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I'm vegan, but my family isn't. Here are 11 dinners that keep us all fed and happy without making multiple meals.

Stephanie Dreyer   

I'm vegan, but my family isn't. Here are 11 dinners that keep us all fed and happy without making multiple meals.
With a few simple customizations, my mixed-diet family can eat the same meals. Stephanie Dreyer
  • I'm the only vegan in my family, but I make meals everyone can (and will) eat.
  • Vegan chili and customizable grilled kebabs keep everyone in my house happy.

As the only vegan in my family of five, answering the daily question of "What's for dinner?" has its challenges — especially when I refuse to cook separate meals for each of us.

After more than a decade of feeding my mixed-diet family, I've curated a roundup of dinner ideas, including sheet-pan recipes, food bars, and one-pot meals, that easily feed all of us.

Here are my favorites.

If I'm short on time, sheet-pan fajitas are reliable.

If I
Seitan fajitas are quick to throw together.      Stephanie Dreyer

In my sheet-pan fajitas, colorful bell peppers, savory portobello mushrooms, and plant-based seitan are tossed in a zesty seasoning and drizzled with a creamy cilantro-pepita dressing.

For non-vegans, you can always swap the seitan for chicken or beef made in a separate pan.

This meal is a breeze to prepare, making it perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends.

Noodles for dinner is a hit in my house.

Noodles for dinner is a hit in my house.
Instead of beef stroganoff, I make tempeh stroganoff.      Stephanie Dreyer

My tempeh-mushroom stroganoff is a winner. I top the loaded noodles with a creamy, nondairy sauce for an easy weeknight dinner.

It has all the traditional flavors you'd expect in a classic stroganoff — mushrooms, garlic, fat — but without the meat or dairy.

For my meat-craving carnivores, I serve it alongside some cooked ground beef that they can stir into their own servings.

There's something decadent about a caramelized onion and arugula pizza.

There
Topping and crisp pizza crust with onions, vegan cheese, and arugula is a win.      Stephanie Dreyer

I like to layer creamy vegan cheeses, sweet onions, and zesty arugula on a crisp pizza crust. Plus, non-vegans can easily top their pies with some prosciutto after they are sliced.

Each bite of the caramelized onion and arugula pizza delivers a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that keeps my family reaching for the next slice.

My family loves my vegan sloppy Joes.

My family loves my vegan sloppy Joes.
Vegan beef and lentils are both good substitutions for sloppy Joes.      Stephanie Dreyer

My plant-powered take on the quintessential American sandwich is deliciously sweet and savory, and it leaves your fingers just as messy as the real thing.

The non-vegans in my family can't even tell my sloppy Joes are made with vegan beef. But if that's not the case for you, prepping a meaty filling is simple and still allows you to enjoy the same meal together.

Mushroom marsala gnocchi is my fancy (but easy) weeknight go-to.

Mushroom marsala gnocchi is my fancy (but easy) weeknight go-to.
Instead of chicken Marsala, I make gnocchi with a mushroom-marsala sauce.      Stephanie Dreyer

My marsala gnocchi screams fancy pants, but the one-pot wonder is ready in 30 minutes.

I surround some potato-cauliflower gnocchi in a bath of mushroom-marsala sauce for a delicious (plant-based) twist on chicken Marsala.

A side of chicken tenders or breasts can bulk up the meal for any meat eaters.

Taco Tuesday means vegan chorizo and potato tacos.

Taco Tuesday means vegan chorizo and potato tacos.
Everyone in my family loves taco night.      Stephanie Dreyer

I like to stuff warm tortillas with a crispy potato mix, walnut-bean chorizo, and a tangy avocado sauce.

If I have to indulge meat eaters, I'll make some regular chorizo or ground beef on the side.

The tacos are deliciously easy, and it's always a slam dunk for satisfying everyone in the house.

Lentil Bolognese lasagna is a weekly staple in my house.

Lentil Bolognese lasagna is a weekly staple in my house.
I like to make my lasagna in a skillet.      Stephanie Dreyer

A skillet lasagna is easy enough to whip up during the week but sophisticated enough to serve for a special family dinner.

It's as simple as layering a Bolognese sauce made with lentils instead of ground beef, lasagna noodles, and vegan cheese in a skillet before popping everything in the oven.

I like to serve it alongside some vegan and regular Italian sausages for added protein.

For a comforting meal with robust flavors, I turn to chili.

For a comforting meal with robust flavors, I turn to chili.
My family picks their own toppings for chili.      Stephanie Dreyer

Chili made with beans and vegan beef is a great meal for mixed-diet families because you can set up a food bar with all sorts of toppings.

Some of my family's favorites are chopped bacon, shredded cheese, and diced onions, but the possibilities are endless.

We upgraded pizza night with my spinach-artichoke skillet pie.

We upgraded pizza night with my spinach-artichoke skillet pie.
We love making pizzas in a skillet.      Stephanie Dreyer

Once you cook pizza in a skillet, you'll probably never want to eat it any other way.

I fill my skillet pie crust with a vegan spinach and artichoke mixture I've perfected over the years.

A crumbled of cooked Italian sausage can help satiate non-vegans, but I think it's delicious on its own.

When it's grilling season, I love Greek tofu kebabs.

When it
People can customize their own kebabs.      Stephanie Dreyer

I make Mediterranean-inspired kebabs stacked with vegetables and tofu marinated in red-wine vinaigrette.

The meal is easily customizable for every taste preference — I've subbed chicken for tofu for my carnivores in the past.

After grilling, I serve the kebabs with vegan tzatziki and a fresh Greek salad.

Buffalo sweet-potato bowls are easy to customize.

Buffalo sweet-potato bowls are easy to customize.
Sweet potato and coleslaw are the base for my Buffalo bowls.      Stephanie Dreyer

For an easy meal, I coat crispy, oven-baked tofu in Buffalo sauce and nestle it on a bed of roasted sweet-potato cubes and coleslaw.

The vegan dinner is spicy, tangy, and deliciously savory.

Everyone can customize their own bowls with different toppings, so it's always a winner. For those who are tofu-averse, simply substitute diced chicken and toss it in the same sauce.


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