Vegan office lunch ideas: 8 recipes to improve your workday

Vegan office lunch ideas

Eating at the office can be a real nightmare in many cases, especially when there is no cafeteria or nearby luncheonettes with suitable offers. Salads and cold dishes are an everyday staple, but if your company is equipped with microwave ovens, there's no reason why you can't heat up winter comfort warm meals. Here are a few ideas for a great vegan lunch break.

To-fish and roast potatoes

Nori seaweed is the perfect ingredient to re-create the fishy flavors in your dishes. Missing fish fingers? Try to cut the tofu into stripes and add a piece of nori seaweed to each strip. You can, then, cover the tofu with a mixture of chickpea flour and water, then cover it with breadcrumbs. Place the tofu stripes in a baking try, season with salt, pepper and olive oil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 180°C. Don’t forget to add some roast potatoes to your lunch box.

Coconut curry chickpeas with pumpkin

Everybody loves a good curry. If you’re looking for a simple and quick recipe, here’s the right one for you: roast the pumpkin in the oven, then peel it and chop it. Fry some onions in a pan with olive oil, add the chickpeas and pumpkin, season with salt and black pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the curry powder and coconut milk. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, add some fresh coriander and enjoy your curry with basmati rice.

Creamy chickpeas burrito

This is the ultimate burrito for everyone who enjoys a good wrap. First, mix together in a bowl some chickpeas with soy yogurt, mango chutney, a pinch of curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. Then, use your favourite vegetables: fresh tomatoes, lettuce or even grilled courgettes. Place the ingredients in a tortilla and shape it like a burrito. Heat some olive oil in a pan and cook the burrito for about 1 or 2 minutes, just until the wrap closes perfectly and all the filling is stuck inside.

Baked pasta

There’s nothing better than a good baked pasta to feel at home when you’re at work. Italian pasta casserole is a must-try and you can make it pretty much with anything you like. Here’s an idea for you: make a sauce with tomato puree, diced aubergines and basil, then cook the pasta in boiling water (make sure it is al dente). Add the sauce to the pasta, put it in a baking tin and sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes (or vegan grated cheese). Add some good extra virgin olive oil and cook the casserole in the oven for about 30 minutes at 180°C.

Mushroom soup

One of the best comfort foods of all time: mushroom soup is a filling and delicious dish that can make your office lunch unforgettable. Use different types of mushrooms to make this creamy soup: start by frying some onions in a pan with olive oil, then add the mushrooms and cook them until soft. Add a pinch of salt, some rosemary and vegetable broth (or hot water). Season to taste, then blend all the ingredients together. You can also add some vegetable milk or cream if you like.

Vegan frittata

Frittata is a traditional egg-based dish in Italy. For a vegan version, you can just mix one part of chickpea flour with two parts of water and cook in the oven or in a pan. It’s delicious as it is, but you can also add more ingredients for an extra taste, like courgettes, carrots, spinach or mushrooms.

Potato meatballs

Veggie meatballs can be very satisfying: with seitan or tofu, pulses, spinach or cauliflower, meatballs are always a good idea. For a foolproof, cheap and tasty recipe, mash some boiled potatoes, mix them with nutritional yeast, breadcrumbs and add diced smoked tofu, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Spinach and vegan ricotta quiche

Quiches, puff pastry rolls, savoury tarts: any ingredient in a pastry shell takes on a new life, making it the perfect office lunch. Savoury pies are real time-saving recipes: surely it would be preferable to prepare the dough at home, but there are many good readymade puff pastry on the market, ready to be rolled out and filled as desired. One of the most classic fillings in the Italian cuisine is ricotta and spinach: you can substitute the ricotta with a vegan cheese made of nuts and still get a tasty meal.

by Michela Becchi