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    25 Easy Weeknight Gluten-Free and Vegan Dinners

    Sep 19, 2019 · 2 Comments

    VGGFE

    These are some of my favorite gluten-free and vegan dinners of all time! They're all super tasty and easy to get on the table. When everyone is asking what's for dinner and time is short, I have 5 types of simple recipes I turn to:

    1. One-pot meals

    2. Salads and bowls

    3. Pasta recipes

    4. Soups & stews

    5. Plant-based powerhouses

    All these dinner recipes are full of flavor and made for the whole family to enjoy.  Get your meal planners ready - here are 25 of my go-to delicious gluten-free and vegan dinner recipes for this time of the year!

    25 Easy Weeknight Gluten-free and Vegan Dinners

    One-Pot Meals 

    What's easier than one-pot meals? They're usually super quick to make, and with only one pot to clean up afterwards, they don't make a complete mess of your kitchen! These are some of my favorite one-pot gluten-free and vegan dinners specifically for weeknights because they are so simple to make while being full of flavor and nutrition too!

    1. Quick & Easy One-Pot Curried Quinoa & Chickpeas

    This is the perfect recipe for when you need a fast nutritious meal.  It comes together in less than 10 minutes, is colorful and is full of flavor!

    curried quinoa and chickpeas recipe

    Get the recipe

    2. One-Pan Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans

    This one-pan vegan meal is quick to pull together, uses mostly pantry ingredients and keeps clean-up a total breeze.  It is loaded with Mexican flavor from the jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and red onion.

    one pan Mexican beans and quinoa

    Get the recipe

    3. One-Skillet Baked Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage

    This one-skillet dish is perfect for an easy and comforting weeknight meal.  It is light and cozy all at once. This pasta dish is vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and nut-free.

    One-Skillet Baked Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage

    Get the recipe

    4. One-Pot Sweet & Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad

    This sweet and savory salad is ready in just 25 minutes and makes enough for leftovers.  This is an excellent meal prep recipe since the salad stores well and can be enjoyed either cold or hot.

    One-Pot Curried Quinoa

    Get the recipe

    5. Vegan Greek Sheet Pan Dinner

    Get ready for the easiest and most flavorful weeknight dinner EVER! This Vegan Greek Sheetpan Dinner is loaded with sweet potatoes, Kalamata olives, chickpeas, and bold flavors and spices. It’s an incredible warm winter menu addition!

    Greek Sheetpan Dinner with Hummus

    Salads and Bowls

    These aren't your usual salads. They are far from plain, boring and unsatisfying. In fact, they might be some of the best salads you have ever eaten! Full of flavor, powerful plant-based ingredients and quick to make too - what could be better for a weeknight dinner?

    6. Avocado Kale Salad with Cashew Ranch Dressing and Crispy Chickpea Croutons

    This entirely plant-based recipe makes for a stunning and filling entree salad.  It is savory, satisfying and easy to pull together.  I kept the process simple and streamlined.

    Avocado Kale Salad with Cashew Ranch Dressing and Crispy Chickpea Croutons

    Get the recipe

    7. Plant Powered Fall Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Apples and Figs

    This hearty fall salad recipe is nourishing and is sure to make you feel balanced this time of year when pumpkin spice temptation and treats are everywhere.  This salad is vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free and gluten-free.

    Plant Powered Fall Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Apples and Figs

    Get the recipe

    8. The BIG Vegan Greek Salad

    It has all the classic Greek salad ingredients (cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onions, red bell peppers and Kalamata olives) plus sautéed chickpeas.  It is topped with a generous drizzle of a lemony, creamy dressing that ties this Mediterranean salad together perfectly.

    The BIG Vegan Greek Salad

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    9. Roasted Veggies & Crispy Chickpeas over Quinoa with Garlic Maple Tahini Drizzle

    This is one of my go-to recipes that can be 100% made ahead of time and enjoyed for dinner with enough leftovers for lunch.  It is that perfect make-you-feel-light-and-yet-full meal.

    Roasted Veggies & Crispy Chickpeas over Quinoa with Garlic Maple Tahini Drizzle

    Get the recipe

    10. Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls

    These bowls are great for a packable lunch or simple weeknight dinner.  If you are planning to meal prep more, these bowls would be a great recipe to add to your weekly rotation.

    Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls

    Get the recipe

    Pasta Recipes

    There's a reason there are so many pasta vegan dinner ideas listed here. Pasta is one of the easiest meals to make on weeknights and I'm sure it's a staple in many homes. Work these hearty, protein-packed pasta dinner recipes into your weekly dinner rotation and I'm sure the whole family will be begging for them to be a regular feature!

    11. Chunky Tomato Basil Spaghetti

    Everyone needs a killer pasta recipe in their back pocket.  This one is mine and it is a total classic.  It is always a hit and always surprises people when they find out how simple and quick it is to make this homemade sauce.

    Chunky Tomato Basil Spaghetti

    Get the recipe

    12. Chickpea Bolognese Pasta

    This recipe has all the authentic flavors of a classic bolognese sauce but is made vegan with chickpeas instead of ground meat.

    Chickpea Bolognese Pasta

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    13. Instant Pot Chickpea Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash

    On busy weeknights, this plant-based meal is ready fast.  I am much more likely to make spaghetti squash cooked in the pressure cooker instead of the oven where it takes 45 minutes.  With the pressure cooker it cooks perfectly in just 7 minutes.

    Instant Pot Chickpea Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash

    Get the recipe

    14. Pasta Fresca

    This light and easy recipe is my husband’s all-time favorite pasta dish. This light pasta fresca sauce is made with just olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white wine, fresh parsley and salt.

    Pasta Fresca

    Get the recipe

    15. Spicy Red Lentil Veggie Pasta

    There is not a drop of dairy in this dish and I promise you that with all that is going on with this spicy red sauce, you will not miss it in the least.  This dish is already bursting with so much flavor.

    Spicy Red Lentil Veggie Pasta

    Get the recipe

    16. Parsley-Pea Pesto Pasta

    This is the most flavorful, yummy, sweet, fresh, garlicky pesto sauce ever.  Just five ingredients (plus salt and pepper) make this so easy peasy (pun intended).  Go ahead and get your greens on!

    Parsley-Pea Pesto Pasta

    Get the recipe

    17. Noodles & Company Copycat Indonesian No-Nut Saute

    This is one of my favorite vegan dinners! It is warming, filling and full of incredible flavor.  It sure does beat a regular jarred tomato sauce pasta night!

    Noodles Indonesian Saute

    Get the recipe

    Soups & Stews

    Soups are great to meal prep as they can easily be stored in the refrigerator or frozen. A soup that is hearty and full of goodness is the perfect one-pot dinner for the family on a colder day.

    18. Three-Bean Chili

    Chili is the perfect meal in a bowl this time of year.  I love to make it on Sundays and enjoy as leftovers throughout the early part of the week.

    Three-Bean Chili 

    Get the recipe

    19. Spicy Red Lentil Veggie Stew with Crispy Chickpea Croutons

    The beautiful thing about this recipe is it only requires that you chop up four things: the onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno (if using) and sweet potato.  Everything else you just throw in the pot and let stew.

    Spicy Red Lentil Veggie Stew with Crispy Chickpea Croutons

    Get the recipe

    20. Moroccan Tomato & Chickpea Soup

    This soup will feel so good going down your throat.  The base is simple: white onion, carrots and celery.  Then I added fresh garlic and fresh ginger.  You all are going to love this one!

    Moroccan Tomato & Chickpea Soup

    Get the recipe

    21. Split Pea & Red Lentil Creamy Vegetable Turmeric Soup

    This soup is like a big, warm healing hug for your entire body.  It is full of good-for-you colorful ingredients.

    Split Pea & Red Lentil Creamy Vegetable Turmeric Soup

    Get the recipe

    Plant-based Powerhouse Meals

    These meals are completely packed with plants! These recipes are family friendly and perfect for any weekday dinner. With a variety of fresh, healthy vegetables (and some fruits!) these dishes are so good for you. Ready in a flash, they are some of the best easy dinner recipes to make for weeknights.

    22. Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

    The ingredients are simple and nutritious.  The process to make them is easy.  The result is full of flavor and the perfect crispy-on-the-outside, firm-yet-tender-on-the-inside texture that you want in a veggie burger.

    Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

    Get the recipe

    23. Turmeric Spiced Millet Veggie Burgers

    These veggie burgers are perfectly moist, have great texture and flavor and are also pretty to look at.  They are egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free, corn-free, coconut-free, soy-free and refined sugar-free.

    Turmeric Spiced Millet Veggie Burgers

    Get the recipe

    24. Chickpea Flour Pizza with Pesto and Roasted Beet Noodles

    When I discovered you can literally make a light, soft, chewy and flavorful pizza crust out of just chickpea flour and water, I was skeptical.  I thought, this seems too healthy, too easy and too right for me.  Well, I was right!  It was all those things and more!  This chickpea flour pizza tastes incredible and actually doesn’t require much effort at all.  Before you know it, you will be shouting “pizza night!”

    Chickpea Flour Pizza with Pesto and Roasted Beet Noodles

    Get the recipe

    25. Roasted Beet Noodles Over Quinoa with Parsley Pesto

    Sweet and savory roasted beet noodles served with garlicky, herby pesto over fluffy quinoa is completely addictive.  Roasted beet noodles are like candy to me.  With just a little olive oil, salt and pepper, the oven magically transforms them into soft, delicious noodles.

    Roasted Beet Noodles Over Quinoa with Parsley Pesto

    Get the recipe

    That's it! 25 easy weeknight dinners that are allergy-friendly, delicious and so quick to make too! If you try any of these easy weeknight gluten-free and vegan dinners, please let me know in the comments below. I would love hearing from you. 

    When you try any of these recipe, use the hashtag #eatingbyelaine on INSTAGRAM for a chance to be featured in my stories!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristi says

      September 24, 2022 at 11:16 pm

      My daughter had a recommendation to carb load before competitions. I think these recipes would be great for that and would also fill my need for more fiber and veggies in my diet. Although I am not vegan, I require a LOT of veggies to feel well, and we live in a food desert for most of the year. We are going to try your ideas.
      Thank you for putting together these resources.

      Reply
      • Elaine Gordon says

        September 26, 2022 at 2:52 pm

        Thank you so much, Kristi! I'm happy to hear this is helpful to you all! I hope you enjoy the recipes. Best, Elaine

        Reply

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