Vegan Protein Meal Prep: 7 Recipes from 3 Easy Batch Cooks

Getting enough protein on a plant-based diet is easy when the hard work is already done and waiting in the fridge. That's the idea behind this vegan protein meal prep from Jess Beautician, who cooked the whole lot using our Prep & Store food containers.

Jess makes three protein-packed bases: a Turkish chickpea stew, spicy shaved tofu and a Mediterranean tempeh mince. Each one keeps in the fridge, and each one becomes a proper meal in minutes. No sad desk salads here.

You can watch Jess cook everything in her video. All the recipes are below.

How this meal prep works

Instead of cooking five identical lunches, you prep three protein bases and build different meals from them through the week.

Chickpeas, soya, tofu and tempeh are some of the best plant-based protein sources going, so every meal here has a solid protein hit. All you need is an hour or two and a few good meal prep containers.

Prep 1: Turkish chickpea stew

Jess's take on etli nohut swaps the traditional meat for dried soya pieces, so you get protein from both the chickpeas and the soya. It needs a little planning because the chickpeas soak overnight, but most of the cooking time is hands-off.

Etli nohut (Turkish chickpea stew) (serves 2)

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 white onion, chopped

• 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree

• 1 heaped tbsp tatlı biber salçası (red pepper paste)

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

• Pinch of salt

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup dried soya pieces

1. Soak the chickpeas in plenty of water overnight, then drain.

2. Put them in a pan, cover with boiling water and cook uncovered for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat the oil and fry the onion until soft.

4. Stir in the tomato puree, pepper paste, pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and fry for a minute or two.

5. Add the chickpeas and soya pieces, stir, then pour in 3 cups of boiling water.

6. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down, cover and cook for 1 hour.

Turkish pilav

The stew's classic partner: buttery rice with toasted orzo.

• 1 tbsp vegan butter

• 1/3 cup orzo

• 1 cup white rice, rinsed and drained

• Pinch of salt

1. Melt the butter in a deep pan, add the orzo and fry until golden.

2. Add the rice and salt, stir, then pour in 2 1/2 cups of boiling water.

3. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

4. Fluff with a fork, cover again and leave to stand for 3 minutes before serving.

Meal prep tip: stews like this taste even better the next day. Let it cool, then portion it out and keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The pilav only takes 15 minutes, so it's best made fresh. If you do cook rice ahead, cool it quickly, refrigerate it within an hour and eat it within a day.

Prep 2: Spicy shaved tofu

Shaving tofu with a vegetable peeler is a clever trick. You get thin strips, chunks and crumbly bits, and all of them soak up the marinade and crisp up beautifully.

Spicy shaved tofu

• 1 tbsp gochujang

• 1 tbsp chilli paste

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 2 tbsp sesame oil

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 block firm tofu

1. Mix everything except the tofu in a bowl to make the marinade.

2. Shave the tofu into strips with a peeler. Use all of it, crumbly pieces included, for a mix of textures.

3. Put the tofu in a container, pour over the marinade and coat well.

4. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can marinate the tofu straight in the container you'll store it in, which is where glass and steel meal prepping containers earn their keep: no staining and no lingering gochujang smell.

Meal 1: Pad Thai (serves 1)

• 2 tbsp tamarind paste

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 2 tbsp oil, for frying

• 1/2 large white onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 portion rice noodles

• 1 portion spicy shaved tofu

• Large handful of beansprouts

• To garnish: extra beansprouts, spring onions, crushed peanuts, red chilli, lime and coriander

1. Mix the tamarind, soy sauce and maple syrup in a bowl.

2. Soak the noodles in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.

3. Fry the tofu in 1 tbsp of oil over a medium heat until crispy, then set aside.

4. Add the second tbsp of oil to the pan and fry the onion and garlic.

5. Add the beansprouts and noodles, then stir in the sauce.

6. Serve topped with the tofu and the garnishes.

Meal 2: Shaved tofu sandwich with fennel-apple slaw (serves 1)

For the slaw:

• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed, cored and sliced

• 2 tbsp coconut yoghurt

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Salt and pepper

• 1 stick celery, sliced

• 1 green apple, grated

• Handful of fresh dill, minced

For the sandwich: 1 portion spicy shaved tofu, 2 slices of bread, vegan sweet mustard mayo, Peppadew peppers and lettuce.

1. Mix all the slaw ingredients in a bowl.

2. Air-fry the tofu until crispy.

3. Spread the mayo on both slices of bread.

4. Layer on the tofu, slaw, peppers and lettuce.

Meal prep tip: keep the slaw in its own small container and build the sandwich just before you eat, so the bread stays fresh.

Prep 3: Mediterranean tempeh mince

Grated tempeh fries up into a crispy, savoury mince that's packed with protein. Sun-dried tomatoes and capers give it a proper Mediterranean kick.

Mediterranean tempeh mince

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 shallots, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 blocks tempeh, grated

• 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree

• 1 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce

• 1 tsp dried herbs

• 1 sweet red pepper, deseeded and chopped

• 6 jarred sun-dried tomatoes, minced

• 1 tbsp capers, minced

• Salt and pepper

• Handful of parsley, minced

1. Fry the shallots and garlic in the oil.

2. Add the grated tempeh and fry until crispy.

3. Stir in the tomato puree, Worcester sauce and dried herbs.

4. Add the red pepper and fry until soft.

5. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, capers, salt and pepper, then the parsley.

6. Leave to cool, then store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Meal: Stuffed aubergine (serves 1)

• 1 aubergine

• 1 portion Mediterranean tempeh mince

• Drizzle of olive oil

• To garnish: coconut yoghurt, tahini, harissa and parsley

1. Prick the aubergine all over and bake at 200°C for 45 minutes.

2. Slice it open lengthways without cutting all the way through, and open it out like a book.

3. Pile on the mince, drizzle with olive oil and bake for another 20 minutes.

4. Serve with coconut yoghurt, tahini, harissa and parsley.

Meal prep tip: the mince is just as good stirred through pasta, spooned over a jacket potato or packed into a wrap.

Storing and reheating your meal prep

A few simple habits keep prepped food fresh and safe:

• Let food cool before you seal it. The vacuum seal on our Prep & Store lids only forms once food is at room temperature or cooler.

• Portion as you pack. Single portions are easier to grab and reheat than one big tub.

• Reheat in the same container. The Prep & Store bases are microwave and oven safe, so there's no decanting. Take the lid off first. Our guide to microwaving stainless steel explains how it works.

• Freeze what you won't eat in time. The chickpea stew freezes well. Leave a little room at the top, as liquids expand when frozen.

New to cooking ahead? Our beginner's guide to meal prepping and batch cooking covers the basics.

Ready to get prepping?

Three batch cooks, four meals and plenty of plant-based protein, all sorted before the week begins. A huge thank you to Jess Beautician for the recipes.

If you're ready to ditch the stained plastic tubs, take a look at our full range of metal meal prep containers. They're plastic-free, leakproof and built to last.