Seven cheap vegan meals

Seven affordable and nutritious vegan dishes to help you live vegan for less

If you’re looking for low-budget, delicious and easy meals, we’ve put together a list of seven cheap and cheerful vegan dishes for you. We’ve also listed the average price of some of the ingredients*, showing you just how much you could save. They’re packed with nutritious ingredients, proving you can save your pennies and fill your tummy with goodness – all on a vegan diet. 

1. Lentil Bolognese 

Serve up this classic by replacing £4.50 worth of 500g minced beef with the exact same amount of lentils for just £1.35. For extra nutrition, you could also choose to add a handful of frozen vegetables to your vegan spag bol - which you can find for as little as £1 or less per bag. Try our vegan lentil bolognese recipe here. 

2. Spinach, Chickpea, and Lemon Pilaf 

This easy-peasy-add-a-drop-of-lemon-juice-squeezy recipe is a filling meal that requires minimal effort and ingredients. This spinach, chickpea and lemon pilaf recipe costs just 91p per serving, compared to a chicken version which would see the price triple or more. 

3. Curried Coconut Ramen  

Did you know you can grab own-brand instant noodles in supermarkets like TESCO and Aldi for just 32p, compared to branded super noodles costing 80p? Developed by Vegan Punks, using this curried coconut ramen recipe, you can have a full bowl of ramen packed full of veggies and flavour for just 90p per portion! 

4. Vegan Chilli    

You can make your own vegan chilli from scratch with cheap ingredients like canned tomatoes and kidney beans, or you can even buy a can of mixed beans in chilli sauce from the supermarket for 80p. You could also add soya mince, which would cost you £2.50 less than if you were to opt for beef mince. Check out our vegan chilli recipe. 

5. Jacket Potato and Beans with a Spoonful of Fortified Nutritional Yeast  

Fortified nooch is a versatile and nutritious cheese replacer. Whilst you can get nutritional yeast from Amazon for a fair price (averaging out at 18p per spoonful compared to 33p for a small handful of dairy cheese), you can find it cheaper in some health food shops and at Suma when you buy wholesale.  

6. Spinach Pesto Pasta 

Who knew you could make a delicious pasta recipe for the whole family for just £1.37 per portion? Our spinach pesto pasta recipe is designed by our in-house dietitians. The dish takes only 15 minutes cooking time and is sure to leave your wallet and taste buds satisfied. 

7. Homemade Seitan “Steak” Dinner  

This homemade seitan "steak" dinner recipe proves that you can eat ‘fine dining’ worthy meals at home on a budget and avoid spending (at least) £4.60 on a steak. Instead, you can make your own cheaper, veganised version from scratch! 

We hope you enjoy trying out these delicious and cheap vegan meals. For more tips and vegan recipes for on healthy eating on a budget, browse our Live Vegan for Less campaign webpage for resources. Our blogs are packed with lots of information on how to live a low-cost vegan lifestyle, and you can find our latest posts on social media by following the hashtag #LiveVeganforLess. 

*Price average for mid-range product from the leading supermarkets. 

At The Vegan Society, we want to show students that it’s possible to follow a budget-friendly and balanced vegan diet without compromising on taste. Download our three-course student menu.