Vegan Italian Recipes 65 Best Tried And Tested Ideas

With this recipe roundup, we introduce plant–based twists on classic recipes to bring the rustic charm of Italy to your kitchen. 18. Lentil bologneseOur lentil bolognese is an Italian classic with an ultra-rich and hearty sauce, perfect with pasta, lasagna, or zucchini noodles. Explore vegetable-based appetizers like bruschetta, focaccia, and crostini, enticing your taste buds with wholesome Italian ingredients. Elevate simplicity with easy pasta, from aglio e olio to pasta e ceci and mushroom ragù (pictured below), all showcasing the art of delicious Italian cooking. Finally, finish your meal with a dolce fatto in casa (homemade dessert), such as vegan cannolo, apple cake, or egg–free biscotti. Buon Appetito to a world of plant-powered Italian delights.

Five tips for Vegan Italian cooking:

Choose Fresh, Quality Ingredients: Use fresh and high-quality ingredients, such as ripe tomatoes, aromatic herbs, and seasonal vegetables.

Master Herb and Spice Pairings: Elevate flavors with a mix of classic Italian herbs like basil. For depth and complexity, experiment with garlic, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Explore Plant-Based Proteins: Replace meat with alternatives like tofu, plant-based alternatives, or lentils and chickpeas for texture and protein, maintaining the heartiness of traditional Italian dishes.

Experiment with Vegan Cheeses: Incorporate plant-based cheeses, such as parmesan or ricotta, to achieve Italian cuisine’s creamy and rich textures.

Balance Flavors and Textures: Create well-rounded dishes by balancing creamy sauces with crunchy vegetables or al dente pasta, ensuring a satisfying and authentic dining experience.

The recipe is simple; you can make it in 10 minutes with a few ingredients. 3. Braised artichokesBraised artichokes, also known as “Roman-style artichokes,” are an easy Italian artichoke recipe you can make with simple ingredients in 30 minutes. 5. Roasted zucchini with Italian herbs Roasted zucchini is a classic Italian starter or side dish. Italian herbs and breadcrumbs give the zucchini a bold flavor and juicy texture. 6. Panzanella saladOne of the most underrated salad recipes is a traditional Italian summer dish with simple seasonal vegetables and leftover stale bread. Despite being an ancient recipe, it takes just 10 minutes to prep! 8. Fennel orange saladFennel and orange salad is a crunchy, fresh, and light salad to be served as a side dish or a starter. It’s perfect in winter when the fennel, orange, and pomegranate are in season. They’re perfect as a succulent side dish, a starter served with toasted bread, or a topping to a bowl of pasta. 10. Caramelized onionsCaramelized onions have a rich and deep flavor with sweet and sour notes. They are soft and melt in your mouth. You can make it on the day or get ahead and let it proof slowly in the fridge. 14. FarinataFarinata or socca is an easy recipe made by mixing chickpea flour and extra virgin olive oil and then baking it in the oven for about 20 minutes. This crispy and thin focaccia is packed with melted vegan cheese. It’s a dairy-free version of “focaccia di Recco,” originally stuffed with stracchino cheese and eaten as street food in Liguria, Italy. 13. Italian piadinaPiadina is a thin, yeast-free Italian flatbread you can fill with your favorite spreads. Try it with this vegan melted cheese – and enjoy it for a light lunch, snack, or dinner. Delicious as a starter, side dish, or main dish when used as a pizza. 15. Flatbread pizza Whether you like a classic tomato and mozzarella pizza or a contemporary version with hummus and tahini sauce topping, this Italian flatbread recipe is excellent for a beautiful dinner with friends and family.

Pasta dishes

Vegan CarbonaraOur vegan carbonara is a simple recipe that can be made in 15 minutes. The taste of our carbonara sauce is similar to the taste of an authentic Italian carbonara recipe. A classic Sicilian dish that you can make in about 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients and fresh eggplants
Stuffed bell peppers It’s simple yet delicious and naturally vegan, made only with a few healthy ingredients. With simple ingredients, we’ll show you how to achieve perfection in under 15 minutes.
GnocchiThis is an easy recipe at home; you’ll need just three ingredients and a fork. Once shaped, your gnocchi can be paired with your favorite pasta sauce – from rich tomato to a creamy mushroom sauce.
Pasta and chickpeas (pasta e Ceci)
Vegan Italian pasta salad
Pasta Puttanesca (pictured below)
Vegan mushroom pasta This aromatic and tasty mushroom pasta is great for weeknight dinners and guests due to its restaurant–worthy looks and flavor.
Trofie with basil pestoHomemade trofie with vegan basil pesto is our take on a traditional Italian dish made for centuries on the Ligurian Riviera in Genova. We show you how to make trofie at home, like in Italy, with just two ingredients.
Lentil pasta Our Lentil pasta is a nutritious and delicious traditional Italian recipe called pasta e lenticchie (pasta with lentils) made with ditalini pasta cooked in a rich and flavorful stew.
Broccoli pasta This vegan Italian recipe will surely please the pickiest of eaters because of its rich taste and luscious texture. Plus, you can make it in 20 minutes with a few simple ingredients.

Rice

Saffron risottoIt is a creamy and tasty risotto with a delightful saffron flavor. We use vegan butter parmesan-free parmesan for an Italian flavor and satiating meal.
Tomato risottoThis creamy tomato risotto is a simple staple of Italian home cooking. The rice is slowly cooked into a rich tomato sauce, to which we add dairy-free butter and cheese. It’s a rich, creamy risotto that tastes 100% authentic and Italian. We fill these Italian-inspired bell peppers with lentils, rice, fresh herbs, and fragrant spices. When baked in bell peppers, the filling absorbs their juices, and the combination of flavors and textures makes this recipe irresistible.
Supplí Our vegan supplì are as tasty, melty, and Italian as they get. They can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack, or side dish.
Vegan melted cheese (stracchino)You can make it in 5 minutes and use it on pizza, toast, and oven-baked pasta. It’s perfect on food in the oven, as it melts like mozzarella cheese. This Italian rice salad is a colorful, summer-friendly grain bowl with fresh vegetables, Italian herbs, and a creamy mustard dressing. It’s great for meal prep, a potluck salad, and a lunchbox idea.

Vegan Italian Cheeses

Vegan RicottaVegan ricotta cheese is so easy, light, creamy, and versatile. You can make it with three simple ingredients in less than one hour and use it exactly like regular ricotta.
Vegan TiramisuHere, we show you how to make the best vegan tiramisù we have ever had with simple plant-based ingredients.

Vegan Main Dishes

Lemon tofuAn Italian recipe for lemon chicken inspires this recipe. We replaced the chicken fillet with tofu slices, resulting in a delicious meal that can be prepared quickly.
Pan-fried tofu with mushroomsThis quick and delicious recipe is perfect for every day, last-minute dinners. Scaloppini inspired this recipe with mushrooms, a famous Italian recipe made 100% plant-based.
Zucchini boats with lentils These Italian-inspired zucchini boats are a tasty and healthy recipe to enjoy the wonderful flavor of zucchini. They are packed with a rich, savory filling made with lentils, tomatoes, herbs, and walnuts. 42 Baked juicy “fish”It’s a simple dish you can make in about 30 minutes as an everyday dinner. We serve it as a fish replacement and cook it precisely like white fish is cooked in Italy.
Tofu CacciatoreWe might use tofu instead of chicken, but this meal is rich, earthy, meaty, and packed with the cacciatore flavor we all love. You’ve never had tofu like this!
Seitan steaks (Italian scaloppine)These seitan steaks are one of our favorite plant–based meat replacements. They are easy to make at home and tender but have a meaty texture.
Vegan ParmigianaThis eggplant parmigiana is a creamy and indulgent dish that can easily be made vegan. It is super tasty, rich, creamy, and healthy since the eggplant is baked and not fried.

Vegan Italian Desserts

Vegan CannoliOur filling is made of vegan homemade ricotta and is sweet and creamy. The shell is as bubbly, light, and crisp as the traditional ones but without eggs, lard, or butter. The ladyfingers are homemade without eggs, yet this dessert is an incredible treat.
Vegan apple cake
Fruit tartThis beautiful and delicious fruit tart is a classic Italian pastry recipe everyone loves. We make a light, easy pie crust filled with dairy-free homemade custard. This vegan apple cake (torta di mele) is an egg-free recipe everyone will love. It’s sweet, refreshing, and made with simple ingredients in your pantry. Hungry for more Italian desserts? Try these authentic Italian sweet treats:
Italian croissant with cream filling
Vegan cream buns “Maritozzi”
Brioche bread
Vegan custard
Vegan donuts (pictured below)
Chiacchiere: the traditional Carnevale biscuit made vegan.
Almond biscotti with nuts, almonds, or chocolate chips.
Apple fritters: deep-fried and dough-covered apple slices.
Castagnole: donut holes fried or oven-baked.
Wine cookies: a traditional biscuit from the Umbrian countryside.
Castagnaccio – chestnut flour cake with raisins and walnuts.
Pear cake: a single-layer and eight-ingredient cake.
Coffee mousse with three ingredients and 5 minutes of preparation time.
Vegan lemon cake with frosting.

What to serve with Italian food

These vegan Italian meals generally go well with grains, bread, and vegetable side dishes:

Vegan Lemon Cake

Biscotti Recipe

Pear Cake

Castagnaccio – Chestnut flour cake

40 easy vegetable side dishes 12 delicious artichoke recipes 20 ways to cook zucchini (fried zucchini recipe pictured below). 24 easy eggplant recipes