Growing up in the South, soul food was always at the heart of family gatherings—collard greens simmering on the stove, cornbread fresh from the oven, and the table filled with love. When I became vegan in 2011, I was determined not to lose those flavors or the traditions they carry. Instead, I began reimagining them, using wholesome, plant-based ingredients to create dishes that honor my heritage while nourishing my body.
In this collection of my favorite vegan soul food recipes, you’ll find everything from creamy mac & cheese to smoky collard greens, crispy cauliflower “fried chicken,” sweet potato pie, and more. These recipes are a love letter to my roots here in Atlanta and proof that soulful cooking can be just as vibrant, comforting, and satisfying without meat or dairy.
Vegan Soul Food Classics
Vegan Fried Chicken
With a double batter, classic fried chicken seasonings, and a crisp & crunchy exterior, it’s always a great time for Vegan Fried Chicken! The star ingredient? Cauliflower! This versatile veggie is juicy, hearty, and tender, making this recipe as delicious as the real thing!
Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Indulge in this Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese – the ultimate comfort food with a healthy twist! Made with a creamy, rich cheese sauce with roasted butternut squash and plenty of nutritional yeast, you won’t believe this dish is 100% plant-based!
Vegan Chicken and Waffles
This roundup wouldn’t be complete without a recipe for vegan Chicken & Waffles. This classic recipe uses oyster mushrooms in place of meat. Oyster mushrooms are naturally full of flavor, and they have a surprising meaty texture that is sure to even the most devoted meat-lover.
Vegan Jambalaya
Spicy, savory, and hearty Vegan Jambalaya proves you can enjoy your favorite soul food dishes on a plant-based diet! Made with vegan sausages, meaty mushrooms, and Cajun seasoning, this classic Louisiana dish is big on flavor, simple to prep, and made in one pan. Great for Mardi Gras, Sunday supper, and family get-togethers.
Mushroom Etouffee {Étouffée}
Of all my recipes, this vegan mushroom etouffee is in the top 5 for all time favorites! It is rich, savory, meaty, and comforting. Start with a golden roux, then build the flavors with the holy trinity, onions-bell pepper-celery, tomatoes, and an assortment of delicious mushrooms.
Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder
This Vegan Corn Chowder is creamy, delicious, satisfying, and full of good-for-you vegetables. Unsuspecting diners will never realize that it’s made without cream and dairy!
Hella Southern Vegan Hot Chicken Biscuits
My take on Nashville’s famous hot chicken! This recipe uses fried cauliflower in place of chicken, but the exact same spices as the original recipe. It just goes to show, what we love most about these dishes isn’t the meat, but the spices and cooking method.
Sweet Potato Biscuits
Light, fluffy, and buttery Sweet Potato Biscuits are Southern soul food perfection! Made with vegan butter and non-dairy milk, unsuspecting diners will never guess these are plant-based. Perfect for celebratory meals, brunch, and comfort food cravings!
Lion’s Mane Crab Cakes
These Lion’s Mane Crab Cakes are incredibly delicious with a texture unbelievably similar to the real thing. Each bite is heaven: crispy edges, tender meaty and moist center, and so much flavor.
Best Vegan Crab Cakes
These hearty Vegan Crab Cakes with homemade red pepper aioli make the perfect party app, side dish, or main course meal. They are packed with flavor and only take 20 minutes to prepare!
Vegan Potato Salad
Enjoy the classic tastes and textures of a beloved side dish sans dairy and eggs with this Vegan Potato Salad! Its creamy, tangy, herby taste and easy preparation make it the perfect side dish for your next backyard get-together! This recipe was originally published in my cookbook, Sweet Potato Soul.
Vegan Red Beans and Rice
This New Orleans-style Vegan Red Beans and Rice is the ultimate comfort food! Loaded with Cajun flavors and hearty ingredients, this flavor-packed meatless dish is a filling, nutritious, and delicious meal.
Corn Ribs | Finger Lickin’ Good
The Best Corn Ribs, with 4 easy cooking methods: broiling, baking, air frying, and grilling. These corn ribs are smoky, sweet, charred, and buttery — guaranteed to be your new favorite summer corn side dish!
Vegan Gluten-Free Cornbread
Tender and moist, Vegan Gluten-Free Cornbread is the best of both worlds! And it tastes just like Jiffy cornbread! Made with almond flour and no eggs or dairy, this sweet homestyle cornbread is allergy-friendly and perfect for pairing with chilis, soups, stews, and comfort food meals.
Vegan Collard Greens
This Southern-style Vegan Collard Greens recipe is loaded with satisfying rich, savory flavor and is super easy to make! It is the perfect side dish for your favorite main courses or a great addition to meals that could use extra greens.
Vegan Black Eyed Peas (Stovetop + Instant Pot Instructions)
Craving black eyed peas that taste just like your grandma’s but are vegan? This is the recipe for you! These peas are tender, creamy, and seasoned to perfection. Though you can enjoy black eyed peas any time of year, they’re a must-have on New Year’s Day!
Black Eyed Pea Salad
A vibrant, no-cook bean salad (aka Texas or Harlem Caviar) packed with firm black-eyed peas, crunchy celery and onion, smoky roasted red pepper, fresh parsley, and a tangy, mustard-maple vinaigrette. Easy to prep, gets better as it marinates, and perfect as a summer side, picnic dish, or meal-prep staple.
Vegan Soul Food Desserts
Nana’s Vegan Pound Cake
A moist, tender vegan pound cake that captures the nostalgic warmth of my Nana’s kitchen — made plant-based but still rich and buttery thanks to vegan cream cheese and non-dairy milk + vinegar “buttermilk.” Simple ingredients, sweet nostalgia, and perfect for celebrations or Sunday brunch.
Vegan Apple Pie with Apple Peel Caramel
A deep-dish vegan apple pie spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and allspice, layered with tender, lemon-kissed apples and baked in a flaky, buttery plant-based crust. Topped with a silky apple-peel caramel that uses up scraps—and turns a classic dessert into something unexpectedly elevated.
Vegan Chocolate Pecan Pie
A rich, gooey vegan pecan pie that keeps all the buttery, caramel-sweet goodness of the classic—but without the dairy or eggs. The filling is a lush blend of maple syrup, brown sugar, non-dairy milk, and pecans, baked until it’s molten and set, nestled in a flaky plant-based crust. Sweet, nutty, and totally indulgent.
Nana’s Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
This easy Vegan Sweet Potato Pie features a creamy plant-based filling made from roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash, blended with warm spices in a homemade flaky crust. It is a delicious and better-for-you dessert that’s perfect for any occasion! Use my pie crust recipe for an ultra-flaky and buttery vegan pie crust, or purchase a pre-made crust from the store.
Vegan Pecan Pie
Imagine the classic gooey pecan pie—but with deep, melted dark chocolate swirled into the filling, all made vegan and nestled in a flaky, buttery (plant-based) crust. Rich, nutty, chocolatey, and utterly indulgent, this is dessert-table magic without eggs or dairy.
Perfect Vegan Peach Pie
A Southern-style vegan peach pie that hits all the sweet-juicy notes of peach season, wrapped in a flaky plant-butter crust. Comforting, bright, and 100% plant-based.
I hope this roundup inspires you to bring the joy of vegan soul food into your own kitchen. These recipes are proof that you can honor tradition, savor bold Southern flavors, and still cook with love, health, and compassion at the center of every dish. And if you’d like even more inspiration, pick up a copy of my first cookbook, Sweet Potato Soul. In that cookbook I share 100 soulful recipes as well as the history of soul food and its impact on American cuisine.
Looking for soulful recipes inspired by other cultures? Try these recipes:
