The Best Vegan Asian Recipes (2024)

Here are 20 easy and delicious vegan Asian recipes that will turn a meat eater into a plant based food lover!

The Best Vegan Asian Recipes (1)

Easy plant based meals Here are some of my favorite vegan Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai dishes. Whether you are looking to serve a main dish or add a couple of sides to your meal, these vegan recipes are simple and easy enough for everyone to make.

1. Miso Soup

A classic Japanese vegetarian appetizer or side. And it only takes a few minutes to make. GET THE RECIPE

2. Korean Cucumber Salad

Spicy and smoky, this vegan Korean salad is often served as banchan (small dish served with rice). GET THE RECIPE

3. Chinese Lotus Root Salad

Dishes such as this lotus root salad is why I love vegan Chinese so much. It’s light, slightly sour and salty, with a satisfying crunch. GET THE RECIPE

4. Nasu Dengaku

Another traditional Japanese dish, nasu dengaku are eggplant broiled until tender, and brushed with a sweet and salty miso glaze. It’s one of my favorite eggplant dishes of all time. GET THE RECIPE

5. Doenjang Jjigae

A light and spicy vegetarian Korean bean paste soup packed with vegetables and tofu. GET THE RECIPE

6. Thai Potato Curry

A creamy and silky vegan potato and onion curry infused with flavors of Thailand. Delicious. GET THE RECIPE

7. Sweet and Sour Tofu

This sweet and sour dish is so delicious that your meat eating friends won’t believe it’s vegan! GET THE RECIPE

8. Baby Bok Choy Soup with Garlic and Ginger

Lots of depth of flavor in this simple Chinese vegetarian baby bok choy soup. The addition of dried shiitake mushrooms infuse the broth with plenty of umami. You will love this! GET THE RECIPE

9. Vegan Tantanmen

Vegan Japanese food like this bowl of tantanmen is what I crave when I want comfort food without the meat. GET THE RECIPE

10. Sour and Spicy Chinese Shredded Potatoes

A classic vegan Chinese dish, these shredded potatoes are pan fried with dried chilis and vinegar for a smoky and sour taste. I personally find this dish addictive! GET THE RECIPE

11. Smacked Cucumber with Chili Oil

Smacked and chopped cucumber pieces are drenched in a mix of chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic. GET THE RECIPE

12. Vegan Jajangmyeon

A vegan Korean dish that’s not spicy! This jajangmyeon is made with mushrooms, cabbage, and zucchini (to replace the meat), while the noodles are coated in the traditional black bean sauce. Served with freshly chopped cucumber, this plant based version is both filling and satisfying! GET THE RECIPE

13. Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

This is another eggplant dish I love. Tender pieces of eggplant stir fried with garlic, dried chilis, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vinegar, and topped with chopped scallions. GET THE RECIPE

14. Vegan Mapo Tofu

If you asked me to pick between vegan Chinese food and vegan Japanese, I wouldn’t be able to choose. Both cuisines are so good at finding the perfect ingredients to substitute for meat. This vegan mapo tofu is the perfect example – finely chopped mushrooms are used instead of ground meat and add so much depth of flavor and umami to the dish. It’s so good that I no longer eat the traditional version with ground meat. GET THE RECIPE

15. Tofu Chow Fun with Watercress

Pan fried noodles coated with soy sauce and topped with marinated tofu and watercress. Simple yet tasty! GET THE RECIPE

16. Spicy Vegan Sichuan Noodles

The original dish comes with pork but I thought it would be fun to use celery instead. You don’t miss the meat because the celery, when stir fried with mushrooms, gochujang, and soy sauce, takes on a meaty texture. It’s spicy, salty, and slightly pungent. GET THE RECIPE

17. Kung Pao Cauliflower

Beside looking stunning, this vegan kun pao cauliflower packs a punch in the flavor department. Crushed peanuts and Thai chilis add heat and nuttiness to this otherwise savory dish. GET THE RECIPE

18. Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

We’ve arrived at my favorite vegan Chinese noodle dish – the dan dan noodles. We make these noodles almost every week! The flavor profile has it all – spicy, salty, pungent, a little sweet, and a little sour. Perfection. GET THE RECIPE

19. Tofu Miso Dengaku

This is the tofu version of the Japanese vegetarian nasu dengaku recipe. Just as yummy but more filling. GET THE RECIPE

20. Easy Vegan Fried Rice

And finally, we couldn’t end the list of vegan Asian recipes without throwing a fried rice in there! This is a simple vegetable fried rice made with brown rice and seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and ground black pepper. GET THE RECIPE

For A List Of Japanese Vegan Recipes, Read:

The Best Vegan Asian Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most delicious vegan food in the world? ›

Top 20 global vegan recipes
  • Ponzu tofu poke bowl. ...
  • Veggie yaki udon. ...
  • Sesame & spring onion stir-fried udon with crispy tofu. ...
  • Sesame & ginger sushi bowls. ...
  • Vegan ramen. ...
  • Seitan & black bean stir-fry. ...
  • Vegan paella. ...
  • Padron peppers.
Aug 16, 2023

What Chinese dish is vegan? ›

It's hard to choose favorites among the hundreds of vegan recipes I've cooked, but you can't go wrong with Dan Dan Noodle, Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, and Kung Pao Cauliflower.

Is Lo Mein usually vegan? ›

Why Is Lo Mein Usually Not Vegan? Lo mein is not vegan because eggs are the base ingredient. The eggs give the noodles their color and texture. Also, the traditional sauce in lo mein dishes consists of sesame oil, garlic, ginger, oyster or fish sauce, and soy sauce.

Is tofu a vegan food? ›

As this process contains no animal byproducts, neither does tofu, meaning tofu itself completely vegan. Tofu has very little flavor on its own but acts as a great carrier for flavors so it works as a versatile addition to or meat substitution for many great vegan meals.

Which country is #1 for vegans? ›

India. Three of India's major religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — teach the practice of ahimsa, or non-violence towards all beings. Because of this religious tradition, India has the highest percentage of vegetarians out of all the countries in the world.

What do extreme vegans eat? ›

Vegan diets, substitutions, and meat analogues. Vegan diets are based on grains and other seeds, legumes (particularly beans), fruits, vegetables, edible mushrooms, and nuts. The main difference between a vegan and vegetarian diet is that vegans exclude dairy products, eggs, and honey.

Is udon vegan? ›

Generally yes, udon is vegan-friendly as it's simply made from wheat flour and water. They're one of the few types of noodles that don't commonly contain egg. However, it's always worth double-checking an ingredients list or asking at a restaurant to make sure.

Is PF Chang's lo mein vegan? ›

If you're a fan of noodles, you'll be delighted to know that P.F. Chang's Signature Lo Mein can also be enjoyed as a vegan dish. This classic Chinese dish can be easily customized to suit your dietary preferences. When ordering the Signature Lo Mein, request your server to replace the egg noodles with rice noodles.

What noodles are not vegan? ›

Wheat, buckwheat and rice noodles are all common and on their own present no dangers for a vegan as they are all plant-based. This can also be true for less-common noodles made with seaweed, acorn or mung bean. Egg noodles, on the other hand, clearly are not suitable for vegans as they combine their flour with egg.

Is peanut butter vegan? ›

The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.

Is hummus vegan friendly? ›

Hummus is a vegan staple that allows you to have some versatility in your diet. It's an immensely popular food amongst vegans so you may have found a new favourite yourself. It's available in a wide range of flavours and is very versatile in the kitchen so you can experiment with it if you wish to.

What is a super vegan? ›

Super vegans are committed to a plant based diet and look for products certified by The Vegan Society, Cruelty Free International and other reputable organisations. There are multiple benefits of veganism but most people are attracted to the impact it has on farmed animals and fish.

What is the highest level of vegan? ›

Level 5 vegan

Level 5 vegans are those who are seen as incredibly committed to the vegan lifestyle, and are often hailed as “extreme vegans”. Level 5 vegans go to an extensive effort to follow a vegan lifestyle that is free of any type of animal product or animal exploitation.

How to go 100% vegan? ›

Slowly cut out animal products, starting with the easiest and leaving barrier foods to the end. Slowly lessen your consumption of animal products while simultaneously increasing the number of plant-based foods in your diet. Continue until you've eliminated all animal products from your diet.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Domingo Moore

Last Updated:

Views: 5816

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Domingo Moore

Birthday: 1997-05-20

Address: 6485 Kohler Route, Antonioton, VT 77375-0299

Phone: +3213869077934

Job: Sales Analyst

Hobby: Kayaking, Roller skating, Cabaret, Rugby, Homebrewing, Creative writing, amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.