28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (2024)

Whether you're vegan, vegetarian or just want to try something new, you don't have to live a life without mac and cheese.

Hannah LoewentheilPublished on April 15, 2017
28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (2)

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

1. Vegan Mac and Cheese

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (3)

Delicious Everyday / Via deliciouseveryday.com

This cheeseless sauce is made of cauliflower, butternut squash, potato and cashews. Plus, the whole dish comes together in 30 minutes. Get the recipe.

2. Spring Vegetable Pot Pie

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (4)

Minimalist Baker

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (5)

Thanks to almond milk, this biscuit topping is so flakey and the veggie filling is so creamy you won't believe there's no dairy involved. Get the recipe.

3. Vegan Carrot Bacon

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (6)

Yumsome / Via yumsome.com

Maple syrup, tahini, liquid smoke and coconut aminos give this veggie side dish the salty-sweet, smoky taste of cured meat. Get the recipe.

4. Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (7)

Nutritional Foodie

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (8)

Start with roasted sweet potato, add this miracle dairy-free cheese sauce and end with your favorite nacho toppings. Get the recipe.

5. Mushroom Stroganoff

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (9)

Natural Girl Modern World / Via naturalgirlmodernworld.com

No beef here, just lots and lots of savory cremini mushrooms. Vegetable broth and almond milk add an element of richness to the whole dish. Get the recipe.

7. White Bean and Mushroom "Meatball" Subs

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (11)

Sobremesa

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (12)

Mix white beans and mushrooms with garlic, onion, breadcrumbs and some spices, and bake them for half an hour. Toss 'em in a submarine roll with marinara, and you won't miss the meat. Get the recipe.

8. Green Goddess Pizza

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (13)

Well and Full / Via wellandfull.com

Swap marinara sauce for cashew cheese and pesto. But let's face it, the carbs are the best part, anyway. Get the recipe.

9. Carrot Pigs in a Blanket

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (14)

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell / Via purewow.com

All your guests will be talking about this creative (and insanely simple) party app. Just make sure to buy or make vegan pizza dough. Get the recipe.

10. Bang Bang Broccoli

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (15)

Rabbit and Wolves / Via rabbitandwolves.com

This battered, lightly fried and spicy broccoli is the answer for anyone who doesn't love eating vegetables. Get the recipe.

11. Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (16)

Emilie Eats

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (17)

Emilie Eats

This crispy, baked cauliflower gets a serious kick from hot buffalo sauce. Then, it's cooling avocado cilantro sauce to the rescue. Get the recipe.

12. Vegan Lasagna

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (18)

Eat Within Your Means / Via eatwithinyourmeans.com

Layers of savory cashew cream and spinach "ricotta" take the place of cheese in this easy weeknight dinner. You can whip up both of these dairy-free fillings in your food processor in about 10 minutes. Get the recipe.

13. Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (19)

Lands and Flavors / Via landsandflavors.com

Cashews, nutritional yeast, white miso and flour form the base of this creamless yet rich pasta sauce. Get the recipe.

14. Crispy Avocado Tacos

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (20)

What's Cooking Good Looking / Via whatscookinggoodlooking.com

You can never have to many meat-free taco options. These baked and breaded avocados are crispy on the outside but creamy on the inside. Top them with smashed white beans and sriracha and call it a fiesta.

15. Popcorn Tofu Nuggets

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (21)

Under a Lemon Tree

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (22)

Why should you have to choose between honey dijon, chipotle ketchup and Sriracha mayo? Pair these guys with not one, but THREE easy vegan dipping sauces. Get the recipe.

16. Vegan Pad Thai

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (23)

Lazy Cat Kitchen / Via lazycatkitchen.com

Put down the takeout menu. Tamarind paste, tamari, soy sauce, maple syrup and lime make the secret sauce in this fancy Thai stir-fry. Get the recipe.

17. BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (24)

Minimalist Baker

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (25)

If you've never heard of jackfruit, it's a miracle produce that, when prepared properly, has a very similar texture to meat. Toss it with BBQ seasoning and sauce and you just might be convinced you're chowing down on pulled pork. Get the recipe.

18. Biscuits and Mushroom Gravy

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (26)

Gimme Some Oven / Via gimmesomeoven.com

Making these 3-ingredient coconut oil biscuits for breakfast pretty much guarantees a great day. Get the recipe.

19. Spaghetti and Lentil Bolognese

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (27)

Lazy Cat Kitchen / Via lazycatkitchen.com

This ain't your grandma's spaghetti, but it's protein-packed with a sauce made of sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts and lentils. Get the recipe.

20. Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (28)

Catching Seeds / Via catchingseeds.com

Imagine that falafel and a Big Mac had a baby. Get the recipe.

21. Moroccan Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (29)

Our Four Forks / Via ourfourforks.com

Substitute lamb or beef for chickpeas and mash the sweet potatoes with a non-dairy milk to make this hearty meal vegan-friendly. Get the recipe.

22. General Tso's Cauliflower

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (30)

The Woks of Life / Via thewoksoflife.com

Golden-brown, sweet-and-spicy and totally vegetarian, this Asian-inspired dish takes less than an hour to whip up from scratch. Get the recipe.

23. Vegan Spinach Dip

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (31)

No Recipes / Via norecipes.com

Serve this to a crowd...or hoard it for yourself. Get the recipe.

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (32)

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

24. Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (33)

Via sprinkledwithjules.com

Make these for dessert...then keep some leftovers for tomorrow's breakfast. Get the recipe.

25. Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (34)

Rabbit and Wolves / Via rabbitandwolves.com

Vegan butter sugar cookies + coconut cream ice cream = bliss. Get the recipe.

26. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (35)

http://www.blissfulbasil.com/5-minute-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough/

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (36)

http://www.blissfulbasil.com/5-minute-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough/

Let's be honest, the best part about baking cookies is eating the raw dough. Next time, save yourself the hassle with this five-minute eggless treat. Get the recipe.

27. Lemon Blueberry Pistachio Cupcakes

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (37)

Ambitious Kitchen / Via ambitiouskitchen.com

Vegan buttercream exists, people, and it's a miracle for satisfying any dairy-free sweet tooth. Get the recipe.

28. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (38)

My California Roots / Via mycaliforniaroots.com

Got 20 minutes? Bake these easy-easy cookies. Get the recipe.

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    28 Comfort Food Recipes With No Meat Or Dairy (2024)

    FAQs

    What can you eat if you don't eat dairy or meat? ›

    5 Great vegetarian sources of protein include tofu, legumes, eggs, and whole grains. To get your calcium without dairy products, you can eat foods that have been supplemented with calcium, such as orange juice, cranberry juice, breakfast cereals, and soy milk. Some almond milk brands also have added calcium.

    What is the ultimate comfort food? ›

    No other dish describes comfort quite as well as chicken pot pie. Made with tender chicken, mixed veggies, satisfying spices, and a delicious pie crust, this is the perfect easy weeknight dinner.

    What is a meat and dairy free diet? ›

    Pescatarian diets exclude meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs, but allow fish. Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products, as well as foods that contain these products.

    What happens to your body when you stop eating meat dairy and eggs? ›

    Better Gut Health

    Research shows eating lots of processed food and refined grains can negatively affect your gut health. But a plant-based diet helps boost healthy gut bacteria. Fiber-rich foods especially trigger growth of good bacteria, which lower inflammation and your risk of inflammatory diseases.

    Will I lose weight if I stop eating meat and dairy? ›

    The health factor

    A plant-based diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, peas, lentils and nuts. It's rich in fiber, vitamins and other nutrients. And people who don't eat meat, called vegetarians, generally eat fewer calories and less fat. They also tend to weigh less.

    What happens to your body when you stop eating dairy? ›

    Eliminating dairy may improve your skin health and reduce bloating. Dairy products have several essential nutrients that support your bone health. Try to incorporate foods rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin D if you avoid dairy foods.

    What happens if you never eat dairy? ›

    Your body can lack protein

    "An important macronutrient you gain from dairy is protein, which is essential for building muscles and helping your organs and bones to correctly function," explains the expert.

    What are the side effects of not eating meat? ›

    "If meat is simply removed and not substituted, the consumer is at risk of iron or B12 deficiency, anemia, and muscle wasting," Levy-Wollins explains.

    What is America's #1 comfort food? ›

    Become a Jetsetter
    • 1 Chicken and Waffles.
    • 2 Spaghetti and Meatballs.
    • 3 Chicken Fried Steak.
    • 4 Mac and Cheese.
    • 5 Hotdish.
    • 6 Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
    • 7 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.
    • 8 Matzo Ball Soup.
    Mar 1, 2020

    What is the best comfort food of all time? ›

    Our 20 all-time favorite comfort foods
    • 1 of 20. Chicken noodle soup. Joshua Resnick / shutterstock.com. ...
    • 2 of 20. Chicken pot pie. Charles Brutlag / shutterstock.com. ...
    • 3 of 20. Chicken tenders. ...
    • 4 of 20. Chili. ...
    • 5 of 20. Chocolate chip cookies. ...
    • 6 of 20. Cinnamon buns. ...
    • 7 of 20. Cornbread. ...
    • 8 of 20. Fries.
    4 days ago

    What is the Bbbe diet? ›

    Beef, butter, bacon and eggs — or BBBE, as Dr. Berry has coined it — is a shortcut version of the increasingly popular carnivore diet. Like a traditional keto diet, it works by replacing carb-rich foods with protein and fat.

    How to give up meat and dairy? ›

    10 tips to cutting down on meat and dairy
    1. Set yourself a realistic goal. ...
    2. Build in gradual changes. ...
    3. Trial being vegetarian or vegan for one month. ...
    4. Find meat and dairy-free alternatives. ...
    5. Start with the biggest emitters. ...
    6. Track your impact. ...
    7. Learn new recipes. ...
    8. Understand the nutrition.
    Dec 26, 2023

    What is the caveman diet? ›

    The Paleo diet, also referred to as the caveman or Stone-Age diet, includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Proponents of the diet emphasize choosing low-glycemic fruits and vegetables.

    How can I get protein without meat and dairy? ›

    5 Protein-Packed Foods for Healthy, Meatless Meals
    1. Eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein. ...
    2. Tree Nuts. Tree nuts include walnuts, almonds and pecans — don't confuse them with peanuts, which are legumes. ...
    3. Legumes. Legumes include a range of beans and peas such as black beans, chickpeas and lentils. ...
    4. Soy. ...
    5. Yogurt.

    What foods are good to eat without meat? ›

    Pulses include beans, peas and lentils. They're a low-fat source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and count as a portion of vegetables. Nuts and seeds are also a source of protein and other nutrients. Pulses are particularly important for people who don't get protein by eating meat, fish or dairy products.

    What meal can I eat without meat? ›

    No Meat Recipes
    • Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (w/ Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette) A Life Delicious. ...
    • Peach Cilantro Farro Salad. A Life Delicious. ...
    • Herb Salted Smashed Potatoes. A Life Delicious. ...
    • Creamy Roasted-Poblano Potato Soup. ...
    • Cajun Chickpea Burgers - Wholehearted Eats. ...
    • Enchilada Power Bowls with Spicy Tofu - Full of Plants.

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