7 Vegan Comfort Food Recipes That Are Finger Lickin' Good

People go vegan for many reasons: for the environment, for the animals, or for their health. Despite what many non-vegans might believe, making the choice to become vegan doesn’t necessarily mean that they can no longer eat the comfort foods that they love. As a matter of fact, some of the best vegan comfort food recipes don’t just taste like the dishes they were modeled after — they taste even better! 

The following seven recipes represent the best of what vegan comfort food has to offer, from hearty fried main dishes to decadent desserts.

Bereft of actual chicken, this tofu-based vegan fried chicken from Sweet Simple Vegan is bound to be one of the best things you’ve ever tasted. It may not contain all of the Colonel's secret herbs and spices, but its potent mix of Italian seasoning, paprika, ginger, white pepper, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, and mustard powder is sure to send your taste buds on a fantastic meatless adventure.

This delicious Penne alla Vodka recipe from It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken utilizes a type of cashew-based cream in place of dairy-based heavy cream. This, combined with crushed tomatoes, spices, penne pasta, and of course, vodka, makes for a seamless vegan interpretation of an Italian classic. 

Pizza is the ultimate comfort food, and it turns out that you don’t need dairy-based cheese to enjoy it. This Minimalist Baker recipe proves that delicious vegan cheeses and fresh veggies make for a perfect vegan pizza. This particular recipe even features a salty and simple homemade cashew and yeast parmesan to sprinkle on your pie. 

These creamy cheesecake bites, courtesy of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken, are blessedly free of dairy cheese, but they are definitely not free of flavor. The rich, creamy blend of vegan butter, coconut milk, cornstarch, and softened cashews blend together to create a delicious and decadent snack that’s sure to impress even the pickiest eaters. 

Spiced with all the delicious flavors you want in your traditional barbecue, this recipe for pulled “pork” jackfruit is sure to make anyone think twice about the fact that they’re not eating meat. This recipe from The Edgy Veg is also versatile and can be served on sandwiches, tacos, or on a bed of pillowy mashed potatoes. Best of all, it's made in an instant pot, so it should be ready to eat in a relatively short amount of time. 

Coconut is a common tool of the vegan chef, and for good reason. It’s a versatile ingredient that plays well in both sweet and savory dishes. It’s delicious, nutritious, and tastes great when you dip it in melted chocolate; just like these mock mounds bars from It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Then again, what doesn’t taste good when you dip it in melted chocolate?

There’s something both simple and elegant about a chocolate cake. When done right, as in this recipe by The Edgy Veg, vegan chocolate cake is indistinguishable from its dairy-based predecessors, and this one might even be better. It’s a real slice of heaven, flavored with cocoa, espresso powder, and slathered in chocolatey frosting.