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25+ Easy Kid-Friendly Vegan Recipes

If youโ€™re home with your kids all day long and need new meal ideas, here are 25 Easy Kid-Friendly Vegan Recipes. From breakfast and lunch to dinner and dessert, this list has you covered with ideas ranging from easy pasta recipes to pantry-friendly tacos to no-bake desserts your kids can help you make!

I know a lot of you have suddenly found yourself at home with your kids all day long and are struggling to prepare kid-friendly meals three times a day. Thatโ€™s why I decided to round up 25 Easy Kid-Friendly Vegan Recipes, ranging from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert ideas!

Table of Contents:
1. Kid-Friendly Vegan Breakfast Recipes
2. Kid-Friendly Vegan Side Recipes
3. Kid-Friendly Vegan Lunch and Dinner Recipes
4. Kid-Friendly Vegan Dessert Recipes

Kid-Friendly Vegan Breakfast Recipes

1. PB&J Berry Banana Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, all grown up and made grain-free. Loved by kids and adults alike! Sweet enough for dessert but healthy enough for breakfast :)

This is the 4th recipe in this blog post, which contains 5 stuffed sweet potato ideas (I think all of them are quite kid-friendly).

baked sweet potato stuffed with peanut butter, raspberry chia jam, bananas, and strawberries

2. Eggy Tofu Scramble

This eggy tofu scramble tastes uncannily similar to scrambled eggs – rich, creamy, and flavor-packed, and the perfect recipe to try if you’re tired of dry, bland tofu scrambles. This tofu scramble kid-approved and, best of all, quick and easy. It uses just one pan, so thereโ€™s minimal cleanup!

vegan tofu scramble on top of avocado toast on plate

3. Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin pancakes so incredibly fluffy and tender, no one will know they’re vegan (or made with whole wheat flour). They’re the perfect wholesome yet indulgent weekend breakfast you can feel good about feeding your kids!

action shot of pouring maple syrup onto a stack of vegan pumpkin pancakes

4. Chocolate Sweet Potato Milkshake

A chocolate milkshake thatโ€™s just as thick and creamy as the classic but packed with nutrients so you can feel good about serving your kiddos a milkshake for breakfast.

Made extra creamy with sweet potatoes, frozen bananas, and raw cacao powder, this is a high-fiber milkshake that the whole family can feel good about!

Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Milkshake

5. Vegan Breakfast Quesadillas

Indulgent vegan quesadillas packed with a hearty tofu scramble, a chewy mushroom bacon, lots of vegan cheese, and served with an easy avocado salsa! The perfect way to wow anyone at the breakfast table.

While most kids do like bacon, if youโ€™re hesitant they wonโ€™t go for the shiitake bacon, you can either (a) not make it at all, (b) serve it on the side, or (c) put the โ€œbaconโ€ on only half of the quesadillas and let them decide what they like.

And if youโ€™re making the homemade avocado salsa, omit the jalapeรฑo pepper or use a store-bought mild salsa.

Vegan Quesadillas with Mushroom Bacon

6. Healthy Breakfast Cookies

These Vegan Breakfast Cookies are healthy enough to eat for breakfast or sweet enough for dessert! Made with oats, seeds, and almond butter and exclusively pantry ingredients, these cookies are deceptively delicious and are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, and soy-free!

So when youโ€™re little ones ask for cookies but you want to keep it healthy, bake these easy cookies with them!

stack of healthy vegan breakfast cookies on dark backdrop

 

7. Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal (Instant Pot recipe)

This is the perfect weekday breakfast for busy families. It requires zero hands-on cooking so you can get your kids (and yourself) ready for the day and prep breakfast at the same time (the Instant Pot does all the work for you).

Easy, budget-friendly, and delicious (everyone loves peanut butter and bananas, right??).

instant pot oatmeal with peanut butter and strawberries

8. Vegan French Toast with Berry Compote

All you need are a few simple ingredients to make this vegan French Toast, which includes two vegan superstar ingredients that give it the traditional eggy-like flavor without any eggs. Serve plain with pure maple syrup, or make an easy berry compote with frozen or fresh compote.

Kid-Friendly Vegan Side Recipes

9. Grilled Corn Salad

This Grilled Corn Salad is made with just 10 simple ingredients you can buy at any grocery store, takes less than 30 minutes to make, and is foolproof. Despite all that easy breezy stuff, itโ€™s packed with so much good flavor and is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser this summer. To make this recipe kid-friendly, omit the jalapeรฑo and either omit or go easy on the shallots.

closeup photo of grilled corn salad on white platter

10. The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Are there any kids who donโ€™t like mashed potatoes? If your kids go crazy for mashed potatoes like most kids, you have to try these mashed potatoes. Light and fluffy yet creamy, these vegan mashed potatoes are the best of both worlds. Made with a flavor-packed miso butter, these mashed potatoes are irresistible for both kids and adults.

backlit photo of vegan mashed potatoes with chives on a wooden table

11. Vegan Potato Salad

Just as creamy as classic potato salad but so much better for you and more flavorful! This mayo-free vegan potato salad features perfectly tender potatoes coated in a creamy, tangy dressing thatโ€™s packed with fun flavors and takes just 30 minutes.

To make kid-friendly, omit the raw onions and jalapeรฑo. You can also drastically reduce the amount of fresh herbs in this potato salad or omit them entirely.

herbed vegan potato salad

12. Homemade Hummus

This homemade hummus is incredibly creamy, smooth, and fluffy and packed with a rich, nutty, and lemony flavor. Plus, you’ll learn all the tips and tricks for making incredible hummus at home so you’ll never want to buy store-bought hummus again! To make kid friendly, you may want to serve this hummus without the garlic-lemon topping.

13. Vegan Cornbread

This crispy-crusted, buttery, and moist vegan cornbread is truly the best cornbread you’ll ever eat, thanks to 5 secret techniques. It has the perfect amount of crumble, and is mildly but not overly sweet. No one will know it’s vegan! Easy to make gluten-free. Omit the rosemary for picky kids!

vegan cornbread in a cast iron skillet with a slice taken out and vegan butter on top

14. Vegan Naan

closeup of vegan naan on a plate

Kid-Friendly Vegan Lunch and Dinner Recipes

15. Creamy Pantry Pasta

This 10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta is made with just a handful of everyday pantry staples and is an excellent option for an easy weeknight dinner. Itโ€™s creamy, cheesy, and smoky and indulgent yet healthy family-friendly meal.

If your kids arenโ€™t into smoky flavors, just omit the smoky paprika or substitute it with regular paprika.

16. Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich

This Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich is made with chickpeas and hearts of palm, seasoned with dulse flakes for a taste of the ocean, and finished with classic American ingredients like sweet pickle relish. Itโ€™s the new โ€œI canโ€™t believe itโ€™s not tuna!โ€

If your kids are into tuna sandwiches, theyโ€™re going to LOVE this vegan version.

Vegan Tuna Salad Sandwich

17. Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese

This Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. An incredibly creamy (and easy) vegan cheese sauce gets paired with elbow macaroni, covered in a crispy and buttery breadcrumb, and then baked in the oven. It’s guaranteed to impress your kids!

sliced of crispy baked vegan mac and cheese on plate

18. The Best Vegan Vegan Cauliflower Soup

This soup is the perfect weeknight dinner for the whole family. Hearty yet wholesome and made with a little over 10 ingredients, itโ€™s a comforting soup that makes for the ultimate comfort food! Instant Pot instructions included.

And if your kid doesn’t like spicy food whatsoever, make sure to skip adding the red pepper flakes at the end.

19. Green Goddess Grilled Cheese

With gooey vegan cheese and pesto lathered between crispy buttered bread, your kids wonโ€™t even notice that there are greens hiding in these decadent grilled cheeses. But omit the pickled jalapeรฑos (Iโ€™ve been told kids donโ€™t like spicy peppers)!

Vegan Green Goddess Grilled Cheese

20. Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

This is the BEST vegan mushroom stroganoff you will ever try! Itโ€™s packed with umami, is super flavorful, and is so creamy you wonโ€™t believe itโ€™s dairy-free and vegan. Itโ€™s the ultimate comfort food!

If your kid isn’t a huge fan of mushrooms, leave out the crispy mushroom topping and replace with any other veggie they enjoy. You can also omit the Worcestershire sauce and fresh dill to keep this Stroganoff kid-friendly.

mushroom stroganoff in a bowl

21. Chickpea Tacos with Cilantro Pesto

Pan-fried spiced chickpeas and a citrusy, aromatic pesto make these tacos flavorful and fancy, but they’re so easy and quick that you can have taco night ready in just 20 minutes.

Note: This taco recipe is the second recipe on the linked blog post.

To make this recipe a bit more kid friendly, do the following:

  • Omit the cayenne pepper from the spiced chickpeas and the jalapeรฑo peppers from the Cilantro Pesto. If your kids can handle a little bit of heat, use 1/4 to 1/2 jalapeรฑo pepper in the pesto but remove all the seeds and membranes.
  • If your child isnโ€™t a big fan of smoke flavors, omit the smoked paprika or use regular paprika in the spiced chickpeas.
  • Opt for a mild salsa instead of a hot salsa when serving.
chickpea tacos with cilantro pesto and salsa
 

22. Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta

A spin on the classic pesto, this Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta is easy, weeknight-friendly, made with just 9 ingredients and a delicious summer dinner idea! To make kid friendly, you can omit most or all of the fresh basil as well as the added chunks of caramelized zucchini, as there is already some zucchini hidden inside of the pesto sauce!

Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta

23. One-Pot Vegan Chili Mac

One of the keys to making kid-friendly vegan recipes? Minimizing cleanup.

This protein-packed chili meets pasta is just the ticket! Easy and quick and made with simple ingredients, this is a perfect hearty weeknight-friendly and budget-friendly dinner! Easy to make gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free.

To make this recipe a bit more kid friendly, do the following:

  • Substitute the tempeh with a half can of extra beans. Tempeh can be bitter for many palates.
  • Go easy on the spices: cut the chili powder in half, omit the cayenne pepper, use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika, use less cumin, etc.
close up of vegan chili mac in bowl
 

24. Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme

If your kids enjoy the Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell, then itโ€™s time to introduce them to this healthy homemade upgrade! Layers of vegan nacho cheese sauce, homemade vegan taco meat, sour cream, guacamole, crispy tostadas, and more! The most unbelievably delicious copycat fast food recipe you will ever taste!

To make this recipe a bit more kid friendly, do the following:

  • If your child isnโ€™t a big fan of smoke flavors, omit the smoked paprika or use regular paprika in the lentil taco meat and nacho cheese sauce.
  • Use mild salsa in the nacho cheese recipe.
  • Omit the jalapeรฑo from the guacamole; if your child can handle a little bit of heat, use 1/4 to 1/2 jalapeรฑo pepper but remove all the seeds and membranes.
crunchwrap supreme being held by woman

25. Cashew Cream Pasta

Cashew cream is my favorite all-purpose condiment! Pair it with some cooked pasta and you have an easy, creamy, indulgent yet healthy pasta recipe! And what kid doesnโ€™t like creamy pasta?

Add some cooked beans and whatever veggies you have on hand for a complete, balanced meal (and more importantly, a kid-friendly vegan recipe).

The Cashew Cream Pasta is โ€œmeal” #1โ€ in this blog post.

26. One-Pot Pumpkin Alfredo

Say goodbye to a sink full of dishes and hello to this one-pot pumpkin pasta (and what parent doesnโ€™t like minimizing dishwashing?)! This is the creamiest pumpkin Alfredo pasta ever and a great, kid-friendly vegan recipe! This one-pot pumpkin pasta is like a fall hug in a bowl, with warming flavors of pumpkin and nutmeg and woodsy herbs like rosemary and sage.

Since kids can be a bit sensitive to garlic, I recommend using a bit less than the recipe calls for.

Kid-Friendly Vegan Dessert Recipes

These Vegan Everything Cookies are made with all the best cookie ingredients, like chocolate chunks, oats, nuts, and raisins. Theyโ€™re perfectly chewy, indulgent, and irresistible! And while theyโ€™re indulgent, you can feel better knowing that youโ€™re feeding your kiddos healthyish ingredients like coconut sugar, almond butter, and oats.

28. Easy Banana Bread

This is truly the Best Vegan Banana Bread you (or your kids will ever taste), and it is so easy to make that your kids can even help you make this recipe. With just 8 ingredients, itโ€™s simple yet extremely delicious. Plus, itโ€™s moist, tender, and light, not dense or dry.

woman lifting slice of banana bread

29. Raspberry Crumble Bars

These Vegan Crumble Raspberry Bars have a thick jammy layer of raspberries mixed with raspberry jam nestled between a buttery oat crumble crust and topping! Theyโ€™re vegan and easy to make gluten-free and refined sugar-free, so you donโ€™t have to worry about over-hyper kids ;)

raspberry crumble bars

30. No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

These No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars taste exactly like a PB&J sandwich but even better! Made with just 6 ingredients, these healthy peanut butter jelly bars are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and soy-free and make great healthy snack bars or breakfast bars for kids and adults alike!

31. Vegan Brownies

Finishing off this list with an incredible recipe for the most chocolate-y, fudgy and chewy brownies you’ve ever tried. They have that elusive shiny, crinkly top so hard to reproduce in vegan brownie recipes and are the perfect treat for the whole family!

a stack of the absolute best vegan brownies

Big Vegan Flavor

Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.

Vegan Cookie Dough Bars (and 25+ Kid-Friendly Recipes)

5 from 6 votes
These are the BEST cookie dough bars you will ever try! Made with just six ingredients, theyโ€™re an easy no-bake treat to satisfy any sweet tooth. Plus, they're vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oil-free so they're a healthy, allergen-friendly, feel-good treat.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Diet Vegan
Serving size: 16

Ingredients

  • 1 packed cup of soft Medjool dates pitted*
  • 2 3/4 cups rolled oats (~260-275g), certified gluten-free if needed**
  • 1/4 cup smooth tahini (56g) (or almond butter or cashew butter)
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (170-180g) vegan chocolate chips, divided (I use these mini chocolate chips)
  • 2 teaspoons refined coconut oil, melted (optional; omit to keep oil-free)

Instructions

  • If the dates are not very soft, cover them with hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
  • Place the oats in the bowl of the food processor and pulverize them until you have a fine oat flour. Alternatively, you can use store-bought oat flour. See note below.
  • Add the pitted dates, tahini, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to the oat flour. Blend until the mixture forms into a sticky dough (it should turn into a ball). If it feels dry, add a spoon of plant-based milk a teaspoon at a time until the dough just sticks together when pressed.
  • Transfer the dough to a large bowl. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips into the dough using a silicone spatula.
    1. Note: If the dough is too sticky to handle with your hands (this is more likely if your kitchen is warm), place the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm it up a bit.
  • Line a 8ร—4-inch (20ร—10 cm) or 9ร—5-inch loaf pan (23ร—13 cm) with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the long sides to form a sling. Spread the dough out into the prepared pan and smooth the top out evenly, pressing all the way into corners using your fingers or a flat-bottomed steel cup to get the mixture even on top.
  • Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes (or longer) to set. Once chilled, remove from the freezer and using the parchment paper as handles, lift the cookie dough out of the pan.
  • Before removing from the freezer, melt the chocolate.
    1. Double boiler method: Add a few inches of water to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Nestle a large heatproof glass bowl that sits on top of the saucepan without touching the water to create a double boiler. Once the water is simmering, add the vegan chocolate chips and coconut oil to the bowl. Whisk frequently with a spatula until the mixture is just melted.
    2. Microwave method: Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high in 25 to 30-second intervals until the chocolate is almost melted (about 3 intervals). Use a spoon to stir the chocolate until it is melted.
  • Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cold cookie dough and lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. If the chocolate doesnโ€™t immediately harden, return it to the freezer for 5-10 minutes to set, then slice into 8 thick bars or into smaller squares. Store leftovers in the freezer (theyโ€™ll stay good for several weeks).

Notes

* After pitting the dates and packing them into a 1 cup measuring cup, you should have about 7 ounces or 200g of dates.
** If using store-bought oat flour, youโ€™ll need slightly less than the amount of oats โ€“ about 2 1/4 cups oat flour.

Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg

no-bake cookie dough bars on parchment paper

 

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5 from 6 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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3 comments on 25+ Easy Kid-Friendly Vegan Recipes

  1. Karen

    5 stars
    Awesome and easy. I also switched tahini for sunflower seed butter and it still turned out great.

    1. Support @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Thanks for sharing your experience, Karen!

  2. Claire

    Thank you for this incredible list! My kids are so excited to try a bit of everything. I have one who loves spicy and one not so keen so I love the tips to change things up.

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