Apparently, it’s the most important meal of the day. And now there are so many great vegan breakfast options to enjoy. In this article we select some of the best of them for you, taking account of quick, healthy, high-protein, and low-calorie options, but making sure that all of them are delicious so you can enjoy selecting from amongst the best options that vegan breakfasts have to offer.
The best simple vegan breakfast
A typical breakfast for many people in the Western world consists of cereal or porridge with milk, plus some sort of bread like toast, bagels, or croissants. And there’s no reason why that typical, quick breakfast can’t be enjoyed by vegans with a few simple substitutions.
Vegan cereals – Many common breakfast cereals are vegan, so you should have no problem finding a suitable one. The Nature’s Path brand has lots of vegan cereal options that are also organic and wholegrain but do make sure to check the packaging because some of their flavors contain honey. And if you’re wondering why that isn’t suitable for vegans, check out our blog is honey vegan.
Porridge is, of course, vegan in its pure form. To keep it that way just cook it with water or a non-dairy milk alternative, remembering that adding cane sugar that has been through bone char processing will also make your breakfast non-vegan. Other hot cereal options include cream of wheat, farina, and Bob’s Red Mill Cream of Buckwheat.
Vegan milk options – Instead of dairy milk, simply go for one of the many alternative milk options out there – from soy to almond to rice to oat milk. Choosing an unsweetened alternative milk is a good way to make your breakfast healthier (and also to avoid any issues regarding the use of animal products in sugar processing – which does happen with some non-organic cane sugar).
Vegan yogurt – traditional yogurt is a dairy product, but now there are lots of vegan options on the market. Vegan yogurt makes a perfect base for a breakfast, simply add it to granola or mix in fresh fruits for a delicious and (if you go for an unsweetened version) healthy option. Check out our blog is yogurt vegan page for details of some of the best options out there.
Vegan bread – It’s easy enough to find vegan bread for your breakfast but do make sure to check the packaging to avoid buying bread that contains dairy products (e.g. milk, butter, buttermilk, cheese, whey, or casein) or even eggs. Other non-vegan ingredients that can sneak into bread include honey and, once again, sugar – which can be considered non-vegan if it has been through bone char processing. Check out our blog is bread vegan for more ingredients to watch out for and tips on finding great vegan bread.
Vegan bagels – Bagels are a super popular breakfast item and it’s easy enough to find vegan ones. In fact, nearly all bagels are vegan, the only things to watch out for really are “egg bagels” or some versions that add honey as a sweetener.
> Read more: are bagels vegan?
Vegan croissants – croissants are a particular staple of the continental breakfast. However, it is harder to find vegan versions as they are typically made with lots of butter. You can always make your own though using a vegan butter substitute in the recipe.
Vegan spreads – finding something vegan to go on top of your breakfast bread, bagel, or croissant couldn’t be simpler. As well as the huge array of jams, fruit preserves, and different types of nut butter out there, check out other options like vegan cream cheese, marmite, or vegemite.
Best cooked breakfast vegan style
Big, cooked breakfasts are typically greasy, unhealthy, and meat-laden affairs. But if you’re looking for that same flavor without the meat, rest assured that there are plenty of vegan options out there that have got you covered.
Vegan meat substitutes – the typical breakfast meats in the West tend to be sausages and bacon, and nowadays there are so many vegan varieties of both that there is no reason why you can’t enjoy the cruelty-free version of that taste. Vegan sausages have been on the market for a long time and come in an incredible variety of options. Vegan bacon has been a tougher one to get right, but nowadays lots of people love the taste and texture of tempeh bacon, a delicious and nutritious option that is made from a type of fermented soybean that is a staple of Indonesian cuisine. Such vegan meat substitutes can be a good way to get a high-protein vegan breakfast.
Lots of the other staples of cooked breakfasts are already vegan, including mushrooms, baked beans, and hash browns. Cooked breakfasts typically come with plenty of toast, so check out our recommendations on finding vegan bread and vegan butter options here.
Another traditional element of a cooked breakfast that vegans can’t go for is eggs. But, yet again, there are plenty of vegan egg-substitute options out there like Vegan Egg or Just Egg. Or what about trying a tofu scramble as a delicious and protein-rich alternative to scrambled eggs?
Best lazy Sunday vegan breakfast options
Lazy Sunday mornings are a great time for making pancakes, and fortunately, there are loads of vegan pancake options to choose from. Traditionally pancakes are made with eggs and buttermilk, so definitely not vegan. But any non-vegan pancake recipe can be made vegan by using an alternative milk and an egg substitute.
One newly popular egg substitute is aquafaba. What the heck is that you may be asking? It’s simply the liquid inside a can of chickpeas that you normally drain away immediately. Keep hold of it and check it out as a substitute in recipes calling for eggs – it works perfectly.
If you’re looking for plant-based sweeteners to drizzle on top of the pancakes, you can’t go wrong with maple syrup. Or simply add typical fruits like blueberries or bananas. You can also go for options like nut butter or chocolate chips.
There are also plenty of recipes available for vegan versions of other indulgent breakfast/brunch favorites like vegan French toast and vegan waffles.
Best quick and healthy vegan breakfast on the go
What could be a quicker and healthier, low-carb vegan breakfast option than a fabulous fruit smoothie? Simply mix up your favorite fruit with optional nut milk, pop it in the blender and you’re ready to go. If you want to make that breakfast smoothie even more nutritious consider throwing in some extra seeds or other superfoods.
Green powders are a quick way to get a big hit of extra nutrition, while seeds like hemp come packed with the full range of protein, plus valuable omega-3s that can be hard to get on some vegan diets.
If you’re looking for the low-calorie vegan breakfast option, simply hold the seeds and go heavy on the fruits.
Best vegan Mexican breakfast foods
Mexican cuisine provides a really rich variety of foods, and fortunately, it’s easy to make vegan versions of lots of Mexican breakfast options. Some of the options out there include vegan molletes, which consists of slices of a Mexican-style baguette called bolillos, topped with refried beans, salsa, onion, and your favorite vegan cheese. Bake the whole thing and then chuck some avocado on the top to add some healthy and delicious fats into an already protein-rich mix.
Other vegan Mexican breakfast options include vegan enfrijoladas, which are corn tortillas filled with a refried bean sauce, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Or what about a simple tofu or tempeh scramble with added Mexican spice and salsas to get the day started in a fiery style? Serve it in a burrito or on top of a salad. The latter option can be a great gluten-free vegan breakfast (provided you check that the tofu or tempeh you are using is gluten-free, many are but not all).
Best vegan breakfast beverage options
Yes, of course, almost all the typical breakfast beverages are vegan, so there’s no need to worry about not being able to get your early morning fix of coffee or tea. The only thing to think about is, of course, the milk that you put in them. But, as listed above, there is an incredible range of vegan alternative milk for you to choose from out there, made from everything from nuts to beans.
Summary
Breakfast can be one of the most fun meals of the day, and there is pretty much no breakfast treat that you can’t enjoy either in its original version or in a specially created vegan style. Nut milk and dairy-free butter options make the world of vegan breakfasts so simple, and there are countless options out there from indulgent to nutritious, all of them delicious, and even more enjoyable knowing that they are cruelty-free.
We hope you enjoyed this blog and got some inspiration for vegan breakfasts. Also, did we miss out any of your vegan breakfast favorites? Please let us know in the comments below.
