The 22 Best Vegan Recipes of 2022: From Crispy Tofu Popcorn Chicken to Crunchwrap Supremes

More than ever, plant-based dishes are giving meat and dairy a hard time as more and more people opt for vegan meals. A recent study even revealed that 42% of consumers worldwide think most people will eat plant-based foods instead of meat in the next decade.

The last two years of the fight against COVID-19 have forced more people than ever to cook at home (47% cooks more plant-based foods), research recipes, try new techniques and hone their cooking skills. More and more people have turned to the digital sphere for help, ideas and delicious vegan meals. From transforming veggies like potatoes and carrots into a deliciously velvety vegan queso sauce to mastering the ultimate tofu-cooking skills, it’s been a big year for digital recipes.

Top 22 Vegan Recipes of 2022

In honor of another year of next-level vegan food, here are the 22 most popular recipes you couldn’t get enough of on VegNews.com. We can’t wait to see what’s on the menu in 2023!

Doesn’t taste like chicken

1 Creamy Vegan Italian Gnocchi Soup

VegNews readers have proven that soup season is year round with this simple Italian Gnocchi Soup earning top marks for the most popular recipe of 2022.
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Hannah Sunderani

2 Vegan Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Sour Cream and Guacamole

Who can resist deliciously satisfying roasted sweet potatoes stuffed with filling black beans, a homemade coconut-based sour cream sauce, and big scoops of everyone’s favorite dip, guacamole?
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Hannah Kaminsky

3 The Best Vegan Macaroni and Cheese You’ll Ever Make

This signature VegNews recipe has been a long-time reader favorite (made our top recipes list for several years in a row) and there’s a good reason for that. This vegetable-based cheese sauce achieves the classic taste and texture of mac without any dairy.
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Andrea Soranidis

4 Two-Step Vegan Tuna and Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

We like to keep things simple here, and it seems our readers do too! It’s no surprise, then, that this must-have fishless tuna salad recipe has been clicked on time and time again.
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Sarah Nevin

5 Vegan Root Vegetable Bowls with Creamy Peanut Sauce

Continuing the simple theme, this roasted root vegetable dish is an easy weeknight staple or meal prep that you can enjoy any day of the week. The star of the dish? It is an irresistible salty and tasty peanut sauce.
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Lauren Hartmann and Julie Grace

6 Vegan Spicy Oven Fried Tofu

Tofu recipes have made it to our recipe list time and time again, and this crispy, golden, baked-on version of fried tofu (with a hint of spiciness!) was one of your favorites.
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ALLEKO

seven Vegan four-ingredient chocolate chip, oat milk and banana ice cream

No need to complicate homemade ice cream! This oat milk and banana version only requires four ingredients and is delicious when topped with vegan chocolate fudge sauce and sprinkles.
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Hannah Sunderani

8 Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme with Gooey Cashew Queso

No need to hit the drive-thru when you can do your own foolproof Crunchwrap at home! A beefy vegan filling with lettuce, tomatoes and avocados with an oil-free queso sauce made from cashews satisfies all our cravings.
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Francesca Bonadona

9 Easy and Crispy Vegan Tofu Popcorn Chicken

It’s been a big year for vegan chicken! But if you haven’t quite found the frozen nugget for you again, why not try this golden homemade version? Extra-firm tofu serves as a meaty substitute for these golden, crispy nuggets.
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Jeeca Uy

ten Char Siu Sweet Sticky Vegan Tofu

Need to convince a tofu skeptic? We have a recipe for you! A rich, sweet and savory sauce made from a blend of hoisin sauce, fresh ginger, garlic and spices coats pan-fried tofu for a delicious protein-packed vegan dish.
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Doesn’t taste like chicken

11 Easy Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Graham Bars

No frills, the desserts are the best. These magical little vegan bars taste like cups of peanut butter mixed into a cookie, which means they’re pretty much perfect.
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Micah Siva

12 Easy Vegan Banana Coconut Pudding

Sometimes dressed up nostalgia is sheer perfection. In this recipe, silky cashew pudding is layered with waffle cookies, banana, and yogurt to create an easy and delicious dessert. And it has brought our readers back to the recipe time and time again.
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Julieanna Hever

13 Vegan tofu-broccoli-mushroom stir-fry without oil with sweet chilli

Among desserts and fast food classics, healthy, everyday recipes like this vegetable stir-fry have crept in. Hearty broccoli, peppers, tofu, onions, and snow peas make for a hearty meal you’ll come back to time and time again. Again.
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Patricia Graneck

14 Sticky vegan tofu with orange and sesame

If you haven’t made one Panda Express to try their vegan chicken version, this tofu version will do the trick to satisfy those orange chicken cravings! This sweet and salty tofu can instantly turn any stir-fry or bowl of veggies into a hearty meal.
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Danielle Keith

15 Vegan Soup Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar

While we wait Panera to further vegetate their classic dishes, we’ll make this flavorful soup at home. This creamy, cheesy, comforting plant-based cheddar and broccoli soup is a healthier alternative to Panera’s favorite.
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Francesca Bonadona

16 Vegan Streusel Muffins with Butter and Cinnamon

Once you’ve made them once, you’ll be hooked and coming back to this recipe more times than you can count. These simple, moist pastries feature a brown sugar crumble topping baked on top of vegan vanilla buttermilk muffins.
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Danielle Keith

17 Creamy Mac and Cheese Vegan Copycat Panera

While Panera is still preparing its few basic vegan dishes, here we are in the process of veganizing those that we cannot forget. Inspired by the popular chain’s macaroni and white cheddar cheese, this cashew-based version offers the same smoothness and comfort.
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Drena Burton

18 Easy Vegan Fakeout Veggie Queso

You’d never guess this cheese sauce is made with potatoes, peppers, and carrots, making it a sneaky way to get more veggies. We love it topped with our favorite salsa and fresh cilantro, and garnished with a squeeze of lime to intensify it even more.
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Danielle Keith

19 Vegan Deviled Egg Potatoes

There are no eggs involved in this devilishly good recipe, but they still satisfy that creamy, eggy taste and texture of classic deviled eggs. We’ll be serving it at all the parties, gatherings, picnics and more coming in 2023.
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Jeeca Uy

20 Vegan Korean Bulgogi Mushrooms

King Oyster mushrooms had a huge year, taking TikTok and IG reel recipe videos by storm. The king oyster mushrooms in this vegan bulgogi dish are bursting with flavor thanks to a perfectly balanced sweet and spicy sauce.
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Danielle Keith

21 Vegan No-Bake Girl Scouts Samoas

If you ever wished that Girl Scouts cookie season was all year, you’re in luck. Now you can make your own version of your favorite cookies at home. These super simple and chewy chocolate cookies taste just like the nostalgic favorite and are made from just six ingredients.
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Lauren Hartmann and Julie Grace

22 Vegan baked cottage cheese mac and cheese

Mac and cheese pops up again in our best vegan recipes of the year! This inventive and indulgent twist on the traditional mac and cheese is covered in a generous layer of crispy breadcrumbs made even crispier with toasted toasted pecans.
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