Cheap Vegan Meals You’ll LOVE!

Need some cheap vegan meals that will help keep your wallet full and tastebuds happy? I’ve got you covered with this selection of budget friendly recipes you’ll love! 

Are you struggling to put cheap vegan meals on the table, or worried that if you start eating a plant-based diet it will become too expensive?

Feeding a family on a tight budget isn’t easy no matter which dietary preferences you have, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that common vegan staples like beans, legumes, grains, potatoes, pasta, rice, oats, flour, seasonal fruits and vegetables are some of the most budget friendly foods available at the grocery store.

Stretching your dollars becomes a lot easier when you build your meals around these budget-friendly and healthy ingredients.

I definitely spend way less on groceries every month now that I am vegan and you can too with these amazing but cheap vegan meals for dinnertime inspiration.

Here are some tips for saving money on your groceries:

• shop seasonally
• meal plan and make a list so you don’t buy more food than you actually need
• buy foods that last a long time (like pasta, dried beans etc) in bulk
• frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh and tend to be cheaper, so incorporate them into your meals more
• buy dried beans and cook them yourself rather than buying canned beans
• bake your own treats instead of buying them ready made. 
• don’t shop when you are hungry
• batch cook things like soups, stews and chili and freeze leftovers for another day or have them for lunch
• buy less packaged convenience foods
• check grocery store flyers, ads and online to see what’s on sale and where before you go shopping 
• check the marked down/reduced items in the produce department. Slightly past their best vegetables are still great for stews and soups and overripe bananas are perfect for freezing to make some Healthy Banana Bread or Easy Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream Bars. Other overripe fruits are great for making smoothies, adding to cakes, muffins, crisps and crumbles. 

Enter: This post. It contains my favourite cheap vegan meals that also happen to be satisfying and super delicious. Because a good vegan meal doesn’t have to break the bank.

LENTIL SHEPHERD’S PIE

Lentils do a fantastic job of replacing meat in this vegan Shepherd’s Pie recipe, making it a really budget friendly recipe. It also happens to be super delicious, healthy and very filling.

CHERRY TOMATO SAUCE

With a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes and some basic store-cupboard ingredients you can be tucking into this fantastic cherry tomato sauce. Toss it through some pasta or spaghetti and dinner is done.

VEGAN POTATO SOUP

This soup is a ridiculously cheap vegan meal. It’s also easy to make and is so thick, creamy and comforting. Make it a bit more special by adding some toppings like crispy roasted potato cubes, shredded vegan cheese or green onions.

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

One for the mashed potato lovers! We’re talking fluffy mashed potato mixed with vegetables and baked until crispy and golden. You can use leftover vegetables or cook them fresh, and just about anything goes, although it’s particularly good with green vegetables like cabbage and brussels sprouts. I like serving this with a side of baked beans.

OVEN BAKED GARLIC MUSHROOM RICE

A simple, no-frills, cheap vegan one-pot meal that is really easy to throw together with minimal prep.

SLOW COOKER BLACK BEANS

Beans are so budget friendly and really nutritious. These black beans are great served over rice, but are also great in burritos, tacos, grain bowls, quesadillas and they can also be blended up with some stock to make a tasty soup. If you don’t have a slow cooker, stove top instructions are included and I also have an Instant Pot version here, and a Meal Prep version here.

EASY VEGAN MUSHROOM PIE

Crazy easy individual pies involving whole portobello mushrooms topped with caramelized onions and a really basic homemade pastry. These are so good!

VEGAN PEA SOUP

Soup made with a bag of frozen green peas and not too much else. It’s quick, easy and such a cheap vegan meal! Use some stale bread to make croutons. Just cube it, toss with a bit of oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, spread out on a baking tray then bake them on 350°F for 10 minutes, toss then bake again for another 5 to 10 minutes or until golden and crispy. The croutons keep for weeks in a sealed container and are great for sprinkling on salads too.

EASY VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE

You can blend this tofu-based vegan cheese sauce up in minutes. Stir it through freshly cooked pasta for a very inexpensive and quick meal.

CHILI SOUP

All the flavours of chili in an easy and budget friendly soup. Eat as it is or top with vegan cheese, avocado and sliced jalapeños.

GREEN BEAN POTATO CURRY

Just 8 ingredients and no fancy spices. This curry is really simple and budget friendly.

VEGAN SHAKSHUKA

Typically a brunch dish, but Shakshuka also makes a hearty dinner with lots of bread to sop up that spicy sauce!

TOMATO PASTA BAKE

Really hearty, filling and cheap and a fantastic way to use up stale bread. This one is really popular with kids! 

ONE-POT SPICY VEGETABLE RICE

A really tasty one-pot dinner that is ready in 30 minutes. It’s full of sweet vegetables and spices and is amazing with a drizzle of hot sauce! It makes a lot and reheats really well too. 

I hope this post full of cheap vegan meals helps you to put a comforting, filling and super delicious dinner that you actually really love on the table for your family with as little stress as possible. Remember, you got this!