Whether your family is totally plant based or just trying to eat less animal products, these vegan recipes for kids will dazzle your whole family and keep meals interesting!

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Vegan recipes

If you or your family is new to plant based eating, finding nutritious vegan recipes that the kids will actually eat can be a but of a challenge—there are eggs and dairy in so many classic kid recipes—but hopefully this list helps you feel inspired and gets your family excited about meals!

Vegan foods to feed kids

When transitioning a child to an egg-free, dairy-free, animal protein free way of eating, it can be helpful to keep a running list of foods they can eat AND that they enjoy. That way, if you are feeling stumped on what to cook or shop for, you have a go-to list for inspiration.

For some vegan foods kids often enjoy (assuming no other allergies) are:

  • all fruits
  • all vegetables
  • all legumes, seeds, and nuts
  • healthy fats including avocado, olives, chia, hemp and flax
  • plant milk, nondairy yogurts, and plant-based cheeses
  • Complex carbohydrates including whole grains and rice
  • Tofu and soy products (organic suggested)

Vegan recipes for kids

You can almost always make a recipe plant based by subbing an animal product with a sub from the above list, but there are many delicious recipes that are already vegan and require no tweaking! These are some of my family’s favorite plant-based recipes!

Butternut Squash Vegan Cheese Sauce

A good, creamy cheese sauce makes pretty much everything better. And this Butternut Squash Vegan Cheese Sauce is pure magic! Drizzle it over veggies, baked potato or pasta. Use it to make a batch of healthy nachos or just dunk your favorite tortilla chips in it! However you use it, keep a batch on hand for adding a little vegan, cheese-y goodness to every meal.
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Vegan Whole Grain Pumpkin Waffles

Once the first signs of fall arrive, I’m ready to add pumpkin to just about everything, including breakfast. My pumpkin waffles combine whole wheat flour, canned pumpkin purée, almond milk, and maple syrup, then cook up thick and perfect on the outside, just the way a waffle should be!
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Creamy Butternut Squash Black Bean Soup

This Butternut Squash + Black Bean Soup is a personal feel-good staple in our house (especially when paired with a grilled cheese *drool*). Hearty, super easy to make with convenient canned black beans, frozen or fresh butternut squash + canned tomatoes, this naturally vegetarian soup is blended creamy smooth (or left a bit chunky, if you like!) and can be made on your stove top, in your slow cooker or Instant pot! Oh, and the leftovers? Magical!
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Vegan Carrot Muffins (with lentils!)

These Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins are perfect for an easy grab-and-go breakfast or snack! Kid-friendly, added veggies and packed with fiber and protein. And, no, you can’t even taste the lentils!
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Hearty Veggie-Loaded Instant Pot Lentil Soup

This Instant Pot Lentil Soup is your new go-to for a cozy, feel-good, weekday vegetarian dinner. It’s super hearty from lentils, loaded with veggies like carrots, onions, salsa, and baby spinach, and made extra comforting with a *really good*, perfectly seasoned, flavorful broth. Done cooking in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot (but I also threw in the slow cooker instructions!), it’s a simple, satisfying soup that feels like a hug in a bowl—because cold days call for easy, nourishing food.
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Lentil Vegan Shepherds’s Pie

This lentil vegan shepherd's pie is one of our family's favorites. Made with cooked lentils, mixed frozen veggies, and fluffy mashed potatoes. This vegetarian and gluten free dinner is flavorful, easy to prep, and done cooking in about 40 minutes.
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Oat Flour Beet Brownies (egg-free)

These Beet Brownies are chocolatey, easy to make, delicious, and happen to be egg-free and easily gluten free since they are made with oat flour! While they are amazing at satisfying your sweet tooth, they have less added sugar than most traditional brownies recipes.
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Carrot Banana Protein Pancakes (vegan)

These vegan protein pancakes are not only loaded with carrots, but lentils to give them a punch of protein! Egg-free, dairy-free, naturally sweetened with bananas and a little maple syrup!
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30-Minute Creamy Potato Leek Soup

30-Minute Creamy Leek Potato Soup

One pot. 30 minutes. A couple leeks. Some potatoes. That is pretty much all you need to make this delightfully simple simple, yet wildly flavorful creamy potato leek soup. It is totally dairy-free, so it gets its thick, creamy factor by blending the cooked potatoes + leeks. A quick squeeze of lemon juice at the end adds the perfect brightness to this plant based comfort soup. Dinner magic!
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Carrot Fries (Oven or Air Fryer)

Made in your oven or air fryer, these Carrot Fries are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Such a fun way to eat vegetables, this feel-good side dish is sure to delight everyone and be the perfect addition to so many meals!
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Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies served in a tower of four cookies with a jar of milk blurred in the background

Egg-Free Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies

Now these Morning Glory Breakfast Cookies are how to start a day right! The perfect taste and texture, healthy and loaded with amazing ingredients! Gluten free, vegan, and naturally sweetened. These are a morning must-make!
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Creamy 10-Minute Beetroot Hummus

This is truly the BEST Beetroot Hummus under the sun and so easy to make in just 10 minutes. Beautiful to look at, an amazing balance of flavors and a smooth, creamy texture to boot!
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Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding served in a nice jar

Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding

This Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding is the ultimate feel-good fall treat. It’s cozy, nourishing, and comes together in just a few minutes—no cooking needed! Just mix, pop it in the fridge, and let it set into creamy, pumpkin-spiced perfection. Perfect for an easy dessert or snack that feels a little extra (without any actual effort).
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12 Minute Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

12 Minute Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

This recipe for air fryer tofu is, hands down, the best way to get delicious, super crispy tofu with a soft middle! This recipe is easy to make, has terrific crunchy texture, and is done in about 12 minutes—so quick! For best results, use firm or extra firm tofu and press the tofu before cooking.
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Vegan Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies stacked into a tower looking delicious and absolutely inviting

Vegan Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

A delicious sweet treat that is not only easy to make, but free of eggs, gluten and dairy! Soft and chewy, these Vegan Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies are going to be your new go-to cookie recipe!
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Mango kale smoothie in two jars

Kale Mango Smoothie

This Mango Kale Smoothie is the ultimate healthy breakfast. Made with just 4 ingredients, this green smoothie recipe is easy, delicious, and the perfect way to start your day.
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Hearty Slow Cooker Veggie Chili

This Hearty Slow Cooker Veggie Chili is the perfect thing to curl up with at the end of the day! Meatless and veggie-loaded, this crockpot vegetarian chili is simple to make, packed with flavor, and the perfect plant based dinner that is loved by all kinds of eaters!
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Sheet Pan Orange Tofu & Veggies

This Sheet Pan Orange Tofu & Veggie recipe is full of flavor, cooks up in about 30 minutes and is a simple, delicious vegetarian dinner for those busy weeknights!
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Sweet Potato Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

These Sweet Potato Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats are the perfect easy breakfast to throw together and take on the go. Perfectly sweet, veggie-loaded, and a classic flavor combo, this no-cook recipe will be a favorite.
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Vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos

These vegan slow cooker lentil tacos are a super easy dinner! Flavorful, family-friendly, and beloved by all kinds of eaters (yep, even the most devout meat lovers), this is the perfect satisfying, easy peasy plant based dinner recipe to make again and again.
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Vegan Recipes for Kids: Carrot Banana Protein Pancakes

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast
Author: Taesha Butler
These vegan protein pancakes are not only loaded with carrots, but lentils to give them a punch of protein! Egg-free, dairy-free, naturally sweetened with bananas and a little maple syrup!
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons flax meal
  • 5 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or date syrup, Sub honey* if vegan is not needed
  • 1 cup mashed banana, or sub with unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup cooked and cooled green lentils, about 1/3 cup dry. See above for cooking suggestions
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, or your favorite milk of choice
  • 3/4 cup diced carrot, about 1 medium carrot
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Combine flax meal and water in a small bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes to let it "gel". This will form a "flax egg" and work as a binding agent in the pancakes
  • After the "flax egg" has has a chance to gel, add it to a blender along with the maple syrup/ date syrup, banana, lentils, oil, vinegar, almond milk, carrots, and vanilla.
  • Blend until mixture is smooth and carrots and lentils are totally pureed. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir just until combined.
  • Pour the contents of the blender into your dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over mix or your pancakes will not be as fluffy.
  • Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat (about 375℉) . Grease with a little oil if needed.
  • Once griddle or skillet is hot, scoop pancake batter onto pan with a heaping tablespoon or small cookie scoop. Cook until the edges of the pancakes look dry and bubbles begin to form, about 2-3 minutes. Flip, pressing down on the cooked side of the pancake to flatten it a bitand cook on the other side for about 2 more minutes.
  • Repeat until all pancake batter is used up.
  • Enjoy warm with your favorite pancake topping. Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in your fridge for 3-4 days or in your freezer for months to come.
Serving: 4pancakes, Calories: 303kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 379mg, Potassium: 493mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 2704IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.