I've done Veganuary 4 times as a non-vegan and these are the only 6 recipes that survived all of them

Every January, I go vegan. Not because I'm converting, but because it forces me to cook differently. It breaks habits. It makes me think about flavor in ways that a ribeye never demands.

But here's the thing about Veganuary recipes: most of them are forgettable. They're fine for the month, then they disappear into the graveyard of saved Instagram posts you'll never open again.

Over four years of doing this, I've probably tried 60 or 70 vegan recipes. Only six made it into my actual life. These are the ones I cook in March, July, and November. The ones that survived because they're genuinely good, not just good "for vegan food."

If you're doing Veganuary this year, or just want to eat more plants without feeling like you're compromising, start here.

1) Crispy smashed potatoes with garlic tahini

This one seems too simple to be a revelation, but it is. Boil baby potatoes until tender, smash them flat on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at high heat until the edges get impossibly crispy. The tahini sauce is just tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and enough water to make it drizzle-able.

What makes this work is texture. You get crispy, you get creamy, you get that nutty richness from the tahini. It's the kind of dish that makes you forget you're not eating something more indulgent. I make this as a side for non-vegan meals constantly. It goes with everything.

2) Coconut curry with whatever vegetables you have

I learned this formula once and never needed another curry recipe. Sauté aromatics (onion, garlic, ginger), add curry paste, pour in coconut milk, and simmer whatever vegetables need using up. Chickpeas if you want protein. Serve over rice.

The beauty is the flexibility. It works with sweet potato and spinach. It works with cauliflower and bell peppers. It works when your fridge looks sad and you think there's nothing to eat.

Twenty minutes, one pot, and you've got something that tastes like you tried way harder than you did. This is my default weeknight dinner year-round.

3) Mushroom walnut "meat" tacos

Finely chop mushrooms and walnuts, sauté them with cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and a splash of soy sauce. The mixture gets this savory, almost meaty quality that works perfectly in a taco.

Are you going to confuse this for carne asada? No. But that's not the point. It's deeply satisfying on its own terms. Load it into corn tortillas with pickled onions, avocado, and a squeeze of lime. The texture from the walnuts combined with the umami from the mushrooms creates something that actually makes you want another taco.

Not because you're hungry, but because it's that good.

4) Pasta e ceci (pasta with chickpeas)

This Italian classic doesn't need any modification to be vegan. It's already perfect. Sauté garlic and rosemary in olive oil, add canned chickpeas with their liquid, mash some of them to create creaminess, and cook small pasta directly in the mixture.

It's humble food that punches way above its weight. The starchy pasta water combines with the chickpea liquid to create this silky sauce that clings to everything. A drizzle of good olive oil at the end, some black pepper, maybe some chili flakes. This is the recipe that taught me vegan food doesn't have to try so hard. Sometimes the simplest approach wins.

5) Black bean soup with all the toppings

Two cans of black beans, vegetable broth, cumin, a chipotle pepper or two, and a blender. That's the base. Blend most of it smooth, leave some chunky for texture. The magic happens with the toppings: avocado, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, tortilla strips, a squeeze of lime.

This soup is the reason I always keep black beans in my pantry. It comes together in maybe 25 minutes and feels like a complete meal. The smokiness from the chipotle, the brightness from the lime, the crunch from the tortilla strips.

Every spoonful has something going on. I've made this for people who had no idea it was vegan until I told them.

6) Roasted cauliflower with chermoula

Roast cauliflower florets until they're charred and caramelized. While that's happening, blend up chermoula: cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, and olive oil. Spoon the bright green sauce over the cauliflower and serve.

The contrast is everything. You've got this deeply roasted, almost nutty cauliflower against this fresh, herbaceous, slightly spicy sauce. It works as a side dish, but honestly, I've eaten an entire head of cauliflower prepared this way as dinner. No regrets.

The chermoula also keeps in the fridge for a week, so you can put it on basically anything.

Final thoughts

The recipes that stick aren't the ones trying to replicate something they're not. They're the ones that are just genuinely delicious, plant-based or otherwise. That's what these six have in common. They don't apologize for being vegan. They don't need a disclaimer.

If you're doing Veganuary, my advice is this: don't try to replace your favorite meals with inferior versions. Find new favorites instead. Cook things that happen to be vegan rather than things that are trying really hard to be.

These six recipes survived four Januaries because they earned their place at the table. Give them a shot, and I'd bet at least a few will stick around for you too.