40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (2024)

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ByKristen Wood Last updated

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40 Paleo Vegetarian Recipes. Vegetarian Paleo appetizers, meals, desserts, breakfast ideas and more can be found in this recipe round-up for the Paleo Vegetarian Diet!

40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (1)

The Paleo Vegetarian Diet

What Foods Can I Eat on a Vegetarian Paleo Diet?

  • Healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocados, avocado oil, olive oil, ghee, nuts, seeds, nut, seed butter, and coconut butter.
  • Spices. So long as a dried spice or spice mix does not contain sugar, MSG, wheat, or dairy products, it is most likely Paleo.
  • Fresh herbs such as dill, cilantro, parsley, and rosemary.
  • Vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
  • Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale, watercress, and bok choy.
  • Squash such as zucchini, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, crookneck squash, and acorn squash.
  • Fruit such as lemons, limes, apples, pears, watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, mango, coconut, cherries, peaches, pomegranates, and berries.
  • Dried fruit such as raisins, plums, figs, and apricots.
  • Mushrooms. All mushrooms are paleo!
  • Nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, and walnuts.
  • Seeds such as sunflowers seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.
  • Eggs. All eggs (chicken, duck, quail) are paleo and suitable for a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Avoid if you are a lacto-vegetarian or on a vegan diet (a.k.a. pegan).
  • Fermented and pickled veggies such as pickles, sauerkraut, and olives.
  • Drinks such as herbal teas, coffee, matcha, most moon milk, refined sugar-free hot chocolate, and coconut water.
  • Natural sweeteners such as raw honey, maple syrup, coconut nectar, date syrup, dates, and coconut sugar.
  • Condiments such as mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup are paleo so long as they are not the store-bought variety with added sugars and/or preservatives.
  • Bonus Paleo Ingredients include cacao powder, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, maca powder, moringa powder, cacao nibs, and coconut aminos (to name a few).

What Foods Should I Avoid on a Paleo Vegetarian Diet?

  • Grains such as wheat, corn, oats, barley, rice, and quinoa.
  • Legumes such as beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, and soybeans.
  • Soybeans and soy products such as tofu and tempeh.
  • All refined sugars. This includes cane sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, and agave syrup. Be certain to read labels and avoid any products commonly containing added sugars such as fruit juices, cereals, soda, energy bars, and even some gluten-free bread.
  • Dairy products. Cheese, milk, yogurt, and ice cream are not generally considered Paleo, though some people make exceptions and include a bit of butter or goat cheese. There are lots of wonderful alternatives to be found for dairy products. See: nut cheese and dairy-free + refined sugar-free ice cream.
  • Processed vegetable oils such as canola oil, soybean oil, and peanut oil.
  • Potatoes.
  • The majority of packaged food, unless otherwise stated as paleo, is likely to be highly processed and full of sugars and preservatives that are not considered paleo-friendly.
  • Checking which foods fit into a paleo diet before each meal can be time-consuming and tiring. A well-balanced paleo meal plan will help you get the most out of a paleo diet, providing you with nutritious recipes for each part of the day.
40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (2)

40 Vegetarian and Vegan Paleo Recipes

40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (3)

3-Ingredient Sunflower Seed Butter Banana Bread (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

from MOON and spoon and yum

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Rutabaga Noodles with Tahini Sauce and Cashew Crumble

from Calm Eats

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (5)

No-Bake Brownie Truffles

from My Tiny Laguna Kitchen

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (6)

Grain Free Banana Muffins

from A Sweet Alternative

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (7)

Paleo Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

from I Heart Umami

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (8)

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole! Paleo, Vegan gluten-free!

from Joy Food Sunshine

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (9)

Paleo Layered Fruit Mousse (Vegan)

from The Fit Cookie

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (10)

Easy Vegan Cashew Pesto Recipe

from MOON and spoon and yum

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Paleo Cashew Pancakes

from Everyday Maven

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (12)

3-Ingredient Paleo Caramel Sauce

from Raia's Recipes

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (13)

Apple and Beet Salad with Candied Walnuts and Cashew Cheese

from Calm Eats

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (15)

Baked Healthy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Wings Recipe – Paleo & Keto

from Wholesome Yum

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (16)

Paleo No-Bake Chocolate Avocado Tart

from Raia's Recipes

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (17)

Paleo-Vegan Maple Walnut Ice Cream

from Mom Foodie

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (18)

Paleo Protein Porridge {Grain Free, Dairy Free}

from Tasting Page

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (19)

Paleo Sweet Potato Au Gratin with Apples

from The Movement Menu

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (20)

Butternut Squash Hummus

from Calm Eats

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (21)

Chocolate Tahini Smoothie

from Paleo Gluten-Free Guy

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (22)

Paleo Butternut Squash Soup

from A Sweet Alternative

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (23)

5 Ingredient Paleo Salted Chocolate

from Calm Eats

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (24)

Grain Free, Paleo Cornbread

from Emma Eats and Explores

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (25)

Easy Broccoli Fried Rice (AKA Riced Broccoli)!

from I Heart Umami

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (26)

Garlic and Smoked Paprika Whole Roasted Cauliflower

from Veggie Desserts

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (27)

Vegan Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Maple Frosting Gluten-Free Paleo

from Country Hill Cottage

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (28)

Lemon Chia Mini Muffins (Gluten-Free, Paleo)

from Frugal Nutrition

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (29)

Paleo Vanilla Coffee Creamer (Vegan & Keto)

from The Fit Cookie

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (30)

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Allergy Free Alaska

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (31)

Paleo Granola

from Calm Eats

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (32)

Pumpkin Seed Vegan Ranch Dressing

from MOON and spoon and yum

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Sweet Potato Brownies (Vegan + GF)

from Rhian's Recipes

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (34)

Cauliflower Hummus with Kale Pesto

from Tasting Page

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (35)

Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread (So Moist!)

from Downshiftology

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (36)

Vegan Instant Pot Butternut Squash Curry (+ Stovetop Instructions)

from MOON and spoon and yum

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Farmhouse Eggs Benedict on Zucchini Fritters! (Paleo-Whole30 option)

from The Organic Kitchen

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (38)

Vegan Tapioca Pudding

from My Pure Plants

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (39)

Paleo Veggie Burgers (Gluten-free, Grain-free, Legume-free)

from Mom Foodie

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (40)

Chocolate Coconut Balls (Vegan, GF, Paleo)

from Apples for CJ

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (41)

Coconut Cilantro Sweet Potato Soup

from Calm Eats

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40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (42)

Easy Spicy Sauerkraut with Turmeric

from MOON and spoon and yum

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I greatly hope you enjoyed this round-up of Paleo Vegetarian Recipes + the food lists! If you found this post helpful, I would so appreciate you sharing it on social media! Thank you!

Kristen Wood

Kristen is a writer, photographer, recipe developer, and certified functional nutrition expert. She is also the author of Fermented Hot Sauce Cookbook, Vegetarian Family Cookbook, and Hot Sauce Cookbook for Beginners. Her work has been featured in various print and online publications including Elle, Chicago Sun-Times, Martha Stewart, MSN, Healthline, and many more. Kristen is also a syndicated writer for The Associated Press.

Leave a Reply

  1. So many great recipes!! My sister is a vegetarian. I’ll have to send this to her. Everything looks amazing 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much!!

      Reply

  2. Loving that you have all these vegetarian recipes. We do vegan and I always find it hard to come up with vegan, paleo meals since so much is off our list. BUT I could do vegetarian for the rest of the fam.

    Reply

    1. I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you!

      Reply

  3. I’m totally excited about working my way through this list! They all look delicious. I’m currently especially excited about that chocolate zucchini bread, though… 😉

    Thanks so much for including a couple of my recipes!

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Raia! The pleasure’s all mine! 🙂

      Reply

40 Delicious Vegetarian Paleo Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is it possible to be paleo and vegetarian? ›

Question: Is it possible to follow a paleo vegetarian eating plan? Answer: The short answer is that it's possible. But in entertaining this eating plan, you've got to examine your health goals, the plan's nutritional soundness and whether you can follow it long-term.

Can you eat yogurt on paleo? ›

Dairy. A strict paleo diet does not allow dairy products because hunter-gatherers did not milk cows. This includes milk, butter, yogurt, sour cream and cheese.

What are high calorie paleo foods? ›

Fatty, calorie-dense foods include fatty meats, oils, nuts and seeds, avocados, coconut, and coconut products. If you tolerate dairy well, full-fat dairy can also add a significant number of calories to your daily intake.

What is the Paleo inspiration? ›

Paleo-inspiration is a paradigm shift that leads scientists and designers to draw inspiration from ancient materials (from art, archaeology, natural history or paleo-environments) to develop new systems or processes, particularly with a view to sustainability.

Is paleo hard on liver? ›

“Some data have shown that a paleo diet has a significant and persistent effect on lowering liver fat compared to a low-fat diet, simply because a low-fat diet isn't palatable to a lot of people,” he said.

What fruits are not allowed on paleo? ›

Of course, any and all fruits are welcome on the paleo diet including apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and more. And don't forget tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams, and so on.

Can you drink coffee on paleo? ›

While we have said in the past that coffee is not Paleo, we have changed our position based on new research and now we believe that coffee is fine for most people.

Can you eat popcorn on paleo? ›

Popcorn is technically not considered paleo since it's a whole grain. However, most paleo experts agree that it's not a horrible snack to have in moderation, especially when it's prepared fresh and cooked in a healthy fat like coconut oil.

Why am I gaining weight on paleo? ›

Paleo is a high fat diet—even if they're “good fats,” such as nuts. If you start sneaking carbs on top of that, you get excess calories, which lead to weight gain. And even if you're super vigilant, it's possible to snack too much.

How to speed up weight loss on paleo? ›

Try to eat lean protein and healthy fats at every meal. Good examples of healthy proteins are grass fed beef, chicken, and fish (cod, tuna, or salmon). Healthy fats include avocado, coconut, and olive oils. Lean meats and healthy fats are both filling and nutrient-rich, which makes them perfect for weight loss.

Why am I so hungry on paleo? ›

Usually a lack of good fats and/or a lack of protein are what cause hunger when you first switch to a paleo or ketogenic diet. Fat and protein are what make you feel satiated.

How did the paleo people survive? ›

There is no doubt that the Paleo-Indian people were superb big game hunters, but they may have also relied on smaller game and wild vegetables for food. This is harder to determine since the remains of smaller animals and vegetation do not endure the passage of time as well as the remains of larger animals.

Why are legumes not paleo? ›

Paleo dogma on legumes holds that we should avoid them because they contain toxic anti-nutrients called lectins and phytic acid (aka phytate).

Can you eat quinoa on paleo? ›

Quinoa isn't Paleo-friendly because it belongs to a group of pseudocereal grains. It has lots of nutritional goodness, like protein and amino acids, but if you're sticking to a strict Paleo diet, it's better to go for a Paleo-friendly option like broccoli rice or zucchini noodles.

Is it okay to cheat on paleo? ›

Nobody is saying that you have to eat anything non-Paleo if you don't want to. If you're totally satisfied with eating 100% Paleo all the time for the rest of your life, great! But for most of us, living a good life means occasionally eating something non-Paleo, and that's perfectly OK.

Can you be a partial vegetarian? ›

Semi- or partial vegetarian: Includes plant foods and may include chicken or fish, dairy products, and eggs. It does not include red meat. Pescatarian: Includes plant foods and seafood.

What happens to your body when you switch to paleo? ›

The paleo diet can be a healthy dietary pattern. However, like any restrictive diet, it may lead to some side effects. Studies show that some people may experience diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, and changes in gut bacteria when following a paleo dietary pattern.

Can you be paleo and Pescatarian? ›

Paleo doesn't have to be about wrapping your steak in bacon; it's perfectly possible to do Paleo as a pescetarian: someone who eats fish, eggs, and optionally dairy, but not red meat, pork, or poultry.

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