ve found it’s the opposite!
Beans, rice, legumes, and potatoes are some of the cheapest foods you’ll find. Add in a little seasoning, some other veggies and grains, and you can make an endless amount of delicious cheap vegan dinners!
It can be tempting to opt for pre-made meals and snacks, especially when you live a busy life like I do. I definitely do buy my fair share of easy, packaged items because I don’t have time to make every single thing I eat from scratch. However, to save money, I do try to limit this and make more meals from scratch.
Tips for Saving Money as a Vegan:
- Make what you can from scratch (like hummus, nut milks, bread, and salad dressing).
- Limit processed and pre-packaged food (like frozen meals and pre-made wraps and sandwiches).
- Shop at cheaper stores like Aldi, Trader Joes, and Costco.
- Buy certain items in bulk (like nutritional yeast, rice, and beans).
- Limit money spent on snack food. For example, I buy a big container of popcorn kernels instead of individual microwave popcorn bags and this saves a ton of money!
Below are eleven of my staple cheap vegan dinners that I make over and over again. They all use ten or fewer key ingredients and are simple to make. Enjoy!
11 Cheap Vegan Dinners For Super Tight Budgets
One-Pot Vegetable Lentil Soup
Soups are some of the best budget meals because you can throw pretty much anything you have on hand into a soup! Lentils, beans, veggies (both frozen or fresh), broth, greens, and seasoning. My one-pot vegetable lentil soup is a super hearty and cheap dinner, full of fiber and protein.
Vegan Cheesy Pasta
I crave cheesy pasta about three times a week. Buying vegan cheese from the grocery store can get a little expensive, if you’re buying a lot of it on a regular basis. This cheese sauce uses cashews and nutritional yeast (items I buy in bulk) and butternut squash, and it’s so creamy and cheesy. Add in some steamed broccoli, or just enjoy it on its own for a healthy and filling meal!
Vegan Chickpea Tacos
This is one of the first staple dinners I started making when I went vegan in college. Chickpeas and corn tortillas, plus some seasonings, avocado, and sriracha; this meal is so basic yet I still crave it all the time. If you want, you can get fancy with some pickled cabbage or red onion (cabbage is another great budget item!). Once you try this dish, I guarantee you’ll become addicted to my seasoned chickpeas.
One-Pot Vegan Creamy Tomato Spinach Pasta
This is one of those meals that looks fancy, but is actually so easy to whip up. I love a one-pot pasta and this one takes just 30 minutes to make. The sauce uses coconut cream, which can easily be substituted with another cheaper plant milk if you like. The other ingredients—olive oil, garlic, veggie broth, tomatoes, spinach, salt, and pepper—are super basic but can also be swapped for what you have in your kitchen!
2-Ingredient Easy Vegan Tomato Soup
Yes, this soup actually uses just two key ingredients, plus salt and pepper. I love having soup and grilled cheese for dinner, but buying canned soup all the time can add up. Most of the time, if you make it yourself you can get a much larger batch for a fraction of the cost. This recipe is perfect for new vegans, as it takes minimal effort, is so cheap, and is a take on a classic dish many are already familiar with.
Easy Vegan Potato Soup
When you’re on a tight budget, potatoes are your best friend! These root vegetables contain lots of nutrients, are super filling, and they’re really cheap to buy! Whenever I make this soup, there’s always a ton of leftovers to eat for lunch or another dinner throughout the week. For just eight ingredients, this dish sure goes a long way!
Vegan Lentil Enchiladas
This enchilada recipe is so easy, straightforward, and a great budget meal. Just eight ingredients, including the lentils, tortillas, onion, and sauce. Add in your favorite seasonings and toppings (I like to garnish with cilantro and sprinkle some vegan shredded cheese on top). This recipe yields about six servings, so it’s another great meal to make at the beginning of the week and eat the leftovers for lunch!
Budget-Friendly Vegan Chickpea Pot Pie
Comfort food can be budget-friendly too! This is the simplest vegan pot pie recipe you’ll find. It uses just one pot to mix up the filling, and one pan for baking, so it’s a great hassle-free meal for busy weeknights. I use chickpeas and a bag of frozen veggies in this pot pie, plus broth and flour to make the filling, and store-bought biscuits. To make this even cheaper, you can make your own biscuits from scratch, but I always like to find balance between cheap and easy.
7-Ingredient Vegan Cheesy Potato Casserole
Cheesy potato casserole is definitely one of the ultimate comfort foods. This easy recipe uses just seven ingredients, including the salt and pepper. If you like, you can add in extra veggies and protein (I like adding in broccoli and chickpeas), or you can leave it as is!
One-Pot Vegan Peanut Curry
This is a recipe I make at least once a week. It’s such an easy way to get in lots of veggies and greens; just throw in whatever you have in your fridge and let it cook in the creamy, delicious curry sauce! This is a great budget meal as is, but see the full post for suggestions on how to make it even cheaper.
Easy Vegan Green Bean Casserole
I personally reserve green bean casserole for Thanksgiving, but who says you can’t make it all year round? The sauce uses a coconut milk base, but the recipe could be made a litter cheaper if you use almond or soy milk instead.
And there you have it! This post was all about my favorite cheap vegan dinners.
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