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)

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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!

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25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (9)

Dinner

Vegan Stuffed Shells

4.43 from 7 votes

Vegan stuffed shells with tofu and cashew ricotta are lighter, healthier and cheaper––not to mention tastier––than other stuffed shell recipes!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (13)

Vegan Broccoli Alfredo

4.75 from 24 votes

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

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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!

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25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (15)

Vegan Slow Cooker Chili

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

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (23)

Snacks

Oil-Free Hummus

4.66 from 20 votes

Simple, vegan hummus made with aquafabainstead of olive oil.

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25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (24)

Vegan Nacho Cheese

4.77 from 42 votes

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

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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.

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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? ›

It's very easy to bake oil-free. I've done it for years and am very confident with it and know very well how each nut or fruit will perform. Instead of oil, I use fruit purees, veggies, dairy-free yogurt, nut butters, almond flour or other nuts, sometimes coconut butter.

What can I cook without oil? ›

Let's look at some easy tips to cook without oils.
  1. Steam vegetables or saute in a liquid like water or broth.
  2. Use broth, soy sauce, or vinegar to add flavor during the cooking process.
  3. Utilize seasonings and herbs for flavor.
  4. Use an air fryer or a silicone mat in the oven for baked/fried preparations.
Jun 30, 2022

Can you bake without oil? ›

Baking—You can use a fruit purée as a healthy (and delicious!) substitute for fats like oil, butter, or shortening. Some of my favorites include applesauce, mashed bananas, and puréed dates.

Why do vegans avoid oils? ›

Not compliant with certain vegan diets

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).

Why do vegans not like oil? ›

The short answer is: oil is a processed food full of fat and calories and not much else. We all agree that sugar is a processed food, full of “empty calories.” Well, so is oil. Actually, oil has more empty calories than sugar.

Can I survive without cooking oil? ›

Eating food without oil can make one lose weight, feel exhausted and unwell because they are missing out on important nutrients required by the body, which is fat.

How do you make food taste good without oil? ›

No Oil: Perhaps the easiest of all the categories! Simply sauté your ingredients in water or broth (for soups and stews), or coconut milk (for curries) before adding your other ingredients. This works because you'll be adding additional liquid to cook your ingredients later anyway, namely water, broth, or coconut milk.

What is frying without oil called? ›

Technically, frying without oil is often referred to as "baking" or "roasting." Frying typically involves submerging food in hot oil, while baking or roasting uses dry heat in an oven.

Can you fry eggs without oil? ›

Yes, you can use water to cook eggs. If you're frying or scrambling them, start by heating a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of water, then crack the eggs into the pan and proceed to cook them as desired. The water helps create steam and prevents sticking.

Why are people going oil free? ›

Oil is High in Calories and Void of Nutrition

One of the main reasons why someone would avoid oil is that oil is very high in calories. There are, on average, 120 calories per tablespoon of oil. This is a high number of calories for a small volume of food, but calories aren't “bad”.

What is a healthy alternative for vegetable oil? ›

Vegetable oil substitutes include olive oil, walnut oil, flaxseed oil, and more. There are plenty of alternatives to vegetable oil. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) , the healthiest oils are low in trans, saturated, and partially hydrogenated fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

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 oils are OK on a plant-based diet? ›

Plant-based cooking oils that remain liquid at room temperatures, like olive oil or avocado oil, are unsaturated. These cooking oils are better for our bodies than plant-based ones that are solid at room temperature, like coconut oil or palm oil.

What do vegans use an air fryer for? ›

Air frying! It's a MUST in a vegan kitchen for transforming veggies, tofu, and even frozen meatless meats into delicious side dishes and main meals, FAST. Whether you're a die-hard fan of your air fryer or haven't taken the plunge and purchased one yet, we've got recipes here for you.

What can a vegan take instead of fish oil? ›

Omega-3 fatty acids are readily available in a wide variety of plant foods. Sources include walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, edamame, seaweed, and algae. Other green leafy vegetables and beans also contain small amounts.

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