3 Vegan Recipes That Cost Under €5 To Make

Vegans get a bad rep sometimes, we can all admit that. Although something a lot of students don't realise, is eating vegan is one of the cheapest ways to eat.

Let's bear in mind this is if you eat simply aka vegetables, pulses and grains, and avoid all the unnecessary powders that get thrown around all the time. If it's been a rough week on the cash front and all you have left is pocket change, take a look at some of these great vegan recipes that all cost under a fiver to make.

You'll be left feeling full and your wallet will thank you as well.

1. Stuffed Sweet Potato

Serves 3

Ingredients:

3 medium sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
3 handfulls of fresh spinach
1.5 Tbsp coconut oil
120g chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp dried cranberries
to taste salt & pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes and prick the skin a few times with a fork. Use one tablespoon of the vegetable oil to lightly coat the skins. Bake the sweet potatoes for one hour in the preheated oven, or until soft all the way through.
When the sweet potatoes have about 15 minutes left to go, saute the spinach. Add the second tablespoon of vegetable oil and the minced garlic to a medium pan. Fry on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes soft. Add the spinach to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and continue to saute until the spinach is wilted (2-3 minutes).
When the potatoes come out of the oven, carefully slice them open. Use a fork to lightly mash the inside of the potatoes. Add about a ½ tablespoon of coconut oil to the inside of each potato and then season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide the spinach between the three potatoes. Top with one tablespoon of dried cranberries and chopped walnuts.

2. Marinated Kale, White Bean, and Tomato Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 bag of kale
2 Tbsp olive oil
60ml water
450g ripe tomatoes
1 can white beans

Dressing:

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried oregano
pinch of salt
Freshly cracked pepper

Method:

Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pot on a medium heat. Add the washed and chopped kale, along with half the water to help it steam. Cook the kale for 3-5 minutes, or just until it has wilted but still vibrant green in colour. Use tongs to transfer the kale to a bowl (leaving any remaining water behind). Let the kale cool in the fridge as while you get going on the rest of the salad.
Empty the can of beans into a colander and rinse well under cool running water. Dice the tomatoes.
To make the dressing, combine the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt and the freshly cracked pepper.
Once the kale has cooled slightly, add the beans, diced tomatoes and dressing. Toss the ingredients together until everything is evenly combined and coated in dressing. Serve immediately.

3. Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
½ large red onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ Tbsp curry powder
to taste salt & pepper
160g frozen peas

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Remove the leaves and stem from the cauliflower and cut it into bite-sized chunks. Place the chunks in a sieve and rinse under cool water. Drain well and remove as much water as possible.
While the cauliflower is draining, slice the onion into strips. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the cauliflower and red onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on the seasonings (salt, curry powder and pepper). Toss until everything until well coated.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Thaw the peas while the cauliflower is roasting.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven after 45 minutes or when the edges have turned golden brown. Place the cauliflower and onions into a bowl and toss with the peas.