6 easy comfort foods ready in minutes and perfect as lunchbox recipes. Vegan and dairy-free.
6 Comfort Food Lunchbox Recipes
Healthy comfort food recipes for your lunch box. Move over - or rather - move OUT jelly sandwich, a piece of fruit, a few cookies. These lunches are hot and plant-based and healthy, including tomato pastas, cheese noodles, cookies and cream and more.
These Lunchbox Recipes Are Easy
These recipes vary in the amount of work or steps they take but most are easy. The tomato sauce has the longest list but much are spices, while the vegan cheese sauce is shortest, with only one healthy ingredient used to create "cheesey" flavor.
What Are The 6 Comfort Food Lunchbox Recipes
Here I name the recipes and tell you a bit about them. You can find the detail recipe for each below this post in the recipe card.
Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce Pasta - a long ingredient list but easy to throw together.
Avocado Pesto Sauce Pasta - spices and an avocado make this healthy sauce.
Vegan Cheese Sauce Noodles - one ingredient high in B12 makes this dish cheesy.
Sauteed Quinoa & Veggies - quinoa has all the protein you need in a day; they even give it to astronauts it's so healthy.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes - did you know cauliflower makes creamy mashed potatoes.
Cookies & Cream Dessert Dip - we need a dessert - this "cream" is made with cashews.
Other Savory Healthy Recipes Perfect For Lunch
Italian Chickpea Meatballs
Jackfruit Faux "Pulled Pork" Burger
Quinoa Artichoke Paella.
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6 Comfort Foods Lunchbox Recipes
Ingredients
Recipe #1: Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce Pasta
- 2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes organic, no sugar added
- 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
- ¾ cup yellow onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp italian seasoning
- 2 tbsps organic cane sugar optional, cuts the acidity of the tomatos
- pinch of salt
Recipe #2: Avocado Pesto Sauce Pasta
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp garlic cloves crushed
- ½ cup ripe avocado
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup white mushrooms (chopped or cut into stars :))
Recipe #3: Vegan Cheese Sauce Noodles
- 1 box papperdelle noodles
- 1 package nutritional yeast
Recipe #4: Sauteed Quinoa & Veggies
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and patted dry
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ cup scallions chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup carrots chopped
- ¼ cup zucchini chopped
- 2 tbsp liquid aminos
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Recipe #5: Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- ½ cup plant milk
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- pinch of salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
Recipe #6: Cookies & Cream Dessert Dip
- 2 cups cashews (soaked overnight to improve digestability and to soften to allow creaminess when blended)
- 1 cup water
- 2 probiotic capsules
- 2 tbsps maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla cream
- ½ dark chocolate bar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Recipe #1: Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce Pasta
- Heat the olive oil in a deep pan.Add the onions and garlic and brown until translucent and a bit brown. Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes, and a can of tomato paste. Add in the bay leaf, sugar and Italian seasoning. Stir until combined. Simmer on very low, covered, for about 1 hour. (I know, I know, sugar. But it's my Sicilian grandmother's recommendation so who am I to argue?)
- Remove the bay leaf, pour over cooked hand nested (plant-based) pappardelle noodles (or use your favorite pasta) and pack your delicious pasta in your lunch box.
Save the extra sauce in a jar in your refrigerator for about a week, or freeze for two months.
Recipe #2: Avocado Pesto Sauce Pasta
- In a food processor or high speed blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Sometimes I chop cilantro and sprinkle that on the finished sauce.
- Serve on your favorite pasta and have it fresh or pack it for lunch. I tossed on my mushrooms for fun, some cut into stars :).Store leftover sauce in a jar in the refrigerator for about a week, or freeze for two months.
Recipe #3: Vegan Cheese Sauce Noodles
- No recipe needed here really; just boil your favorite noodles and toss with nutritional yeast! Serve or pack in your lunch box.
Recipe #4: Sauteed Quinoa & Veggies
- Boil water, add quinoa, cover and reduce heat to simmer, cooking until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes
- In a skillet, add oil, scallions and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Add carrots and zucchini, saute for 1 minute. Add quinoa, liquid aminos and stir up and saute 1 minute. Top with sesame seeds, and serve or pack in your lunch box.
Recipe #5: Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or process, and puree until creamy. Serve or pack in your lunch box.
Recipe #6: Cookies & Cream Dessert Dip
- Prepare the yogurt by blending cashews, ½ tsp vanilla cream and 1 tbsp maple syrup until creamy, pour into a tall glass mason jar.Open probiotic capsules and pour contents on to cashew mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon (very important not to use metal or probiotics will be de-activated).
Cover jar with a paper towel held tight with an elastic band. Set jar in a cool dry place for 12 hours, longer for a tangy-er flavor.
Then put on a secure lid, and refrigerate. Chilling should help thicken after a few hours. Yogurt lasts 2 days in refrigerator. - To make the dip, add 2 cups of yogurt to a blender along with ½ tsp vanilla cream, 1 tbsp maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Blend until creamy, and split into two portions.
- Melt the chocolate bar in the microwave or in a double boiler, stir into one of the portions until it becomes chocolate in flavor.
- Swirl the two flavors together in a bowl, and serve with cookies or crackers, we also serve extra chocolate chips on the side!
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