Vegan Meals That’ll Keep You Warm When the Temperature Drops

Wintertime was made for comfort food. Chilly temps and flurries falling offer the perfect excuse to curl up with some warm, fulfilling eats.

While traditional cold weather dishes may be heavy on the meat and dairy, there are plenty of vegan options that are just as hearty and comforting as their animal product alternatives. So here are six of our favorite vegan meals that’ll keep you warm when the temperatures plummet:

1-Hour Vegan Pot Pie
Pot pies are a classic way to stave off the chills. With a flaky biscuit topping and hearty root vegetables, it’s everything your stomach needs to feel warm and satisfied. Minimalist Baker’s version of the iconic dish takes just an hour and the final product is creamy, buttery, and totally filling. Who needs meat?

Chili Mac
Mac and cheese and chili are pretty amazing on their own, but combine the two and you’ve got the best mash-up of all time. This spicy, satisfying dish is made with pasta, vegan beef crumbles, a whole host of tasty spices — and ooey gooey vegan cheese. Serve it to any eaters on a cold winter’s night, and watch ‘em beg for more.

Vegan Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl
If you thought vegans had to forever abandon the soup-in-a-bowl experience, think again. Kathy of HappyHealthyLife.com has recreated everyone’s favorite seaside soup — clam chowder — with king oyster mushrooms. Her creamy, cashew-based creation is delightful, and fits perfectly in a toasted bread bowl.

Vegan Gnocchi from Scratch
Homemade pasta isn’t as intimidating as it sounds — promise. This vegan gnocci recipe from Bianca of ElephantasticVegan.com requires only three ingredients: potatoes, flour, and salt! The end result is utter deliciousness. Pour her scrumptious tomato sauce on top and it’s a meal any Italian would approve of.

Winter Stuffed Peppers
The only thing better than one yummy food is one yummy food stuffed into another yummy food. Enter these winter stuffed peppers from The Crazy Vegan Lady. Her recipe uses red and yellow peppers plus tasty goodies like risotto rice, red lentils, tomatoes, mushrooms, and more. The end result is warm, soothing, and — if you care about such things — aesthetically appealing, too.

Classic Ratatouille
Remy the rat (from Disney’s Ratatouille) would be totally on board with this vegan meal. After all, he believed in compassion for all, be they rodent or human. This Remy-approved ratatouille by famed chef Jamie Oliver uses peppers, aubergine (eggplant), and courgettes (zucchini) to create a marvelous, savory stew. In Remy’s words: “If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff.”

Photo: Minimalist Baker