9 Simple Vegan Summer Meal Prep Ideas

In this post, you will find 9 simple and delicious vegan summer meal prep ideas. These meal prep recipes are perfect for summer because they are light, refreshing and made with summer fruits and vegetables. Whether you choose just one of these recipes or all of them, these meal prep recipes will set you up for a successful week with delicious and healthy meals!

Want More? Check Out These Meal Prep Guides

Why Should You Meal Prep In Summer?

I get it - on a sunny and hot summer day, cooking might be the last thing you want to do. Instead, you'd rather spend time outside or in the pool. This is exactly why you should meal prep in summer!

When you meal prep (for example on the weekend for the week ahead), you save yourself time during the week because you only need to grab your meal from the fridge and maybe reheat it. Now you have more time to enjoy the sun!
Using your oven or cooking a lot of things on the stove really heats up your kitchen and house! It is already warm and the last thing you want to do is heat it up even more. The solution? Cook all of the food on a single day so the house stays cool throughout the week.
Summer is the time for picnics and barbecues! If you have a prepped pasta or quinoa salad in your fridge, why not take lunch or dinner to the park and enjoy the outdoors while you eat?

Sounds good? If you want more meal prep ideas and detailed step-by-step instructions, check out this 3-day vegan meal prep guide for lunch and dinner. I have created the recipes in such a way that you only need to spend 60 minutes and you will have lunch and dinner ready for 3 days!

What Fruits And Vegetables Are Available For Summer Meal Prep?

Summer is probably my favorite time to go to the farmer's market. So many delicious fruits and vegetables come into season in summer. Refreshing watermelons, juicy berries (no more frozen berries - yay!), ... These summer fruits and vegetables are perfect for summer meal prep. Keep in mind that availability will vary on which climate you live in.

apricots
asparagus
bell peppers
blackberries
blue berries
broccoli
cantaloupe melon
cauliflower
cherries
corn
cucumbers
figs
grapes
herbs of all sorts
limes
mango
nectarines
peaches
peas
plums
raspberries
strawberries
watermelons
zucchini

Now let's get into these 9 delicious vegan summer meal prep ideas!

9 Vegan Summer Meal Prep Ideas

Try one or more of these 9 vegan summer meal prep ideas for your next meal prep session. These recipes feature summer fruits and vegetables, most of them can be enjoyed cold and there is not too much cooking involved. Also, they are great for picnics and barbecues.

couscous, strawberry & cucumber salad with lemon tahini dressing
asparagus pasta slad
orange tofu
peach & apricot jam
summer fruit overnight oats
black bean burger patties
vegan Greek salad
cashew, jalapeno & mint dressing
quinoa salad with melon, tomatoes & cucumber

Quinoa, Strawberry & Cucumber Salad With Lemon Tahini Dressing

This quinoa salad is really easy to make! You need the following ingredients for 3-4 servings:

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup chopped strawberries (~130g)
1 small cucumber
¼ cup roughly chopped almonds
3 tbsp tahini
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

First, in a large bowl, combine the tahini and lemon juice. Add water if the dressing is too thick, then season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Store in the fridge for ~4 days. The strawberries tend to lose a little bit of colour after a few days so alternatively, you can store them separately and mix in before eating.

Asparagus Pasta Salad

This vegan lemon asparagus pasta salad is made with wholesome plant-based ingredients and full of flavor! It is oil-free, comes together in only 20 minutes and it’s perfect for a light summer meal. To make the lemon parsley pesto extra lemon-y, there is a special ingredient – lemon zest.

You can find the recipe here.

Vegan Summer Meal Prep Idea: Orange Tofu

To make orange tofu, first bake some cubed tofu in the oven until crispy. Here is a tip to get your tofu extra crispy without using oil: Cut the tofu into cubes and add to a bowl. Add 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce and shake a few times. Then, add 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch and combine so all tofu cubes are coated evenly. Then, place on a baking sheet (make sure the tofu cubes don't touch each other) and bake for ~30 minutes at 180 C, flipping after 20 minutes.

For the orange sauce, combine the following ingredients in a small mixing bowl (enough for ~ 300g tofu):

1 tbsp orange zest (use organic oranges for this)
juice of 1-2 oranges
⅛ cup of liquid sweetener like maple or agave syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce
sriracha or your favorite hot sauce (omit if you don't like spicy food)
1 tbsp cornstarch

Add baked tofu to a pan on high heat and add the sauce. Let it simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Peach & Apricot Jam

If you want to make your kitchen and house smell like summer, this is your recipe! I've been making this recipe almost every singe week because it is so good and so easy! All you need is:

500-600g apricots and/or peaches (this is ~ 6 fruits)
⅛ cup chia seeds (20g)

You want to use ripe fruits for this recipe as they are softer and also sweeter. If you have some over-ripe apricots or peaches you need to use up, this recipe is perfect! Instead of peaches, you could also use nectarines.

Remove the seeds and cut the fruits into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large pan or pot over high heat and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the fruits are soft and you can easily mash them with a fork. Add water along the way to prevent burning. I added about ¼ cup of water, but this depends on the ripeness of your fruits and how much liquid they release.

Mash everything with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon and then transfer to a bowl to cool slightly. Add in the chia seeds and stir to combine. Wait 5 minutes and test the consistency of the apricot & peach jam. If it is too liquid still, you can add more chia seeds. Fill into glass jars and store in the fridge for up to a week.

You can spread this jam on toast, serve with yogurt or make delicious summer fruit overnight oats.

Summer Fruit Overnight Oats

Summer is the time for overnight oats! While autumn and winter are great for oatmeal and porridge because it keeps you warm from the inside, in summer you want to have something that is refreshing.

To make 2 servings of summer fruit overnight oats, you will need:

1 banana
⅔ cup of oats (80g)
⅔ cup soy milk or another plant milk of your choice like rice or almond milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp chia seeds (10g)
1 cup apricot & peach jam (or you can use your favorite fruit)

Mash the banana in a bowl with a fork. Then add the oats, soy milk, cinnamon and chia seeds. Give it a good mix and let it sit for a few minutes so that it can thicken up a little bit. If the overnight oats mixture is too dry, then you can add a little bit more plant milk.

Take two glass jars (mason jars). Add about ¼ cup of the apricot & peach jam to the bottom of the jars each, then fill up with the oats mixture. Top with the remaining jam and cover with a lid. Store in the fridge for ~4 days.

Black Bean Burger Patties

These patties are perfect for a summer BBQ and they are great for meal prepping because they can be frozen. You'll need (for ~8 patties):

1 bell pepper
1 small red chili
2 cups cooked black beans (350g)
1 cup sweet corn (170g)
1 red onion
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp ground flax seed
¼ cup buckwheat flour

Roughly chop the bell pepper and chili. Add to a pan and char for 5-10 minutes on high heat. Add everything except the buckwheat flour to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until a dough forms. It does not need to be 100% smooth, it is totally fine if small chunks remain.

Transfer to a bowl and add in the buckwheat flour until a sticky dough forms that you can shape with your hands.

Form 8 patties and place on a baking tray. Bake the black bean patties in the oven for 30 minutes at 180 C, flipping after 20 minutes. You can store these in the fridge for ~4 days or freeze them. To reheat, you can either put them in the oven for 5-10 minutes or fry in a pan for a few minutes each side.

Vegan Greek Salad

This vegan Greek salad makes a great side dish for a BBQ or you can serve it with some pita bread and hummus. For 4 servings, you will need:

1 small cucumber (200g)
200g tomatoes
20 olives (90g)
2 artichoke hearts, canned (100g)
1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 red onion
salt and pepper
lemon juice

Finely chop the red onion and parsley. Cut the cucumber, tomatoes, olives and artichokes into small, bite-sized pieces. Combine everything in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice.

Cashew, Jalapeno & Mint Dressing

You can use this dressing for quinoa or couscous salads, but also as a sauce for veggie burgers or bowls. Simply place all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add water a tablespoon at a time until a smooth, runny consistency is reached. You will need:

1 small jalapeno
1 bunch of fresh mint
juice of 2 limes
50g cashews, preferably soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes

Couscous Salad with Melon, Tomatoes & Cucumber

This salad is light, refreshing and comes together in 5-10 minutes! Bring some water to a boil and pour over the couscous (use a 1:1 ratio). Let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid. In the meantime, you can prepare the melon, tomatoes and cucumber. Cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Combine in a bowl with the couscous and season with salt and pepper. You can add some apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar as a dressing.

Hopefully, you find these vegan summer meal prep ideas helpful! If you are new to meal prepping, I encourage you to give it a try. It'll take so much stress away during the week and save you time that you can spend outside with your friends, family and doing what you love. If you want more ideas and detailed step-by-step instructions, check out this 3-day vegan meal prep guide for lunch and dinner.

If you try these summer meal prep ideas, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or say hi on instagram!