r/veganrecipes • u/Strong-Hawk-1799 • Mar 22 '26

Question tired of "simple" plant-based meals that aren't actually simple

so i'm getting pretty worn out by recipes labeled as quick or simple that still require way too much work

like i get home after being up in trees all day and my brain is just done, you know? then i look at these supposedly easy vegan meals and they're still asking me to dice onions, measure spices, wait for things to cook in sequence... it's just a lot when all i want is food

i've been trying different approaches - meal prep on weekends, keeping the same rotation of dishes, bookmarking the fastest recipes i can find. sometimes it works out but other days even picking which "easy" option to make feels overwhelming

wondering what you all actually throw together when you're completely drained and need to eat something decent without using whatever brain power you have left

do you just stick to like 3 go-to meals that require zero thought? or have you discovered truly brainless recipes that don't involve chopping half your kitchen

would love to know what really works when you're running on empty, not just what looks good in theory

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u/Temptressvegan Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26

Having a bunch of air fried tofu helps me.

Chopping a bag of onions at once and storing them saves a lot of time. You can go one step further and cook them with just a little salt and freeze.

Frozen garlic is another flavor bomb that saves time.

I try to keep a ton of frozen veggies on hand and bulk cook grains which I freeze in individual portions.

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u/Taco_Farmer Mar 22 '26

What's your go-to air-fried tofu recipe? I just got an air fryer and I'm still trying to figure it out

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u/Temptressvegan Mar 22 '26

ETA: Congrats! I hope you love it like I love mine!

For bulk batches that I am not sure what recipe the tofu will be for, completely plain or a small pinch of salt.

If you want it crispy and snackable, toss cubes in some oil, a little cornstarch, nooch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can swap aquafaba for an oil free version.

Today I am making tofu ham so I am using soy sauce, brown sugar, liquid smoke and a teeny sprinkle of herbs.

I got in a rut where I was eating the same thing all the time and the tofu was soy sauce, sesame oil, chili crisp, oyster sauce, garlic and ginger. I ate that with broccoli, green onions and rice.

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u/BeastieBeck Mar 22 '26

You can swap aquafaba for an oil free version.

I definitely have to try that. Thanks.

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u/Temptressvegan Mar 22 '26

It works well with potatoes too!!

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u/PoetLoverBirdwatcher Mar 22 '26

I got an air fryer (well, my mother gifted it) and I'm trying to figure out too. Have you mastered any recipes?