300-Calorie Vegan Recipes

Photo: Jason Varney

Every diet begins with watching what you eat. Counting calories is key whether you're maintaining a healthy weight or working to shed a few pounds. Fortunately, there's an easier way to go about the math than tracking down nutritional info and logging every bite: build a strong portfolio of delicious low-calorie meals and let it do the work for you. We'll get you started with this collection of vegan recipes that are short on calories but big on flavor. The only arithmetic you'll be responsible for is subtracting pounds.

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Smoky Carrot Dogs With Nacho Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Smoky Carrot Dogs with Nacho Sauce

We've embellished the humble carrot to mimic the smoky taste and snappy texture of a hot dog. To lend a dairy-free cheesy flavor to plant-based nacho sauce, we use nutritional yeast; look for it in health food stores or well-stocked specialty grocers. Our recipe saves 8g saturated fat over standard cheese dogs without losing any of the flavor.

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Churrasco-Style Tofu Steaks with Hemp Chimichurri

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Churrasco-Style Tofu Steaks with Hemp Chimichurri

Be sure to press and drain as much liquid as possible before cooking the tofu; it will better absorb the spices from the dry rub and reach its full grilling potential. Hemp seeds lend quality plant protein to zesty chimichurri and are a rich source of heart-healthy fats and fiber.

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Szechuan Tofu with Cauliflower

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Szechuan Tofu with Cauliflower

We combine everything you love about Chinese takeout—the sweet, savory, spicy sauce; the super-crispy tofu; and the crisp-tender, perfectly caramelized vegetables—into one quick vegetarian main. Celery takes on a leading role rather than a base ingredient here: It maintains its crunch, adds a natural saltiness, and is a nice foil to the more robust flavors in the dish. Szechuan here refers to the stir-fry method rather than a tingling, chile-laden heat. If you want more spice, swap the crushed red pepper for one or two very thinly sliced Thai red chiles.

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Summery Chickpea Salad

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Summery Chickpea Salad

This fresh seasonal salad is ridiculously easy to put together and quite versatile. Serve our suggested amount as a side salad with grilled steak, chicken, or fish, or eat a double portion as a main dish. You can also stick with the serving size listed here and add canned oil-packed tuna or sliced rotisserie chicken breast for a filling lunch. Leftovers fare well as is, tucked into tacos, or added to whole-grain salad bowls.

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Tahini-Carrot Soup With Pistachios

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Tahini-Carrot Soup With Pistachios

A hint of toasted sesame oil lends depth to this velvety soup. Use real baby carrots, not the whittled-down packaged ones, which are lacking in flavor. Garnish with sautéed carrot strips.

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Tracy Singleton's Sprouted Quinoa with Marinated Veggies

Photo: Christopher Testani

View Recipe: Sprouted Quinoa with Marinated Veggies

Sprout a grain like quinoa (it takes time but almost no attention) for a pleasing bite and a nutrient boost. Add veggies and nasturtiums and marigolds (flowers optional) for a peppery kick.

This raw-food dish needs planning and patience, but the payoff is a salad that pops with each crunchy bite. Tracy Singleton (owner of Birchwood Cafe) says using cooked and cooled quinoa instead of sprouted quinoa is a fine shortcut, but the salad won't be 100% raw.

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Zesty Heirloom Gazpacho

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Zesty Heirloom Gazpacho

Green tomato adds nice tang to the mix. White wine vinegar works in place of sherry. Chilled bowls will keep the soup extra refreshing.

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Tahiree Vegetable and Rice Casserole

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Tahiree Vegetable and Rice Casserole

This ancient dish traces its roots to India's Kayastha community, who developed it as a unique variation of biryani. In tahiree, rice and other elements cook together, while biryani rice is cooked separately and then layered with meat and vegetables.

"Toast the rice, as you would in risotto, to draw out fragrance and add nuttiness. Add garam masala toward the end so it doesn't get bitter," Saran says.

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Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, a wheat-free grain (look for packages that specify gluten-free), and they cook in only 3 minutes. Look for them in the international aisle.

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Tofu Saag

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Tofu Saag

"Restaurant chefs these days put cream and other goop in saag. For Indians of my generation, that's unacceptable: The smooth spinach puree is where the creaminess comes from on your palate," Saran says.

Saran's eye-opening technique here is to pat the tofu dry very briefly, rather than for 20 or 30 minutes. This keeps it moist and creamy inside, and the outside still gets browned. Look for ghee–clarified, toasted butter–at Indian or Asian markets.

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Braised Artichokes, Favas, and Carrots in Creamy Lemon Sauce with Fennel

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Braised Artichokes, Favas, and Carrots in Creamy Lemon Sauce with Fennel

This is a kind of springtime Greek ratatouille. We love the artichokes in this dish—they add their unique flavor and somehow make everything taste just a little sweeter. The olive oil emulsifies with the braising liquid to create a silky sauce that deliciously coats the bright spring veggies. Thin lemon slices, charred and caramelized in a cast-iron pan, make a nice garnish.

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Smoked Barley, Beet and Grapefruit Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Smoked Barley, Beet and Grapefruit Salad

This CL-perfected stovetop technique makes smoking food easier than ever (though the salad is still tasty if you choose not to smoke the grains), and smoke is such a fun flavor to apply to unexpected ingredients like barley. A sweet vinaigrette, earthy beets, and the intense citrus twang of grapefruit balance the robust smoky hit of the grains for a memorable salad. To make sure you're getting the whole-grain version of barley, look for hulled, and skip past pearled.

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Smoky Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Photo: Jen Causey

View Recipe: Smoky Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Chili is always a crowd-pleaser that can be loaded with your family's favorite nutritional ingredients. A wee bit of canned chipotle chiles goes a long way in infusing this hearty chili with rich, smoky flavor and a hint of heat.

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Lemon-Herb White Bean and Kale Salad

Photo: Linda Pugliese

View Recipe: Lemon-Herb White Bean and Kale Salad

Get 7 grams of protein in this speedy side salad that comes together in a flash.

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Jungle Curry with Tofu

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Jungle Curry with Tofu

This Thai-style curry is free of coconut milk and shines with late-summer produce.

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Grilled Eggplant and Tofu Steaks with Sticky Hoisin Glaze

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Grilled Eggplant and Tofu Steaks with Sticky Hoisin Glaze

We turned up the the flavor with this Chinese-style barbecue dish of Grilled Eggplant and Tofu Steaks with Sticky Hoisin Glaze. This vegetarian dish captures the essence of great barbecue without relying on meat.

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Can't-Believe-It's-Vegan Chili

Photo: Jason Varney

View Recipe: Can't-Believe-It's-Vegan Chili

Packed with kale, beans and an assortment of veggies, this dish is sure to make it into your regular rotation. This completely satisfying chili also cooks in a fraction of the time it takes to make traditional meat chili.

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Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili

A bowl of spicy Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili guarantees to take the chill off a cold winter's day. This vegetarian chili is loaded with fresh vegetables, pinto beans, and quinoa and gets its zing from poblano chiles.

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Portobello Frites

Photo: Jason Varney

View Recipe: Portobello Frites

This spin on the bistro staple steak frites offers plenty of umami satisfaction in the form of juicy, meaty portobello mushrooms and a savory wine sauce. Finishing the sauce with a touch of vegan butter gives it luxurious and velvety consistency.

Replay gallery

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Smoky Carrot Dogs With Nacho Sauce

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Churrasco-Style Tofu Steaks with Hemp Chimichurri

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Szechuan Tofu with Cauliflower

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Summery Chickpea Salad

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Tahini-Carrot Soup With Pistachios

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Tracy Singleton's Sprouted Quinoa with Marinated Veggies

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Zesty Heirloom Gazpacho

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Tahiree Vegetable and Rice Casserole

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Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

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Tofu Saag

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Braised Artichokes, Favas, and Carrots in Creamy Lemon Sauce with Fennel

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Smoked Barley, Beet and Grapefruit Salad

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Smoky Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

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Lemon-Herb White Bean and Kale Salad

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Jungle Curry with Tofu

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Grilled Eggplant and Tofu Steaks with Sticky Hoisin Glaze

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Can't-Believe-It's-Vegan Chili

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Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili

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Portobello Frites

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