Batch cooking is a useful technique that will help you to get ahead for the week and cut down your food waste. Whether you prefer a comforting lasagne, warming curry or vibrant veggie stew, these flavoursome plant-based suppers are perfect for busy weeknights. All recipes are freezable, allowing you time to cook them during the calm of the weekend or on a free night in the week, before freezing into individual portions or one batch to enjoy at a later stage. Some of our recipes use a base mixture which can be adapted to make a variety of delicious meals, whilst others can be made entirely in advance, depending on what suits you best.
Browse these easy vegan batch cooking recipes below, then check out our healthy batch cooking recipes and vegetarian batch cooking recipes for more inspiration.
Top 10 vegan batch cooking ideas
Our first three recipes require you to prepare a simple vegetable ragu base in advance, which can then be frozen and used when needed. Each recipe serves two, but the quantities can easily be multiplied to feed a crowd.
Vegan ragu base recipe
Start by making a healthy tomato ragu to form the base recipe of your three dinners. Brimming with veg and pulses, this hearty stew counts as four of your five-a-day. Use two portions of the ragu in each of the following recipes.
1. Vegan lasagne
The ultimate family comfort food, who doesn’t love a rich lasagne, topped with creamy white sauce and delicate pasta layers. This meat-free marvel is suprisingly light yet doesn’t stint on flavour. Combine flour with soya milk to make a thick sauce, flavoured with a hint of nutmeg. After you’ve assembled the lasagne with the ragu and sauce, sprinkle with nutritional yeast for a strong ‘cheesy’ hit.
Treat yourself to more of our vegan comfort food recipes.
2. Vegan moussaka
You don’t need to go on a Greek odyssey to find a mouth-watering moussaka! Our feel-good recipe can be layered up in just five minutes, using the ragu, soya milk mash and griddled aubergine slices. Drizzle with oregano-infused olive oil to ensure a crisp, golden top after baking.
3. Vegan bolognese
Short on time? Our super spag bol recipe is as simple as it gets and can be on the table in just 10 minutes. All you need to do is boil the pasta, heat with the ragu and sprinkle with fresh basil. The chunky veg with the spaghetti makes a satisfying yet low-fat supper.
For another plant-based pasta dish, try our jackfruit bolognese, topped with vegan parmesan.
4. Five bean chilli
This hearty gluten-free chilli really makes the most of storecupboard ingredients such as canned beans and tins of chopped tomatoes. It’s also packed with nutritious, colourful veg and delivers three of your five-a-day, so is perfect for a midweek health boost. Serve on a bed of brown rice with a dollop of vegan soured cream or guacamole.
We’ve got plenty more vegan chilli recipes to try.
5. Coconut cashew and butternut squash curry
Warming, aromatic and nutritious, this chunky squash, chickpea and cashew nut curry ticks all the boxes for a feel-good family meal. With just 45 minutes prep and cooking time, it’s super speedy to prepare and can be frozen for up to a month. Enjoy as part of an Indian-style feast with rice, naan and pickles, if you like.
Coconut cashew & butternut squash curry
Find more fantastic flavours in our vegan curry recipes.
6. Slow cooker ratatouille
As well as being a convenient way to prepare meals, slow cooking really intensifies the flavours in vegetable dishes. We love all the colours in this vibrant vegan ratatouille, formed from a mouthwatering medley of peppers, courgettes, aubergines and tomatoes. Not just a treat for the tastebuds, this healthy stew also scores a whole four of your five-a-day so is sure to leave everyone feeling good.
Rustle up more warming vegan stews and also check out our vegan slow cooker recipes.
7. One-pan coconut dhal
Combine red lentils with coconut milk and spices to create this luxuriously creamy and fragrant vegan dhal . With hints of cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric and mustard seeds, this warming one-pot packs a flavour punch and is perfect for scooping with naan bread. All you need is one pan to stir up this versatile dish, before freezing it in portions or as one batch to reheat for another day. It can also be used as a base to make other curries, or made into a soup by adding hot vegetable stock.
Find more comforting dhal recipes.
8. Spiced aubergine bake
Traybakes are great for batch cooking and dividing into portions. In this fragrant freezable supper, layers of melty aubergines are baked in a spicy tomato and coconut milk sauce, then topped with crispy almonds. It makes a budget-friendly, no-fuss student meal and can easily be bulked out with a can of chickpeas.
Save on the washing up with more vegan traybake recipes, plus see our top 10 vegan student recipes for more budget-friendly inspiration.
9. Danish-style yellow split pea soup
This Scandi-inspired soup is pure comfort in a bowl as well as being low in fat and full of health-boosting nutrients. Yellow split peas are gently cooked with wintry veg such as celeriac and parsnips plus an array of warming spices. Simply throw together the ingredients and let your slow-cooker do the hard work. You’ll be rewarded with a beautifully smooth and wholesome soup which is ideal for serving with rye bread, mustard and pickles.
Danish-style yellow split pea soup
Stir up more warming vegan soup recipes.
10. Slow cooker spiced casserole
Make chilly winter nights that bit better with a fragrant bowl of spiced parsnip, carrot and lentil casserole. Another slow cooker saviour, this healthy and hearty one-pot takes just 20 minutes to prepare and can be frozen ahead for evenings where you crave a bit of comfort.
Slow cooker spiced root and lentil casserole
Get more inspiration for batch cooking and plant-based recipes
Batch cooking recipe collection
Healthy batch cooking recipes
Vegan slow cooker ideas
Healthy vegan comfort food ideas
Top 10 vegan one-pots
The best vegan family dinners
The best batch cooking family recipes
Freezable family recipes
What are your favourite meals to batch cook? Leave a comment below…
