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30 Minutes or Less

How to Make a Vegan Charcuterie Board

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overhead image of the entire vegan charcuterie board with white wine, utensils, and bread on the side

A flawless vegan charcuterie board, perfect for any occasion! An assortment of fresh fruits, veggies, crackers, bread, and vegan cheeses create the perfect spread. Have fun with this vegan charcuterie board, feel free to switch things up and make it your own!

half a vegan charcuterie board with glasses of white wine on the side

What You’ll Need

  • Hummus – Either homemade or store bought hummus will work on your charcuterie board! As much as I love a homemade hummus, I usually prefer to save myself a bit of time by buying pre-packaged hummus from the store. Whole Foods make a delicious hummus, as does Trader Joe’s and Hope Hummus!

  • Crackers – Any and all crackers are welcome on this snack board! I typically use gluten-free crackers to keep my spread gluten-free friendly. Though feel free to use whatever crackers you like best.

  • Nuts – Nuts are always an exciting, crunchy addition! You can get fancy here and purchase marcona almonds or flavored nuts for your board. Though I kept things simple with raw walnuts and pecans. I love using nuts on any charcuterie board, as they’re the perfect item to fill any empty space. Nuts are especially amazing on this vegan charcuterie board thanks to their high protein content and nutritional value, keeping things hearty yet healthy!

  • Vegan Cheese – This is a totally optional addition, but I have a few vegan cheese brands I love featuring on my charcuterie board! I’m pretty picky when it comes to non-dairy cheese though, and avoid any that taste too fake and/or are overly processed. Spero Foods make some of my all-time favorite vegan soft cheeses. Their herb cream cheese and goat cheese are perfect for this recipe! They’re all deliciously tangy, smooth, and incredible on crackers or toast. Though my runner-ups for this charcuterie board are Kite Hill vegan cheeses, and a handful of Myoko vegan cheese flavors.

How to Make a Vegan Charcuterie Board

  1. Begin every charcuterie board by prepping the ingredients you’ll be placing on your board. This includes washing fresh fruit, cutting bread, slicing cheese, etc. Once prepped, you’ll be able to see every element of your board and decide in which order you’d like to place them.


  2. Pick a large board or surface to lay everything on, then place small bowls around the board. These bowls don’t have to be in any particular pattern or order, so simply evenly space them around your board.


  3. Fill those small bowl with things like hummus, soft cheese, dips, olives, or really anything that would make a mess if placed directly on your board/surface.


  4. Now that your bowls are all filled, go in with remaining larger items such as crackers, sliced bread, and fruit – working with one ingredient at a time.


  5. Once the vegan charcuterie board looks mostly complete, then fill in any gaps with your small items (in this case, I used nuts). Continue doing this until your board is fully loaded and ready to be served!

Optional Add-Ons

There really is no wrong way to jazz up a charcuterie board, so any of the following would make delicious additions to your vegan board:

  • Pickles
  • Strawberries
  • Chocolate Squares
  • Dried Fruit
  • Jelly/Jam
  • Mustard
  • Sweet Peppers
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Apple Slices
  • Carrots
close-up image of vegan charcuterie board
5 from 1 vote

Vegan Charcuterie Board

A flawless vegan charcuterie board, perfect for any occasion! An assortment of fresh fruits, veggies, crackers, bread, and vegan cheeses create the perfect spread. Have fun with this vegan charcuterie board, feel free to switch things up and make it your own!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • cucumber, sliced
  • olives
  • hummus
  • baguette, sliced
  • grapes
  • mandarin oranges, partially peeled
  • nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, or walnuts)
  • radishes, sliced
  • vegan cheese, see Notes

Instructions

  • Prep all ingredients – wash fruits and veggies, slice or chop items, etc.
  • Lay down the surface you’ll be arranging your items on, then start by placing small bowls evenly throughout the surface. You’ll need about 3-4 bowls for your olives, hummus, and vegan cheese.
  • Fill the bowls, then begin arranging items on your surface, leaving smaller items like nuts for the end. Finish by filling any gaps on your charcuterie boards with nuts or any other ingredients that may fit.

Notes

  • Vegan Cheese: Vegan cheese brands I love are Spero Foods, Myoko, and Kite Hill!

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Easy Breakfast Tacos (Freezer Friendly!)

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    breakfast tacos with sliced avocado and vegan sour cream on top, and coffee on the side

    One pan and a few simple ingredients is all you’ll need for the best EVER breakfast tacos! Smoky chorizo, creamy refried beans, fluffy eggs, and fresh avocado piled high atop warm tortillas. And did I mention they take just 15 minutes to make?! There truly is no better way to start the day.

    breakfast tacos with sliced avocado and vegan sour cream on top, and coffee on the side

    What You’ll Need

    Tortillas – Either corn or flour tortillas will work for these breakfast tacos! I actually used Siete’s grain-free tortillas to keep my tacos a little lighter and healthier. Whatever tortillas you use, be sure to heat them up slightly in your pan to make them pliable and crispy around the edges.

    Chorizo – The two most common types of chorizo are semi-cooked chorizo and dried chorizo. For this recipe, we’re looking for either semi-cooked chorizo or fresh chorizo. While uncommon, fresh chorizo works best in this recipe, so if you can find it definitely use it! Though I used semi-cooked chorizo and my breakfast tacos still turned out perfect. For semi-cooked, chop the chorizo into half or quarter moons then quickly cook in a hot skillet. For fresh chorizo, remove the meat from its casing and cook in a hot skillet until completely cooked through, crumbling the sausage as it cooks.

    Eggs – They wouldn’t be breakfast tacos without some scrambled eggs! Luckily, scrambled eggs are super easy to throw together. Use as many or as few eggs as you’d like, I sometimes add a couple more into my scramble for extra protein.

    Refried Beans – Either canned or homemade refried beans will taste delicious in this easy breakfast recipe. For homemade, I recommend this recipe, and for store bought, I prefer the Amy’s Organic Refried Beans.

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    • Make it Vegan: Making vegan breakfast tacos is surprisingly easy with a few simple swaps. Cook up some scrambled tofu and double up on refried beans to make up for the lack of chorizo. The end result will be a delicious vegan breakfast with plenty of protein!
    • Make it Paleo: Use Siete Almond Flour Tortillas in place of regular tortillas to turn this into a paleo meal.
    • Make it Whole30: Ditch the tortillas and wrap these breakfast tacos in butter lettuce leaves instead! Also, make sure your refried beans and chorizo are Whole30 compliant. If you can’t find Whole30 compliant chorizo, use Whole30 compliant bacon instead.

    How to Freeze Breakfast Tacos

    1. Wrap tortilla completely around filling, then wrap each individual taco in aluminum foil.
    2. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
    3. To reheat, place tacos still in foil in the oven at 350° Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
    breakfast tacos being listed off of a plate
    No ratings yet

    Easy Breakfast Tacos (Freezer Friendly)

    One pan and a few simple ingredients is all you’ll need for the best EVER breakfast tacos! Smoky chorizo, creamy refried beans, fluffy eggs, and fresh avocado piled high atop warm tortillas. And did I mention they take just 15 minutes to make?! There truly is no better way to start the day.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 8 small corn or flour tortillas
    • 4 ounces chorizo sausage, removed from casing or chopped
    • 8 large eggs, whisked
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    • 1 cup refried beans
    • 2 avocados, peeled and sliced

    Optional toppings:

    • salsa
    • fresh cilantro, chopped
    • cheese
    • sour cream
    • hot sauce

    Instructions

    • Heat tortillas in a skillet over medium-low heat, one at a time, until soft and pliable then set aside.
    • Add olive oil to skillet and cook chorizo sausage until browned and cooked through, then remove and set aside.
    • Add whisked eggs to skillet, season with salt and pepper, and scramble until full cooked.
    • Warm refried beans in either the microwave or a small saucepan over low heat.
    • Assemble tacos by spooning some refried beans, then chorizo, then scrambled eggs into each tortilla. Top with sliced avocado and any other toppings you’d like.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    Appetizers

    The Best Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

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    close-up overhead image of lemon pepper chicken wings on a plate

    Incredibly zesty lemon pepper chicken wings are super quick and easy to make in the comfort of your own home! Bake ’em in the oven or air fryer, then finish off with a simple 4-ingredient lemon pepper sauce. These wings are irresistibly crispy and loaded with delicious flavor!

    lemon pepper chicken wings in a bowl with beer and lemon slices on the side

    What You’ll Need

    Chicken Wings – Pick up 3 pounds of either drums, flats, or a combination of both for this chicken wing recipe. I typically reach for the “party pack” of wings at the grocery store, but honestly anything you can find/prefer will work. Once you unwrap your chicken wings, make sure you pat each wing dry with a paper towel before cooking. Getting the wings as dry as possible will ensure they bake up super crispy in the oven (or air fryer!).

    Lemon Pepper Seasoning – You can either purchase a jar of lemon pepper seasoning, or simply make it yourself! I couldn’t find any pre-made seasoning near me, so I quickly threw together a homemade batch of my own. To do this, I cooked lemon peels in the oven at 170° Fahrenheit for 1 hour until super dried out. Then, I added the peels to a blender along with some whole black peppercorns and a pinch of salt. There are plenty of lemon pepper seasoning recipes out their on the internet, so do a little research and follow one that’s easiest for you! Or, of course, just buy lemon pepper seasoning from the store if you’d like.

    Top Tips

    • Don’t crowd your baking sheet/rack with chicken wings before baking. Place each wing at least an inch apart to ensure that all sides crisp up evenly!
    • Switch up this lemon pepper chicken wings recipe however you’d like! For a little more spice, add in an extra pinch of freshly cracked black pepper. For extra tang, finish off with an extra squeeze of lemon juice. And for a bit more sweetness, use an additional teaspoon or two of honey!
    • Avoid using frozen chicken wings! If your wings are frozen, thaw them completely in the fridge before baking.

    Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

    • Make it Dairy-Free: Sub the melted butter in this recipe for non-dairy butter to have a completely dairy-free and delicious appetizer!
    • Make it Paleo: For paleo lemon pepper chicken wings, simply use ghee instead of butter and make your own seasoning by drying out lemon peels in the oven and grinding them with black peppercorns and salt.

    How to Cook Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

    1. Pat chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then add to a bowl along with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Toss to coat wings in oil and seasoning.
    2. Transfer chicken wings to air fryer tray or basket in an even layer (work in batches if necessary), cook at 360° Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, flip the wings over then cook for another 12 minutes.
    3. Once all wings are cooked and crispy, toss in your homemade lemon pepper sauce and enjoy!
    close-up overhead image of lemon pepper chicken wings on a plate
    5 from 2 votes

    The Best Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

    Incredibly zesty lemon pepper chicken wings are super quick and easy to make in the comfort of your own home! Bake ’em in the oven or air fryer, then finish off with a simple 4-ingredient lemon pepper sauce. These wings are irresistibly crispy and loaded with delicious flavor!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients

    For the wings:

    • 3 pounds chicken wings
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

    For the lemon pepper sauce:

    • 1/4 cup melted butter, I used non-dairy
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • chopped parsley, for serving
    • lemons, sliced

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil, and top with a wire baking rack.
    • Pat chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then add to a bowl along with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Toss to coat wings in oil and seasoning.
      lemon pepper chicken wings step 1
    • Transfer wings to an even layer on the prepared baking sheet with baking rack and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
      lemon pepper chicken wings step 2
    • Mix together all lemon pepper sauce ingredients in a large bowl, then once wings are cooked toss them in the sauce until evenly coated.
      lemon pepper chicken wings step 3

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls

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    close-up overhead image of bang bang shrimp bowl with cucumber, edamame, pickled red onion, and white rice

    For a quick, easy, and delicious dinner – make these perfect bang bang shrimp bowls! Crispy cooked shrimp is tossed in a spicy, tangy bang bang sauce, then spooned over rice and a variety of veggies. Whip together this restaurant-quality meal in under 15 minutes, I promise you won’t regret it!

    bang bang shrimp bowl with shrimp, cucumber, edamame, and pickled red onion

    What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

    Shrimp – Do yourself a favor and purchase peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe. Then, if the tails haven’t already been removed, go ahead and remove them before cooking the shrimp. If left one, the shrimp tails are a nightmare to remove once covered in bang bang sauce. So, make life a little easier and strip those shrimp before cooking!

    Harissa Paste – Harissa is chili paste commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking. It’s delightfully spicy and loaded with delicious flavor. You should be able to find harissa paste at your local grocery store in either the spice aisle or ethnic food aisle. Though if you can’t find harissa paste available for purchase, there are a few homemade recipes floating around on the internet, such as this one.

    Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos – A touch of soy sauce adds a bit of tang to our bang bang shrimp sauce. It’s the perfect addition to help round out the savory flavors! Though if you’re paleo or currently on Whole30, feel free to use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce in this recipe. It’ll provide that same irresistible briny flavor!

    Cooked Rice – Use whatever kind of rice you’d like! White rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice… you get the idea. The use of cauliflower rice makes for a great low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 option!

    Top Tips

    • Get the avocado oil in your skillet hot before adding in the shrimp. We want a nice, golden brown and crispy crust on our shrimp, and can only achieve this by cooking them in very hot oil. And thanks to the use of high heat, the shrimp will only take a few minutes per side to cook!
    • You can make this bang bang shrimp recipe in the air fryer if you’d like! To do this, simply add your shrimp to an air fryer basket, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, then cook at 400° Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Once shrimp is fully cooked, toss in the bang bang sauce and continue with the recipe as normal.
    • Ditch the bowls and serve this easy seafood dish however you’d like! Poke each shrimp with a toothpick to serve as a delicious appetizer. Or, place in lettuce wraps for super healthy bang bang shrimp tacos!

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Paleo/Whole30 – For a paleo or Whole30 meal, be sure to use compliant mayo, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and cauliflower rice in place of white or brown rice.

    Make it Gluten-Free – The only ingredient in this dish which contains trace amounts of gluten is the soy sauce. Therefore, use tamari in place of the soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free, I promise you won’t be able to taste the difference!

    Make it Vegan – Fry up some cubed tofu in a bit of avocado oil (similar to how you would the shrimp) then use a vegan mayo for your sauce. Once the tofu’s crispy, add it to your sauce and serve it over bowls of rice and veggies!

    close-up overhead image of bang bang shrimp bowl with cucumber, edamame, pickled red onion, and white rice
    5 from 1 vote

    Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls

    For a quick, easy, and delicious dinner – make these perfect bang bang shrimp bowls! Crispy cooked shrimp is tossed in a spicy, tangy bang bang sauce, then spooned over rice and a variety of veggies. Whip together this restaurant-quality meal in under 15 minutes, I promise you won’t regret it!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    For the shrimp:

    • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, tails removed
    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or any neutral vegetable oil
    • pinch of salt

    For the bang bang sauce:

    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon harissa paste
    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
    • 1 teaspoon lime juice

    For the bowls:

    • Cooked white or brown rice
    • Scallions, chopped
    • Pickled veggies
    • Sesame seeds
    • Cucumber, thinly sliced
    • Edamame

    Instructions

    • Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel, season with a pinch of salt, then place in skillet and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until opaque and slightly crispy.
    • Mix together all bang bang sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Add cooked shrimp to bowl and toss to coat in sauce.
    • Place bang bang shrimp over bowls of rice, and finish off with whatever other toppings you’d like.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Fresh and Easy Guacamole Salsa

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    close-up image of guacamole salsa with chips on the side

    Super fresh and addictive guacamole salsa is the perfect game day, party, or potluck appetizer! Simple, yet delicious ingredients are blended into a smooth and creamy dip. Enjoy this guacamole salsa with crispy tortilla chips, or sliced carrots and celery for a healthy snack!

    guacamole salsa in a bowl with chips on the side along with tomatillos and a sliced avocado

    What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

    Tomatillos – These little green Mexican tomatoes are sold in most grocery stores. They’re wrapped in a papery green husk, that’s easily peeled away to reveal a beautiful, bright green tomato. To prepare your tomatillos for this dish, simply peel away the husk. Then, give each tomatillo a good rinse before using them in this recipe!

    Jalapeño – A whole jalapeño may seem like a lot, but trust me, it yields very little spice in this guacamole salsa! One jalapeño is perfect for a mild salsa, while two is ideal for a medium salsa, and three for a full-blown spicy salsa. So pick your poison and add as many jalapeños as you’d like!

    Avocados – Select three medium to large avocados for this recipe. The key to any avocado is making sure it’s ripe, but not overly ripe, before eating. The best way to tell whether an avocado is ripe is by giving it a gentle squeeze. If the skin feels firm, but gives just a little bit, then the avocado is perfect! Though if it’s hard (feels like you’re squeezing a rock), then it’s not yet ripe – store at room temperature for another day or two before it’s ready.

    Cilantro – A large handful of cilantro gives this guacamole salsa its delicious, fresh flavor! Cilantro also has a number of great health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants, is a proven antibacterial, and has even been studied to reduce the risk of heart disease. You’ll want to wash your cilantro well under cold water before using in this, or any recipe. Once clean, gently pat it dry with a dish towel before slicing and removing the stems. Then, toss the cilantro leaves into a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients.

    Top Tips

    • Boil the tomatillos and jalapeño until they’re soft and are easily pierced with a fork. Not boiling enough will make them tough to blend, and boiling too much will cook off some of their delicious flavor. Therefore, just about 10 minutes in boiling water is all they’ll need.
    • After you’ve blended your guacamole salsa, give it a taste! At this point, you can adjust the flavors in this recipe based on your preferences. Sometimes an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon juice is all your dip needs!
    • Serve this easy app any way you’d like! I love enjoying mine with a big ole’ bowl of grain-free tortilla chips for a healthy, yet delicious snack. Though for an even healthier option, serve your salsa with some fresh cut veggies such as carrots, celery, and/or bell peppers!

    How To Store It

    To keep this guacamole salsa looking bright green and fresh, follow the storage steps below:

    1. Place in an airtight container, but do not secure the lid just yet.
    2. Take a sheet of plastic wrap and place it over the container, gently pressing down until it comes in contact with the top of the salsa. Ensure that all of the exposed salsa is in contact with and covered by the plastic wrap.
    3. Then, secure lid on top of the container before storing it in the fridge for up to three days!

    When ready to serve, simply remove the lid and plastic wrap, then give everything a gentle stir before enjoying.

    close-up image of guacamole salsa with chips on the side
    5 from 1 vote

    Fresh and Easy Guacamole Salsa

    Super fresh and addictive guacamole salsa is the perfect game day, party, or potluck appetizer! Simple, yet delicious ingredients are blended into a smooth and creamy dip. Enjoy this guacamole salsa with crispy tortilla chips, or sliced carrots and celery for a healthy snack!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings

    Ingredients

    • 10 tomatillos, husked and washed
    • 1 jalapeño, seeded and deveined
    • 3 avocados, peeled and pitted
    • 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
    • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil tomatillos and jalapeño until soft, about 10 minutes.
    • Strain tomatillos and jalapeño from water, then add to a high-speed blender or food processor with remaining ingredients.
    • Blend until smooth, then serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

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