In May 2011, the Forks Over Knives documentary film hit big and small screens, inspiring national conversation about the power of a whole-food, plant-based diet to prevent and reverse common chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. In the years since, with the help of many talented plant-based chefs, we’ve amassed an archive of over 1,000 delicious healthy vegan recipes!
To celebrate another year of putting our best recipes and nutrition knowledge forward, we’ve updated our list of most popular recipes ever. A big hat tip to FOK readers who’ve made and shared our recipes over the years. Enjoy one of these tried-and-true favorite dishes today!
Zucchini Rollatini with Quinoa and Chickpeas
This colorful casserole is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Each strip of zucchini bundles together a flavorful package of creamy mashed chickpeas, homemade cashew cheese, cooked quinoa, and chopped spinach. Sprinkle on some breadcrumbs before baking to add a delicious crunchy garnish. One reviewer writes, “I made this last night and my husband couldn’t stop talking about how good it was, and how amazed he was that the ‘wanna-be-cheese actually tastes like cheese’ (his words, lol).”
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Farro and Spinach Salad with Air-Fried Beets
Not big on beets? This recipe has turned beet-skeptics into beet-believers. Air-frying thinly sliced beets not only makes for a deliciously crispy texture; it also mellows out the root veggies’ earthy flavor. The addition of farro makes it a meal-worthy salad. (You can substitute in another cooked and cooled whole grain, such as groats.) Chopped pears add a refreshing hit of juicy, crunchy goodness, while the tangy homemade orange-walnut vinaigrette punches everything up. One reviewer raves, “Perfect summer day lunch salad. The flavors all complement each other.”
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Spinach Lasagna
Heather McDougall’s healthy vegan take on a comfort-food favorite has been a hit with Forks Over Knives readers for nearly 10 years now. Although it takes some time to assemble and bake, it’s relatively simple to make. It’s just a matter of blending together all the ingredients for the tofu ricotta (a combo of silken and firm tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, soy milk, and a handful of herbs and seasonings); streaming the spinach; and putting it all together with lasagna noodles and marinara. You can prepare the whole thing ahead of time: Just follow the instructions through Step 5, cover and refrigerate it overnight, and bake it the next day in a 350°F oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes. For best results, be sure to let it rest 30 minutes after baking before cutting. From a recent review: “I have had this recipe for a few years. I never run out, [and] when I get down to one in [the] freezer, I make another batch. It is fabulous.”
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Italian-Style Zucchini and Chickpea Sauté
Ready in just 25 minutes, this budget-friendly one-pan meal combines simple ingredients—bell pepper, zucchini, and a handful of pantry staples—with impressive results. Feel free to swap in other in-season produce that you have on hand, and don’t be afraid to get creative with the leftovers. One reviewer writes, “It’s also fantastic for breakfast! Enjoyed with 7-grain bread.”
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Vegan Queso Sauce
While many vegan cheese sauces use nuts as a base, this fan-favorite relies on rolled oats for creaminess and jarred red bell pepper, onion, and nutritional yeast to give it a rich cheesy flavor. Notes a reviewer, “Wow! Usually, making any kind of cheese sauce goes like this: make recipe, taste, throw away. This is the game changer!” Another writes, “Oh, man! … tastes just like the ‘real’ queso from the grocery store.”
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Air-Fryer Taquitos with Cauliflower and Black Beans
You’ll savor every bite of these crispy vegan taquitos filled with a melt-in-your-mouth blend of riced cauliflower, black beans, and veggies. Stealthily healthy, these vegan taquitos delight young and old, picky eaters included. Shares a commenter, “Home run! I baked 10 in my air fryer and the rest in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes. They turned out great in the oven, too.”
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Thai Vegetable Noodle Soup
This comforting Thai-inspired veggie-licious soup takes just 25 minutes to make and has a restaurant-quality feel thanks to a beautifully balanced homemade Thai Spice Blend. Pro tip: Make the spice blend in bulk and have it on hand for nights when time is tight. One reviewer notes, “This is so easy and phenomenal. We improvised on the veggies and used soba noodles because we had them. Amazing. A new favorite staple.”
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Five-Ingredient Veggie Burger
These moist and tender black bean patties get an instant flavor boost from lime juice and chili powder while the stickiness of rolled oats makes the perfect binder. Notes a fan, “These burgers are a hit! The recipe is delicious and easy—a winning combination. I made the ‘burgers’ open-faced on toasted gluten-free bread with red leaf lettuce and topped them with guacamole.”
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Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Broccoli
In this guilt-free mac and cheese, butternut squash is blended with plant milk and a few savory flavorings to create a velvety smooth vegan cheese sauce. Broccoli florets added to the pasta pot during the last few minutes of cooking give extra body and an appealing color contrast. “Yummy comfort food,” shares one commenter. Another writes, “My kids and I love this.”
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Frozen Banana Treat with Chocolate (Better Than Ice Cream!)
Ann Crile Esselstyn puts the candy-like sweetness of ripe bananas to good use in these frozen rolled oat balls. A crunchy coating of the oil-free, minimally processed cereal Grape-Nuts makes them extra appealing. Pro tip: You could also roll them in shredded coconut or finely chopped nuts.
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Banana Teff Bread
Teff seeds have a pleasantly rich flavor that when ground into a flour for baking yield a light and spongy crumb. Ripe bananas lend sweetness and keep the loaf moist, while walnuts add nuttiness and raisins give it a fruity lift. One reviewer writes, “My favorite GF banana bread recipe.” Another says, “This is my new favorite bread. It stays moist and so tasty!”
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Lentil Vegetable Soup
Everyday veggies, brown lentils, and fire-roasted tomatoes are a winning combination in this simple, hearty, kid-friendly soup, which has been a fan-favorite for years. One reviewer shares, “A regular at our house!” Another writes, ”So delicious! My husband wants me to make this every week!”
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Just Bananas Muffins
These scrumptious bursting-with-banana muffins from Chef AJ are made with oat flour and come together in record time. To make these gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. Writes a reviewer, “I love these muffins! I make a double batch every week and experiment with adding different fruit and nuts. These are my go-to breakfast.”
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Carrot Dogs
It’s hard to imagine boiled carrots tasting like hot dogs, but thanks to a smoky, packed-with-flavor marinade, they do. Really! A consistent fan favorite, these genius vegan carrot dogs from Nancy Macklin are great on the barbecue or cooked inside anytime of the year. Notes a fan, “These are freakishly good!” Another writes, “Even my picky daughter thought these were fantastic. I will be making these for all my BBQ’s this summer.”
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“No-Tuna” Salad Sandwich
Readers love making large batches of this chickpea-based "tuna" sandwich filling and eating it throughout the week. With tasty ingredients like red onion, capers, pickles, and maple syrup, it's easy to see why this scrumptious sandwich has been a consistent fan favorite through the years. Notes a reviewer,"Quick and easy to make. Delicious and satisfying. My family loved it! This is quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes."
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Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
It really is hard to believe these crispy, golden cauliflower bites have no added fat or oil. Drizzle with a hot sauce or a smoky barbecue sauce, and watch them go! Notes a fan, "Can eat these little guys all day!"
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Perfect Vegan Carrot Cake
Traditional carrot cake is an oily affair, but not this one. Wonderfully moist, oil-free, and sweetened with dates, banana, and raisins, this is a great go-to cake for birthdays and special occasions. Serve with or without Vanilla Bean Frosting;it's great either way."One of the best WFPB cakes," shares one commenter.
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Chickpea Omelet
Chickpea flour is the star ingredient in this egg-free omelet. Serve with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, salsa, hot sauce, avocado, and other healthy plant-based toppings for a satisfying brunch or anytime meal. Writes one reviewer, "I have used this recipe for years ... and I have used many, many delicious variations with sautéed or raw vegetables. One of my favorites and one of the best FOK recipes."
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Creamy Celeriac Pasta Alfredo
Ready in 30 minutes, this supremely comforting pasta dish combines a creamy and flavorful celeriac-based sauce with fork-tender broccoli florets and whole grain penne for a dreamy marriage of texture and flavor. A fan writes,"Yummy dinner recipe that stores great for meal prep option! My daughter also loves this dish."
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Easy Thai Noodles
Fresh Thai flavors, soft rice noodles, frozen veggies, and crunchy mung bean sprouts come together in this restaurant-quality dish that's simple enough to make any day of the week."Bright and tasty," says a fan.
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2-Minute Oil-Free Balsamic Dressing
Using a handful of everyday ingredients, this yummy balsamic dressing is great for busy weeknights when you want to pep up a salad in a jiffy. One reviewer shares,"This is my go-to dressing. Great sauce for other bites too."
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Outrageously Healthy Black Bean Brownies
Sweetened with date syrup and packed with oats and black beans, these delectable brownies are healthy enough to eat every day. Pro tip: Date syrup freezes well; make plenty and you'll be able to whip up a batch of brownies in a flash. Writes one commenter, "These brownies are so good. This would be a good item to take to a potluck. No one would ever guess the base is black beans."
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Best-Ever Beefless Stew
Looking for vegan comfort food that will satiate the belly and soothe the soul? You have to try this hearty, savory stew from Cathy Fisher of StraightUpFood.com. Classic stew ingredients such as onion, carrots, celery, and garlic form the base of the broth, while tomato paste and fresh and dried herbs deepen the flavor. Portobello mushrooms soak it all up until they’re juicy and plump while potatoes and peas add extra heft. Reviewer Chris writes, “I make this meal nearly every second Friday. It is a major hit with all my family, especially my 3 and 5 year old grandsons. I put … a tablespoon or two of Balsamic vinegar towards the end of the cooking time… delicious.”
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Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Filled with a mash of sweet potato, salsa, rice, black beans, and fresh spinach, these dairy-free quesadillas are a family-friendly favorite that even your hard-core cheese-loving friends will admit are pretty amazing. A fan writes, "This did not disappoint! So delicious and flavorful. I added some smoked paprika, which is my go-to seasoning when I’m making tacos or fajitas, and I loved it!"
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The Best Oil-Free Hummus
Using cumin and Bragg Liquid Aminos to dial up the flavor, it's easy to see why this superlight hummus recipe earns a spot in our top 10. Pro tip: Create your own custom hummus with additions like olives, mint, and spinach. Writes a commenter, "My kiddos loved this hummus dip, which blew my mind! So good and an easy, quick dip."
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