41 Easy College Dorm Room-Friendly Vegan Recipes (2024)

41 fantastic easy vegan recipes that are suitable for a college dorm room! Minimal tools required while full of flavor and nutrients, these are the kind of recipes that are doable in a dorm room with a full day of classes. We've got a wide variety, including flavored waters, breakfast ideas including a latte, snack & dessert options, lunches/dinners, even a seasoning mix! All are vegan and some are gluten-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free. Provided by a variety of food bloggers from around the world.

41 Easy College Dorm Room-Friendly Vegan Recipes (1)

Nutritious vegan options are becoming more prevalent in college dining halls - yay! Still, it's not necessarily a wide variety of options available day to day, so I called on some of my fellow food bloggers to help me compile a resource for you college students to help you discover what you can cook on your own. That's right, in your dorm room! A special thank you to each of these wonderful contributors.

All of these recipes can be made with just the following appliances:

  • a mini-fridge
  • a microwave
  • coffee maker, milk frother

It would also be a good idea to have the following basics:

  • bowl
  • dish
  • cup
  • utensils
  • jar with a lid or other storage container
  • cutting board and knife (if not allowed, use one in the dorm kitchen or buy already-chopped fruit & veg from the dining hall)

Where to Find Ingredients

  • See what you can bring back to your room from the dining halls. Remember the on-campus market, too, where you can also (usually) use your dining card.
  • Most college towns have a farmers market nearby, which can add much-desired variety to your diet, even with a small amount of cash. And you get to support local, hard-working farmers! You can't beat the quality found at most markets, with their fresh-picked selections.
  • Check out the nearby grocery store. Some schools even have a shuttle that will take you on the weekends.
  • Try growing a few herbs on your windowsill! It's easy and adds so much to your dish. Think fresh mint in your water, basil in your salad.

Go solo or buddy system

Your roommate or someone else in your hall might want to go in on some groceries and use these recipes, too! They're bound to find something they like on this long list, whether or not they consider themselves "vegan." You'll be doing them a favor, introducing them to some delicious and nutritious food. More brain power for school! You could even start a group dinner club, with each person making a recipe from the list and eating them together, discovering your favorites. Have fun!

41 Easy Vegan College Dorm Room Recipes

compiled by Beautiful Ingredient

Flavored Water

Lemon Mint Flavored Water by Beautiful Ingredient

Cherry Vanilla Flavored Water by Beautiful Ingredient

Breakfast

Homemade Vegan Caramel Latte by Beautiful Ingredient

Vegan Caramel Steamer by Beautiful Ingredient

Quick Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal by Veggie Primer

Homemade Instant Oatmeal, 4 Flavors! by Veganosity

Almond Joy Chia Pudding by Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Chocolate Chia Pudding by Yummy Mummy Kitchen

Pink Dragon Fruit Chia Pudding by Beautiful Ingredient

Tropical Chia Pudding by Beautiful Ingredient

Mini Microwave French Toast by Strength & Sunshine

Snacks & Desserts

Vegan Peanut Butter Microwave Mug Cake (3 Ingredients) by Rhian's Recipes

Cookie Dough Protein Balls by V Nutrition & Wellness

Peanut Butter Chocolate Coconut Bites (no bake) by Delightful Adventures

Pistachio Chocolate Banana Sushi by The Petite Cook

Tahini Bon Bons by Fried Dandelions

Healthy Black Forest Bon Bons (gluten-free) by Sunnyside Hanne

Peach and Black Bean Salsa by Cadry's Kitchen

Mango Salsa by Beautiful Ingredient

Vegan Ceviche with Hearts of Palm by Cadry's Kitchen

Creamy Avocado Hummusby Yumsome

Favorite Guacamole by Beautiful Ingredient

Lunch or Dinner

Sandwiches & Salads

Veggie Wrap with Apples & Spicy Hummus by Veggie Inspired

Quick & Easy White Bean Salad (salad or sandwich) by Veggie Inspired

Apple Walnut Chickpea Salad (salad or sandwich) by Where You Get Your Protein

Vegan Tuna Salad (salad or sandwich) by Veggies Save the Day

Chickpea Salad with Jalapeño Relish (salad or sandwich) by Beautiful Ingredient

Avocado Chickpea Lettuce Cupsby Tasting Page

Cannellini Bean Salad with Basil & Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Food Pleasure & Health

Simple Black-Eyed Pea Salad by Delightful Adventures

Black Bean Mango Salad by Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Healthy Vegan Greek Salad by Yummy Mummy Kitchen

White Bean Cherry Tomato Basil Salad by Veggies Save the Day

Balsamic Bean Salad by Fried Dandelions

Simple Vegan Panzanella by Yumsome

Avocado Artichoke Lentil Salad by Tasting Page

Soup

Mason Jar Miso Soup by Sunnyside Hanne

Summer Rolls

by Beautiful Ingredient

Comfort Food

Microwave Mac & Cheese for One (gluten-free) by Strength & Sunshine

5 Minute Easy Vegan Tacos by Happy Kitchen. Rocks

Seasoning

Smoky Hemp Heart Seasoning Mix by Beautiful Ingredient

Hungry for more?

Check out this Make-Ahead Chia Pudding recipe and info on The College Vegan Cookbook by Heather Nicholds.

41 Easy College Dorm Room-Friendly Vegan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to be vegan without cooking? ›

16 No-Cook Vegan Recipes to Beat the Heat
  1. Berry Overnight Oats.
  2. Chia Breakfast Parfait.
  3. Enchanted Smoothie Bowl.
  4. Chickpea Salad Rolls.
  5. Tofu "Egg" Salad Sandwich.
  6. Rainbow Hummus Sandwich.
  7. Thai Crunch Salad With Peanut Dressing.
  8. Rainbow Salad.
Jul 21, 2022

How to season plant-based food? ›

Add some herbs & spices.

Play around with different fresh herb and spice combinations. Dried herbs work, too. Follow a recipe, use pre-mixed seasoning blends, or be creative and add your own. Bonus tip: restock your spices every once in a while for an extra kick (they do expire eventually!)

How to be a frugal vegan? ›

Vegan on a budget
  1. tinned beans and dried pulses of various kinds.
  2. vegetables (particularly seasonal ones)
  3. potatoes.
  4. egg-free pasta and noodles.
  5. rice.
  6. bread (wholemeal is ideal from a health point of view)
  7. dried herbs and spices.
  8. seasonal fruit.

How to be vegan when you're broke? ›

Staple vegan foods such as oats, lentils, pasta, rice and chickpeas are among the cheapest foods and are in *a lot* of vegan recipes, so should definitely make an appearance on your list. Oh, and avoid shopping whilst hungry. You're more likely to stray from the plan...

What is vegan for beginners? ›

Stick to whole, nutritious foods that just happen to be vegan, such as carrots and hummus, nuts and dried fruit, and whole-grain tortilla chips with guacamole. Enjoying processed vegan foods every so often is fine, but don't assume they're "healthy" simply because they're vegan.

What seasonings do vegans use? ›

For soups you'll want to stock up on basil, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme. These herbs are great for giving dimension to base flavors. Bay leaves, as we mentioned before, make things taste better without making their flavor known in an overwhelming way. For tomato based sauces use oregano, basil, garlic and onion.

How to make vegan food taste good? ›

Tip #1: Use High-Quality Ingredients

Many superb vegan recipes use ready-to-use organic soups, broths and stocks to add flavor and creaminess to entrees. Similarly, organic plant-based beverages can add creaminess to savory dishes, desserts, and snacks.

What do vegans season their food with? ›

You'll likely use a variety of vinegars in vegan cooking, including balsamic, apple cider, champagne and more. And some common spices include cinnamon, rosemary, thyme, and basil, garlic powder, chili powder. For sweets, consider agave nectar, dates, applesauce, or maple syrup in place of honey.

How to go 100% vegan? ›

You could start by removing meat or dairy one day a week and go from there. Or you could try changing one meal at a time, having vegan breakfasts during your first week, adding a vegan lunch during week two and so on.

What should I cut out to be vegan? ›

A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

What do vegans not get enough of? ›

Intake and status of vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and bone turnover markers were generally lower in plant-based dietary patterns compared to meat-eaters. Vegans had the lowest vitamin B12, calcium and iodine intake, and also lower iodine status and lower bone mineral density.

How do I start being a raw vegan? ›

To follow a raw vegan diet, you should first ensure that at least 75% of all the food you eat is raw or cooked at temperatures below 104–118°F (40–48°C). Animal products should be avoided entirely, while fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds should be plentiful.

Can you eat vegan meat without cooking it? ›

While it may be tempting to skip cooking your favorite plant-based meat and simply crumble it over a salad or add to a sandwich, eating plant-based meat raw isn't recommended. Not only is eating plant-based meat raw a food safety risk, doing so will means that it will lack the quality and taste you'd expect.

How to go vegan without dying? ›

Our Guidelines For Eating A Plant-Based Diet
  1. Eat plenty of nutrient-dense vegetables at every meal.
  2. Eat a wide variety of organic, unprocessed foods.
  3. Eat protein with every meal.
  4. If you choose to eat grains, pick minimally processed grains like quinoa, amaranth, and oats.
Mar 2, 2014

How do vegans survive without meat? ›

A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Trent Wehner

Last Updated:

Views: 6040

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Trent Wehner

Birthday: 1993-03-14

Address: 872 Kevin Squares, New Codyville, AK 01785-0416

Phone: +18698800304764

Job: Senior Farming Developer

Hobby: Paintball, Calligraphy, Hunting, Flying disc, Lapidary, Rafting, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.