25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (2024)

Oil-Free | Vegan Recipes

ByKarissa

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.

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (1)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (2)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (3)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (4)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (5)

Lunch

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (7)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (8)

BBQ Tempeh Sandwich

4.41 from 5 votes

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

Get the Recipe

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (9)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (10)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (11)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (12)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (13)

Vegan Broccoli Alfredo

4.75 from 24 votes

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

Get the Recipe

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (14)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (15)

Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

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

Get the Recipe

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (16)

Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken

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

Get the Recipe

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (17)

Chickpea Stir Fry

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

Get the Recipe

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (18)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (19)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (20)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (21)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (22)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (23)

Snacks

Oil-Free Hummus

4.66 from 20 votes

Simple, vegan hummus made with aquafabainstead of olive oil.

Get the Recipe

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (24)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (25)

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

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (26)

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!

25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (2024)

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 can I bake without oil? ›

Oil Free Recipes
  1. Heavenly Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal.
  2. Holiday Breakfast In A Jiffy: Carrot Cake Oatmeal.
  3. Baked Cherry Pie Breakfast Pudding.
  4. My Go-To Holiday co*cktail – Quick, easy, festive, and low in sugar!
  5. Basic Chia Seed Pudding.
  6. Gourmet Chia Seed Pudding (from scratch!)
  7. Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl.

What can I cook without oil? ›

Baking & Roasting
  1. Oven-baked and roasted dishes can be incredibly flavorful without the need for oil.
  2. Roast your favorite vegetables, marinated with herbs and spices, for a crispy and savory side dish.
  3. Explore zero-oil baking recipes, from savory muffins to guilt-free sweets.

What is a vegan substitute for vegetable oil? ›

You can take just about any recipe, vegan or not, and make it better and healthier by replacing the oil or butter.
  • Unsweetened Apple Sauce.
  • Nut Butters.
  • Silken Tofu.
  • Aquafaba.
  • Mashed Banana, Pumpkin or Sweet Potato.
  • Check Out These Oil-Free Recipes.
  • Resources.
Mar 6, 2021

Why do vegans avoid oils? ›

The rationale used by these diets for avoiding oils is that oil is high in calories (since it's pure fat) and doesn't include the fiber or as many antioxidants as you would get from eating the whole, unprocessed food instead (in this case, the whole olive).

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.

What is a good substitute for oil in baking? ›

  • Melted Butter.
  • Avocado.
  • Unsweetened Applesauce.
  • Greek Yogurt.
  • Shortening.
  • Coconut Oil.
  • Bacon Grease.
  • Nut Butters.
Nov 3, 2023

What happens if you bake vegetables without oil? ›

When vegetables are roasted without oil the finished product is a bit drier than it would be otherwise. However, finishing the roasted vegetables and adding flavor post-cooking, such as by tossing them in a small amount of high flavor liquid will boost flavor and add complementary flavor notes to the dish.

How to cook plant-based without oil? ›

How to Cook Without Oil. To saute or stir-fry: Add a stainless steel, or non-toxic non-stick pan to your stove top over medium heat, and add 1-2 tbsp's of vegetable broth or water. Then add your vegetables or tofu/tempeh and sautee just as you would normally.

How did people cook without oil? ›

Sautéing and stir-frying

Water works for a start, but you can also try vegetable broth, cooking wine, vinegar or soy sauce.

What can I use as a substitute for no oil? ›

So, if you're stuck without this ingredient, here's some alternatives:
  • Butter and margarine. Butter and margarine are glorious for adding flavour, richness and colour to meals so a great swap for oil. ...
  • Ghee. ...
  • Vegetable shortening. ...
  • Bacon grease. ...
  • Schmaltz. ...
  • Mashed bananas and apple sauce. ...
  • Tahini. ...
  • Sunday roast fat.
Apr 26, 2022

How do you make food taste good without oil? ›

This can also be done with broth or coconut aminos (or soy sauce). Just know that broth and coconut aminos do add flavor. No Oil: Rely on water or broth to sauté ingredients like diced vegetables, onions, and garlic.

What do vegans use for oil? ›

FRYING- Soybean, peanut, vegetable, canola, sunflower, cottonseed, corn oil are some of the better options for frying as they are more refined. Making them oils with a high smoke point, which is key for deep frying and higher heat pan cooking.

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.

Does plant-based mean no oil? ›

There are lots of reasons why eating a Whole Food Plant Based diet (WFPB or Plant Based for short) is the most rock star way of healthy eating. One of the reasons for this is because people who stick to a WFPB diet don't consume processed oil.

What can I use instead of oil for cooking? ›

So, if you're stuck without this ingredient, here's some alternatives:
  • Butter and margarine. Butter and margarine are glorious for adding flavour, richness and colour to meals so a great swap for oil. ...
  • Ghee. ...
  • Vegetable shortening. ...
  • Bacon grease. ...
  • Schmaltz. ...
  • Mashed bananas and apple sauce. ...
  • Tahini. ...
  • Sunday roast fat.
Apr 26, 2022

How do you replace oil in a plant-based diet? ›

Here are just a few tips:
  1. Oils and Butters: We use absolutely no oils in our house. ...
  2. Vegetable broth: I use this to sauté my vegetables. ...
  3. Nut butters: I use nut butters in my cookies as a fat replacer. ...
  4. Avocados: An avocado can be a butter replacement that will add natural fat and creaminess to just about anything.
Feb 18, 2016

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Nathanial Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 5988

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nathanial Hackett

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: Apt. 935 264 Abshire Canyon, South Nerissachester, NM 01800

Phone: +9752624861224

Job: Forward Technology Assistant

Hobby: Listening to music, Shopping, Vacation, Baton twirling, Flower arranging, Blacksmithing, Do it yourself

Introduction: My name is Nathanial Hackett, I am a lovely, curious, smiling, lively, thoughtful, courageous, lively person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.