32 Vegan Lunches You Can Take to Work
Whether you follow the "vegan before 6 p.m." routine, you're taking a Beyoncé-like vegan challenge, or you're animal-free through and through, it seems like more and more of us have tried a vegan diet. While going vegan may take a bit more thought and effort than an unrestricted diet, with a little preplanning — like checking ingredients in store-bought breads and stocking up on vegan pantry essentials — you can still enjoy delicious, exciting meals no matter what time of day. To start your workweek, we've found 32 tasty and creative vegan lunches that are perfect for brown-bagging to work. Click through for the recipes!
Veggie Sandwich
Nothing is as satisfying as a perfectly prepared veggie sandwich. This basic hummus veggie sandwich recipe will be a brown-bag favorite.
Tabbouleh Quinoa Salad
Need a refreshing midday break? This tabbouleh-inspired quinoa and tomato cucumber salad won't weigh you down.
Sweet Potato Mason Jar Salad
Mason jar salads are perfect for lunch; they keep well and stay fresh, even when you pack them all at once for the week. This sweet potato mason jar salad is full of flavor and protein.
Mexican Tempeh Quinoa Salad
Spice up your quinoa salad routine with a Mexican tempeh quinoa salad. At only 350 calories and 17 grams of protein, this filling vegan salad is a winner.
Sweet Potato Quinoa Patty
After frying up these spicy sweet potato quinoa burger patties, store them in an airtight container in your fridge; you can use the patties as protein-packed toppings for a salad or make a deliciously satisfying burger that will be the envy of your co-workers.
Vegan Chickpea Soup
You're in luck: this addictive, creamy vegan chickpea soup comes together with staples you probably already have in your kitchen and tastes even better the next day once flavors have had time to meld.
Pea Soup
Make a hearty split pea soup sans the ham using this vegan split pea soup recipe, or go for a raw cold pea soup that you can whip up in your blender. Either way, both are better options than bringing a sodium-laden can of soup to work!
Spicy Sweet Potato Salad
This spicy sweet potato salad is meant to be a side, but it works well on its own as a hearty lunch. High-fiber sweet potatoes and a spicy red-pepper dressing (plus an extra jalepeño kick) mean this vegan recipe is anything but boring.
Butternut Squash Lentil Soup
If you've got a slow cooker, making this vegan butternut squash lentil soup will be a breeze. This recipe makes eight servings, so you can make enough for dinner, lunch, and then some.
Vegan "Chicken" Salad
If you're in need of a filling, creative vegan lunch that comes together fast, it doesn't get any better than this mayo-less vegan chickpea and avocado salad.
Vegan Pasta Salad
Even if a barbecue isn't in your near future, you'll want to whip up a batch of this veggie pasta salad. It's lower in fat and higher in nutrients than regular pasta salad, which makes it a good and good-for-you lunch that you'll look forward to.
Cold Soba Salad With Ginger Peanut Dressing
You'll want to make a big batch of this soba noodle salad with ginger peanut dressing for dinner; the leftovers will make an even tastier lunch! Creamy, tangy, and with a kick, this will become one of your favorite vegan lunch options.
Cumin-Spiced Lentil and Quinoa Stew
Give your regular quinoa salad routine a spicy makeover with this cumin-spiced lentil and quinoa stew. A hearty bowl will quiet any hunger pangs for hours.
Colorful Cabbage Salad
An avocado-topped colorful veggie salad will be something to look forward to when it's time for lunch. This detox cabbage and carrot salad comes with a tangy tahini dressing that will satisfy taste buds.
Cauliflower "Rice" Stir-Fry
Don't become victim to that late-afternoon, post-takeout slump. This paleo-friendly cauliflower "rice" stir-fry recipe satisfies your greasiest cravings with fresh produce atop "rice" made from cauliflower.
Asparagus Quinoa Salad
There are a million ways to make a quinoa salad, but this asparagus chard quinoa salad recipe shines with the use of fresh, detoxifying produce and a light vinaigrette. Filling, but not too heavy — perfect for your next office lunch.
Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
If you're going low carb and vegan, this spaghetti squash pad thai is just for you. Since roasting a spaghetti squash takes a bit of time, have this tasty dish for dinner and make sure you make enough for dinner tomorrow.
Vegan Chickpea Curry
Change up your midday meal with a light curry that you can make (and eat) the night before. This zucchini chickpea tomato curry recipe will have you excited for leftovers for lunch.
Vegan Mac and Cheese
If you're craving a cheesy American classic (without the dairy, of course), try this vegan mac and cheese. Nutritional yeast and Earth Balance butter make this vegan version a still-delicious take on meals from yesteryear.
Avocado Pasta
Whether it's last night's leftovers or a quick batch you throw together the night before, this creamy avocado pasta will be the perfect vegan meal come midday.
Chickpea and Hijiki Salad Sandwich
Reminiscent of tuna salad, this vegan chickpea and hijiki salad sandwich from Vegan With a Vengeance contains chickpeas mashed with carrots, apple cider vinegar, vegan mayo, and other tuna salad staples. If you can't find hijiki, try using another type of seaweed instead.
Vegan Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are another veggie-filled meal that is supereasy to make. Nutritious fresh vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and lettuce are the stars, so grab your rice paper and check out this recipe!
Vegan Banh Mi
The lemongrass, soy sauce, and garlic-marinated tofu in this Vietnamese sandwich are so flavorful that you won't miss the meat.
Asian Sesame Buckwheat Salad
If you're not getting enough fiber in your diet, buckwheat groats are an ideal addition to your lunch rotation. This vegan buckwheat salad recipe includes tempeh bacon and an Asian sesame dressing for even more flavor.
Edamame Paté California Rolls
Have some fun with your lunch with these edamame paté California rolls. Once you get a hang of rolling, making sushi is a cinch, and a few of these rolls served alongside a salad will keep you full and full of energy.
Thai Curry Burrito
This recipe has it all — Thai green curry flavors, appetite-suppressing chickpeas, and a dollop of soy yogurt, all wrapped up in an easy-to-eat burrito package. Get the vegan Thai green curry chickpea burrito recipe here.
Egg(less) Salad
In one version, press and bake the tofu before crumbling into a mixture spiked with maple syrup, cumin, coriander, and soy sauce. Or try our more traditional "egg" salad recipe here. Both would be delicious over a bed of greens or in a sandwich!
Indian-Spiced Veggie Burgers
No boring veggie patties here! Make a batch of these Indian-spiced vegan and gluten-free curry quinoa burgers for dinner and save a patty for the next day's lunch.
Garlic Toast With Mashed Avocado and Salsa Verde Spread
In this recipe, toasted bread rubbed with garlic gets topped with a creamy and subtly spicy mix of avocado (smashed with oil and salt) and ready-made salsa verde.
Vegan Caesar Salad
No eggs or anchovies here! Instead, this vegan Caesar salad dressing uses flaxseeds, walnuts, dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice.
Tahini Salad
Can't get enough of chickpeas? This hearty vegan tahini salad will keep you full and energized for the rest of the workday.
Millet Lentil Tomato Salad
When it comes to your grain choice, if you're in the mood for something a little different, try this millet, lentil, and tomato salad. The make-ahead dish is a satisfying and filling daytime lunch and is easy to bring to work.