19 Vegan Soul Food Recipes for Down-Home Comfort (2024)

Even though vegan soul food has become totally mainstreamed, there are still people who think that it consists of nibbling on salads like a rabbit. WRONG. With the help of ingredients like jackfruit and surprisingly convincing cheese, vegan cooking yields dishes that are just as comforting and indulgent as their carnivorous counterparts. Whether you're a Southerner who wants to work in some of your favorite classic recipes to your new lifestyle or you've just had a mad craving for killer mac and cheese, these 19 recipes will rock your world. Scroll on for drool-worthy dinner inspo.

Vegan Pot Pie With Cornbread Crust

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There's nothing more nostalgic than a warm and comforting pot pie. Use coconut milk to keep the vegan filling creamy and top with a fluffy cornbread crust that your spoon will sink right into. (via The Fitchen)

Vegan Peach Pie

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If you close your eyes and smell this peach pie, you almost feel like a kid again. Top a hefty slice with vanilla coconut milk ice cream if you really want to go all out. (via Happy Healthy Life)

Paleo Fried Pickles

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You'll be hard pressed to find a fried pickle crunchier than this one, vegan or not. Mix vegan mayo with chipotles to create a spicy dipping sauce to go alongside them. (via Wicked Spatula)

Vegan Fried Green Tomato Sandwich

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There's nothing more Southern than fried green tomatoes — and we don't mean the movie. The good thing for vegans is that they make a wonderful, hearty sandwich filling in the place of meat. (via Notions and Notations of a Novice Cook)

Vegan Mini Pecan Pie Recipe

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The next time you're assigned dessert at a family function, these mini pecan pies will steal the show. They're completely vegan, but everyone will swear that they're not. (via Yummy Mummy Kitchen)

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

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Little did you know, you would crave the satisfaction of a blue box of mac and cheese as an adult. When that craving hits, this vegan macaroni will do the trick — and you'll eat a ton of veggies at the same time. (via The Green Forks)

Vegan Hoppin’ John

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Take part in the Southern tradition and serve this with a side of cornbread for a year of wealth and prosperity. (via Tori Avey)

Best Ever VeganSweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Crumble

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Is it a dessert or is it a side? Whichever you choose, this recipe for vegan sweet potato casserole is on point. (via Nutritional Foodie)

Vegan Gumbo

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If you thought vegan gumbo was impossible, think again. Using olive oil and flour still allows you to get that deep dark roux that's necessary for a good gumbo. Add in a mix of beans and okra and you'll be on the right track. (via Cilantro and Citronella)

Best Ever Vegan Baked Beans

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You definitely don't need meat products to achieve mouth-watering baked beans. Season with molasses, caramelized onions and bourbon for that rich flavor that tastes like they've been cooking all day. (via Connoisseurus Veg)

Black Eyed Pea Collard Rolls

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At the root of all soul food there are always collard greens. These rolls combine them with two other Southern favorites, BBQ sauce and black eyed peas. (via Vanilla and Bean)

Blackberry and Blueberry Cobbler

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When your dessert can double as your breakfast, that's a great day. These individual cobblers are filled to the brim with blackberries and blueberries and are covered with a sweet crispy almond topping. (via Bakerita)

Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits and Country Gravy

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This is one of those classic recipes that you need to have in your arsenal at all times. Fix the biscuits and gravy together for breakfast or use the separate recipes with other dishes. (via The Simple Veganista)

One-Pot Red Lentil Chili

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One bowl of this chili and you will be absolutely stuffed. Top with a sprinkle of vegan cheddar shreds, red onion and cilantro before you start scooping. (via Minimalist Baker)

Baked Popcorn Okra

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Soul food snacking wouldn't be the same without fried okra. Save the extra calories for dessert and bake the bites in a crisp chickpea flour coating instead. (via Vegan Richa)

Vegan Chicken and Waffles

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Anything fried and perched atop a waffle is a thing of beauty. Saturate this fried tofu with plenty of maple syrup and a sprinkle of sea salt to balance the sweetness. (via One Green Planet)

Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy

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As if scooping a big spoonful of mashed potatoes wasn't good enough, pour a ladle of mushroom gravy on top and you'll be in heaven. Try kicking up the flavor a notch by mixing in a buttery head of roasted garlic. (via Vegan Huggs)

Vegan Black Eyed Peas With Smokey Collards and Grits

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Who says all soul food is unhealthy? This bowl of grits, collards and black eyed peas is full of fiber, minerals and essential vitamins to keep you full and energized for hours. (via Vanilla and Bean)

Vegan Purple Sweet Potato Pie With Coconut Almond Crust

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If you can get your hands on purple potatoes, do so and immediately make this plum-colored sweet potato pie. Slice and serve with a dollop of vegan whipped cream for the perfect end to an epic soul food meal. (via The Endless Meal)

Follow us on Pinterest for more vegan soul food recipes and check out our online cooking classes for more inspo!

This post has been updated.

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Paige Johnson

Paige is a blogger, food writer and culinary master from Louisville, Ky. She's a newlywed who's obsessed with dogs and renovating her 117 year old home. When she's not working on her blog — My Modern Cookery — you can find her binge watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S with a triple shot latte in-hand.

19 Vegan Soul Food Recipes for Down-Home Comfort (2024)

FAQs

What is soul food comfort food? ›

Often referred to as “country cooking,” or “comfort food,” traditional Southern food includes dishes such as fried chicken, collard greens, field peas, cornbread, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler and more.

How to make vegan food satisfying? ›

I highly recommend having a mixture of grains, protein, and vegetables — it provides a great balance not only with flavor/bulk but also texture. Grains and legumes help keep the meal filling while the vegetables bring everything together. Spicy-Peanut Portobello Kale Rice Bowl – Healthy.

What can I feed a vegan guest? ›

Your houseguest would most likely be happy with oatmeal or granola with almond milk and fruit for breakfast, nut butters, hummus, salads with beans, fruits and vegetables, and nuts for lunch, and grilled or sautéed veggies with a whole grain like quinoa are for dinner.

What is the most popular soul food dish? ›

Fried chicken may be the first dish that comes to mind when you think about soul food, but Delk Adams's recipe proves fried fish is just as quintessential (and delicious). The flaky fillets are dredged in an old-school spiced cornmeal breading, just as her grandma, aka Big Mama, used to do.

What sort of foods do most vegans love having? ›

11 Foods Healthy Vegans Eat
  1. Legumes. ...
  2. Nuts, nut butters, and seeds. ...
  3. Hemp, flax, and chia seeds. ...
  4. Tofu and other minimally processed meat substitutes. ...
  5. Calcium-fortified plant milks and yogurts. ...
  6. Seaweed. ...
  7. Nutritional yeast. ...
  8. Sprouted and fermented plant foods.

Is pasta suitable for vegans? ›

Most packaged pasta—including spaghetti, rotini, and any other type—is 100 percent vegan. To know for sure, simply check the ingredients on your package! Sometimes, you might see “egg” listed as an ingredient in “fresh” pastas, so avoid those—but generally, pasta contains no animal-derived ingredients.

How to host a vegan for dinner? ›

Vegan dinner party snacks and starters
  1. Beetroot vegan hummus. ...
  2. Purple sprouting broccoli tempura with ponzu dipping sauce. ...
  3. Crispy fried cabbage. ...
  4. Grilled vegetable antipasti. ...
  5. Vegan summer rolls. ...
  6. Warm hummus with pine nuts, raisins and olives. ...
  7. Beer batter pakoras. ...
  8. Cashew cream and ancho chilli elotes.

What is the most filling vegan food? ›

Plant-based foods you can add to your meals to help improve satiety
  • Oats. ...
  • Chickpeas. ...
  • Walnuts or Almonds. ...
  • Sweet Potatoes. ...
  • Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • Avocado. ...
  • Brown rice or quinoa. ...
  • Dark Chocolate.

How to make vegan food cheaper? ›

By simply swapping meat and processed vegan alternatives for more whole food equivalents, such as lentils and chickpeas (great in curries or stews), cooking becomes more cost-effective without sacrificing flavour.

Why do I feel weaker as a vegan? ›

Lack of Specific Vitamin and Minerals

This is because, for many nutrients involved in preventing fatigue, such as vitamin B12, iron and iodine (18), a little more thought may be needed to reach your daily requirements.

What is the main food of a vegan person? ›

A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

How to accommodate a vegan at a dinner party? ›

Make sure you're aware of any allergies ahead of time, so you can prepare dishes suitable for your guests' needs. Speak to your guests a few weeks before the event, and where possible create dishes that are suitable for all, so you avoid having to create different recipes for each person.

What not to ask a vegan? ›

22 Things Not To Say To A Vegan
  • Where do you get your protein? ...
  • Just have a little of this (non-vegan food), I won't tell anyone! ...
  • I just love a rare steak. ...
  • God wants us to eat animals. ...
  • How can you live without bacon?? ...
  • You don't make friends with salad. ...
  • Don't you care about people? ...
  • How do you know someone's a vegan?
Oct 22, 2015

What is the meaning of comfort food for the soul? ›

“Soul food” or “food for the soul” are the activities or things that make you feel happy, comfortable, and uplifted. They can be people, practices, or actual food—there are no limits.

What is considered soul food? ›

Regional Soul Food

This includes dishes like Jambalaya, Gumbo, red rice and beans and other foods of the creole subgroup of the Black American ethnic group.

What is considered comfort food? ›

Popular comfort foods include: Carb-loaded cuisine like bread, pasta, and pastries. Childhood favorites, including memorable family and holiday meals, feel-good after school treats, and beloved snacks and desserts. Fast food like burgers, French fries, and pizza.

References

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