The 38 Best Vegan Recipes To Make In The Summer
Ah, it's summer — and we're right in the thick of it. It's incredibly hot all over the northern hemisphere right now, so I know you don't want to spend hours in your hot kitchen, sweating over a hot meal.
The following recipes are some of my summertime favorites. They include some meals that are quick and easy to make, some that are cooler in temperature, and some made using vegetables grown in-season. I hope you can find something tasty you end up cooking below!
1.Vegan Gyros
This meat-free recipe is a vegan take on the traditional gyro: It uses mushrooms as the base of the meat and has a tasty vegan tzatziki sauce to go alongside it. If you've never tried making these before, why not give it a go?
2.Black Bean Taquitos with Avocado Dip
These delicious taquito appetizers (or snacks) not only are aesthetically pleasing but also pack a really big flavor punch. You can modify this recipe to make as many taquitos as you need, so you can use it for a meal or as a passed appetizer— depending on your situation.
3.Grilled Avocado Sandwiches
Kick your average, everyday lunch sandwiches up a notch with this recipe for an avocado sammy made with coconut bacon.
4.Vegan Summer Rolls
This recipe for summer rolls is not only ridiculously pretty to look at but gluten-free, too. Get your rice paper, and fill them up with whatever fillings you like best.
5.Tempeh Ribs
You knew this roundup was going to have some sort of ribs, right? Make your own veganized edition by following this recipe, which uses tempeh.
6.Vegan Loaded BBQ Dogs
Looking for the perfect summer meal that'll please anyone at any age? Yeah, I'm talking about hot dogs. This recipe for a loaded version uses baked beans, cabbage, fried onions, and scallions for a picture-perfect day that'll remind you of the ball park. Oh, and this recipe also soy and nut free.
7.Watermelon Slushie
If you're looking for something new to do with watermelon, why not make a slushie? This recipe will teach you how — and gives bonus points for presentation by putting the slush back into the watermelon for serving.
8.Grilled Tuscan Bread Salad
Who said bread and salad don't go well together? Find out exactly how well for yourself with this recipe here.
9.Grilled Tofu with Mango Salsa
Flavors of cumin, mango, soy sauce, and lime juice mix together in a delectable and savory tofu when cooked on the grill.
10.Blackened King Oyster Mushroom Scallops and Grits with Greens
What a spread! You'll sauté oyster mushrooms chopped to look like scallops in this recipe that's part savory, part seafood-y.
11.Caesar Pasta Salad
This recipe for Caesar pasta salad is the best of both worlds: part pasta salad goodness, and part tangy salad. It's the perfect lunch or dinner all season long!
12.Grilled Vegetable Salad with Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing
Oh yes, this salad recipe combines the goodness of the season's vegetables with a cool bed of greens — aka the perfect summer dish.
13.Vegan Banh Mi with Lemongrass Meatballs
Has a sandwich ever looked so good?? Make it on your own with this recipe that uses eggplant and lemongrass to make perfectly bite-sized meatballs.
14.Carrot Noodles with Ginger-Lime Peanut Sauce
Spiralize carrots to make raw carrot pasta with ginger-lime peanut sauce if you're craving lo mein but can't even think of ordering Chinese food without sweating. The peanut butter and roasted cashews will make this sweet 'n' spicy recipe as filling as it is refreshing.
15.BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
For some reason, nothing reminds me of outdoor summer activities more than a messy sandwich. Learn how to make jackfruit into a "pulled pork"-like meat by following this recipe for BBQ sandwiches.
16.Rainbow Power Greens Salad with Black-Eyed Peas
Take advantage of the late-summer staple of black-eyed peas with this recipe for power greens.
17.Coconut Lime Popsicles
You can make these deliciously tangy ice pops with only five ingredients by following this recipe.
18.Vegan Dumpling Bowls with Quick Pickled Radishes and Almond Miso Sauce
Shredded cabbage, broccoli slaw, and pickled radishes are just some of the A+ toppings of this dumpling bowl recipe, which is then topped off with an almond miso sauce! Sign me up.
19.Vegan Calabacitas
This Mexican-inspired dish makes perfect use of all the summer corn, tomatoes, and zucchini that are plentiful this time of year.
20.Spicy White Bean and Sweet Corn Gazpacho
Blend up a spicy white bean & sweet corn gazpacho for an alternative take on the traditionally refreshing soup. If elote was a soup, I imagine this is what it would taste like.
21.Summer Garden Pasta
This recipe for garden pasta could also be called "Use-the-Summer-Veggies-You-Have-on-Hand Pasta." So you can grab from the fridge or, if you're lucky enough to have a bountiful garden outside, go ahead and pick what you need for this recipe.
22.Grilled Veggies
Quite possibly the best (and easiest) summer recipe on this list is this one for grilled vegetables. Doesn't matter what kind you use — almost any vegetable will taste better grilled!
23.Vegan French Bread Pizza
In a rush? Grab a loaf of French bread, and load it with tomato sauce, vegan cheese, and any toppings you like to make this pizza recipe. Bonus points for cooking this one on the grill!
24.Rainbow Taco Boats
Mix up a tahini sauce to pour over these rainbow raw-maine taco boats if you're sick of salad but still want fresh veggies. Creamy avocado and hummus with crunchy lettuce and carrots makes for the perfect summer snack.
25.Vegan Tuna Salad
Hearts of palm and chickpeas are the main ingredients in this super-versatile "tuna" salad recipe. Spread it on sandwiches, over greens, or on an open-faced 'wich.
26.Vegan Turmeric Pineapple Tofu Kebabs
What's better to grill in the summer than skewers? If you're looking for kebabs with a spice to them, try this recipe, which uses turmeric to play up the flavors of pineapple and tofu for a golden rod of goodness.
27.Southwest Vegan Pasta Salad
Serve this southwest vegan pasta chilled if you're braving the heat for a picnic in the park. The creamy chipotle dressing over all of those fresh vegetables and pasta will even keep the carnivores happy.
28.The Best Chickpea Veggie Burgers
This recipe for a chickpea-based veggie burger packs a lot of vegetables inside (cauliflower, carrots, onion, garlic) and uses rolled oats to keep it thick and hearty.
29.Classic American Potato Salad
With cookouts and barbecues almost always comes potato salad. Learn how to make the vegan version with this recipe. (Hint: It involves vegan mayo.)
30.Zoodle Salad with Italian Dressing
Break out your spiralizer (or, perhaps more realistically, bring home a box of precut zucchini noodles from the store), and try this recipe for a light, salad-like meal.
31.Vegan Pasta Primavera
The beauty of this recipe — like so many others on this list — is that you can sub in any herbs and vegetables that you have nearby. Any of them will taste magnificent against the creamy lemon garlic sauce that goes with the dish.
32.Black Bean and Corn Salad
Chop up a few veggies to make a black bean succotash that's so much better than a salad. With corn, red onion, bell pepper, parsley, and red wine vinegar, this flavorful succotash is a great recipe for a super simple Sunday meal prep.
33.Vegan Yellow Squash and Corn Casserole
One of my all-time favorite summer vegetables is the yellow summer squash. It's versatile and can be added to most recipes, but really shines in a casserole like the one in this recipe. (However, if you find it hard to come by, regular ol' zucchini can be swapped in instead!)
34.Peanut Butter Pudding Pops
These peanut buttery pops are covered with chocolate topping and come together quite simply with only five ingredients.
35.Mango Salsa with Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette
Pair this mango salsa with lemon-lime vinaigrette with chips for a snack, or eat it straight out of the bowl. No doubt you'll be nomming on this mango salsa every day for the rest of the summer.
36.Deviled Potatoes
This recipe for veganized deviled potatoes is tasty and easy to boot! Cut the small potatoes in half, and fill them with the insides outlined in this recipe, and soon enough, you'll have a delicious appetizer that you can cook in the oven or outside in the grill.
37.Vegan Stuffed Peppers
You can make an entire week's worth of vegan stuffed peppers in the slow cooker once — so you don't have to turn on the oven! And in case you were wondering, stuffed peppers taste just as great cold as they do when they're fresh, but you can easily reheat these in the oven or microwave.
38.Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme
Alright, I'll be honest: This recipe for a veganized version of Taco Bell's Crunchwrap is perfect for any season, not just summertime.
