20 Nutritious Plant Based Breakfast Recipes
Stuck in a breakfast rut? Let me help you blast it with these 14 delicious AND nutritious plant-based breakfast ideas. You could try a new recipe each day for two weeks! As a dietitian, I’m all about easy plant-based recipes that make breakfast as delicious as it is energizing.
What do vegans eat for breakfast?
If you’re new to a plant-based diet, figuring out new recipes can feel exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. My advice? Start by figuring out vegan versions of the meals you already know and love. Test out 2-3 versions as there is such a wide variety of tastes and approaches out there.
Always eat scrambled eggs? Go for a tofu or chickpea scramble (both are below!). Love a smoothie? Well, they’re the easiest thing in the world to veganize! Just make sure you’re getting a dose of plant-based protein and including high fiber plant foods so you feel full and satisfied with your sipper.
Explore different smoothie recipes or use my DIY smoothie guide to make sure your smoothie is super balanced. If you live for your morning latte, be sure to explore a wide variety of plant-based milk alternatives until you find one with the taste and texture you love.
If you’re new to vegan or plant-based living and feel like you need some guidance, I have a simple step-by-step guide to going vegan, and our dietitians are always here if you need one-on-one advice. My plant-based cookbook, Eat More Plants, also has great advice for staying nourished and energized on a plant-based diet along with a ton of plant-based breakfast ideas that run the gamut of busy morning ready to brunch.
What does a healthy vegan breakfast look like?
I am a BIG breakfast person…while it’s changed a bit as I get older, I used to wake up ravenous every morning and couldn’t imagine how people skipped breakfast! If you’re here, I am guessing you might be the same. When it comes to my morning meal, I need it to be filling and to stay with me for more than 30 minutes…which means ensuring that it is a well-balanced meal with all of the core plant foods:
- whole grains: whole grains offer filling fibre, a small amount of protein and energizing slow-burn carbs
- fruits and vegetables: I always try (operative word: try) to make half my plate fruits and vegetables for their nutrient-density. Plenty of vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and fibre for your gut microbiome
- plant-based proteins: along with fibre, protein helps to slow down the rate at which blood sugars rise, keeping your blood sugar levels – as well as your appetite and energy levels! – on a more even keel.
- healthy fats: don’t fear fat! Fat is critical for making your breakfast more flavourful, more filling and even helping you absorb fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin A as well as some phytochemicals (lycopene in tomatoes for example). Avocados are great, but don’t forget about omega 3-rich seeds to get your daily dose: hemp hearts, chia seeds and flax seeds.
And remember, not everything you eat has to be ‘optimized’ for nutrition. Sometimes, you’re gonna just want a vegan donut. Which is totally cool. A healthy life isn’t about eating only ‘healthy’ foods. It’s about building up your body with nutrient-dense whole foods so it can thrive, leaving plenty of room for the occasional potato chip, chocolate bar or pizza.
20 Plant based Breakfast Ideas
Whether you love a sweet or a savoury breakfast, you’ve got a few minutes to spare, you want to meal prep or you need a 5 minute meal, there is something for everyone in this list of easy plant based breakfast recipes.
Plant-based Breakfast Burritos
Healthy Vegan Black Bean Breakfast Burritos
Plant-based Oatmeal and Overnight Oats Recipes
15-Minute Vegan Apple Pie Oatmeal
5 Minute Tiramisu Overnight Oats
5 Minute Blueberry-Chia Overnight Oats (vegan)
- Banana-baked Oatmeal from A Couple Cooks: Baked oats are such a great make-ahead breakfast! If you throw 1/2 cup (125mL) of hemp hearts into this recipe, you’ll boost the protein.
- Tropical Treat Granola from Lindsay Pleskot: This crunchy, coconut-flecked granola is super nutritious!
Vegan Scrambles + “Egg” Recipes
Easy Protein-Packed Chickpea Scramble
Vegan Breakfast Sandwich with Chickpea Flour Eggs
Spinach + Feta Tofu Scramble
- Tofu Egg Muffin Cups from Plant-based RD: an awesome protein-packed on the go breakfast!
- Classic Vegan Egg Scramble from Jessica in the Kitchen: For that eggy vibe
Vegan Waffles and Pancakes
Homemade Sweet Potato Waffles
- Vegan Banana-Oat Pancakes from Veggiekins: these pancakes are so simple, even a novice cook can make them!
Plant-based Smoothies
5 Minute Turmeric Ginger Smoothie with Greens
Blushing Beet Smoothie Bowl
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie (Vegan)
- Pear Ginger Green Smoothie from Walder Wellness: SUCH a good flavour combo!
Homemade Nut Butters
Healthy Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Nut Butter
Easy Homemade Peanut Butter
20 Nutritious Plant-Based Breakfast Recipes: Vegan Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup almond meal
- ¾ cup gluten free all purpose flour
- ½ cup rolled oats, (learn about the benefits of oats!)
- zest of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, vanilla is nice here!
- 1 small ripe banana, mashed
- ¼ cup ground flax
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
Equipment
- muffin tin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit (190°C) and line a muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin liners.
- In a small bowl, mix ground flax with 1/4 cup hot tap water. Stir and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond meal, flour, oats, lemon zest, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, banana, gelled flax, olive oil, maple syrup, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Then gently fold in blueberries.
- Use a ¼ cup measure to scoop batter into muffin cups. Bake for 23-25 minutes until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool for at least 10 minutes in the muffin tin before removing muffins to cool fully on a cooling rack.
