19 Healthy Dishes To Satisfy Your Vegan Comfort Cravings

Whichever the case, it's important to identify the source of your craving and find a healthy way to satisfy it. These 19 vegan comfort foods may be a good place to start: 

But the secret ingredient for this delicious pesto is mindbodygreen's organic veggies+ powder. It features a blend of USDA-certified organic sea vegetables and dark leafy greens that are packed with vitamins and minerals, while the addition of antioxidants, like turmeric and ginger, may reduce inflammation.* Plus, it contains digestive enzymes and prebiotic fibers, which can nourish your gut's microbiome, support healthy digestion, and help encourage your body to absorb nutrients more effectively.*

Traditional mashed potatoes are generally loaded with multiple dairy products: butter, cream or milk, and cheese. This "cheesy" mashed celery root, on the other hand, uses oat milk and nutritional yeast to replicate the flavor without the added lactose. Celery roots supplement traditional potatoes, providing extra vitamins and antioxidants1 to the dish. 

This portobello mushroom "pot roast" requires only one pot and 10 minutes of active cooking. It combines dark beer and vegan Worcestershire sauce to create a hearty, rich flavor akin to traditional pot roast. The meaty texture of portobello mushrooms will almost make you forget this dish is vegan. 

If you want a vegan pot roast but can't eat gluten, skip that last recipe and make this one instead. Instead of beer and flour, this wild mushroom pot roast gets its richness from olive oil, vegetable broth, and a variety of mushrooms. 

Pumpkin, maple, and pasta—three completely delicious and comforting ingredients wrapped into one dish. This fall dish is also rich in three sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene thanks to pumpkin puree, butternut squash, and carrots.  

Both mac 'n' cheese and chili are two quintessential comfort foods, and this vegan chili mac manages to combine them into one bowl. It also swaps all the traditional animal-based ingredients (cheese, ground meat) for plant-based alternatives (nutritional yeast, legumes) without sacrificing any of the flavor. It's filling, fibrous, and packed with protein. 

Just the smell of this lentil ragú is comforting, thanks to the garlic, fennel seeds, and onion. The flavor is enhanced even further with saucy tomatoes, rich eggplant, and hearty lentils. The combination of vegetables provides vitamins C, K, and B6, to name a few. 

This kale pasta gets its creaminess from a can of fiber-filled white beans and its "Parmesan" flavor from the anti-inflammatory antioxidant turmeric. The sauteed kale is rich in iron and vitamins A, K, C, and calcium and provides a variety of health benefits.

The nostalgic flavors of childhood breakfasts come together in this vegan cinnamon roll-pancake hybrid. The batter uses almond milk in place of cow's milk and coconut oil in lieu of butter. Feel free to swap out the light brown sugar for coconut sugar, or another sweetener of your choice.

Chinese takeout is a pinnacle of comfort food, and this smoked tofu with hot and sour zoodles meets the indulgent criteria without excess grease or carbohydrates. Just be aware, the Sichuan peppercorns, red chili, and chili oil can be pretty intense if spice is not your thing.

These maple-smashed sweet potatoes may be reminiscent of Thanksgiving, but you can enjoy them year-round. The sweetness from the maple and potatoes is balanced with the spice from ginger and chipotle peppers.

Miso soup on its own is highly nutritious. The probiotic food has gut-friendly benefits and is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This miso soup recipe enhances the nutritional value by adding sea veggies, like kombu, nori, and wakame, for a boost of fatty acids and dietary fiber.

Pizza is a classic comfort food, but it's not always the most nutritious or easy-to-digest option. This healthy pizza, adapted by registered dietitian Amy Shapiro, R.D., uses an almond flour tortilla as the base, a vegan mozzarella cheese, and an array of chopped veggies—chef's choice.

A large pot of creamy spiced soup, like this vegan sweet potato option, will satisfy both hunger and vegan comfort food cravings. The nutrient-dense sweet potatoes combined with the antimicrobial properties in ginger and turmeric can help support a healthy immune system, according to functional medicine doctor Mark Hyman, M.D.

The satisfaction of biting into a thick, juicy burger is hard to rival, but this vegan black bean burger hits the spot. The protein and fiber from both black beans and quinoa will leave you feeling satiated, while the combination of ground spices leads to a flavor even meat-lovers will crave.

Cheese is a vital part of most comfort foods, which can be challenging when you don't eat animal-based products. Enter: This cashew-based buffalo mozzarella, which works just as well on pizzas, pastas, or by itself on a cheese board.

This vegan broccoli cheddar soup uses cashews and coconut yogurt to create a rich, creamy texture without any dairy. The cruciferous broccoli florets, tomatoes, and onions provide ample amounts of antioxidants for a hearty but healthy bowl of soup.

Comfort foods are not limited to warm bowls of soup and pasta. In fact, sometimes all you need is an easy-to-make bite of chocolate and salt. These no-bake almond butter bars check all of the boxes for a melt-in-your-mouth dessert.

Not only will this vegan coconut loaf satisfy your sweet tooth, but the combination of piña colada ingredients (coconut flakes, pineapple, and lime) will instantly transport you to the beach. And let's face it—we could all use a vacation right about now.