Italian cuisine is known for its rich flavors and comforting dishes. Traditionally, Italian cuisine relies heavily on animal products. However, with the rise of veganism, it's easy to adapt Italian recipes to be plant-based, without sacrificing any of the delicious flavors. In this article, we'll explore the most amazing vegan Italian recipes that you can enjoy at home.
You'll find all of the most delicious vegan Italian recipes below and learn that it's not that hard to cook vegan Italian recipes either!
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🍝 Vegan Pasta & Mains
A list of vegan Italian recipes has to start with a list of the best pasta recipes, right? Whether they're served as a side dish or as a main, you can't go wrong with a vegan pasta recipe - it's the height of Italian food!
Here you'll find all of the best vegan pasta dishes. From recipes that are accidentally vegan, like arrabiata pasta sauce to specially crafted vegan carbonara and spaghetti with fresh lemon and olive oil. Check out all of the best vegan Italian recipes below!
1. Vegan Lentil Bolognese
Ready in: 1 hour 5 minutes
Vegan bolognese is packed with protein-rich lentils and flavorful mushrooms, this plant-based take on a classic traditional Italian dish is perfect for those seeking a meatless alternative. Plus, it's budget-friendly and great for the whole family. Italian food isn't complex and this recipe proves that!
2. Vegan Cannelloni
Ready in: 1 hour
This simple vegan cannelloni with dairy free macadamia ricotta is a crowd-pleaser. It only takes 60 minutes to make, it's a great example of how easy it can be to make vegan Italian recipes. It features a dreamy creamy vegan ricotta filling and an irresistibly rich marinara sauce! Plus, it can easily be made gluten free.
3. Cavolo Nero Pasta
Ready in: 20 minutes
Creamy cavolo nero pasta (or vegan sun dried tomato pasta) is a comforting pasta dish that’s so satisfying and indulgent. And it only takes 20 minutes to make!
4. Spaghetti Arrabiata
Ready in: 1 hour 5 minutes
This is the best and easiest spaghetti arrabiata recipe! Italian food at its best. A rich tomato sauce with fiery chilli and fresh basil, that’s perfect for any night of the week. Direct from my Italian Nonna’s kitchen to yours! Honestly this is one of my favourite vegan Italian recipes, even though it only uses a handful of ingredients.
5. Vegan Wild Garlic Pesto
Ready in: 10 minutes
A beautiful British take on pesto, using seasonal wild garlic leaves. It’s earthy and delicate – perfect for stirring through pasta, spreading on crusty bread or as a dip! Pesto pasta is forever one of Dan's favorite vegan Italian recipes. During spring, this just doesn't get old.
6. Vegan Vodka sauce (TikTok Pasta)
Ready in: 30 minutes
Vegan Vodka Sauce Pasta is probably (another) one of my favorite vegan Italian recipes, and you most likely already know and love this dish from TikTok. It’s creamy, indulgent and rich with tomatoey goodness. Plus, this one is made with my favorite pasta shape - rigatoni. Try adding chili flakes to take it to the next level!
7. Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
Ready in: 1 hour 25 minutes
Vegan Bolognese is easy to make, packed with protein and is a total crowd pleaser! Make this one with packet vegan mince. It's one of those classic vegan Italian recipes that everyone loves. Try serving it with zucchini noodles for a low carb option, and top with fresh herbs for best results.
8. Best Vegan Carbonara (Under 30 Minutes)
Ready in: 25 minutes
Vegan carbonara is so easy to make, packed with protein and made in one pot too! Featuring a delightfully creamy sauce that's dairy free, and super easy to make. It doesn't get better than vegan Italian recipes like this!
9. Vegan Arrabiata Pasta in 30 Minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes
Vegan arrabiata pasta is another classic Italian dish that takes just 30 minutes to cook and needs just 9 ingredients! Chili flakes give it a spicy kick and means it's also known as 'angry pasta'. This is a simple vegan Italian recipe - this dish would usually take over an hour but we've simplified it for you!
10. Vegan Mushroom Pasta With A Creamy Garlic Sauce
Ready in: 25 minutes
This Vegan Mushroom Pasta pairs a creamy garlic sauce with meaty mushrooms for a quick midweek meal, that's also super delicious. Packed with fresh vegetables, it shows how easy and healthy Italian food can be, and it can be a one pot meal too.
11. Vegan Macaroni Cheese
Ready in: 35 minutes
Vegan baked mac and cheese is pure comfort food. Plus it needs just 9 ingredients! We tried and tested this recipe until it was the creamiest, most indulgent version possible. This is more based on American Italian food, but who's judging?
12. Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo
Ready in: 30 minutes
This is a deliciously creamy and indulgent tagliatelle recipe made with whole foods. With an indulgently creamy sauce that's also dairy free, it's kind of vegan food at its best. Top with vegan parmesan cheese for best results.
14. Avocado Pesto
Ready in: 20 minutesRecipe by: Plant Based on a BudgetThis super creamy and delicious 7-ingredient avocado pesto is perfect for sandwiches, wraps, pizza, and also makes a quick and nutritious 15-minute avocado pesto pasta. Oil-free and nut-free variations included!
15. Vegan Baked Ziti
Ready in: 40 minutesRecipe by: Running on Real FoodThis easy baked ziti recipe is meat-free and features homemade tofu ricotta, making it completely plant-based and dairy free! It’s also super easy to make in just a few simple steps. Vegan Italian recipes don't get much easier than this.
16. Easy Vegan Lasagna
Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutesRecipe by: NutriciouslyAre you craving an Italian pasta dish fresh out of the oven? This healthy vegan lasagna is high in protein and veggies and is a wonderful comfort meal that’s irresistibly creamy. I love vegan lasagna, so this one just has to be made!
17. Vegan Meatballs
Ready in: 45 minutesRecipe by: My Quiet KitchenIt wouldn't be right if we wrote an article about vegan Italian meals and left out the meatballs! What's better than a bowl of vegan spaghetti and meatballs? These pantry-friendly vegan meatballs will win you over! They're easy to prepare and have amazing flavor and a firm texture thanks to black beans, textured vegetable protein, and vital wheat gluten. A perfect example of how vegan Italian recipes can be absolutely phenomenal!
19. Stuffed Shells
Ready in: 40 minutesRecipe by: Serene TrailThese Vegan Stuffed Shells are so comforting and delicious!Jumbo shells are filled with creamy vegan cheeses, hummus, herbs, and sautéed veggies, then baked to perfection in a bubbling dish of pasta sauce.
20. Marinara Sauce
Ready in: 25 minutesRecipe by: My Good Food WorldThis quick and easy marinara sauce is made with tomato passata. This versatile sauce can be used for pasta or pizza. It comes together in just about 20 minutes and stays in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.
22. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Ready in: 25 minutesRecipe by: Chef's PencilSpaghetti Aglio e Olio is a classic Italian pasta dish which is simple, yet incredibly flavorful. In this dish, the Italians let two of their favorite ingredients shine: olive oil and garlic. Just use gluten free pastato make this a gluten free recipe too.
23. Vegan Minestrone Soup
Ready in: 30 minutesRecipe by: Happy KitchenThis hearty vegan minestrone soup is packed with seasonal fresh veggies, beans, lentils and whole grains. A perfect comforting vegan minestrone soup that's full of fresh flavors and nutrients! I just want to dip some awesome crusty bread in there right now.
26. Pasta Al Limone
Ready in: 30 minutesRecipe by: Best Served VeganThis vegan pasta al limone is a creamy and comforting meal that is bursting with lemon flavor! It’s made with simple ingredients like garlic, vegan butter, oat milk, and of course, lemon, making it an easy, delicious, and affordable pasta dish. Al dente linguine is bathed in a light and zesty sauce featuring olive oil, before vegan parmesan is sprinkled on top. It is easy enough for a quick 30-minute weeknight dinner, but feels fancy enough for a date night.
28. Vegan Pizza
Ready in: 40 minutesRecipe by: Rebel RecipesVegan pizza with bolognese sauce and cashew parmesan is so delicious, we love this homemade pizza by Nikki at Rebel Recipes!
🍚 Rice Dishes
30. Arancini
Ready in: 35 minutesRecipe by: The Vegan LarderArancini is another Italian vegan recipe that's based on a traditional dish. They're a delicious Italian risotto ball made with leftover risotto. Often stuffed with a little vegan cheese or ragu, this vegan version is made with peas and mushrooms. An easy way to use up leftover Italian rice dishes. Make extra because they are very more-ish!
31. Mushroom Risotto
Ready in: 40 minutesRecipe by: Magical Life of FruitVegan risotto has been done. A lot. But this mushroom risotto is exceptional! So, are you ready for a hands-off one-pot creamy risotto that can be baked in the oven? Not only does this recipe taste exquisite, but it is very cheap to make and uses everyday ingredients.
🥗 Vegan Italian side dishes
Italian cooking is simple yet so effective. So quite often, vegan italian recipes won't need many ingredients or take much time to cook, but the result will be quite remarkable. So an Italian side dish like bruschetta, zucchini stew or even a simple pasta recipe can taste like the best thing in the world but only use a handful of ingredients!
32. Easy Pesto Orzo Salad
Ready in: 20 minutes
Pesto orzo salad is a light and refreshing take on the awesome TikTok pasta salad trend – with just 6 ingredients! It’s one of those vegan Italian recipes that's so refreshing on a summer's day. This vegan pasta salad that features chickpeas, olive oil, a herby, fresh pesto as well as lots of vibrant salad veggies too.
33. Vegan Garlic Bread
Ready in: 13 minutes
It's not the most traditional of vegan Italian recipes but it is the easiest and most delicious vegan garlic bread. It needs just 15 minutes and 4 ingredients! A perfect side for most pasta dishes, or a great snack by itself.
34. Vegan Parmesan
Ready in: 7 minutes
Vegan parmesan is one of the easiest vegan recipes ever! So simple to make, and a perfect accompaniment to many vegan Italian recipes. Plus, you'll need just three ingredients and a blender!
35. Tuscan Artichoke Salad
Ready in: 10 minutesRecipe by: A Simple PalateThis bright and fresh artichoke Tuscan style salad is abundant in vegetables and Italian herbs! Each bite is filled with marinated artichokes, fire roasted red peppers, and paired with a simple herby vinaigrette.
36. Tuscan Stewed Beans
Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutesRecipe by: Rainbow Plant LifeThese Tuscan Stewed Beans are the ultimate rustic Italian comfort food! Made with simple pantry-friendly ingredients like onions, garlic, tomato paste and white beans, but big on gourmet Italian flavor. It's cozy and indulgent yet wholesome, vegan, and gluten free. Great served as a side dish to something like a traditional Italian recipe like lemon pasta.
39. White Bean Panzenella
Ready in: 5 minutesRecipe by: J Cooking OdysseyThis Vegan White Bean Panzenella is the perfect summer salad. It’s easy to make and is bursting with fresh flavours.
40. Herb Pangrattato
Ready in: 25 minutesRecipe by: Dish 'n' the KitchenTasty Herb Pangrattato is a toasted seasoned breadcrumb mixture that's naturally vegan. It's delicious on everything from steamed white asparagus to baked mac 'n' cheese. Use your favourite herbs and spices to customize it to your liking.
41. Bruschetta
Ready in: 35 minutesRecipe by: Chelsea Peach TreeRoasted butternut squash and mushroom bruschetta is a perfect appetizer for a Italian vegan night in! Made in less than 30 minutes, it's a makes a change from the classic cherry tomatoes topped bruschetta - it could be a new favorite. Plus, it can be made gluten free by using GF friendly bread.
🍨 Vegan Italian Desserts
This list of vegan Italian recipes would be incomplete without a few vegan desserts! Whether you're looking for something indulgent or a lighter sweet bite, we've got you covered.
42. Vegan Tiramisu
Ready in: 16 hours 10 minutes (including soaking time)Recipe by: Domestic GothessOne of the most classic vegan Italian recipes, this vegan take on the classic Italian dessert consists of vanilla cake fingers soaked with boozy coffee, layered with a smooth cashew cream, all topped off with a thick dusting of cocoa powder.
44. Vegan Cannoli
Ready in: 50 minutesRecipe by: Steph SunshineThese Sicilian-style vegan cannoli are made with crispy, bubbly shells and a creamy non-dairy ricotta filling. The lightly sweet taste is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth, and the protein-packed tofu-based vegan ricotta offers a healthy twist on the classic recipe.
So there we have it - the best vegan Italian recipes! And in case you need it, check out the best alternatives to Italian seasoning and ways to substitute fresh basil, which are both used in a lot of Italian style recipes.
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