41 Easy College Dorm Room-Friendly Vegan Recipes (2024)

41 fantastic easy vegan recipes that are suitable for a college dorm room! Minimal tools required while full of flavor and nutrients, these are the kind of recipes that are doable in a dorm room with a full day of classes. We've got a wide variety, including flavored waters, breakfast ideas including a latte, snack & dessert options, lunches/dinners, even a seasoning mix! All are vegan and some are gluten-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free. Provided by a variety of food bloggers from around the world.

41 Easy College Dorm Room-Friendly Vegan Recipes (1)

Nutritious vegan options are becoming more prevalent in college dining halls - yay! Still, it's not necessarily a wide variety of options available day to day, so I called on some of my fellow food bloggers to help me compile a resource for you college students to help you discover what you can cook on your own. That's right, in your dorm room! A special thank you to each of these wonderful contributors.

All of these recipes can be made with just the following appliances:

  • a mini-fridge
  • a microwave
  • coffee maker, milk frother

It would also be a good idea to have the following basics:

  • bowl
  • dish
  • cup
  • utensils
  • jar with a lid or other storage container
  • cutting board and knife (if not allowed, use one in the dorm kitchen or buy already-chopped fruit & veg from the dining hall)

Where to Find Ingredients

  • See what you can bring back to your room from the dining halls. Remember the on-campus market, too, where you can also (usually) use your dining card.
  • Most college towns have a farmers market nearby, which can add much-desired variety to your diet, even with a small amount of cash. And you get to support local, hard-working farmers! You can't beat the quality found at most markets, with their fresh-picked selections.
  • Check out the nearby grocery store. Some schools even have a shuttle that will take you on the weekends.
  • Try growing a few herbs on your windowsill! It's easy and adds so much to your dish. Think fresh mint in your water, basil in your salad.

Go solo or buddy system

Your roommate or someone else in your hall might want to go in on some groceries and use these recipes, too! They're bound to find something they like on this long list, whether or not they consider themselves "vegan." You'll be doing them a favor, introducing them to some delicious and nutritious food. More brain power for school! You could even start a group dinner club, with each person making a recipe from the list and eating them together, discovering your favorites. Have fun!

41 Easy Vegan College Dorm Room Recipes

compiled by Beautiful Ingredient

Flavored Water

Lemon Mint Flavored Water by Beautiful Ingredient

Cherry Vanilla Flavored Water by Beautiful Ingredient

Breakfast

Homemade Vegan Caramel Latte by Beautiful Ingredient

Vegan Caramel Steamer by Beautiful Ingredient

Quick Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal by Veggie Primer

Homemade Instant Oatmeal, 4 Flavors! by Veganosity

Almond Joy Chia Pudding by Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Chocolate Chia Pudding by Yummy Mummy Kitchen

Pink Dragon Fruit Chia Pudding by Beautiful Ingredient

Tropical Chia Pudding by Beautiful Ingredient

Mini Microwave French Toast by Strength & Sunshine

Snacks & Desserts

Vegan Peanut Butter Microwave Mug Cake (3 Ingredients) by Rhian's Recipes

Cookie Dough Protein Balls by V Nutrition & Wellness

Peanut Butter Chocolate Coconut Bites (no bake) by Delightful Adventures

Pistachio Chocolate Banana Sushi by The Petite Cook

Tahini Bon Bons by Fried Dandelions

Healthy Black Forest Bon Bons (gluten-free) by Sunnyside Hanne

Peach and Black Bean Salsa by Cadry's Kitchen

Mango Salsa by Beautiful Ingredient

Vegan Ceviche with Hearts of Palm by Cadry's Kitchen

Creamy Avocado Hummusby Yumsome

Favorite Guacamole by Beautiful Ingredient

Lunch or Dinner

Sandwiches & Salads

Veggie Wrap with Apples & Spicy Hummus by Veggie Inspired

Quick & Easy White Bean Salad (salad or sandwich) by Veggie Inspired

Apple Walnut Chickpea Salad (salad or sandwich) by Where You Get Your Protein

Vegan Tuna Salad (salad or sandwich) by Veggies Save the Day

Chickpea Salad with Jalapeño Relish (salad or sandwich) by Beautiful Ingredient

Avocado Chickpea Lettuce Cupsby Tasting Page

Cannellini Bean Salad with Basil & Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Food Pleasure & Health

Simple Black-Eyed Pea Salad by Delightful Adventures

Black Bean Mango Salad by Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Healthy Vegan Greek Salad by Yummy Mummy Kitchen

White Bean Cherry Tomato Basil Salad by Veggies Save the Day

Balsamic Bean Salad by Fried Dandelions

Simple Vegan Panzanella by Yumsome

Avocado Artichoke Lentil Salad by Tasting Page

Soup

Mason Jar Miso Soup by Sunnyside Hanne

Summer Rolls

by Beautiful Ingredient

Comfort Food

Microwave Mac & Cheese for One (gluten-free) by Strength & Sunshine

5 Minute Easy Vegan Tacos by Happy Kitchen. Rocks

Seasoning

Smoky Hemp Heart Seasoning Mix by Beautiful Ingredient

Hungry for more?

Check out this Make-Ahead Chia Pudding recipe and info on The College Vegan Cookbook by Heather Nicholds.

41 Easy College Dorm Room-Friendly Vegan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook for yourself in college dorm? ›

You'll want to choose recipes that are simple and easy to prepare, minimize clean up, and include as many nutrient-dense foods as possible. Thankfully, microwave cooking is perfect for all of that! For example, make instant ramen in the microwave and add frozen carrots and peas to the broth to bulk up the veggies.

How to be vegan in college? ›

Even if your college doesn't provide dedicated vegan options, it doesn't mean that you can't follow a vegan diet—you'll just have to get a little creative with what's available to you. For example, you can make easy meals like oatmeal, salads, grain bowls, and veggie sandwiches out of your dining selections.

How to be a frugal vegan? ›

Vegan on a budget
  1. tinned beans and dried pulses of various kinds.
  2. vegetables (particularly seasonal ones)
  3. potatoes.
  4. egg-free pasta and noodles.
  5. rice.
  6. bread (wholemeal is ideal from a health point of view)
  7. dried herbs and spices.
  8. seasonal fruit.

Why are air fryers not allowed in dorms? ›

Air fryers

An air fryer might seem like a great tool to take to college and pop in your dorm, especially if you're someone who loves to snack and cook, but the truth is most dorms actually ban air fryers due to the fire risk.

Are rice cookers allowed in dorms? ›

Anything with a heating device is not needed or allowed inside the dorms. So leave the rice cookers, crock pots and hot plates at home where someone else can use them (safely).

How to go 100% vegan? ›

You could start by removing meat or dairy one day a week and go from there. Or you could try changing one meal at a time, having vegan breakfasts during your first week, adding a vegan lunch during week two and so on.

Can anyone be 100% vegan? ›

And that's only the dietary component of veganism. “The thing is, despite strict vegans' understandable frustration with meat eaters, no one is completely vegan. It's just not possible to live in this world and entirely avoid causing animals to suffer.”

What do vegans struggle with the most? ›

Low vitamin B12 intake is a significant problem in vegan diets due to the exclusion of vitamin B12-rich foods such as meat, poultry, and eggs. A lack of vitamin B12 has been linked to neurologic and hematologic problems [19].

How to be vegan when you're broke? ›

Staple vegan foods such as oats, lentils, pasta, rice and chickpeas are among the cheapest foods and are in *a lot* of vegan recipes, so should definitely make an appearance on your list. Oh, and avoid shopping whilst hungry. You're more likely to stray from the plan...

Will I live longer if I become vegan? ›

Another study found a 12% lower risk, but while research published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition agreed that a vegan diet can lower rates of certain chronic diseases, it did not find evidence that veganism led to a longer life.

Which foods are surprisingly vegan? ›

Top 10 surprising vegan foods
  • Crumpets. This might be an obvious one to some, but a quick poll with our vegan and dairy-free friends shows many mistakenly believe crumpets contained dairy. ...
  • Dark chocolate. Chocoholics assemble! ...
  • Cream crackers. ...
  • (Some) biscuits. ...
  • (Some) crisps. ...
  • Ice Cream. ...
  • Pasta. ...
  • Peanut butter.

How to eat vegan for beginners? ›

  1. Make Vegetables the Stars of Your Meals. ...
  2. Eat a Variety of Foods. ...
  3. Choose Whole Grains. ...
  4. Discover New Plant-Based Proteins. ...
  5. Don't Assume Vegan Food Products Are Healthier. ...
  6. Focus On Fish-Free Omega-3s. ...
  7. Don't Forget About Vitamin D. ...
  8. Pump Up Your Iron.
Sep 30, 2022

Do college students cook their own food? ›

For college students, cooking a fresh meal is not necessarily a top priority. Convenience and cost are usually the first two factors that dictate what the next meal will be. Since most universities require that students have meal plans, many naturally gravitate toward the dining hall.

How to cook while in college? ›

You can make whatever you want, but don't. Instead, cook simply and frequently. Lean on lunch and dinner formats like pasta; roasted meat, fish, or vegetables; hearty salads; rice bowls; stir-fry; and pita pizzas. For breakfast, stick with standards like eggs and toast, yogurt and fruit, and oatmeal.

Do college dorms have their own kitchens? ›

Not all dorms have kitchens in individual rooms — particularly in older schools. However, a newly-renovated residential hall or suite may provide a kitchenette or communal kitchen for the floor. If a dorm room offers a kitchen area, a refrigerator, stove, oven, and microwave may be provided.

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