Cheap Lazy Vegan's Under $30 Meal Prep Recipes Are Getting Us Through Veganuary

Whether you’re a vegan or just looking for easy, clean, affordable meal prep, Cheap Lazy Vegan has something for you! Check out this awesome collection of delicious vegan meal prep ideas for your week, at under $30!

Related: 54 Cheap Vegan Meals That Don’t Skimp On Taste

Total time: around 30-40 minutes

Ingredients(around 4 servings):

• 3-4 cups dry brown rice
• Water, depending on how much rice you want to make

Instructions:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions with the appropriate amount of water, or use a rice cooker for ease.
2. Once cooked, keep the rice in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days or freeze to enjoy later.

Total time: around 1-1.5 hours

• 2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked in water overnight or for at least 2 hours
• 4 cups water (or more if needed)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
• 1/4 cup brown or coconut sugar

Instructions:

1. Drain the chickpeas of the water and give them a good rinse.
2. In a pot, add chickpeas with fresh water and bring this to a boil on medium-high heat.
3. Add soy sauce and brown sugar and stir.
4. Turn the heat down to a medium-low and let it cook, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the water has mostly reduced. This should take at least an hour or longer.
5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, enjoying it throughout the week.

Related: 19 Easy Vegan Mug Cake Recipes You Can Make In Minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients (around 4 servings):

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 bell pepper, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 zucchini, diced
• pinch of salt
• 1 block extra firm tofu

Spices:

• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• handful of chopped kale
• pinch of kala namak (black salt)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil on a large wok or pan on medium-high heat and add bell pepper. Cook for a minute.
2. Add zucchini and a pinch of salt and cook for another couple of minutes.
3. Crumble up the tofu with your hands and fingers and add into the wok. Cook for 3-4 minutes, mixing frequently, to allow the tofu to cook and turn slightly golden.
4. Add in nutritional yeast, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, turmeric, onion powder and salt and pepper. Mix until well-combined.
5. Mix in kale until the leaves turn into a vibrant green and begins to wilt. Turn heat off.
6. If you want a more “eggy” taste, add in a small amount of kala namak at the end.
7. Keep in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days and enjoy it in a variety of different ways!

Total time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (around 4 servings):

• 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cornstarch or potato starch

Instructions:

1. If using an oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. If using an air fryer, skip this step.
2. In a mixing bowl, add tofu pieces and oil. Toss until well coated.
3. Add garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and salt and mix until well coated.
4. Add in cornstarch and toss until well coated.
5. If using an oven, place the tofu pieces (not touching) on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for around 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
6. If using an air fryer, air fry at 375 degrees F for around 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
7. Serve the tofu pieces with whatever sauce you prefer. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Total time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients (around 6 servings):

• 400g (around 1 head) broccoli, rinsed & cut into bite-sized pieces
• 400g (around 1/2 head) cauliflower, rinsed & cut into bite-sized pieces
• 300g Brussels sprouts, rinsed & cut in half
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp oil

Spices:

• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. If using an oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. If using an air fryer, skip this step.
2. In a large mixing bowl or a lined baking sheet, add vegetables and oil and mix until well-coated.
3. Add all spices and mix well.
4. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for around 20-30 minutes (or until cooked through), tossing halfway.
5. If using an air fryer, air fry at 375 degrees for around 15-20 minutes (or until cooked through), tossing half way.

Total time: around 30 minutes

Ingredients (6 servings):

• 1 tsp oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 cups mushrooms, diced (optional)
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes or 2 regular (14.5 oz) cans
• 6-7 cups water (or use vegetable broth)
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (skip if using vegetable broth instead of water)

Spices:

• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup pasta of choice (around 120g)
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat and cook onions and garlic for a minute until onions begin to soften.
2. Add celery and carrots and cook for another couple of minutes.
3. Add other vegetables (except kale), diced tomatoes, water, vegetable bouillon cubes and spices.
4. Bring to a boil and cook for around 10 minutes, then add pasta and kidney beans.
5. Cook for another 10-15 minutes on medium heat or until pasta is cooked.
6. Once everything is cooked, stir in the chopped kale until the kale starts to wilt and add in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve warm right away, store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days or freeze for later.

Total time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2-3 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients into a small bowl and mix well until smooth.
2. Serve as a Buddha Bowl sauce, salad dressing or whatever you prefer.
3. Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. If the mixture thickens up, mix in small amounts of water to thin out.

Next up: Best Vegan Instant Pot Recipes