The 3 Vegan Recipes Your Friends Will Love

Whether you're vegan or not, eating vegan is always a great idea. While often thought of as just salads and tofu, easy vegan recipes can be delicious. It's also a great way to protect the environment, and choosing vegan options when possible is always a good thing.

Eating primarily plant-based foods keeps your body running on its A-game. And being good to yourself with healthy choices means you'll have more energy for the things you love to do! In this article, we'll show you three delicious recipes that are sure to become favorite staples of your weeknight dinners.

Tofu Taco

Vegan Taco Bowls

This one is easy and simple. You can make a big batch of the taco "meat" and use it for tacos, nachos, burrito bowls, or just eat it by itself with tortilla chips. The meat is made with walnuts, which makes it super filling!

This recipe is a delicious way to help you get your veggies in. If you’re new to making vegan meals, these vegan taco bowls are a great place to start.

The secret to making this taco bowl a hit with your non-vegan friends is simple: make the dish so delicious that they won't even think about missing the meat. You can do this by adding in a few strategically chosen ingredients, like quinoa over rice to lend it some extra body, vegan cheese and sour cream instead of the dairy versions, and keep all of your favorite toppings like black beans, corn, tomatoes and avocado.

Also, this recipe makes it extremely easy for you to get creative with what you add in or substitute for flavor purposes. If you like things spicy, try some red peppers or jalapeños; if you prefer a bit of zestiness for contrast against the richness of the cheese and sour cream then go with something richer like sun dried tomatoes. The real key though is using your favorite spices to bring out those flavors!

Black Bean Quinoa Cakes

Quinoa is an amazing food. It's a complete protein, and it's gluten-free too. In addition to being a good source of fiber, quinoa is also rich in iron, magnesium, and manganese.

Black Bean Quinoa Cakes are an easy way to add quinoa into your diet. They're slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside—they taste kind of like falafel balls but with a different texture that makes them even more interesting to eat. The cakes hold together well when pan-fried or baked, so you can make a large batch ahead of time and reheat as needed throughout the week.

These delectable cakes, which are great as appetizers or even side dishes, are packed with protein and fiber. The black beans and quinoa are mixed together with a variety of spices, then pan-fried until crisp on the outside and warm on the inside. In addition to being vegan, this dish is also gluten-free.

Zucchini Garlic Soup

This soup is a classic. It's so delicious, in fact, that your friends will be hard pressed to remember that there isn't chicken stock in it. The thing about this soup is the way its flavors are elevated by the seasonal vegetables you use to make it. So it's nice going to your local farmer's market for this dish so you can take advantage of all kinds of fresh produce.

The traditional preparation of this dish involves slow cooking the vegetables with garlic and onion, pureeing them and then serving with a dollop of sour cream and fresh bread. As an added bonus, if you have any leftover veggies lying around—maybe some wilting chard or an old sweet potato—you can sauté them in a pan and serve them on top as garnish. A true homemade meal!

You can try this dish aboard a vegan culinary cruise or cook it by yourself at home.