Father’s Day is nearly upon us, and that means it’s time to start celebrating dads, grandads, and any other father figures we may have in our lives. While you can always show your appreciation with a gift (we’ve got some great vegan gift ideas here!) or doing an activity together, sometimes, nothing beats a home-cooked meal. If you’re not sure what to cook, we’ve got some great vegan recipe ideas below.
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What should you cook for Father’s Day?
Working out exactly what to cook on Father’s Day is subjective to the father figure in your life and their likes and dislikes. But choosing to opt for plant-based ingredients is, arguably, a good place to start. After all, research suggests that plant-based foods are better for our health and the environment, and, of course, they’re kinder to the animals, too.
Whether your dad likes things meaty, fishy, veggie-filled, or has a bit of a sweet tooth, we’ve got a recipe for you to try out below. And let’s face it, whatever you cook, they are likely going to love it anyway because it was made by you.
13 vegan Father’s Day recipe ideas
1 Summery Picnic Pasta Salad
Father’s Day is the perfect time of year for an outside picnic. Why not get together with your siblings and arrange to bring a dish each? Yours could be this easy, nutritious, tasty pasta salad dish. Just make sure you prepare enough, as everyone is guaranteed to ask for seconds.
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2 Gingery Butternut Squash Soup
If you just want something simple, or you’re just planning a small Father’s Day lunch, you can’t go wrong with this creamy soup dish. It’s gingery, garlicky, and just plain delicious.
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3 Spicy Cauliflower Wings
Father’s Day doesn’t have to be about making extravagant plans. Sometimes, it can just be about you, your dad, a great movie, and some delicious snacks. Add to the spread of chips and dip with these addictive spicy cauliflower wings, complete with pesto dipping sauce.
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4 Spicy Sausage and Tofu Breakfast Burrito
This grab-and-go breakfast is so simple, anyone can pull it off. Spend a bit of bonding time together in the kitchen and make this hearty meal with your dad. The recipe relies on store-bought ingredients such as vegan sausage links, tofu, and vegan cheese. The most difficult part is wrapping the burrito. If it falls apart, call it a breakfast bowl and dig in.
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5 Grilled Pineapple Beyond Burgers
For Father’s Day, you can do more than just slap a Beyond Burger on a bun (and that bun better be toasted). This homemade hefty handhold will surely impress, and he might even let you take a turn at the grill during the next barbecue.
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6 Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice
If your dad loves an all-you-can-eat dinner at your local sushi establishment, indulge his cravings with this remarkably fishy plant-based spicy tuna crispy rice. You can transform the humble tomato into a sushi-grade tuna consistency through boiling, cooling, and marinating. It’s just one example of vegan magic.
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7 One-Pot Vegan Hamburger Helper
It’s the boxed meal your family knows and loves—but infinitely better. This recipe is made with a hint of spice and a generous pinch of nostalgia. It’s beefy, cheesy, and there’s not a green thing in sight—making it perfect for picky eaters and steak-and-potatoes dads alike.
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8 BBQ Texas Pizza
These two vegan Bosh! bloggers might be from the UK, but they make an insanely good barbecue pizza. This hot pie is topped with seasoned smoked tofu, barbecue-rubbed mushrooms, corn, tomatoes, and a liberal amount of barbecue sauce. It’s so good, you (or your dad) won’t even notice the lack of cheese.
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9 Korean cuisine
You’ll definitely win your dad over when you prove that his favorite Korean dishes can be veganized. Treat him to a full feast with these savory scallion pancakes, kimchi, tteobokki, and soon tofu soup by The Korean Vegan.
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10Vegan Fish Tacos
The love for tacos is universal—you’ll immediately capture Pop’s good graces with these traditional Baja-style tofu fish tacos. The marinade is so exceptionally fishy and flavorful, your dad is guaranteed to ask you to make this one again and again.
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11Vegan Wellington Cheeseburger
This monster of an entrée is definitely celebration food. The Wicked Healthy brothers nail this fusion by encasing two thick, spicy jalapeño vegan patties with flaky puff pastry and adding three generous slices of vegan cheese, sautéed spinach, red onion, and a mustard crème fraîche sauce.
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12 Chocolaty Vegan Molten Lava Cake
The love for chocolate is universal, and there are definitely chocoholic dads out there. Go big with this chocolate explosion of a dessert. It may be the start of your annual vegan Father’s Day tradition.
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13New York Cheesecake
Save the raw cheesecake for another time—if you’re trying to veganize your dad you’ll want to give him the real deal, no-frill, New York-style version first. Your search for the perfect vegan cheesecake stops here.
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