You get invited to a coveted potluck party where the stories that follow become legend. The catch? You have a day to prep, with nothing but oat milk in your fridge and nooch (nutritional yeast, for those uninitiated) in the pantry. And the host is vegan, so all the food’s gotta be plant-based.
Using recipes from my book, The Vegan Athlete, I’m sharing 10 ideas for what to bring to a vegan event, ranging from (almost) zero effort to pro-level vegan. These dishes will not only cover your bases, but will also hit a home run with guests.
If you only have time to run to the grocery store, go with the (almost) zero effort options. If you'd like to pretend you're on a professional cooking show for an entire afternoon, go with the pro-level vegan options.
Vegan shareables: sweet options
Vegan shareables: savoury options
Skip ahead for the two recipes in each level:
[Almost] zero effort
Sweet option: Store-bought treats
The nutrition pros say you need to eat all the colours of the rainbow with fruits and veggies. That applies to sugar too, right? When you’re in a bind, nothing beats a platter of beautifully arranged store-bought candy. Sweet tooth cravings satisfied, stat.
Prep time: going to the store
The How-To:
Just a few of the many vegan options include Oreos, Skittles, Twizzlers, Dandies vegan marshmallows, Swedish Berries, Fuzzy Peaches, and your (or your host’s) fave dark chocolate. Pro tip: group by colour and arrange in a swirl or sun ray pattern.
Be sure to check for vegan labels, and read ingredient lists for sneaky animal products like dairy, gelatin, shellac, or carmine—some products vary by region and flavour.
Savoury option: Tortilla chips and hummus
When time isn’t on your side, it’s aaall about presentation. Anyone can buy these products from the grocery store and assemble them like a pro. Throw the ingredients on your fanciest dishware, arrive in style, and you’ll have people asking you for the recipe that doesn’t exist!
Prep time: going to the store
The How-To:
Buy a bag of plain tortilla chips and a tub or two of hummus. Transfer the dip to a small bowl. Place in the centre of a large plate with the chips around it. Done!
You can also buy multi-coloured or lightly salted tortilla chips, and substitute or supplement the hummus with salsa or baba ganoush for additional options.
Minimal effort
Sweet option: Dark chocolate-dipped strawberries
Everyone loves fruit and chocolate, but you can combine them in a classier way—forget stuffing a truffle with awful-tasting fruit jelly. Want to impress on a tight budget? Chocolate-dipped strawberries look super fancy, but are so easy to make even a child could make them (seriously—that’s a time saver). It’s also a great bang-for-your-buck treat.
Prep time: 30 minutes + chocolate setting
The Grub:
12 large strawberries
1 cup non-dairy dark chocolate chips, or chopped dark chocolate bar (70% cocoa or more)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup nuts of your choice, crumbled
The How-To:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash strawberries and pat dry. Ensure strawberries are thoroughly dry, or the chocolate won’t bind to them.
In a bowl or small saucepan set over a small pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Alternatively, heat the chocolate in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring after each heating. If using the steaming water and pot method, ensure the chocolate doesn’t come into contact with any water—this will cause the chocolate to seize up and be impossible to work with. If microwaving, ensure the chocolate doesn’t burn.
Holding a strawberry by its stem, dip it in the chocolate. Twirl it around a few times to evenly cover about three quarters of the berry. Once you’ve let any excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, lightly dip the strawberry in either coconut or crushed nuts. Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining berries.
Refrigerate chocolate-dipped strawberries for about 30 minutes to set. Best enjoyed the day they’re made.
Makes 1 dozen.
Savoury option: Kale salad
Anyone can throw together a salad, but when you bring out the kale, it’s an extra flex. This recipe (created by Holly Burton) is a staple at BBQs and potlucks with my friends in the summer. All you need is a few bunches of kale and a handful of staple items like tahini, lemon, and chili oil. Throw it together in your best-looking salad bowl, and voila—instant street cred.
Prep time: about 30 minutes
The Grub:
About 10 cups kale (large mixing bowl full; or one bunch), shredded into bite-size pieces.
Dressing:
1/2 tsp chili oil
Pinch garlic powder
2 tsp miso paste
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp water
The How-To:
In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until well combined.
Place kale into a large mixing bowl. Knead kale for a minute or two to soften it slightly, then add dressing. Knead for another few minutes to evenly coat each kale leaf with dressing, and to allow the lemon juice in the dressing to soften the kale leaves.
Serves 4.
Medium effort
Sweet option: Berry crumble
This is another recipe that looks complicated but isn’t difficult to throw together. Oats and berries go together like Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Fruit crumble’s a delicious dessert that’s simple to make and easy to scale for larger gatherings if you need to. Pro tip: use multiple 8" by 8" baking dishes for large groups. More crumble to go around!
Prep time: 45 minutes
The Grub:
Topping
1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup light-flavoured olive oil or melted coconut oil
1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
Filling
2 cups raspberries
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup whole grain wheat or spelt flour
1 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup
The How-To:
Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease baking dish(es) with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix together all topping ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix together filling ingredients.
Place filling in baking dish(es), topping evenly with topping mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes, until topping is crisp and lightly browned, and filling is bubbling.
Makes 8 individual servings (in ramekins), or one 8” by 8” crumble.
Savoury option: Chili
Like a warm blanket or a hug from grandma, no one throws shade at chili, especially in fall or winter. Also, nobody ever makes a “small” amount of chili. The correct recipe size is a vat. No excuses for hangry behaviour here! Chili’s a great crowd-pleaser and a familiar dish both the veg-curious or veg-averse will want to try out.
Prep time: about 1 hour
The Grub:
2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can other beans of your choice, drained and rinsed (e.g. butter beans, black beans, cannellini beans, navy beans, pinto beans)
2 large carrots, chopped
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 small Serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1 Jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 package (340g) Mexican flavour Yves Cuisine Veggie Ground Round
1 cup frozen corn (optional)
The How-To:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook onion in oil for 3–5 minutes, until turning translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, carrots, and peppers. Add chili powder, cumin, and black pepper, and cover. Cook 15 minutes, until carrots are softened.
Add Veggie Ground Round and corn (if using). Stir to incorporate, and heat through (about 5 minutes).
Serves 4.
High effort
Sweet option: Cake or cupcakes
Rihanna knows best—cake is my favourite kind of dessert. And you never need a special occasion to have cake! Here, I’m sharing chocolate cupcakes with ganache topping, adapted from Sarah Kramer’s La Dolce Vegan!. Bonus: you’ll get more forks diving into this if someone with a birthday shows up.
If you’re lower on time, make a sheet cake. If you’re in a decorating mood, make cupcakes.
Prep time: 1 to 2 hours
The Grub:
Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup light-flavoured olive oil or melted coconut oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Ganache
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups non-dairy dark chocolate chips, or chocolate bar pieces
The How-To:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix, using as few strokes as possible. A few lumps are OK as long as all the flour has been moistened.
Using a soup ladle, fill each cupcake liner two thirds full. Bake for 17–20 minutes, until skewer or knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place on cooling rack and let cool completely.
To make the ganache, place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the coconut milk until lightly steaming and small bubbles form around the saucepan’s rim. Don’t let the coconut milk get too hot or start boiling. Pour the coconut milk over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes without stirring.
Gently stir the coconut milk and chocolate mixture until smooth. Spoon over cooled cupcakes, then let set for 30 to 60 minutes.
Makes 1 dozen cupcakes or an 8"-by-8" cake.
Savoury option: Shepherd’s pie
Bring a big ceramic dish or sheet pan of homemade shepherd’s pie, and you’ll get instant star status at this event. You’ll need to make filling, mashed potatoes, and gravy—but it’s worth it to hear those oohs and ahhs. This classic and unbeatable comfort food can easily be made plant-based.
Prep time: about 2 hours
Mashed potatoes
The Grub:
4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup creamy plant-based milk
The How-To:
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain well, and return potatoes to saucepan.
Add oil and plant-based milk. Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. If the mixture is too dry, add a few tablespoons of plant-based milk and mix well.
Filling
3 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup red lentils
2 medium carrots, diced
1 cup asparagus, chopped
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup grated smoked tofu
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried dill
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup spelt flour
1/2 340-gram package Yves Cuisine veggie ground round
They-Won’t-Believe-It’s-Plant-Based Gravy
The Grub:
1/2 small onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
3 cups vegetable stock
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional, but highly recommended)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup spelt flour (or regular wheat flour)
The How-To:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, until turning translucent.
Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, smoked paprika (if using), nutritional yeast, and black pepper. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk spelt flour with about 6 tablespoons of water, until smooth. Bring heat back up to medium, add spelt flour and water mixture to the saucepan, and stir. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens.
Makes about 3 cups.
Bringing it all together:
Lightly spray your baking dishes with cooking spray and preheat oven to 400ºF.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes.
Add vegetable stock, lentils, and carrots. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, smoked tofu, oregano, dill, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and spelt flour. Mix to ensure seasonings and flour are evenly distributed. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add veggie ground round and mix to incorporate.
Spoon filling evenly into baking dish(es), filling about 3/4 full. Top with mashed potatoes, using the back of a spoon to spread them evenly. Use a fork to fluff up potatoes a bit, creating small peaks that will brown nicely.
Bake for 20–30 minutes, until mashed potatoes are well browned.
Pro-level vegan
Sweet option: 4-dessert cups
Why make just one dessert when you can pack 4 amazing flavours into one exquisite bite? If you really wanna win the contest for best dessert, make these little powerhouses. They work best for smaller gatherings, as you’ll need a small glass for each serving.
These cups consist of cubed chocolate cake, coconut milk chocolate mousse, strawberry sauce, and coconut yogurt. And don't forget the shaved chocolate on top!
Prep time: 3 hours + mousse setting time
Chocolate cake
Use recipe above for chocolate cake/cupcakes. Make one 8"-by-8" cake.
Dark chocolate mousse
The Grub:
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
7 oz. (200g; or about 1 1/4 cups) 70% or more dark chocolate chips or chocolate bar pieces
The How-To:
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring coconut milk to steaming. Make sure the coconut milk doesn’t boil—you want to get it steaming with small bubbles appearing around the rim of the pot.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Add chocolate chips or pieces. Without stirring, let coconut milk and chocolate mixture stand for 5 minutes to allow chocolate to soften. Gently stir until mixture is smooth.
Pour into a glass baking dish and let set for 3 hours, or overnight.
Strawberry sauce
The Grub:
3 cups strawberries, sliced (fresh or frozen)
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
The How-To:
Place strawberries in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring every few minutes.
Reduce head to medium-low and cook for about 8 minutes, until strawberries are very soft and broken down. Mash with a spoon if there are any large pieces.
Mix 2 tbsp water with 2 tsp cornstarch until smooth. Add this slurry to the strawberry mixture. Stirring continuously, cook for another minute and then remove from heat.
Coconut yogurt
Buy your favourite brand of coconut yogurt. If it's unsweetened, stir two tablespoons of agave nectar into the yogurt container.
Chocolate shavings
All you need is a bar of dark chocolate and a vegetable peeler. My favourite chocolate to use is Lindt 70% Madagascar. Over a large dinner plate, shave along the long edge of the bar to make curls.
Bringing it all together:
Cut chocolate cake into cubes (1 to 1.5 inches wide) and place 3-4 cubes in each dessert glass.
Add about 3 tbsp strawberry sauce, followed by 2 tbsp of coconut yogurt and 1 tbsp of chocolate mousse. Top with chocolate shavings.
Savoury option: Homemade pretzels
My sister and me chowing down on freshly-baked pretzels
“Excuse me, did you just come back from Germany?” These yeast-risen, boiled, then baked-to-
perfection delights are perfect in every way and wow tastebuds with the garlic + rosemary combo. I dare you to find a person who doesn’t like a freshly made, soft pretzel! If you make smaller pretzels, people can grab several. And they will.
Prep time: 3 to 4 hours
Use this recipe by Love and Lemons, and add 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary, and 1 tbsp crushed and chopped garlic to the dough.
To share pretzels at an event, I always double the recipe.
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