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    Home > Guides

    Vegan Grocery List: 5 Meals for $35 in One Shopping Trip

    By Nandor Barta on 05/22/2025 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

    If you are new to the vegan diet and want simple, budget-friendly meals without stocking up your pantry to the brim, this one-trip vegan grocery list covers five easy dinners for two that will likely cost around $35.

    I chose five of my recipes that use overlapping basics like rice, beans, lentils, canned tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, and carrots.

    Do not think these meals will be boring. I picked recipes from different cuisines like Mexican, Italian, Hungarian and Indian to bring in a good variety.

    Each recipe comes with a short description, a link to the recipe, suggestions for substitutions and add-ons, and a few beginner-friendly tips.

    Jump to:
    • Vegan grocery list
    • Lentil Bolognese
    • Red Lentil Soup (Hungarian-Style)
    • Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili
    • Lentil Chickpea Curry
    • Broccoli Lentil Stir-Fry with Rice
    • More information on how to cook vegan
    A heart shape puzzle of vegetables with a text overlay saying 7-day meal plan
    FREE 7-Day Vegan Meal Plan

    Subscribe to our newsletters and download it right now.

    Vegan grocery list

    Here is the consolidated grocery list for the five vegan meals.

    The estimated total cost is approximately $30–$35 for all 5 dinners (about $6–7 per meal for two), assuming you have a few basic spices on hand. 

    Most items on the list are very inexpensive (canned beans, lentils, veggies, etc.), and buying in bulk or dried form further cuts cost. 

    If you need to purchase several spice mixes, allow another ~$10 (these will last for many future meals). Using what you already have and sticking to store brands can keep the budget on the low.

    🥕 Produce

    • Onions (5 medium)
    • Garlic (1 whole bulb)
    • Carrots (3 medium)
    • Potatoes (2 medium)
    • Sweet potato (1 large)
    • Broccoli (1 head)
    • Celery (2 stalks)
    • Fresh ginger (1 small piece)
    • Parsnip (1 medium, optional)

    🥫 Canned & Packaged

    • Red lentils (1 lb dry or 1 bag/can ~2 cups dry)
    • Brown lentils (1 lb dry or 2–3 cans; about 4 cups cooked total)
    • Chickpeas (1 can, 15 oz)
    • Kidney or black beans (1 can, 15 oz)
    • Corn (1 can, 15 oz or frozen equivalent)
    • Diced or crushed tomatoes / tomato sauce (2 cans, 15 oz each)
    • Tomato paste (1 small can)
    • Full-fat coconut milk (1 can, 13.5 oz)
    • Vegetable broth (1 quart or bouillon cubes)
    • Quinoa (dry, ~½ cup – smallest pack)
    • White rice (dry, ~1 cup or pantry leftover)
    • Pasta of choice (e.g., spaghetti or fettuccine, about 8 oz)

    🧂 Spices & Seasonings

    • Sweet smoked paprika
    • Ground cumin
    • Dried basil
    • Dried oregano
    • Dried thyme
    • Dried parsley (or Italian seasoning mix)
    • Curry powder
    • Garam masala
    • Turmeric powder
    • Chili powder or flakes (optional)
    • Bay leaf (optional, for soup)
    • Soy sauce (small bottle, or substitute with salt)
    • Red wine (optional – ~½ cup for bolognese, can sub broth)
    • Sriracha or hot sauce (optional)

    Now let’s see what you can make from these ingredients:

    Lentil Bolognese

    A white bowl of tagliatelle pasta topped with lentils in bolognese sauce. Leftover bolognese in the cast iron skillet is right next to it.

    A savory, Italian-style sauce made with lentils, tomatoes, onions, carrots, and herbs served over pasta.

    It is rich, hearty, and perfect for a cozy dinner. If you let the sauce simmer longer, time will deepen the flavors.

    You can add chopped mushrooms or zucchini to make it more filling.

    If you do not like lentils, you can use tofu crumbles or TVP. Here are recipes for tofu bolognese and meaty TVP bolognese.

    Red Lentil Soup (Hungarian-Style)

    A hearty and comforting soup made with red lentils, carrots, potatoes, and smoky paprika.

    It cooks in about 30 minutes and uses basic ingredients. The paprika and cumin add a warm, savory flavor without requiring any fancy techniques.

    You will love using red lentils. They cook quickly and don’t require soaking.

    Add spinach or kale for extra nutrients. I think mushrooms go with almost anything including this soup.

    If you already have brown or green lentils, use those, but soak them in advance.

    Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili

    In a small white bowl orange cubes, dark brown beans, small white, yellow seeds with 3 slices of green avocado on top.

    This one-pot chili combines sweet potatoes, kidney beans, quinoa, and canned tomatoes into a rich, satisfying dish. It’s quick to make, packed with protein and fiber, and naturally gluten-free.

    Do not forget to rinse quinoa before cooking to remove bitterness.

    You can swap kidney beans with black beans or chickpeas, depending on what you have in your pantry.

    Add-ins like corn, bell peppers, or a handful of spinach work great for extra texture and nutrition.

    If you don’t have quinoa, rice makes an easy and affordable substitute.

    I do love millet in chilis, but it is not for everyone.

    Lentil Chickpea Curry

    A white plate with white rice, chickpeas, and lentils, in a creamy light brown sauce sprinkled freshly chopped cilantro. A spoon is placed inside. Naan bread and the remaining curry in the pan are next to it.

    A creamy, flavorful curry made with canned chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, and warm spices like curry powder and garam masala. It’s filling, fast, and goes perfectly with rice.

    The spices I choose will give a rather mild curry, but adjust the spice level if you like hot and fiery.

    You can use any cooked lentils—brown, green, or red—based on what’s available.

    Diced carrots or peas make a great addition for color and natural sweetness. Curry is a great way to empty your pantry, any combination of veggies works: mushroom with chickpea, sweet potato with tofu or vegetable medley.

    If you are out of coconut milk, try a splash of plant milk combined with a spoonful of peanut butter for a creamy, rich base. It will alter the taste a bit, but do not worry, it will be delicious.

    Broccoli Lentil Stir-Fry with Rice

    Broccoli Lentil Stir Fry served on turmeric rice in a black plate with silver fork and knife

    This quick stir-fry features lentils, broccoli, and corn tossed in soy sauce and served over warm turmeric rice. It’s vibrant, satisfying, and done in 20 minutes.

    Don’t overcook broccoli. Just blanch it in boiling for a couple of minutes, then cool it in an ice bath. This technique will keep it bright and crisp.

    You can substitute corn with peas, shredded carrots, or mushrooms depending on what’s available.

    Add a squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of tahini for extra brightness and flavor.

    For variety, serve it over couscous or quinoa instead of rice.

    Different colorful vegetables drawn as icons on an orange background in a shape of a heart.

    ⇒ GET OUR FREE 7-DAY VEGAN MEAL PLAN E-BOOK NOW! OR CHECK OUT ALL VEGAN MEAL PLAN RECIPES! ⇐

    More information on how to cook vegan

    • How to Start a Vegan Diet? 9 Honest Truths
    • Yellow background with icons of veggies and fruits ordered in a heart shape with a text overlay saying seven day meal plan
      FREE 7-day Vegan Meal Plan (Only Easy Recipes!)
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    Portrait of Emese and Nandi My Pure Plants

    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

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    Portrait of Emese and Nandi My Pure Plants

    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

    More about us →

    Reader Favorites

    • A large white bowl with white rice and sticky brown battered strips on top sprinkled with sesame seeds, orange peels and chopped spring onion
      Crispy Vegan Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)
    • Lots of spring rolls cut in half and arranged in a semi-circular dish facing upwards around a brown dipping sauce.
      Crispy Rice Paper Spring Rolls
    • A burger with layers of green ruffled lettuce, yellow sauce, thin cheese slices, dark brown burger patty twice, sliced pickles and white chopped onion.
      Meaty Vegan TVP Burger (Big Mac Style)
    • Copycat IKEA Veggie Balls

    Hearty stews

    • Vegetable stew in a red white enameled Dutch oven with lots of chopped vegetables like potatoes, carrots, mushroom, celery and red kidney beans. Topped with freshly chopped green herbs.
      The Best Hearty Vegetable Stew
    • 2 white bowls with thick brown stew, lentils, chopped veggies and a couple of dumplings. The remaining stew is in a red-white Dutch oven.
      Vegan Stew with Dumplings
    • Red Dutch oven from above with a stew where you can see chopped potatoes, spinach leaves, carrot slices, tomatoes, and mushroom slices. Slices of bread is next to it. A hand is holding a spoon taking some from the middle
      Jackfruit Stew (Vegan Beef Stew)
    • Cast iron skillet with veggie stew topped with puff pastry in a lattice pattern.
      Vegan Pot Pie

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