18 Easy Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners Everyone Will Love
If you’ve been around the blog, you know my family practices a vegan diet. We do this for a variety of reasons, including the fact that both my son and I have autoimmune diseases. With so many environmental triggers out there, food is something I can control to avoid those life-disrupting flare-ups.
Many people assume that a vegan diet is especially limiting for kids. I’m here to tell you that it’s anything but. In fact, I’m all about letting my kids try as many foods as possible. It helps them discover their likes and dislikes and (hopefully) reduces pickiness in the future.
There’s no reason that kids can’t eat the same things as adults, including vegan food. Vegan dinners are delicious and loaded with nutrients that kids need. I’m sharing a round-up of tasty vegan dinner recipes that suit any child’s taste preference.
18 Easy Kid-Friendly Vegan Dinners
Below, you’ll find some of my favorite dinner options. For more vegan meal inspiration, you can check out more breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes by following the links!
Quick Vegan Dinners
Quick Kid-Friendly Mini Vegan Pizzas
Pizza night is a big deal in my house! What better way to enjoy it than with a kid-friendly, vegan version that any kid can get excited about?
I especially love this recipe from She Knows, because she uses sandwich thins as the mini pizza crusts. It’s a simple hack that makes this meal quick and easy. Plus, you can use whatever toppings you want to create a meal your kids will devour.
Vegan Pasta With White Sauce & Veggies
It’s hard to imagine putting together a healthy pasta dish with a homemade white sauce, in under 30 minutes. But with this recipe from Nutritiously, you can do just that!
What I especially love about this recipe is that you can use whatever pasta and vegetables you want. Plus, since it’s packed with vegetables, it’s also loaded with important nutrients that your growing kid needs.
Vegan Sloppy Joes
If you’re looking for hearty, kid-friendly vegan recipes, this recipe for Vegan Sloppy Joes from Minimalist Baker is a winner. Kids truly enjoy these sloppy joes, and parents love that they come together in 30 minutes or less. Plus, each sandwich is packed full of fiber and protein.
Pasta In Coconut Milk Sauce
Pasta in Coconut Milk Sauce requires only a few ingredients and comes together quickly, while still providing your family with important nutrients and tons of flavor. Plus, there’s a good chance you already have what you need sitting in your kitchen.
Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets
Kids and nuggets go together like peas in a pod. This recipe for Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets from Hummusapien is a great way to serve comfort food that you don’t have to feel guilty about. While you’re not likely to fool your kids into thinking that these protein-packed tofu nuggets with a crispy, crunchy exterior are actually chicken, they’re sure to be happy nonetheless!
High-Protein Vegan Dinners
Chickpea Tacos
Tacos are always a hit in my house. Hummusapian wowed me again with this recipe for Chickpea Tacos. The “meaty” filling is entirely vegan, thanks to mushrooms, chickpeas, walnuts, and taco seasoning. It both looks and tastes like real taco meat!
You don’t even have to be vegan to enjoy these hearty and delicious tacos.
Mexican Black Bean Hand Pies
This recipe from Quite Good Food offers a protein-packed, vegan twist on Mexican food. From the flaky pastry to the comforting black bean and corn filling, this is one recipe that your kids will beg you to make time and time again.
I recommend serving these hand pies with a salad for a light and balanced meal.
High-Protein Vegan Filo Lasagna
Lasagna is a great kid-friendly dinner idea that little ones can’t seem to get enough of. With this recipe for High-Protein Vegan Filo Lasagna from Holy Cow Vegan, you can create a unique, tasty, plant-based version of the popular dish. I love her idea to use filo dough instead of noodles!
Spanish Rice & Beans
For another high-protein, kid-friendly vegan dinner, try this recipe for Spanish Rice and Beans from Where Is My Spoon. Rice and beans are a nutritious combo that provides an abundance of essential amino acids in addition to valuable plant-based protein.
What I especially like about this recipe is how easy it is to incorporate different ingredients to make a meal that both kids and adults will love. Plus, you can make a big batch of it and then enjoy the leftovers throughout the week.
Simple Vegan Dinners
Vegan Mac & Cheese With Broccoli
Since mac and cheese is always a hit with kids, this fabulous recipe from Nutritiously is perfect for picky eaters. Mac and cheese is one of the easiest pasta dishes to put together, even when it’s a healthy vegan version of the popular classic dish.
This whole-food, plant-based recipe is super simple, which makes it a great kid-approved meal for busy weeknights. This recipe calls for broccoli, but you can easily swap it for any vegetable that your kid loves.
Vegan Spaghetti & Meatballs
We can’t talk about kid-friendly meals without including a classic: spaghetti and meatballs! It’s surprisingly easy to make this comfort food vegan-friendly. You can make homemade vegan meatballs and spaghetti sauce or, to make things even simpler, use frozen plant-based meatballs and either jarred pasta sauce or my favorite Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of uncooked spaghetti pasta
- 2 jars pasta sauce (48-50 ounces total)
- 20 to 24 meatballs
- Vegan parmesan cheese – for topping
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook the meatballs according to package instructions
- Step 2: Cook spaghetti according to package instructions in well-salted water
- Step 3: Coat the meatballs in the pasta sauce until heated through
- Step 4: Toss the spaghetti with the meatballs and sauce
- Step 5: Top with vegan parmesan cheese
Homemade Spaghetti O’s
Did you grow up eating Spaghetti O’s from a can? If the name alone brings back memories of comforting family dinners, I encourage you to give this healthier version of the popular, kid-friendly meal a try.
This recipe for Homemade Spaghetti O’s, cour
tesy of Strength and Sunshine, is allergy-free, gluten-free, and vegan. It’s perfect for a simple lunch or dinner that kids will love, and moms will be thrilled to make.
Vegan Waffles
Breakfast for dinner? Yes, please! This vegan breakfast staple works just as well as a nutritious dinner. These waffles, inspired by The Simple Veganista, require just six ingredients. You can top them with syrup or make them even healthier by adding peanut butter or fresh berries. Here’s how to make this tasty kid-friendly breakfast for dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ¾ cups unsweetened vanilla dairy-free milk
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Step 1: Prep
Preheat your waffle maker. Also, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F to keep the waffles warm.
Step 2: Mix Waffle Batter
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and non-dairy milk. Mix until almost all of the flour lumps are gone.
Step 3: Cook
Spray the waffle iron with cooking oil. Scoop up the batter and pour into the center of your waffle iron. Close and cook until the waffles reach your desired consistency.
Step 4: Remove And Keep Warm
Carefully remove the waffles from the waffle iron with the tip of a fork, then place them on a wire rack in the oven to warm until the rest of the waffles are made.
Step 5: Serve
Serve the waffles with toppings of your choice.
Vegan Broccoli And Cheese Soup
If broccoli and cheese soup is one of your go-to soups, I urge you to try this vegan recipe from Stacey Homemaker. It’s made entirely from plant-based ingredients, yet it has the same creamy texture and cheesy flavor as the original version. Even better? It’s ready in less than an hour, and you can make it in the slow cooker.
Roasted Vegetable Dinners
Vegan Mashed Potato Volcanoes
Looking for a way to entertain your kids at dinner time and get them to eat their veggies? Fair warning: once you introduce your kids to Vegan Mashed Potato Volcanoes, they’re going to ask for it time and time again.
This is, without a doubt, one of the most fun vegan recipes for kids that I’ve ever come across. It’s fantastic for getting your kids to eat two or three vegetables in one sitting, without even realizing it!
One-Pot Vegan Tater Tot Casserole
This recipe isn’t quite as entertaining as mashed potato volcanoes, but One-Pot Vegan Tater Tot Casserole from Holy Cow Vegan is another delicious way to get your kids to eat a load of roasted vegetables.
The hearty filling is hidden underneath a layer of crispy tater tots. What kid doesn’t love tater tots? You’re going to want to give this recipe a try!
Cold Vegan Dinners
Zesty Gluten Free Pasta Salad
When the temperature outside is soaring, I like to combine two of my favorite foods to create one of my favorite cold plant-based recipes: pasta salad. With the right ingredients, a refreshing cold pasta salad is a hearty and nutritious meal that both kids and adults can enjoy.
My Zesty Gluten Free Pasta Salad is my go-to dish for a quick dinner as well as a side dish for potlucks and a delicious meal for picnics and beach days. You can follow my recipe, which calls for zucchini, corn, broccoli, olives, beans, and other light ingredients, or you can swap them for some of your personal favorites like bell peppers and cauliflower.
Authentic Spanish Gazpacho
It’s hard to beat a cold and refreshing bowl of authentic Spanish Gazpacho in the summer. This recipe from May I Have That Recipe shows you how to make it, just like they do in the Spanish region of Andalucia.
When your kids finally come in after running around in the summer heat, serve them a bowl of this delicious Gazpacho. Chances are, they won’t even realize they’re eating a bowl full of fresh veggies. Don’t forget to add some homemade croutons for a delightful crunch!
What’s your favorite kid-friendly vegan dinner?
I would love to hear about your favorite vegan dishes that you make for your kiddos. Did one of the recipes above stand out to you? Or, maybe you have a favorite dish that I didn’t include. Tell me all about it in the comments!
For more delicious vegan recipes, check out my post on Vegan Snacks for Kids! Then, head over to the blog to read even more about my life as a single mom, vegan, and wellness warrior!
