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

4.25 from 85 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

Hummus Wraps

Easy and healthy rainbow hummus wraps made with fresh vegetables.

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25 Oil-Free Vegan Recipes (6)

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

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!

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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

4.56 from 18 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

4.76 from 41 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? ›

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

Can we bake without oil? ›

In baking you do still generally need some fat, otherwise your cookies may lack crisp, golden brown texture, and cakes and quick breads may turn out dry and crumbly. Here are some great alternatives to oil in baking: Mashed avocado – adds moisture and fat; ideal for quick breads and cakes.

Can you cook Indian food without oil? ›

You can dry roast the spices until they change color and continue with the rest of the steps of the recipe. Use water or broth to saute onions/veggies once the spices are roasted. 2. You can dry roast the spices, remove them from the pan, and add them back to the pan with the ground spices.

Why do vegans avoid oils? ›

The oil, on the other hand, is a liquid with a higher concentration of fat and calories, and zero protein and fibre. This combination makes it very easy to consume in excess.

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.

How do you make food taste good without oil? ›

Sautéing allows the natural sugars to release and intensify. The nice thing about sautéing in water or broth is that you end up tasting more of the food instead of the oil. If you are roasting or baking vegetables, you also do not need to use oil.

Is it healthier to cook without oil? ›

Meanwhile, oil-free cooking offers many potential health benefits, from lowering calorie intake to strengthening your heart. Additionally, cooking without oil can simply make your dishes taste more authentic, fresh and delicious. Let's look at some considerable health benefits of oil-free cooking below.

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.

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.

What is a fat free alternative to oil? ›

Unsweetened applesauce, mashed fruit, or pureed fruit such as bananas, pears, and prunes may be substituted for vegetable oil in baked goods. You can substitute cup for cup. The texture of your foods may be altered slightly. For example, applesauce makes cookies moister and more cake-like.

Which cookware is best for oil free cooking? ›

Dutch ovens are ideal for slow-cooking soups, stews, and sauces, caramelizing veggies, and whipping up homemade loaves of bread. The enamel coating on this classic pot prevents sticking, while heavy-duty cast iron promotes even heating to keep oil-free foods from scorching.

What is zero oil cooking? ›

Eating oil-free food or cooking food with less or no oil is one of the secrets to staying healthy, especially for heart patients. Doing this will not only make the food taste better but will also give you a healthy lifestyle. Zero Oil Cooking is not just a cooking method, it's a way of life.

What happens if you pan fry without oil? ›

In the pan: You can easily fry meat with no cooking oil in a griddle or a normal, nonstick pan. The natural fats of the meat are enough to cook it, but if you want to add a little something to help it on its way, try a splash of sparkling mineral water. Strange, but it works!

What happens if we don't use oil in food? ›

Here are some of the things that might happen: Reduced Flavor and Texture: Oil adds flavor and richness to many dishes. Without it, your food may taste plainer and lack the depth of flavor that comes from sautéing or frying in oil. Certain dishes may also become drier or have a different texture without the added fat.

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 do vegans use an air fryer for? ›

Air fryers can also make it easier to follow a vegan diet, offering a failsafe way to cook staples like tofu, cauliflower, and potatoes to perfection. Below, we've rounded up 10 mouth-watering recipes that prove plant-based cooking needn't be complicated or boring.

What can a vegan take instead of fish oil? ›

Algae oil, made from microalgae, like Nannochloropsis or Schizochytrium, is one of the best vegan sources of both EPA and DHA. It is also considered an ecologically sustainable form of Omega-3s.

Do vegans cook with olive oil? ›

The short answer is yes, olive oil is vegan! Olive oil is a completely plant-derived product that is made entirely from the fruit of the olive tree.

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