Italian food is popular for a reason. Few meals can compete with the creaminess of a carbonara, the crunch of a pizza or the rich flavour of a spaghetti bolognese. But as a lot of Italian meals include meat or, at the very least, a healthy smattering of cheese, it can feel hard to cook Italian dishes if you’re vegan. But fear not: there are plenty of vegan Italian recipes out there that keep all of the signature flavours you know and love. We’ve rounded up the best vegan Italian recipes, from authors including Mary Berry, Ottolenghi, and Nigella Lawson.
Cacio e Pepe
Creamy, nutty, and packed with flavour, this plant-based take on an Italian classic is a must-try for all vegan pasta lovers.
Creamy Pesto Rosso Gnocchi
This vegan take on pesto alla trapanese, a classic Sicilian dish flavoured with roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes, comes together in just 15 minutes.
Mary Berry’s Aubergine Caponata
This hearty dish blends the rich flavours of passata and olives, and can easily be made with items already in your cupboard!
All-In-One Roasted Tomato and Bay Orzo with Black Pepper
This meal needs just 30 minutes in the oven and, in that time, the tomatoes enrich the orzo with their intense flavour. Simply delicious – and, as with most of Rukmini Iyer’s recipes, it’s so easy to make.
From the book
The Green Roasting Tin
Fast one-dish family favourites
All-in-one creative vegan recipes
Easy one-tin vegetarian dinners
Buy From
Spaghetti Pomodori e Olio
Combining tomatoes and pine nuts, this simple lunch dish is full of Italian flavours.
Minestrone Verde
This is one for colder seasons (or, let’s be honest, the month of August in the UK), and features a medley of vegetables that complement each other perfectly: celery, Swiss chard, borlotti beans and fresh basil.
Rainbow Lentil Meatballs with Arrabbiata Sauce
This vegan take on an Italian classic involves meatballs made from red and brown lentils, served with a sauce that has a nice kick to it.
Dr Rupy’s Spaghetti
This pasta is full of nutritious ingredients and has a rich flavour thanks to its mix of aromatic spices.
Vegan Tiramisu
Of course, we can’t forget about Italian desserts. This plant-based version of tiramisu is light, creamy, and cleverly uses Biscoff biscuits in lieu of ladyfingers to keep preparation time to a minimum.
Nigella Lawson’s Vegan Lemon Polenta Cake
In this vegan twist on her staple lemon polenta cake, Nigella Lawson combines a sweet taste with a gloriously soft texture.
