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    Home » Favorite Places and Things

    18 most popular vegan recipes of 2018

    Updated: Jun 2, 2025 · Published: Dec 30, 2018 by Cadry Nelson · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 4 Comments

    Collage with text: 18 most popular vegan recipes. Hand dipping artichoke, corn cake, taquitos, French dip sandwich, and tacos.

    And just like that, 2018 is coming to a close.

    I'm taking a look back at my 18 most popular vegan recipes from the year.

    Hand dipping breaded artichoke heart into aioli.

    5 can be made in the air fryer, 3 feature jackfruit, 2 are soups, and 1 is a cocktail.

    Fried artichoke hearts

    Fried artichoke hearts on platter.
    Make this recipe

    Coming in at the top spot on my list of popular vegan recipes are fried artichoke hearts made in the air fryer.

    This recipe takes briny jarred artichoke hearts and turns them into crispy finger food, perfect for dunking.

    Serve them with garlic and lemon aioli.

    Vegan chili dog

    Hand holding vegan chili dog covered with three bean chili, non-dairy cheese, and pickles.
    Make this recipe

    When you need something cozy & filling, look no further than a vegan chili dog.

    This smoky meatless dog is topped with three bean chili, a sprinkling of non-dairy cheese, pickles, and grainy mustard.

    Vegan BBQ Soy Curls

    Barbecued Soy Curls in skillet by collards and vegan mac & cheese.
    Make this recipe

    Smoky sweet and crispy around the edges, here's some barbecue you can really sink your teeth into.

    These vegan BBQ Soy Curls can be made in the air fryer or skillet.

    I like to add them to a bowl with vegan potato salad and easy collard greens.

    Or they're also divine piled onto a bun as a hearty vegan BBQ sandwich.

    Vegan potsticker soup

    Vegetable gyoza in broth with carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and kale.
    Make this recipe

    I always have a bag of potstickers or gyoza in the freezer.

    (They're one of my longtime favorite vegan Trader Joe's products.)

    Potstickers are an easy side dish for stir-fry, or a tasty no-fuss snack.

    But when you want to stretch them out into a soothing, full meal, use them for vegan potsticker soup.

    This soup is loaded with onions, garlic, kale, and carrots.

    Vegan burrito bowl

    Vegan burrito bowl on table with pickled onions, and pico de gallo.
    Make this recipe

    This vegan burrito bowl gives a tantalizing mix of flavors - spicy lentils, black beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo.

    It's great for a hearty weeknight meal or filling lunch.

    Air fryer bagel pizza

    Hand holding baked pizza bagel.
    Make this recipe

    Feel like a kid again when you make air fryer bagel pizzas.

    Add your favorite toppings to a sliced bagel, pop it in the air fryer, and lunch is ready in just ten minutes!

    Vegan chili cheese dip

    Tortilla chip dipping into dairy-free chili cheese dip.
    Make this recipe

    This vegan cheese dip is a terrific way to repurpose that leftover chili in the refrigerator. Add it to the mix with seitan chorizo, and creamy cashew queso.

    Serve it with chips, and watch it disappear.

    Baba ganoush

    Baba ganoush on table with carrots and turnip pickles.
    Make this recipe

    Baba ganoush is a lot like hummus, but made with eggplant instead of chickpeas.

    Usually making baba ganoush requires a lot of time cooking the eggplant in the oven or grill.

    But homemade baba ganoush just got a whole lot faster by using the air fryer.

    Smoky, garlicky air fryer eggplant dip is ready to serve in just 25 minutes.

    I like to serve it with homemade pita chips and sliced vegetables for dipping.

    By the way, I also include oven directions if you don't have an air fryer amongst your kitchen accessories.

    Corn cakes

    Pupusas-style corn cakes on plate.
    Make this recipe

    If popcorn & pancakes got together, they would taste like these vegan corn cakes.

    Naturally gluten-free, they make a delicious addition to breakfast or brunch.

    Serve them on their own or with a vegan tofu scramble on the side.

    Cranberry mimosa

    Glasses of Christmas mimosas on table by Champagne and cranberry juice.
    Make this recipe

    I served this cranberry mimosa at our Friendsgiving last year, but it would fit well with any winter holiday celebration.

    It's made with just three ingredients and is impossible to mess up.

    Creamy tomato soup

    Bowl of vegan tomato soup with fresh basil by sandwich.
    Make this recipe

    Through my late teens and early twenties, grilled cheese and creamy vegan tomato soup was a regular lunchtime occurrence.

    After I stopped eating dairy, that mainstay got the shove.

    But no longer!

    These days, I prefer to make my soup from scratch. It gets extra depth and body from sun-dried tomatoes and cashew cream.

    Serve with a toasted non-dairy grilled cheese on the side for dipping, or pop in a handful of homemade vegan croutons.

    Chicken-style vegan pot pie

    Slice of vegan chicken pot pie with potatoes, carrots, and peas on plate.
    Make this recipe

    This chicken-style vegan pot pie is a revamp from my mini vegetable pot pie recipe.

    The original version was for personal-sized pot pies with a homemade crust and chickpeas as the protein-packed star.

    This new version uses frozen pie crusts as a time saver, and seitan instead of beans.

    The rest of the filling is made with potatoes, carrots, celery, peas, and a cashew cream sauce.

    Taquitos with jackfruit

    Two taquitos on plate with pineapple salsa and salad.
    Make this recipe

    These vegan taquitos are made with jackfruit carnitas - seasoned with spices, onions, garlic, and red wine.

    They can be made in the air fryer or oven.

    Serve them with guacamole, salsa, or cashew queso for dipping.

    Walking tacos

    Vegan walking taco stuffed with corn chips, non-dairy cheese, and jalapenos.
    Make this recipe

    Vegan walking tacos are a potluck & party favorite.

    They're made by piling lentil taco meat onto Fritos-style corn chips, along with tomatoes, lettuce, non-dairy cheese, and guacamole.

    A serious crowd pleaser for adults & kids alike!

    French dip sandwich

    Hands dipping vegan French dip sandwich into au jus.
    Make this recipe

    Of all the recipes I made in 2018, this vegan French dip sandwich is my favorite.

    Savory, wine infused jackfruit is piled onto ciabatta and topped with sautéed onions and horseradish mayo.

    And of course, it wouldn't be a French dip without a full-bodied au jus for dunking.

    Pesto rice

    Bowl of pesto rice by roasted chickpeas, lemons, basil, cilantro, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and garlic.
    Make this recipe

    For vegan pesto rice, I like to use pre-cooked frozen brown rice.

    Simply warm the rice and toss it with cilantro basil pesto.

    Then use it as a side dish.

    Or make it the base of a bowl with roasted chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and olives.

    Breakfast sandwich

    JUST Egg in breakfast bagel sandwich with vegan sausage and non-dairy cream cheese on plate.
    Make this recipe

    This vegan breakfast sandwich is great for a meal on the go.

    Or jump back in bed and enjoy it in your PJ's.

    Jackfruit carnitas tacos

    Jackfruit tacos on plate.
    Make this recipe

    Finishing the list of popular vegan recipes are these savory jackfruit carnitas tacos.

    The jackfruit is infused with the flavors of red wine, cumin, ancho chili powder, and coriander.

    Then the jackfruit carnitas are piled into crisp corn shells with lettuce, tomatoes, and guacamole.

    So good!

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer behind Cadry’s Kitchen, and the author of Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Since launching her blog in 2009, Cadry has been making plant-based cooking approachable, and reimagining classic comfort foods. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Parade, VegNews, and more. She regularly appears on local TV shows, demonstrating to a broad audience how easy vegan cooking can be.

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    1. Shell

      January 09, 2019 at 2:34 pm

      I love seeing all of these great recipes in one post – thanks!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        January 10, 2019 at 8:13 am

        I’m glad to hear it, Shell!

        Reply
    2. Jennifer Bliss

      January 08, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      I can totally see why these are the top18!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        January 10, 2019 at 8:13 am

        Thanks, Jennifer!

        Reply

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