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.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox.

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

4.26 from 86 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.

Get the Recipe

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!

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

Maple Pecan Overnight Oats

4.69 from 19 votes

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

Get the Recipe

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!

Get the Recipe

Vegan Chickpea Teriyaki Meal Prep Bowls

4.92 from 25 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.

Get the Recipe

BBQ Tempeh Sandwich

4.41 from 5 votes

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

Get the Recipe

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!

Get the Recipe

Chickpea Noodle Soup

4.67 from 15 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.

Get the Recipe

Roasted Glazed Tofu

4.92 from 24 votes

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

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

Vegan Broccoli Alfredo

4.75 from 24 votes

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

Get the Recipe

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!

Get the Recipe

Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

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

Get the Recipe

Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken

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

Get the Recipe

Chickpea Stir Fry

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

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

4.53 from 19 votes

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

Get the Recipe

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

4.82 from 11 votes

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

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

Snacks

Oil-Free Hummus

4.66 from 20 votes

Simple, vegan hummus made with aquafabainstead of olive oil.

Get the Recipe

Vegan Nacho Cheese

4.76 from 41 votes

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

Get the Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

5 from 5 votes

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

Get the Recipe

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

What do vegans cook with instead of oil? ›

Instead of oil, I use fruit purees, veggies, dairy-free yogurt, nut butters, almond flour or other nuts, sometimes coconut butter.

What is a vegan substitute for butter or oil? ›

What are good vegan butter substitutes? In baking, you can use vegan butter, applesauce, dairy-free yogurt, coconut oil, coconut butter, olive oil, nut butter, mashed banana and mashed avocado. In cooking, you can use olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable stock, or avocado oil to replace butter.

Discover More ›

Can I fry eggs without oil? ›

Just put some small amount of water like half a shot glass of water in to your pan open the eggs and cover the pan with a lid on low fire, the eggs will be made as fried in perfect shape and with no taste of oil at all, this is common where I live now and frankly I like it this way more.

Show Me More ›

Can you skip oil in baking? ›

The most common way to replace oil in baked goods is by using applesauce or mashed banana. Other fruit purees work too, but most of them add more flavor – apple and banana are neutral enough to not overpower other flavors.

Keep Reading ›

Can you still bake a cake without oil? ›

If you're missing oil, try melted butter. Some experts say using melted butter as a replacement for oil improves the taste and texture of box cakes. Use the same measurement of butter as the recipe calls for in oil.

Show Me More ›

How to cook easy without oil? ›

The trick is to use small amounts of water or broth, adding just a small amount (1 to 2 tablespoons) at a time. Do this as often as needed to cook and brown the food, without steaming it. Also, remember to toss and stir the food periodically with a wooden spoon so that it doesn't burn.

Find Out More ›

What oil do vegans eat? ›

Sunflower, safflower, sesame, avocado, coconut, almond, and olive oil also pass this “Is This Oil Vegan” background check and are all great oil options that may not come with the worries of palm oil or canola oil.

Tell Me More ›

Why do vegans not like 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.

Learn More Now ›

Can I use applesauce instead of oil? ›

Applesauce is a 1:1 replacement for oil, so if your recipe calls for half a cup of oil, use half a cup of applesauce instead. If you find yourself in the middle of a recipe and out of oil, use applesauce instead! This trick works in cakes, muffins, cookies, brownies, and any kind of sweet baked good.

Find Out More ›

What to use instead of oil plant-based? ›

Baking is a whole world until its own when it comes to substitutes for butter, oil, and shortening. Recipe developers use applesauce, vegan yogurt, mashed banana, mashed sweet potato, mashed pumpkin, and sometimes water thickened with cornstarch as substitutes for pure fat ingredients.

Show Me More ›

What do vegans use an air fryer for? ›

Air fryers can also make it easier to follow a vegan diet, offering a failsafe way to cook staples like tofu, cauliflower, and potatoes to perfection. Below, we've rounded up 10 mouth-watering recipes that prove plant-based cooking needn't be complicated or boring.

Tell Me More ›

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

What do vegans cook with instead of oil? ›

What do vegans use an air fryer for? ›

References