30+ Plant-Based Breakfast Ideas (Dietitian-Approved!)
Looking to eat a more plant-based diet? Start with breakfast! I asked my dietitian colleagues for their favorite plant-based breakfast ideas that make nutritious plant foods the star of the dish. Scroll on for mostly vegan recipes and some vegetarian recipes. You’ll also find some sweet and savory breakfast ideas that everyone will love.
Why Plant-Based Breakfasts are Awesome
No matter what your eating habits or preferred dietary style is, you could probably benefit from more plant foods in your diet. Many are packed with powerful phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. As an added plus, these foods can also be earth-friendly and affordable.
What are examples of plant foods?
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Plant oils
- Soy products (tofu, edamame, tempeh, and other meat alternatives)
- Non-dairy alternatives (plant-based milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.)
- Grains (oats, rice, quinoa)
- Pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils)
Eating a plant-based breakfast helps you start the day off right. You’ll front-load your day with nutritious foods and feel like a million bucks! (Without having to spend a million bucks…)
What does ‘plant-based’ mean?
If you’re wondering what plant-based means, you’re not alone. The term plant-based is often used interchangeably with vegan, but that’s not entirely accurate.
Plant-based is an umbrella term to describe foods or dishes that are based on or centered around plants. This can include both vegan and vegetarian foods.
In this post, I’ve divided recipes up into 100% plant-based/vegan options and a separate section for vegetarian options.
Vegan Breakfast Ideas
These recipes are all plants, baby. Scroll on for sweet and savory vegan breakfast ideas, plus smoothies, too!
PS: You don’t need to be a vegan to enjoy these recipes either. Good food is just…good food!
Smoothies
Avocado Island Green Smoothie
This filling tropical smoothie is packed with nutritious ingredients. It's the perfect fuel for a busy morning!
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Wild Blueberry Turmeric Zinger Smoothie – Kara Lydon, RD @ The Foodie Dietitian Blog
Sweet and spice and everything nice. This Wild Blueberry Turmeric Zinger Smoothie is packed with immune-boosting ingredients to keep you rockin and rollin all winter long.
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Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
This protein-packed smoothie is a delicious and healthy meal for anyone who loves pumpkin pie. Perfect for using up leftover canned pumpkin too!
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Dairy Free Smoothies Base Recipe – Chef Vahista Ussery, MS, MBA, RDN of To Taste
Dairy free smoothies are a great breakfast or snack. Our base recipe features dairy-free milk, fresh and frozen fruit, and leafy greens.
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Healthy Avocado Smoothie with Grape Juice – Amy Gorin, MS, RDN
Hello, healthy avocado smoothie! This avocado drink is a delicious energizing beverage with grape juice. The best part? It takes just moments to blend up.
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Peach Green Smoothie
This 4-ingredient green smoothie recipe is simple to make and SO tasty, you'll forget you're eating a veggie!
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Coconut and Mandarin Orange Vegan Smoothie Bowl – Amy Gorin, MS, RDN
Want a tasty vegan smoothie bowl recipe? This mandarin orange smoothie bowl is super yummy and easy. Whip up the creamy coconut smoothie bowl today!
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Sweet Recipes
Healthy Baked Cherry Almond Coffee Cake Donuts Recipe – Kristine Duncan, MS, RDN, CDCES
A baked cake doughnut that’s healthier than most: vegan, higher in fiber, and lower in saturated fat, but packed with cherry almond flavor.
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Banana Overnight Oats with Peanut Butter
These flavorful overnight oats are packed with nutritious ingredients to make any busy morning just a little bit better.
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Simple Oatmeal Protein Cookies – The Oregon Dietitian
Oatmeal protein cookies are easy, vegan, & gluten-free! Using peanut butter, flax, & cinnamon, they make a yummy, & healthy breakfast option!
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5 Minute Granola – KeyVion Miller Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Low calorie, low sugar 5 minute granola using simple ingredients that anyone can find! No fancy stuff. Just straight forward ingredients!
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Easy Apple and Peanut Butter Waffles – Melissa Altman-Traub MS, RDN, LDN
These easy apple and peanut butter waffles are a terrific plant-based breakfast option. In case you are tired of boring plain waffles, or wondering how to make waffles taste great using healthy ingredients, this recipe is for you!
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Crunchy Homemade Buckwheat and Seeds Cereal – Kristine Duncan, MS, RDN, CDCES
Crunchy cereal with protein, healthy fats, and whole grain? You can make it yourself with this recipe, inspired by Canada’s Holy Crap Cereal.
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PB Chocolate Strawberry Protein Flatbread – Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club
This delicious PB Chocolate Strawberry Protein Flatbread is a protein and fiber-packed breakfast that tastes like dessert!
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Berry Overnight Oats with Almond Butter
These nourishing oats are bursting with berry flavor and packed with protein to make any busy morning just a little bit better.
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PB Banana Breakfast Chia Pudding – Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club
This low FODMAP chia pudding is packed with protein and fiber.
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Savory Recipes
Sweet Potato Kale Hash – Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN of Bucket List Tummy
Vegan Sweet Potato Kale Hash is an easy way to add veggies to your breakfast. This vegan breakfast hash will be a morning favorite!
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Scrambled Turmeric Tofu with Greens – Sharon Palmer, The Plant Powered Dietitian
Make this vegan savory Scrambled Turmeric Tofu with Greens, filled with hearty greens and mushrooms and fabulous spices, as a plant-based alternative to scrambled eggs—get it on the table in under 20 minutes.
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Ultimate High Protein Breakfast Burritos – Melissa Altman-Traub MS, RDN, LDN
Breakfast burritos filled with scrambled spiced tofu and black beans are a super-satisfying meal to start your day. Try these burritos with protein, fiber, and monounsaturated fats plus the unexpected crunch of walnuts and apples
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Vegan Breakfast Scramble – The KidneyRD team
Following a plant-based diet and missing scrambled eggs? We’ve got you covered with this vegan breakfast scramble!
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Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas
These recipes are still heavy on the plants, but contain some ingredients our vegan friends should be aware of.
Most of these recipes can be made vegan with small modifications:
- Egg >>> JUST egg
- Honey >>> maple syrup
- Milk >>> plant milk
- Yogurt >>> non-dairy yogurt
- Cheese >>> vegan cheese
- Butter >>> vegan butter
Keep in mind there are multiple types of vegetarian diets (pescatarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, etc.) but the one thing they all have in common is that they are meatless.
Sweet Recipes
Lemon Poppyseed Chickpea Flour Muffins
Zesty, fluffy, and secretly nutritious – these chickpea flour muffins are packed with lemon flavor and are sure to please at breakfast or brunch.
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Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Cups – Lexi Endicott, RD, LD, CCMS of To Taste
Blueberry baked oatmeal cups are easy to make, provide loads of nutritious ingredients, and are a great breakfast item to grab on the run!
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Stuffed French Toast – KeyVion Miller Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Baked stuffed French toast, the ultimate comfort food breakfast with fewer calories! Indulgent, sweet cream cheese filling with crisp French toast.
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Spiced Pumpkin Chia Pudding
This effortlessly simple vegan recipe is full of fall flavors. Perfect for a healthy dessert, make-ahead breakfast, or simple snack!
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Strawberry-Banana Baked Oatmeal – Kristi Ruth RD, LDN
This healthy baked oatmeal recipe is simply the best! It is packed with ‘good for you’ ingredients and it’s easy to prepare. It won’t be long before you are doubling this recipe!
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Homemade Pumpkin Waffles – Kristi Ruth RD, LDN
Fill your home with the familiar scents of fall when you make these delicious and healthy homemade pumpkin waffles!
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Creamy, Savory Oatmeal – Leah Porche, RDN, LDN
Creamy, Savory Oatmeal topped with rosemary granola, sweet and spicy almonds (chopped), goat cheese (crumbled), thinly sliced pear, a sprinkle of cayenne, and a drizzle of honey.
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Sweet Potato Oatmeal Bake with Blueberries – Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN of Bucket List Tummy
This Sweet Potato Oatmeal Bake with Blueberries is the best meal prep oatmeal breakfast, full of healthy carbs, protein, fat and fiber!
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The Easiest Fluffiest Pancakes – Kelly Jones Nutrition
This recipe can be made vegan and gives you the easiest fluffiest pancakes that together in minutes with ingredients you already have at home.
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Savory Recipes
Farro Breakfast Bowl – Kara Lydon, RD @ The Foodie Dietitian Blog
Super savory and hearty, this farro breakfast bowl is packed with veggies and topped with a poached egg and creamy harissa labneh for a kick!
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Breakfast Burritos and Freezer Meal Prep (vegetarian) – Kelly Jones Nutrition
These balanced freezer meal prep breakfast burritos are a great on the go option for busy parents, athletes, or anyone who likes to hit snooze again! (For vegan, the egg here can be replaced with JUST Egg.)
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Looking for more dietitian-approved recipes?
- Dietitian-Approved Fall Snacks
- 35+ Ideas for Healthy Pantry Meals
- Dietitian-Approved One-Pan and One-Pot Meals
