15 Plant-Based Breakfast Ideas for Vegans and Carnivores Alike
Sure, breakfast is the most important meal of the day (it jump-starts your metabolism and fuels the body so the brain can focus), but it can also be the trickiest. Ideally, breakfast should be tasty, healthy and easy. However, deciding what to eat at the break of dawn can be, frankly, annoying. Enter these delicious, exciting plant-based breakfast dishes. Some are intended for grab-and-go dining, while others are best left for leisurely days off. Whether you’re a vegan or a meat lover, all of these recipes deliver bold flavors and will help start your day off right.
RELATED: 15 Vegan One-Pot Meals for Cozy Nights
1. Whole Wheat Vegan Morning Glory Muffins
While muffins typically require eggs, these treats use flax eggs made from flaxseed meal and water. They’re packed full of carrots, apples and nuts, and they’re bursting with flavors of vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Make a big batch and you’ve got 16 to 18 muffins! That’s enough for the whole family and then some. You can also freeze them and defrost one the night before.
2. CACAO NIB & POMEGRANATE OVERNIGHT OATS
Preparing an overnight oats recipe is like sending yourself flowers the mail: Put in a little work now and surprise yourself later with a truly magnificent treat. These overnight oats feature pomegranate (so be sure to make it in the fall when pomegranates are in season), oats (duh) and almond milk. Plus, we can’t forget the cacao nibs (chocolaty goodness with antioxidants and fiber).
3. Sweet Potato Toast
Toast that is gluten-free, Whole30-approved, vegan and—gasp!—tasty? You bet! Sweet potato toast serves as an excellent breakfast staple, especially because you can top it with things like nut butter, avocado, fruit and pretty much whatever floats your (sweet potato) boat. Not only can you bake these slices (in just ten minutes) and eat them right away, but they keep for three to five days in an airtight container for a full week of breakfasts.
4. Mango Avocado Smoothie with Watermelon
We’re big into smoothies because they are a great base for any supplements or additions you need or want to toss in. This smoothie calls for just four ingredients, all of which are jam-packed with nutrients our bodies need to fend off illness and dehydration. We’re talking hydrating watermelon, vitamin C–rich mango, fiber-dense bananas and the omega-3 fatty acid superstar avocado.
5. Green Machine Smoothie Bowl Recipe
Oh, you still chew your spinach? Join the club and start drinking your favorite super-green every morning (your skin, hair and bones will thank you). It’s made from spinach, banana, avocado and a couple other pantry staples, so we have a feeling you have everything to make this guy already.
6. Tofu Scramble Breakfast Tacos
News flash: Breakfast tacos do not require eggs. These plant-based breakfast tacos are made with high-protein tofu seasoned with cumin, chili powder, turmeric and garlic. Beyond that, it’s pretty much up to you what you want to garnish them with. This recipe recommends cilantro, avocado and jalapeño. We wouldn’t mind red peppers, mushrooms or black beans, either.
7. Almond Butter Chia Pudding
Chia seeds give any dish a healthy dose of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and protein, which means they are ideal additions to breakfast recipes. This one in particular puts chia seeds front and center, combining them with almond butter, almond milk (or really any nondairy milk of your choice) and maple syrup for added sweetness. The result is a creamy pudding worthy of your most important daily meal. Pro tip: Melt the almond butter before adding it to the mix; this helps distribute it more evenly.
8. Yogurt Parfait Breakfast Popsicles
Yogurt parfait on the go? Sure, if you have two free hands and want to spill yogurt all over yourself as you run for the train. Nah, we’ll go with these brilliant parfait pops. Darn Good Veggies offers a vegan Greek yogurt recipe to use for these guys, which we’re sure is as delish and dairy-free as it sounds. Plop it together with granola and berries and voilà! A yogurt parfait that won’t embarrass you first thing in the morning.
9. BLUEBERRY-TURMERIC BREAKFAST BOWL
Breakfast bowls are excellent for delivering nutrients to the body without sacrificing taste. Take this blueberry-turmeric bowl, for instance. In just a few minutes you’ve got turmeric (anti-inflammatory), ginger (detoxifying), spirulina (B12 and protein), blueberries (antioxidants), kale (vitamin K) and more waiting for you to dig in. Top it off with pear slices and pumpkin seeds for maximum impact.
10. Cocoa Peanut Butter Granola
Buying granola at the grocery store tends to be more trouble than it’s worth. Lots of granola is overstuffed with sugar and additives to provide taste, which ends up filling you with empty calories. No, thank you. Instead, make this homemade granola with delicious flavor built in, like creamy peanut butter and cocoa nibs. Just make sure you use vegan dark chocolate (as if we had to tell you).
11. Baked Apple Pie Chia Pudding
A different take on chia pudding, this version feels autumnal. Could be the apples and cinnamon, or the slick combination of raisins and maple syrup. Either way, you can make this on Sunday night and it’ll keep in the fridge for a few days, meaning you’ve just conquered breakfast for the week. Congrats. Take a bow.
12. Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites
These energy bites can be ready in 15 minutes and then eaten in two seconds. All it takes is mixing up pumpkin puree, oats, pepitas, raisins, chia seeds, nut butter and maple syrup in a giant bowl and then rolling it into little balls. The recipe does suggest tossing them into the refrigerator for a bit to keep them spherical and prevent them from falling apart, but if you can’t wait to chow down, we say go for it.
13. Strawberry Peanut Butter Baked Oats
This is basically adult peanut butter and jelly—in travel size. In one compact muffin, you’ve got flax, oats, chia seeds, crushed peanuts, coconut, peanut butter and strawberry jam. The recipe does call for milk, but we’re thinking coconut milk might make a great substitution. Again, this is a new take on an old favorite, which we love.
14. Raspberry Lemon Spelt Scones
Scones and tea make a perfect pair—as do raspberries and lemons. These scones are made with frozen berries because they don’t fall apart as easily as fresh berries during baking. Side note: This recipe calls for spelt flour, a wheat flour with more protein and fiber than white flour. It also contains coconut oil and coconut palm sugar, which makes for a creamy flavor. Scones always taste best fresh and don’t really hold up well as leftovers, so plan accordingly.
15. Vegan Gluten-Free BLT Avocado Toast
Liquid smoke, paprika and maple syrup are key to making the tempeh in this recipe flavorful. Layer the tempeh bacon on a slice of bread topped with avocado, tomato and lettuce. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper, and you’ve got yourself a savory breakfast full of protein (tempeh), lycopene (tomato) and omega-3s (avocado).
