10 Simple Vegan Meals With 5 Ingredients Or Less

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can sometimes be a real pain in the neck to prepare homemade meals. The thought of just getting to a market to shop for ingredients can be stressful enough, without even considering the actual food preparation. However, with a few ingredients, I believe that simple healthy meals made at home are better than a stop at your local drive-through.

To give you some quick ideas, I composed this list of 10 Simple Vegan Meals With 5 Ingredients or Less. Please note that I did not count salt and/or pepper as ingredients in these recipes (although technically they are) .

10 SIMPLE VEGAN MEALS WITH 5 INGREDIENTS OR LESS:

1. A Simple Stir-Fry With Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage Sausages

This is truly a “1, 2, 3 meal” which anyone will love. Of course, you can use any flavor of Field Roast Sausages, but the Smoked Apple Sage is my favorite. You can throw this stir-fry over brown rice or any other grain, or pasta. This will make the meal that much heartier, but that would mean one extra ingredient.

SIMPLE STIR-FRY WITH FIELD ROAST SMOKED APPLE SAGE SAUSAGES

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large onion sliced into wedges

Sliced red, green and yellow peppers (I buy a package of pre-sliced peppers to make things easier)

One package of Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage Sausages (4 sausages to a package); slice sausages into discs

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:

Spray large skillet or wok with olive oil and then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet.

Heat up the oil and the skillet over medium heat.

Add the sliced sausages, peppers and onions to the skillet, mixing everything together to coat with oil. Saute and keep mixing for a few minutes until thoroughly heated. Add a little bit of water to the pan while sauteeing, if necessary, to prevent stir-fry ingredients from sticking.

That’s it!!!

Optional:

Enjoy the stir-fry by itself or serve over brown rice, any other grain, or pasta.

Add marinara sauce.

Season with salt, pepper or your favorite herbs.

Add tomato sauce and Daiya Mozzarella Cheese Shreds and place on Italian bread to make a hero.

 

2. Azuki Beans With Kabocha Squash

This is an extremely simple traditional macrobiotic dish. The only downside is that you have to soak the beans overnight before preparation, but this is a small price to pay for this nourishing and satisfying meal. Please don’t let this crummy photo discourage you from trying it!

AZUKI BEANS WITH KABOCHA SQUASH

Adapted from The Kind Diet

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4″-6″ piece of kombu

1 cup dried azuki beans

2 cups kabocha squash cut into large chunks (peel only if the squash is not organic)

1 teaspoon shoyu

Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Directions:

Combine the kombu and the beans in a bowl and cover with water by an inch or two. Soak overnight. The next day, drain the kombu and beans and discard the soaking water.

Slice the kombu into 1″ x 1″ squares and place them in a heavy pot with a heavy lid, preferably enameled cast iron. Add the beans and enough fresh water to just cover the beans and bring to a boil.

As the beans boil, strain off any foam that rises to the top. Let the beans boil, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.

Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 40 minutes.

Check the beans every 10 minutes or so, adding water to the pot when the water level appears to dip below the bean level.

After 40 minutes, add more water to keep the beans covered and arrange the squash on top of the beans.

Cook for another 20 minutes, or until the beans seem soft and tender.

Add the shoyu to the beans, and cook 10 more minutes.

Serve garnished with cilantro or parsley.

 

3. Zucchini Spaghetti With Marinara Sauce & Vegan Meatballs

This is a super-quick and easy meal, and so satisfying. Just use your favorite vegan marinara sauce from a jar and your favorite frozen vegan meatballs. I’m not the hugest fan of faux meats, but they are great for a quick meal every now and then.

ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI WITH MARINARA SAUCE AND VEGAN MEATBALLS

From Nom Nom Paleo

Serves 2

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchinis

Rao’s Marinara Sauce (or your favorite vegan marinara sauce)

Nate’s Zesty Italian Meatless Meatballs (or your favorite vegan meatballs)

Directions:

Chop off the ends of 3 medium zucchinis.

Using a Spiral Slicer, make the zucchinis into “spaghetti” strands.

Heat up the meatballs and the marinara sauce together on the stovetop.

Microwave the zucchini strands in a covered microwave safe dish for 2 minutes.

Drain the water from the dish after removing from the microwave oven.

Place the zucchini “spaghetti” into individual bowls and top with the heated marinara sauce and vegan meatballs.

Enjoy!

Click here to see the step-by-step process of how to make zucchini spaghetti using a spiral slicer.

 

4. Broccolette With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Cannellini Beans & Garlic

This simple meal is not only colorful, but can be used as a side dish too! Use canned cannellini beans to make your life easier.

BROCCOLETTE WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES, CANNELLINI BEANS AND GARLIC

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 bunches organic broccolette

1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 lb. sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 to 2 1/2  cups low sodium vegetable broth, as necessary for cooking

Directions:

1. Clean and trim ends of broccolette. Then, drop broccolette in boiling water in a large pot for about 2 minutes or just until broccolette turns bright green. Remove from boiling water and set aside.

2. In a separate wok or large frying pan, heat garlic in olive oil over medium/medium high heat until garlic starts to turn light brown. Then, add sun dried tomatoes and cannellini beans to the wok/pan with about 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Mix these ingredients together and continue to cook the garlic, sun dried tomatoes and cannellini beans in the vegetable broth until the sun dried tomatoes start to soften up. Keep adding vegetable broth, if necessary, to prevent sticking.

3. When sun dried tomatoes soften up, add the lightly cooked broccolette to the wok/frying pan with the other ingredients. Add more vegetable broth, as necessary, to continue heating up everything together.

4. Mix all the ingredients together and continue to cook in the broth until the broccolette softens a little. When done, remove ingredients with a large slotted spoon onto a serving platter.

Bon appetit!

*Note: Above recipe has 6 ingredients. Oops!

 

5. Peanut Butter Banana Chia Seed Roll-Up

This roll-up is as easy as it gets! It would make a good breakfast, lunch or anytime snack, especially for kids.

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA CHIA SEED ROLL-UP

Adapted from SHAPE Magazine

Serves one

Ingredients:

1 whole grain tortilla or tortilla of your choice (I love Engine 2′s tortillas)

1 1/2 teaspoons peanut butter

1 banana

1/2 tablespoon chia seeds

Directions:

Heat tortilla in microwave for 15-20 seconds or on skillet briefly to warm it up for rolling.

Spread tortilla with peanut butter.

Sprinkle the chia seeds on the peanut butter.

Place a whole banana (uncut) on the end of the tortilla and roll the tortilla and banana until the banana is completely wrapped in the tortilla.

Cut in half and serve.

 

6.  Super Simple Vegan Split Pea Soup

Some might argue that soup is not a meal. However, I maintain that a hearty soup is definitely a meal, especially when accompanied by a nice thick slice of bread.

SUPER SIMPLE VEGAN SPLIT PEA SOUP

Serves 6

Ingredients:

One 16 ounce package of split peas

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

Several pinches of each of the following fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme and oregano

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put 12 cups of water into a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add the split peas, onion, carrots, celery and herbs.

Stir and bring to a boil again.

Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the peas and vegetables are tender, about one hour.

Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

 

7. Collard Green Wrap

I often separate the collard green leaves from their large veins with a sharp knife, top the leaves with hummus and vegetables, roll everything up, and call it a meal. There is no denying that this is simple and nutritious, especially when using a no-oil hummus. I prefer Good Seasonings Simply Zero Hummus.

COLLARD GREEN WRAP

Ingredients:

1 collard green leaf

Hummus, as much as you desire

red onions

shredded carrots

mixed salad greens

Optional: Add whatever vegetables you want, including sprouts, cucumbers, purple cabbage, etc. I often add sunflower seeds to my wraps too!

Directions:

Remove leaves of collard green from large center vein with a sharp knife. You can briefly steam the leaves, if you wish, to make them softer for rolling. I usually don’t.

Place hummus, onions, carrots, and lettuce, or any other vegetables you desire and roll into a wrap for an instant snack or meal.

 

8. Engine 2’s One-Dish Baked Oatmeal Crisp

This is a staple dish in my home. It’s super easy to make, and I make it a lot! It’s great for breakfast, snack or even dessert.

ENGINE 2′s ONE DISH BAKED OATMEAL CRISP

Ingredients:

Frozen fruit (enough to layer a baking dish)

Quick-cooking oats (enough to cover the frozen fruit by one inch in the baking dish)

Unsweetened non-dairy milk, as required (you can also do half water/half non-dairy milk if you like…I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk only)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a baking dish layer the following:

1 layer of frozen fruit

1 layer of quick-cooking oats (enough to cover the frozen fruit by one inch in the baking dish)

Next, pour non-dairy milk over the oats so that the oats are well covered.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil so that nothing overflows into the oven.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F. for about 35 minutes or until the non-dairy milk has absorbed into the oats (there shouldn’t be any liquid).

*Note: I usually top my oatmeal crisp with something to sweeten it up, such as a touch of maple syrup, stevia, and cinnamon. I often add ground flax seeds also.

This dish will last in the fridge for one week. I love the pyrex baking dishes with the snap-on covers.

 

9. Vegan Pizza Using Pre-Made Pizza Crust

Dinner doesn’t get any easier than this, especially when you use vegan marina or tomato sauce from a jar. I like to mix kale into the sauce before spreading it on the pizza crust. From there, you can add any other vegetables you wish. You could skip the extra vegetables and throw on some Daiya Mozzarella Shreds too! I like 3 brands of vegan pre-made pizza crusts: Sami’s Bakery Millet & Flax Crust Pizza, Nature’s Hilights Brown Rice Pizza Crust, and Top This! Fire-Grilled Pizza Crusts.

VEGAN PIZZA USING PRE-MADE CRUST

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

One vegan pre-made pizza crust (see above for my recommended brands)

Your favorite vegan tomato, marinara or pizza sauce from a jar

Kale, ripped of stem and torn into pieces

Optional: Daiya Mozzarella Cheese Shreds, or any other vegetables you may wish to add.

Directions:

In a skillet, add kale into sauce of your choice, and heat and mix together.

Place sauce with kale on pre-made crust (and any other vegetables you may wish to add), and heat until crust is warm (see directions on package).

Top with Daiya Mozzarella Shreds, if using, and continue heating in oven until shreds melt.

Remove from oven, and enjoy!

 

10. Teff Porridge With Cashew Cream And Mixed Berries

This meal is super easy to prepare, and so healthy. Of course, it’s a breakfast meal but I like it at other times too!

TEFF PORRIDGE WITH CASHEW CREAM AND MIXED BERRIES

Serves 3 or 4

TEFF PORRIDGE

Ingredients:

1 cup brown teff

3 cups water

Directions:

Combine teff and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.

CASHEW CREAM 

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Directions:

Blend cashews, apple juice and almond milk in a blender until completely smooth.

ASSEMBLE: Place cooked teff in a bowl with cashew cream on one side and mixed berries on the other side.

 

There you have it…10 Simple Vegan Meals With 5 Ingredients Or Less. No excuses now! Get into that kitchen and make yourself something to eat.

Bye!

Debby

xoxoxo