What do vegans eat?

Vegan diets tend to be more colorful and varied than meat-based diets—vegans can enjoy just about every dish a meat-eater can by cooking with veggie burgers, “ham,” “hot dogs,” and “turkey” made out of soy and with less familiar staples such as tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and seitan. These can be added to spaghetti, soups, salads, lasagna, stir-fries, and chili.

Many vegans take advantage of delicious ethnic cuisine, such as Chinese, Indian, Thai, and Mexican, and convenience foods, such as instant soup, frozen “TV dinners,” flavored rice mixes, and canned soup (many black bean, minestrone, and vegetable varieties are vegan).

Vegans eat baked and refried beans and pizza without cheese but piled high with vegetable toppings like peppers, mushrooms, or even artichokes or pineapple. Vegans bake with egg replacers, soy flour, and mashed tofu.

For scrumptious vegan recipe ideas, order PETA’s free vegetarian starter kit.