Are you one of those people that finds yourself cooking dinner at 10:45 p.m.? Maybe you went to the gym after work or met up with friends for drinks—and only drinks. By the time you get home, the take-out menu on the counter is calling, but there’s a fridge full of food in the kitchen. Don’t panic: We found seven nighttime meals that can be prepped in five minutes flat. And did we mention they’re vegan too? You’re welcome.
1. Pickled Chili Chimichurri Nachos
You may not think of nachos as a filling dinner option, but just get a load of these: Instead of gloppy yellow cheese sauce and wimpy guac, try topping chips with a zippy herb sauce mixed with avocado, plus cumin-dusted black beans. Add chopped tomatoes and sliced green onion if you’re feeling ambitious.
2. Quinoa and Veggie Collard Wraps
When you feel like having a salad for dinner but don’t want to dirty a bowl (we’ve been there), wrap the veg in leafy greens instead. Pick up a few thick collard leaves and spread them with hummus. Throw in a few spoonfuls of cooked quinoa, then pile on the veggies—anything with do. Wrap it up like a burrito, bite, and repeat.
3. Vegan Sloppy Joes
Whether or not you’re vegan, you need to add lentil sloppy joes to your dinner routine. The simple tomato-based mixture is typically made with beef; this plant-based version adds new layers of flavor without taking away the hearty, belly-warming elements of the dish. Plus it’s just as good piled onto a bun as it is over a bed of rice or greens.
4. Savory Turmeric Chickpea Oats
You’re probably used to oatmeal for breakfast, but get ready for a curveball. This rich porridge gets its warm, golden color from just a bit of turmeric, streaked green with wilted spinach. Top with fat chickpeas and a spoonful of tahini. We call this the dinner of champions.
5. Mexican Brown Rice
We never finish all the brown rice from last night’s takeout; this recipe is the tastiest way to use it up. Mix rice with black beans, corn, and chili powder; then stir in lots of salsa for heat and flavor. Serve this protein-packed dinner over a bed of greens or pile it into a tortilla. Adding a small mountain of sliced avocado is optional… but is it really?
6. Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Make this pasta salad for your next potluck—or if you can’t wait that long, for dinner tonight. Cook your favorite bite-size noodles (whole-wheat penne! Brown rice rigatoni! Quinoa rotini!) and toss them with a salty-sweet dressing of pulverized sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, and nutritional yeast.
7. Chickpea and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Chickpeas are the quickest, most versatile vegan protein around (see recipe no. 4 if you have questions). Pair with fresh veg and a tamari-Sriracha sauce, and you’ll sit down to a lick-the-bowl-worthy dinner in less time than it takes to order takeout.