32 Oil Free Vegan Recipes - Bad to the Bowl (2024)

Is oil free on your resolution list? If so, we have 32 oil free vegan recipes that are so delicious you will not even miss the oil!

Wait, what? You haven’t heard of the oil free revolution?

Resolute for an Oil Free Lifestyle

Right now, there seems to be a debate going on in the health world about using less oil. Perhaps this is just a debate in the plant based circles I run in. Or perhaps you have heard about it. Maybe your doctor has mentioned it.

Regardless, I will fill you in a little bit!

In 2014, Harvard Health published this article about halting heart disease with a plant based oil free diet. It cited doctors such as Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (perhaps you have heard of Dr. Esselstyn due in part to the popularity of his son’s Engine 2 Diet) who are huge proponents of the oil free lifestyle. Both doctors advocate for a plant-centric diet that shrinks the amount of cholesterol-clogged plaque in your arteries.

But what does cutting out all oil look like?

Making an Oil Free Diet Work for You

I have said before that you must make any type of lifestyle change work for you. Is oil free right for you? This is up to each of us to decide.

I know you are wondering, what do I personally do?

I still eat avocados and nuts. I don’t go overboard with these two products but do enjoy small amounts of them daily. There is a healthy amount of fat that we do need in our diet and since I am committed to a plant based diet already, I have cut down on other sources of fat (meat, cheese, eggs). I work out doing plyometrics and weight training and need this source of calories to keep me fueled.

Again this is what works for me! Everyone must find their own place of what works for them.

Is olive oil bad? I admit, I still use a little olive oil for popping air popcorn. I guess I could research how to do it without oil, but I am kinda lazy when I am in need of a popcorn fix! I have cut out olive oil for sautéing and roasting vegetables and in salad dressings.

So again is olive oil bad for you? While most claims argue that oil is heart healthy – I feel this quote from this article states it best “monounsaturated fats like olive oil may be better than foods full of saturated and trans fats, but just because something is “better” does not mean it is good for you.”

Bottom Line: With all the rumors of oil clogging arteries and with a history of heart disease on my side of the family and cholesterol on my husbands side, using less oil is the right decision for our family at this time!

So enough of the why’s of using less oil free, let’s move on to some fab recipes on how you can incorporate oil-free into your daily plant based meal routine!

32 Vegan Oil Free Recipes

Caitlin at From My Bowl, shows us that banana bread can be both healthy and fluffy! Most ‘healthified’ banana breads are dense and mushy but this one defies those odds. Banana bread lovers rejoice! Plus it is refined sugar free, oil free and gluten free.

Anyone else out there love crunchy food? It is my absolute favorite type of food and this coffee granola from Jennifer at Veggie Inspired delivers all that crunch all while being vegan, dairy and oil free!

Banana Oat on the Go Breakfast Bars from our blog contains bananas and unsweetened applesauce in lieu of oil to keep this easy breakfast items healthy and oil free.

That Girl Cooks Healthy brings us this vegan inspired breakfast that is a staple in the Caribbean. Full of slow releasing carbohydrates, Charla says it will ‘hold you’ until lunch! I love how cozy and warm it looks. Brown rice, cinnamon, nutmeg and coconut condensed milk make this a creamy delight.

One bow or one blender is all you need to whip together these Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Muffins fromVegan Richa. Full of dairy free chocolate, natural nut butters and banana these muffins could also be a healthy dessert!

Light and lemony! These would be perfect for a quick breakfast bite, snack or even dessert. Emily at Pretty Pies uses real lemon, nut butter and coconut flour to make these dairy free and oil free.

Two similiar dips combined into one fabulous new Baba Ghanoush Hummus dip! This genius idea comes to us from Rebecca at Strength and Sunshine and combines chickpeas, eggplant and spices for a yummy dip that is oil free.

Diane from Plant Based Cooking serves this colorful dip at parties and all guests love it – plant based or not! Roasted red peppers are blended with heart-healthy walnuts to make this either a dip or a see Diane’s notes on how to use it as a base for building a meal on!

Cadry’s Kitchen brings us this dip of vegan happiness. (be sure to read the whole post on if this is considered vegan crack…it is hilarious!) You will love the Mediterranean flair this dip possesses and all with no added oil. Chickpeas, kalamata olives, artichokes, lemon and garlic combine for a taste sensation.

Hello Comfort! Sophia from Veggies Don’t Bite brings us these mouthwatering bites of vegan mac n cheese. You can feel good popping these into your mouth because they are dairy free, gluten free and oil free.

Onion rings that aren’t fried but yet still have that amazing crunch? YES! Jen from Plant Based Recipes shows us how to makes these onion rings with no oil and even the batter and coating are plant based.

Switch up the potato fries tonight for these tasty zucchini vegetable ‘fries’– they are crispy, oil free, healthy, low in calories and delicious served with marinara sauce or avocado sauce from Healthier Steps.

These baked not fried oil free ‘mozzarella’ sticks from Strength and Sunshine are gluten free and top 8 allergy friendly free. Hearts of palm make up the ‘cheese’ and rice chex is the secret coating. These are perfect for your next party!

These cooked sweet potatoes are stuffed to the brim with oil free veggies and sauce then drizzled with a garlic tahini dressing, that will make your tastebuds sing! Thanks Delightful Vegans for this beautiful recipe.

From our Bad to the Bowl recipe archive comes this oil free side dish of green beans. Bourbon and maple syrup are all you need to make these beans slightly sweet and a wonderful addition to the table.

Basil alfredo zoodles are oil – free, dairy free and vegan for when you need something light and refreshing. Antheo from Rainbow Nourishments serves this dish in the summer to beat the heat.

Perfect for busy weeknight dinners this oil free one pot peanut sauce noodles recipes can be on the table in 20 minutes from Vegan Richa! Brown rice noodles make this gluten free as well.

Full of veggies, protein and taste this oil free chipotle alfredo sauce from Spabettie will have you licking your dinner plate! Serve over spaghetti squash for an even more veggie option or over spaghetti noodles for a more traditional pasta dish.

A little prep work in advance goes a long way in making this oil free cilantro tahini kale salad a delicious healthy side dish! Prep kale by massaging oil free dressing into kale leaves 12 – 24 hours in advance.

Build your own bowl. I love how this recipe from a Beautiful Ingredient is customizable for your tastes and how hungry you are! A vegan buddha bowl was never so easy.

If tofu is not your thang, this chickpea stir fry recipe from Veggies Save the Day is perfect for you! Full of veggies, chickpeas and an easy oil free sauce, you will be going back for seconds when you make this vegan recipe.

Brandi at the Vegan 8 serves up this ‘cheesy’ dish for her family and it is oil free, dairy free, only 8 ingredients and ready in an hour. So grab your sombrero and head south of the border for this delicious tortilla bake.

Still think eating plant based is too expensive? Melissa at the Stingy Vegan has some good news for you – this recipe is plant based, healthy and made with normal ingredients in your kitchen! Try this jambalaya it’s oil free, gluten free and full of taste!

Mixed bean chili that is vegan and oil free. Full of spice and ingredients that are good for you! We love that VegAnnie gives multiple ways to eat this – normal bowl style or wrapped in a tortilla!

Sarah from Champagne Tastes gives us this wonderful curry full of vegetables and spices. Cook on low all day, dinner is ready when you get home!

Sheet pan oil free roasted vegetables from Bad to the Bowl are topped with a coconut chipotle cream – these veggies will take your taco salad to a whole new level!

Soup is good for the soul! I swear it is. Roasted veggies, spinach, lentils and spices are combined to make this soup healthy and oil free from Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen.

Beautiful to look at and great to eat! These Rainbow Rolls from Sunnyside Hanne are oil free and guarenteed to make you happy as they brighten the table.

This dressing is tangy and sweet and oil free from Bad to the Bowl archives! We used this dressing in a spinach salad topped with avocado slices, oil-free roasted delicata squash with apples, pomegranate arils and toasted pecans/walnuts.

5 ingredients and 15 minutes is all you need to make this creamy vegan oil free chocolate pudding from Rhian’s Recipes!

Avocado, cocoa powder and espresso powder make this pudding dessert rich and dreamy from Unconventional Baker!