25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (2024)

Oil-Free | Vegan Recipes

ByKarissaApril 3, 2023

Discover new ideas in thiscompilation of oil-free vegan recipes! This diet can be full of incredibly delicious food if you find the right dishes.

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I have many readers (and you!) that prefer to eat mostly vegan and oil-free. Having restrictive dietary needs can seem overwhelming, especially when you still want to eat incredibly delicious food. Good news – there are still plenty of dishes you can eat, and this list includes the best of the best recipes sorted into categories.

Below, you’ll find recipes like vegan stuffed shells, stir fry, corn chowder, homemade “sausage” patties, and more.

Breakfast

Vegan Breakfast Sausage Patties

4.25 from 84 votes

These vegan sausage patties have those traditional breakfast flavors, like sage and thyme, but are totally plant-based! Oil-free and packed with protein.

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Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

5 from 1 vote

Whip up this vegan carrot cake overnight oats recipe for a convenient and nutritious breakfast. Packed with wholesome ingredients like nuts and shredded carrots, it's the perfect way to start your day!

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Tofu Scramble

5 from 38 votes

Vegan tofu scramble made with extra firm tofu and seasonings like nutritional yeast, Kala Namak salt, and paprika. You can add your favorite veggies for some added nutritional benefit and tastiness.

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Maple Pecan Overnight Oats

4.69 from 19 votes

Overnight oats are a super easy and quick way to meal prep for breakfast!

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Lunch

Hummus Wraps

5 from 5 votes

Breaded Cauliflower Tacos with Chili Lime Cream Sauce

5 from 1 vote

These healthy vegan tacos are stuffed with oil-free breaded cauliflower and a zesty chili lime cabbage slaw. This is a super fun recipe using an air fryer!

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Vegan Chickpea Teriyaki Meal Prep Bowls

4.92 from 24 votes

This recipe for Chickpea Teriyaki bowls with crunchy broccoli and savory soy sauce is a quick, easy and healthy idea for vegan meal prep.

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BBQ Tempeh Sandwich

5 from 2 votes

Meatless BBQ tempeh sandwiches are easy to make, satisfying, and nutritious!

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Dinner

Vegan Stuffed Shells

5 from 6 votes

Vegan stuffed shells with tofu and cashew ricotta are lighter, healthier and cheaper––not to mention tastier––than other stuffed shell recipes!

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Chickpea Noodle Soup

4.77 from 13 votes

This recipe for chickpea noodle soup is a vegan twist on chicken noodle soup – and it’s BETTER. Just pure veggie deliciousness here. This soup is healthy, but comforting and hearty.

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Roasted Glazed Tofu

4.92 from 24 votes

This 5-ingredient glazed tofu roast is the perfect vegan alternative to a traditional ham roast.

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Instant Pot Corn Chowder

4.54 from 26 votes

This Instant Pot Corn Chowder is a favorite dinner recipe in our house because it’s so easy! I love Instant Pot recipes because I don’t have to hover over a hot stove. Just throw all the ingredients together, let the pot do its thing, and unveil DELICIOUS corn chowder when the timer goes off. Yum. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free. Oil-free option.

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Vegan Broccoli Alfredo

4.91 from 22 votes

Creamy vegan alfredo served with roasted, cajun-spiced broccoli.

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Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Soup

4.24 from 21 votes

This healthy vegan Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Soup recipe is delicious & comforting without all the calories!

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Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

Easy vegan slow cooker chili made with quinoa and enchilada sauce.

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Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken

This vegan butter chicken is made with soycurls and chickpeas right in the Instant Pot!

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Chickpea Stir Fry

This oil-free vegan stir fry is made with chickpeas, veggies, and a delicious homemade sauce.

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Sides

Air Fryer Fries

4.72 from 35 votes

Have no guilt digging into these healthy air fryer fries! I LOVE these smothered in vegan nacho cheese sauce or gravy.

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Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

4.80 from 120 votes

Great as a side dish (or a main meal, let's be real) these homemade vegan scalloped potatoes are "cheesy" and delicious.

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Healthy Green Bean Casserole

4.56 from 18 votes

Creamy non-dairy sauce, green beans, and a baked onion topping come together to make this delicious healthy green bean casserole!

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Garlic Roasted Potatoes

4.82 from 11 votes

Crispy, easy-to-make garlic roasted potatoes. Perfect as a side dish for any meal.

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Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms

5 from 7 votes

This healthy vegan stuffed mushrooms recipe makes for a fantastic appetizer, especially for the holiday season! Quinoa, sundried tomatoes, pecans…yum.

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Snacks

Oil-Free Hummus

4.64 from 19 votes

Simple, vegan hummus made with aquafabainstead of olive oil.

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Vegan Nacho Cheese

4.75 from 40 votes

Cheesy, creamy, a little spicy, full of flavor – this vegan nacho cheese is delicious and healthy.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

5 from 3 votes

Protein balls made with chocolate and peanut butter. No protein powder necessary! This recipe is vegan and naturally sweetened with medjool dates.

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Trying to go vegan? Sign up for our (FREE) Vegan Beginner’s Guide!

If you try one of these oil-free vegan recipes, leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @karissasvegankitchen!

FAQs

How do vegans cook without oil? ›

Instead of cooking your veggies in oil, simply swap it for water or veggie broth. It works the same and is not loaded with calories or fat. Since water will cook away much faster than oil, then you usually will need double the amount of water than you would oil.

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What do vegans use instead of oil? ›

For fat-free baking, replace oil 1:1 with applesauce or other fruit purees (such as mashed banana or prunes) or pureed beans. Options that contain more fat are soft or silken tofu and pureed avocado.

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What to cook without oil and butter? ›

Let's look at some easy tips to cook without oils.

Steam vegetables or saute in a liquid like water or broth.
Use broth, soy sauce, or vinegar to add flavor during the cooking process.
Utilize seasonings and herbs for flavor.
Use an air fryer or a silicone mat in the oven for baked/fried preparations.

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Jun 30, 2022

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Is it possible to cook without oil? ›

It's extremely easy to cook without oil using nonstick pots and pans, because the food doesn't stick. If you want to avoid Teflon, then use a good-quality, heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan. Enamel-coated cast iron and ceramic titanium pans are also good options.

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Can I fry eggs without oil? ›

Yes, you can use water to cook eggs. If you're frying or scrambling them, start by heating a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of water, then crack the eggs into the pan and proceed to cook them as desired. The water helps create steam and prevents sticking.

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What is an oil free vegan diet? ›

Eating a strictly whole-foods plant-based diet is pretty different from your standard vegan diet. It encourages eating little to no processed food and discourages the use of oil and salt. This means that vegan meat and cheese, bread, ice cream, cookies, candy, snacks, and frozen meals are not allowed.

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Why can't vegans eat olive oil? ›

The simple answer to the question is that as olive oil does not contain animal products, yes olive oil is in theory vegan-friendly. Some vegans, however, avoid using it because of the impact olive oil production has on the environment. Just how much of a detrimental impact it has, is up for debate.

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Why do vegans not eat palm oil? ›

While many vegans will stay away from Palm Oil due to its negative associations with animal welfare, as it comes from a fruit, it is safe for vegans to eat.

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What's the best oil for vegans? ›

FLAXSEED: Known for it's high content of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) of the three omegas (essential fatty acids) this is a necessary, perfect oil for all vegans and vegetarians. As those diets don't include any consumption of seafood, primarily fish which are known to be the best source of it.

What can I use to cook if I dont have oil or butter? ›

Applesauce

Applesauce is a popular substitute for both butter and oil in baking.

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What is frying without oil called? ›

Technically, frying without oil is often referred to as "baking" or "roasting." Frying typically involves submerging food in hot oil, while baking or roasting uses dry heat in an oven.

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What happens if you don't eat oil? ›

Eating food without oil can make one lose weight, feel exhausted and unwell because they are missing out on important nutrients required by the body, which is fat.

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What can I bake without oil? ›

Oil Free Recipes

Heavenly Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal.
Holiday Breakfast In A Jiffy: Carrot Cake Oatmeal.
Baked Cherry Pie Breakfast Pudding.
My Go-To Holiday co*cktail – Quick, easy, festive, and low in sugar!
Basic Chia Seed Pudding.
Gourmet Chia Seed Pudding (from scratch!)
Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl.

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What to use when you have no oil? ›

So, if you're stuck without this ingredient, here's some alternatives:

Butter and margarine. Butter and margarine are glorious for adding flavour, richness and colour to meals so a great swap for oil. ...
Ghee. ...
Vegetable shortening. ...
Bacon grease. ...
Schmaltz. ...
Mashed bananas and apple sauce. ...
Tahini. ...
Sunday roast fat.

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Apr 26, 2022

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How to eat vegetables without oil? ›

Eating raw vegetables is another option that will allow you to get all of the nutrition from the vegetable with no added fat or salt. You can also try roasting your vegetables in the oven with just a bit of water instead of oil. This will give you delicious, healthy vegetables that are still low in fat and sodium.

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Why don t vegans cook with oil? ›

The rationale used by these diets for avoiding oils is that oil is high in calories (since it's pure fat) and doesn't include the fiber or as many antioxidants as you would get from eating the whole, unprocessed food instead (in this case, the whole olive).

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What can vegans use instead of fish oil? ›

Flaxseed. According to a study published by the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, flaxseed is one of the richest plant-based sources of the Omega-3 ALA. As a vegan alternative to fish oil, this is one of your best choices!

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What is a healthy substitute for oil in cooking? ›

Unsweetened applesauce, mashed fruit, or pureed fruit such as bananas, pears, and prunes may be substituted for vegetable oil in baked goods. You can substitute cup for cup. The texture of your foods may be altered slightly. For example, applesauce makes cookies moister and more cake-like.

What cooking oil should vegans use? ›

FRYING- Soybean, peanut, vegetable, canola, sunflower, cottonseed, corn oil are some of the better options for frying as they are more refined. Making them oils with a high smoke point, which is key for deep frying and higher heat pan cooking.

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25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (2024)

Breakfast

Vegan Breakfast Sausage Patties

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Tofu Scramble

Maple Pecan Overnight Oats

Lunch

Hummus Wraps

Breaded Cauliflower Tacos with Chili Lime Cream Sauce

Vegan Chickpea Teriyaki Meal Prep Bowls

BBQ Tempeh Sandwich

Dinner

Vegan Stuffed Shells

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Roasted Glazed Tofu

Instant Pot Corn Chowder

Vegan Broccoli Alfredo

Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Soup

Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken

Chickpea Stir Fry

Sides

Air Fryer Fries

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms

Snacks

Oil-Free Hummus

Vegan Nacho Cheese

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

FAQs

How do vegans cook without oil? ›

What is frying without oil called? ›

References