Looking for easy vegan breakfast ideas? These quick and simple vegan breakfasts are perfect for busy mornings.
Whether you want something sweet, savory, or grab-and-go, these ideas come together fast with minimal effort.
"What do vegans eat for breakfast?"
For many people, breakfast is synonymous with animal products like eggs, sausage, and bacon. So it’s understandable that plant-based fare doesn't immediately pop to mind.
However, it’s easy to make vegan breakfasts. It’s not complicated, and it often involves ingredients and dishes that are familiar classics.
Below I’ve rounded up some simple, healthy, plant-based breakfasts that can be made in anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. (The vegan breakfasts below start with the fastest ones.)
When folks are considering going vegan, deciding what to eat for breakfast is a good place to start. After all, no one wants to begin the day by pulling out a cookbook or doing a google search.
In this post:
Jump to:
- Cold cereal and non-dairy milk
- Vegan yogurt
- Fruit smoothies
- Peanut butter toast and fruit
- Avocado toast with pickled onions
- Avocado toast with zucchini ribbons
- Tomato sandwich
- Eggy tofu & toast
- Bagel hummus sandwich
- Peanut butter & banana quesadilla
- Oatmeal
- Toasted breakfast sandwich
- Vegan egg & sausage bagel
- Breakfast quesadilla
- Grits
- Creamy polenta with sun-dried tomatoes
Cold cereal and non-dairy milk
A bowl of cereal has to be the height of easy vegan breakfasts. No cooking is required. Just pour and eat.
Read the ingredient lists on the cereals and granola at your natural food store. You're sure to find several that are animal-product free.
Cascadian Farm or Nature’s Path Raisin Bran cereals are popular options.
Vegan yogurt
Start your day with a container of vegan yogurt. You can just grab and go. Plus, there are loads of flavors and bases to suit your tastes and add variety.
Enjoy it on its own, or top it with fresh fruit like blueberries, dried fruit, nuts, or granola.
My husband’s go-to is vanilla cashew yogurt. (Pictured above.) It’s one of his favorite vegan Trader Joe’s products.
Fruit smoothies
Smoothies are a great on-the-go meal, but also a nice way to start the morning with a hefty serving of fruits and vegetables.
Made in about 5 minutes, there are endless flavor options.
Check out these smoothies for ideas:
- Peanut butter banana smoothie (shown above)
- Very cherry smoothie
- Blueberry banana smoothie
- Chocolate peanut butter smoothie
- Mango banana smoothie
- Cashew kale smoothie
Don't feel like eating first thing in the morning? Pour a smoothie into a mason jar, top it with a lid, and take it to work to sip as you read over morning emails.
Peanut butter toast and fruit
Peanut butter toast is uncomplicated and fool-proof. No recipe is necessary.
In just 5 minutes, you can toast bread in a pop-style toaster or toaster oven. Then slather with nut or seed butter like peanut butter, pistachio butter, or sunflower seed butter.
Serve with fruit like a banana or grapefruit.
Avoiding nut butter? For a similar alternative, slather hummus on toast with a few slices of avocado and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes.
Avocado toast with pickled onions
Obviously, avocado makes any meal better. It also adds some fat & staying power that keeps you going until lunchtime. Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to prepare.
I like to top my vegan avocado toast with nutritional yeast flakes, pickled red onions, and salt. For extra staying power, add eggy tofu.
Avocado toast with zucchini ribbons
Upgrade your avocado toast with zucchini ribbons.
For this 5-minute recipe, thin strips of zucchini are quickly coated in a lemony marinade, then added to smashed avocado on toasted bread.
It's a healthy, simple, and light vegan breakfast idea.
Tomato sandwich
When tomatoes are in season, there’s not much better in the world than an open faced tomato sandwich.
For this 5-minute vegan breakfast idea, bread is lightly coated in vegan mayo, and topped with a thick slice of juicy tomato. Finish with a sprinkle of salt to make the flavors burst.
Eggy tofu & toast
If you enjoyed fried eggs and toast before going vegan, this 5-minute vegan egg will really scratch that itch.
Eggy tofu is made by quickly browning slabs of super firm tofu in a skillet, and seasoning them with kala namak (black salt) and pepper. Kala namak is kind of magic.
Bagel hummus sandwich
I love a good bagel hummus sandwich. It’s a portable breakfast that takes just 5 minutes to make and can go with you anywhere.
In addition to store-bought or homemade hummus, fill it out with crunchy veggies like cucumber, red bell pepper, and onion.
Peanut butter & banana quesadilla
Peanut butter banana quesadillas contain protein, whole grains, and fruit in one convenient package. It can be on your plate in just 10 minutes.
Have any left over? A wedge or two makes a nice mid-morning snack.
Oatmeal
Peanut butter banana oatmeal is a hot and fiber-rich option is great for cold, winter mornings when something warm sounds best.
It takes 12 minutes to prepare, and it feels hearty and substantive.
This oatmeal recipe can be changed up by adding a handful of blueberries or dried fruit, a sprinkling of cinnamon, or varying the nut butter.
In the fall, enjoy one of my seasonal favorites: pumpkin oatmeal.
Toasted breakfast sandwich
For a hearty breakfast that’s great for on-the-go, make a toasted vegan breakfast sandwich with seitan bacon, eggy tofu, and melty non-dairy cheese.
It’s ready to eat in about 15 minutes.
Vegan egg & sausage bagel
Hearken back to those fast food sandwiches of yore with a vegan egg and sausage breakfast bagel.
Ready to eat in 15 minutes, it’s topped with vegan cream cheese, Just Egg, and savory vegan breakfast sausage (cooked in the air fryer or pan fried).
For even quicker cooking, use Just Egg folded. It’s found in the frozen section.
Breakfast quesadilla
Get the flavor of a Denver omelet in the form of a crave-worthy vegan breakfast quesadilla. It’s ready in only 15 minutes.
It’s filled with eggy tofu, spinach, bell pepper, onions, and vegan cheese.
Serve with any of these tasty salsas for dipping:
Grits
Creamy vegan grits are ready in less than 20 minutes. They’re deliciously satiating all on their own.
Have more time? Use creamy grits as the base of a vegan grits breakfast bowl with veggie sausage and Brussels sprouts.
Creamy polenta with sun-dried tomatoes
Another under 20 minute option, creamy polenta is similar to grits. However, this version is dotted with sun-dried tomatoes.
This porridge-style breakfast is perfect for cold, winter mornings.
Content updated March 28, 2026. Originally posted December 7, 2011.
Candyce
Could you please tell me about the pan/skillet, if you remember, that you’re using in the picture with the eggy tofu? I’ve been looking for something like it for ages! Thank you!
Cadry
Sure, Candyce! It’s a 10 inch griddle & crepe pan. Here’s the exact one in the picture.
Erica
I love these ideas! I’ve tried making smoothies for breakfast before, but to be honest, I feel like a liquid breakfast is just not filling enough for me. See, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I need to eat a fairly large breakfast, a small lunch, and a medium-sized dinner. I’m just not much of a middle of the day eater. So, I’m happy to see these hearty breakfast ideas. Thank you!
Lillian
I’m thinking of becoming vegan and I’m already vegetarian but I’m wondering what your opinions are on eating eggs from your backyard chickens. They are our babies and they have an amazing life. We don’t force them to lay eggs or unnaturally put a heating lamp in their coop to keep producing during the winter. I’m just completely curious what your guys’ opinions are on this. Is it okay to eat them?
Lillian
*eat their eggs
Karen Joslin
Lillian, I think that from an ethical standpoint, people’s opinions on that are going to vary. From a health standpoint, though, there are a lot of good reasons not to eat eggs. Aside from the impact of cholesterol on heart disease, eggs are also linked with diabetes and cancer. NutritionFacts.org has lots of information on eggs and their impacts on health. It’s a non-profit website run by Dr. Michael Greger, and it’s free of any kind of industry funding. Just type “eggs” into the search bar at the top and choose whether you want to see videos, articles, and/or questions.
I stopped eating eggs partly because if I ate eggs more than once a week, I felt like I had eaten too many eggs. I wouldn’t say I felt sick, but I felt less well physically. I can’t describe specific symptoms – it was a very subtle shift that was impossible to pinpoint. Then I read Dr. Greger’s book “How Not to Die,” and there were some things in it about eggs that I found horrifying.
Lillian
Haha well thank you and me too. I don’t like runny yolks at all. And thank you for the information! I’ll check it out and think more about it. I’ve been really determined to make a difference especially for the lives of factory animals.
Arianna
Do you have any suggestions for breakfasts I can *quickly* prepare the evening before and just shove in the microwave in the morning? I’ve been looking for quick microwave breakfasts for when I need something warm but I’m too sleepy to even spread peanut butter on something (this morning I almost fell back asleep on the couch with my cat on my lap), but it seems most recipes out there include eggs. I found some microwave oatmeal recipes that seem legit, but I’d like to add something for variety.
Arianna
I forgot to say the most important thing: thank you for this article! I’m always looking for vegan AND easy recipes.
Cadry
You could make a big tofu scramble at the beginning of the week, and then just warm some in the microwave each morning. I’m also going to share a recipe for breakfast potatoes tomorrow, and those would be good warmed in the microwave. Waffles freeze really well, and then you can pull one or two out of the freezer and pop them in the toaster. (Or you could buy frozen waffles. There are plenty of vegan ones out there.)
You’re welcome for the article! Thanks for reaching out!
Jackie G.
Thank you so much for the “recipe” for the whole wheat tortillas and nut butter! I put it in quotations because it is so easy, it is barely a recipe. I am not a great cook but this came out amazing with bananas, almond butter and cinnamon! Perfect for lazy vegans like me 🙂
Cadry
Excellent! I’m so glad that you liked it, Jackie. That’s a great idea to add cinnamon to it!
Lisa
Thank you so much for these! I’ve been looking all over for vegan breakfasts I can make in my dorm! We’re only allowed a mini-fridge and a microwave, that’s it. I’m not fond of oatmeal though, so cereal and (non-toasted) tortillas with nut butter and bananas will be my go to! Do you have any recommendations for simple vegan lunches too? 😀
Cadry
Hi Lisa,
I remember making so many meals from my dorm too. I wasn’t a fan of the dining area, and so I made most of my meals in my room.
I have this guide to easy vegan lunches: http://cadryskitchen.com/2016/01/11/easy-vegan-lunches/ Several of the ideas would work in a dorm room.
I also just wrote a post on eating from a fridge in a hotel room that might give you some ideas: http://cadryskitchen.com/2016/08/18/vegan-hotel/
Best of luck and let me know if I can be of further help!
bailey
with number 2, the tortilla with pb toasted on a pan.. how do you personally cook this? roll it? leave it flat? is it something you can take on the go?
Cadry
I make it in the same way that a person would make a quesadilla. I spread peanut butter on one tortilla, add a layer of thin banana slices, and then another tortilla on top. Then I toast each side. After it’s brown on both sides, I cut it into triangles. If I’m not that hungry, I’ll just put it on one half of a tortilla and fold it over, then toast on both sides, and cut it in half. It’s super portable and great to take on the go. If I can’t finish all of it, I put it in a baggie, and it’s fine cold later. (Although, it’s best when it’s still warm.)
You can see what it kind of looks like in this post, where I have a picture of my lunch. In that case, I put hummus on my tortilla instead of peanut butter and bananas, but it’s the same idea. http://cadryskitchen.com/2015/11/12/what-vegans-eat-november/
bailey
So good! Thank you! Definitely something ill be making for breakfast before school. 🙂
Cadry
Great, I’m so glad to hear it!
Ann Sawyer
What can I eat when I stay in a motel with only a microwave – -in the main office- – and no private kitchen?
Cadry
That’s a great question, Ann! Will you have a refrigerator in your room?
Cadry
Hi Ann,
I wrote a post with some ideas that may be helpful for you: http://cadryskitchen.com/2016/08/18/vegan-hotel/
Billie
Awesome ideas. I’ve done a couple of these but the whole wheat tortillas with nut butter and banana I’ve never tried. I’m going camping with my girlfriend this weekend, we will definitely be trying that out for breakfast. Thanks so much.
Cadry
Oh, I think you’ll like it! The banana gets nice and melty. Plus, banana and peanut butter play very nicely together. I hope you have a fun camping trip with your girlfriend!
Karen Joslin
I almost always start out my breakfast with some fresh fruit. On a lazy day, you could just add a slice of toast or a muffin on the side.
On mornings when I’m not very hungry, I like to have a bowl of vegan yogurt with berries and granola. I make my own yogurt and granola, and usually have some on hand.
Baked, flavored tofu is another easy go-to. You could slice it up and fry it like bacon, cut it into pieces and have it on top of some grits, or wrap it up in a tortilla with some lettuce, salsa, and guacamole for a quick breakfast burrito.
Also, lots of things can be prepared ahead of time and frozen for later (if your freezer is large enough, anyway). I make a couple of different types of vegan sausage patties that can be fried up in a pan in just a couple of minutes, no thawing needed. They’re the perfect side to any breakfast dish.
Cadry
Those all sound like delicious options, Karen. Thanks for sharing!
Nodz
Smoothies are quick and easy, my current smoothie is – handful frozen berries (strawbs, blue, rasps etc), banana, kiwi, couple of medjool dates (pitted), piece of fresh ginger, juice half a lemon, two generous handfuls of baby spinach leaves and almond milk. The berries change daily, so the flavour/colour changes and probably twice a week the kiwi is replaced by beetroot.
Cadry
Sounds terrific! Thanks for sharing.
Satina Scott ~ The Indigo Mystic
This is so helpful! We went vegetarian last March, and now we’re ready for Step 2, vegan, and we were so intimidated by the recipes. That’s just not gonna happen. But this is! I’m heading right for all the links you shared above, too! And you have a new subscriber. Thank you!
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear that, Satina! If I can be of further help to you while you’re transitioning, let me know!
Naela
I’ve only recently switched to being a vegetarian in a transition to becoming vegan, and I didn’t know what to eat besides eggs… It had me feeling very sluggish. These little suggestions are very reasonable and extremely helpful. Thank you!
Cadry
I’m glad to hear it was a help! Best of luck to you, Naela!
Susan
Thank you. A reality check on breakfast! And, an easy conversion …
Cadry
You’re welcome! It really can’t get easier than peanut butter toast! 🙂
Lexy
I love that you have shown that a vegan breakfast can be so simple and similar to “normal” breakfasts. Nobody wants to spend ages making breakfast in the morning unless it something special for the weekend.
Cadry
Thanks, Lexy! That was my hope! While a vegan breakfast can certainly get fancier, most mornings I’m totally happy with something that takes 10 minutes or less to make.
MaryJo
I love your ideas…simple and yummy!
Cadry
Thanks, MaryJo! That’s nice to hear!
Charlotte
What would you suggest for an easy, simple meal plan for a vegan? Provided that there are snacks in between meals?
Cadry
I don’t follow a meal plan per say, but in terms of simple and easy here’s what I have:
For breakfast see the above post.
For lunch – http://cadryskitchen.com/2013/02/22/easy-vegan-packed-lunch-ideas/
For snacks – http://cadryskitchen.com/2011/04/18/what-the-fig-my-five-favorite-snacks/
And for dinner – http://cadryskitchen.com/2011/02/24/five-things-i-make-for-dinner-when-i-dont-want-to-cook/
Good luck and let me know if I can be of further help! 🙂
Jackie
These recipes look really easy and simple to make. I wonder if you have any suggestion for breakfast that would be easy for my husband to have, you see he works away from home and stays in a hotel for up to two weeks at a time. To make matters worse he leave for work around 3am and the only thing that’s open at that time are gas stations, he is also out in the field where they have no access to stores and or restaurants.
Cadry
Does your husband generally have a refrigerator in his room? If so, my go-to breakfast at hotels is cereal and rice milk. I just pack a box of cereal in my suitcase. (Putting it into a plastic container makes it a little easier to transport.) I also pack or pick up a box of rice milk (or any non-dairy milk he prefers) when I get there. As long as he’s checking luggage, bringing the plant based milk shouldn’t be a problem. I often do that while traveling, and I haven’t had a problem with the milk exploding in my bag or anything.
For non-refrigerated options:
Instant oatmeal packets could be a good option. Just add hot water. For more pizazz, adding nuts or dried fruit for the topping would be good.
Many of the Lara Bars flavors are vegan, and they’re one of my favorite in-a-rush snacks. The banana bread flavor is my favorite. They’re filling and made with whole foods.
Justin’s makes individual packets of nut butter. He could pack a bag of bagels, bread, or crackers, and spread the nut butter onto them. Wild Garden also sells individual packets of hummus, which he could use in the same way.
If he doesn’t mind a non-traditional breakfast, Dr. McDougall makes a line of dry vegan soups. He’d just have to add hot water, which I’m sure the hotel could provide for him. For less packaging in his suitcase, he may want to move the soup to sealed plastic baggies, and then grab a bowl from the hotel.
I hope that helps! Best of luck!
Steve
I’ve been traveling >100k miles / year for >18 years. The vegan options for a road warrior are limited, no doubt. However, I found some things lately that help a little. Some examples have already been given. Some examples: carry some quinoa and get some non-dairy milk. With microwave=breakfast. Love Grown Hot Oats makes some easy-to-make pour-some-water-on-it oats in a container. Cocomama Foods makes some packaged quinoa cereals that can even be eaten room temp (I do it sometimes.) Pick up a loaf of whole grain bread and some bananas, a plastic knife is easy to be found, some Jason’s travel nut butters (I’m an Almond butter guy), and breakfast is served. Add an apple for the hungry. There’s more :)….
Fellow traveller
Very easy but maybe boring – instant oatmeal. You can use the hot water from the hotel coffee pot. There are some great organic instant oatmeals available. I like one with flax seed in it. If you want to fancy it up you could also have raisins nuts etc. on hand.
When I travel I bring a few packets with me, and bamboo “silverware” (which you can get through airport scanners no problem). It is hard to be vegan in a hotel so I bring things where you just add hot water, like the oatmeal, ramen, etc. There are some really good instant things available in the natural stores. Even if you have no fridge, hotels almost always have a coffee pot which you can use to heat water
Linan Zussino
I’ve been experimenting with a vegan diet and after reading through this article I realize that I’m already having a vegan breakfast.
Cadry
That’s great, Linan! I think breakfast can initially perplex people because they immediately jump to omelets, bacon, and sausage. However, there are so many breakfasts that just happen to be vegan or can easily be veganized like pancakes and waffles. Good luck with the remaining meals of the day! 🙂
Richa@HobbyandMore
we had forgotten most of the quick indian breakfasts which were naturally vegan after moving to seattle and just eating eggs , eggs and eggs. breakfast is definitely something that stumps a lot of people.. the eggs like dairy, fill up the brain..
this is lovely collection!
Andrea
Great down-to-earth post showing the “real-world” breakfast choices of a busy vegan. I think people sometimes get caught up in all the fancy, complicated vegan recipes they see, and decide eating a plant-based diet is too hard and time-consuming. For the gf, rice cakes and corn tortillas make a good sub for toast and wheat wraps.
cadryskitchen
Thanks, Andrea! You’re right; fancy and laborious meals may take up more space on blogs, but many day-to-day meals are often simpler and more attainable. It’s good to show that being vegan can be quick and easy. That’s something that you do on your blog sometimes that I like as well. And thanks for the gluten-free suggestions!
karmalily
Chia seed pudding is another good option, because it’s quick and really filling. The texture is something to get used to though.
cadryskitchen
I’ve never tried that, but I’m intrigued. How would you describe the texture?
Alexandra Degtiareva
You can blend the “pudding” before you eat! I don’t like chia seed pudding texture, but when it’s blended it’s just like mousse ^^
Cadry
Great idea, Alexandra! I’ve tried chia pudding now and don’t mind the texture. However, blending sounds even better!