10 Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas

From plantbasednews.org

These gluten-free lunch ideas are satiating and colourful 

Gluten-free lunches can start to feel repetitive, especially when you rely on the same few ingredients. This list of gluten-free lunch ideas brings together a range of meals that keep things varied while staying fully plant-based.

You’ll find a mix of bowls, warm dishes, and quick-prep options here. Some recipes come together fast, while others take a bit more time but use simple methods. Expect bold flavours, balanced textures, and ingredients like beans, rice, tofu, and fresh vegetables throughout.

These meals are designed to keep you going through the day. They’re filling, practical, and easy to make at home. If you’re looking for gluten-free lunches that offer both variety and substance, these recipes are a good place to start.

BBQ chickpea chopped salad

Try this eye-catching BBQ chickpea chopped salad, it’s high protein and made with hempseed ranch

                                                                         Ari Brown

This BBQ chickpea chopped salad from Danielle Brown comes together quickly and keeps things filling. Chickpeas, corn, avocado, and romaine bring texture, while a creamy hemp dressing ties everything together for a balanced, protein-rich lunch.

Find the recipe here.

Black rice and peas

                                                                     Peas are the star of this tasty rice dish     Maya Sozer

Black rice and peas make a simple, satisfying lunch in this recipe from Maya Sozer. The rice stays firm and nutty, while peas, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes add texture. Fresh mint and olive oil bring everything together.

Find the recipe here.

30-minute quinoa tabouli

                   This quinoa tabouli is perfect for the warmer months      Hannah Burne

Roni Zade’s quinoa tabouli swaps bulgur for protein-rich quinoa. Cucumber, tomato, parsley, and mint add freshness, while lemon juice and olive oil create a clean finish. It works well as a light meal or make-ahead lunch.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan bibimbap

                                     Mix up all your veggies and rice and enjoy with a big spoon    Nassima Rothacker

This vegan bibimbap from Bettina Campolucci Bordi builds a colourful, filling bowl with rice, vegetables, and a sweet-salty dressing. Each element adds contrast, making it easy to assemble a balanced lunch that holds well for meal prep.

Find the recipe here.

30-minute miso lemon broccoli with whipped spring onion tofu

                           Tender stem broccoli has a milder flavour and different texture to regular broccoli    Jo Sidey

In this dish from Elly Smart, roasted broccoli pairs with a smooth whipped tofu base. Miso, lemon, and nutritional yeast bring depth, while the tofu adds protein. It’s a quick, structured lunch with strong, balanced flavours.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan spring roll salad

                   Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free, making this salad great for those who can’t eat gluten or wheat     Danielle Brown

Danielle Brown’s spring roll salad combines rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and herbs in one bowl. A creamy peanut dressing coats everything, while peanuts and sesame seeds add crunch. It’s easy to prep ahead and holds well.

Find the recipe here.

Garlicky asparagus and beans with lemon-infused olive oil

                                       Looking for a refreshing lunch or side salad? Try this edamame and asparagus dish   Nisha Vora

This asparagus and green bean dish from Nisha Vora keeps things simple but filling. Edamame adds protein, while garlic, lemon, and olive oil build flavour. Pistachios and basil finish the dish with texture and freshness.

Find the recipe here.

Kung pao chickpeas stir fry

                                         Forget takeaway – make this quick and easy kung pao chickpeas stir fry instead    Maya Sozer

Kung pao chickpeas from Maya Sozer turn pantry staples into a bold, high-protein lunch. Chickpeas cook with garlic, ginger, and peanuts, then get coated in a glossy sauce. Serve with rice or enjoy on their own.

Find the recipe here.

Watermelon poke bowls

This stunning dish packs a flavour punch     Bailey Ruskus

These watermelon poke bowls by Chef Bai mix sweet, savoury, and fresh elements. Marinated watermelon pairs with rice, vegetables, and avocado, while nori and sesame add depth. The result is a bright, balanced lunch.

Find the recipe here.

Sweet potato, chickpeas and baby spinach lunch box

                                  This lunch box is full of high-protein plant food and nutrient-rich veggies   NCSC

This sweet potato, chickpea, and spinach lunch box works well for meal prep. Roasted vegetables add warmth, chickpeas bring protein, and quinoa keeps it filling. Pack it ahead and enjoy it cold or at room temperature.

Find the recipe here.

https://plantbasednews.org/veganrecipes/gluten-free-lunch-ideas/

Linda McCartney Foods Vegemince goes gluten-free to support school menus

From thecaterer.com

Linda McCartney Foods has announced the launch of a gluten-free recipe for its popular vegan mince product, Vegemince™.

 

Available now, Linda McCartney Foods’ Gluten Free Vegemince™ delivers the same flavour and nutritional value, while supporting schools in catering for an increased number of allergen requirements to serve more pupils without compromise.

                                The mince is already in line with government school food standards in England and is now gluten-free

 

The product is already widely used in catering, supporting school menus in line with government school food standards in England, which require schools to offer a non-dairy protein on three or more days each week. 

 

The Gluten Free Vegemince™ is high in protein and low in sugar. The recipe does not contain egg, a common allergen in meat-free alternatives and one that is more prevalent in children.  

 

Vegemince™ continues to be significantly more cost-effective than beef mince, allowing caterers to offer familiar and child-friendly dishes, such as chilli and spaghetti bolognese, while managing food costs and budget restraints. 

 

Rebecca Fairbairn, marketing and strategy director at Linda McCartney Foods, says: “As the original meat-free pioneer, Linda McCartney Foods remains a brand that caterers and consumers trust, combining great taste, strong nutritional credentials and dependable performance in busy kitchens. Vegemince™ is the nation’s best-tasting mince and already a well-established product in foodservice. Moving to a gluten-free recipe allows caterers to serve a broader range of dietary requirements without changing how they cook or serve it.”

 

The Linda McCartney Foods range for schools goes beyond vegan and allergy dietary requirements; the delicious products can be part of a meat-reducing diet available for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The Gluten Free Vegemince™ complements the existing line of trusted frozen products under the Linda McCartney® brand.  

The product is available in 10 x 1kg foodservice packs and available nationwide via catering wholesalers. For additional details email lindamccartneyfoodservice@hain.com. 

https://www.thecaterer.com/indepth/linda-mccartney-foods-vegemince-goes-gluten-free-to-support-school-menus

What nobody warns you about vegan baking until you've ruined something expensive

From vegoutmag.com

By Avery White

The lessons that stick with you are the ones that cost you a batch of high-end tahini or three hours of your Saturday afternoon 

I still remember standing in my kitchen, staring at what was supposed to be a show-stopping tahini chocolate torte. I'd used the good tahini, the $18 jar from the specialty store.

The Belgian chocolate. The organic coconut cream. And what I had in front of me was a dense, oily puck that tasted vaguely of regret.

That was five years ago, and I've since learned that vegan baking has a learning curve nobody really talks about. We share the successes, the Instagram-worthy layer cakes, the perfectly risen muffins.

But the failures? Those expensive, frustrating, "what went wrong" moments? Those stay in our kitchens, quietly teaching us lessons we had to learn the hard way.

Aquafaba is not the miracle it seems (at first)

When I first discovered aquafaba, the liquid from canned chickpeas that whips into peaks like egg whites, I thought I'd found the holy grail. Every vegan baking blog raved about it. So I dumped it into everything.

Here's what took me three failed pavlovas to understand: aquafaba is temperamental. The liquid from different brands varies wildly in protein content.

Some whip beautifully; others never hold their shape. Temperature matters. A single drop of fat will collapse your peaks faster than you can say "meringue."

The expensive lesson? I'd bought high-end vanilla bean paste and folded it into my aquafaba before realizing the tiny amount of oil in the paste would sabotage everything.

Have you ever watched $12 worth of vanilla slowly deflate into a puddle? It's humbling.

Not all plant milks behave the same way

Early in my vegan baking journey, I treated plant milks as interchangeable. Oat, soy, almond, coconut, whatever was in the fridge. This works fine for your morning coffee. It does not work fine for buttermilk biscuits.

Soy milk curdles predictably when you add acid, creating that tangy buttermilk effect that makes biscuits tender.

Almond milk? It separates into a watery mess. Oat milk works but produces a slightly gummy texture in some recipes. The protein and fat content of plant-based milks varies dramatically, and those differences show up in your final product.

I learned this after ruining a batch of scones I was making for Marcus's birthday breakfast. The almond milk curdled into something resembling cottage cheese, and the scones came out tough and sad. Now I keep soy milk specifically for baking, even though I prefer oat in my coffee.

Coconut oil has a personality

Coconut oil seemed like the perfect butter substitute. Solid at room temperature, creamy when beaten, vegan by nature. What I didn't anticipate was how dramatically it responds to temperature changes.

In my old apartment, the kitchen ran cold in winter. My coconut oil would seize up mid-recipe, turning from smooth to grainy in seconds. In summer, it melted before I could cream it with sugar. The result was either greasy cookies that spread into puddles or dense, crumbly ones that fell apart.

The expensive mistake here was a triple batch of holiday cookies for a party.

I'd bought high-quality refined coconut oil, measured everything perfectly, and watched in horror as the dough turned into an oily, unusable mess because my kitchen was too warm. That was $30 in ingredients and an emergency run to the store for backup dessert.

Egg replacers are not created equal

Flax eggs, chia eggs, commercial egg replacers, mashed banana, applesauce, silken tofu. The vegan baking world offers dozens of egg substitutes, and here's the truth: each one does something different, and using the wrong one will cost you.

Flax eggs add binding but no lift. Banana adds moisture and sweetness but makes everything taste like banana. Commercial egg replacers work for some recipes and fail spectacularly in others. I once used a flax egg in a recipe that needed the lift of a real egg, and my cake came out approximately two inches tall.

What I wish someone had told me: eggs do multiple jobs in baking. They bind, they leaven, they add moisture, they create structure. Before substituting, ask yourself what job the egg is doing in that specific recipe. It would have saved me from the Great Pound Cake Disaster of 2021.

Gluten-free and vegan together is advanced chemistry

When a friend with celiac disease came for dinner, I confidently announced I'd make a gluten-free vegan chocolate cake. How hard could it be? I'd been vegan baking for years.

Very hard, it turns out. Gluten provides structure. Eggs provide structure. Remove both, and you're essentially asking a pile of ingredients to hold itself together through sheer willpower.

Research on gluten-free baking shows that achieving proper texture requires careful balance of starches, binders, and hydration levels.

That cake cost me two attempts and about $40 in specialty flours before I produced something edible. The lesson? Respect the chemistry. Some baking challenges require more research and practice than enthusiasm alone can provide.

Final thoughts

Every ruined batch has taught me something I couldn't have learned from a blog post or cookbook. The failures stick with you in ways the successes don't. They make you pay attention, ask questions, understand why something works instead of just following instructions.

If you're new to vegan baking, expect to waste some ingredients. Budget for it, emotionally and financially. And when you pull something disappointing from the oven, remember that you're not failing. You're learning the hard way, which is often the only way these lessons truly stick.

What's the most expensive vegan baking mistake you've made? I'd genuinely love to know I'm not alone in the tahini torte tragedy.

https://vegoutmag.com/food-and-drink/s-st-what-nobody-warns-you-about-vegan-baking-until-youve-ruined-something-expensive/

10 Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes

From plantbasednews.org

These holiday recipes are perfect for those avoiding gluten 

The festive season is a great time to bring people together around food, and that includes those who prefer gluten-free options. With so many gluten-free holiday recipes available, it’s easier than ever to put together a full Christmas spread that feels warm, flavourful, and celebratory. You can build a menu that covers every part of the table without complicating the cooking process or changing the spirit of the meal.

On this list, you’ll find classic festive desserts, exciting mains that work well as centrepieces, and simple sides that round out a plate. Each recipe uses straightforward ingredients and familiar techniques, helping you focus on cooking rather than substitutions or workarounds.

Whether you’re hosting guests or preparing something small at home, these gluten-free dishes offer plenty of variety. They make it easy to enjoy a festive menu that feels complete and comforting.

Orange and cranberry roast wreath

Romy LondonIt is time to elevate your nut roast game

The first recipe on our list of gluten-free holiday recipes is this orange and cranberry wreath by Romy London. It forms a festive nut-and-flaxseed roast shaped into a wreath, combining sautéed vegetables, cranberries, and orange for a zesty, savoury centrepiece that bakes to a firm, sliceable texture.

Find the recipe here.

Savoury stove-top stuffing

Amber AsakuraThis vegan stuffing couldn’t be easier to make

Try this savoury stove-top stuffing by Clean Food Dirty Girl next. It mixes toasted bread cubes with mushrooms, lentils, and vegetables, seasoned with herbs and a touch of miso, creating a hearty gluten-free stuffing cooked entirely on the stovetop.

Find the recipe here.

Glazed rainbow carrots

Romy LondonThese colourful roasted carrots are a great side dish

For a colourful side, make Romy London’s glazed rainbow carrots. They roast tender rainbow carrots in a sweet mustard-agave glaze with vinegar and thyme, creating a bright, caramelized side dish that adds colour and warmth to any festive plate.

Find the recipe here.

Festive pickled vegetables with oil

Nadia FragnitoPickling is an age-old preservation method

These festive pickled vegetables with oil from Nadia Fragnito are a great way to use up all the veg in your fridge this December. Plus, they make an excellent addition to your holiday spread. This Italian-style mix preserves blanched cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, and peppers in infused oil with garlic, herbs, and spices, creating a tangy, aromatic side perfect for antipasto boards and festive tables.

Find the recipe here.

Carrot lox with cream cheese canapés

Simon SmithUse nori and lemon to add a fresh ocean-like flavour to this plant-based lox

Gaz Oakley’s carrot lox with cream cheese canapés turn marinated carrot ribbons into a smoky, ocean-like topping for cashew cream cheese. Served on toasted gluten-free bread with capers, lemon, and dill, they make a bright, elegant, festive canapé.

Find the recipe here.

Jaffa cake-inspired vegan chocolate orange dessert

Romy LondonChocolate and orange is a classic festive combination

Romy London’s vegan chocolate orange dessert, inspired by Jaffa Cakes, is an easy dessert to make for your Christmas feast. It blends oat milk, chocolate spread, cacao, and fresh orange juice into a smooth, chilled pudding topped with chocolate sauce and orange zest.

Find the recipe here.

Gluten-free mince pies

Nadia's Healthy KitchenTry this gluten-free mince pie recipe for a bite-sized vegan treat

This recipe from Nadia’s Healthy Kitchen shows you how to make festive vegan mince pies with no gluten. A simple oat and almond crust holds a spiced dried-fruit filling scented with orange, creating small, tender pies topped with crisp pastry stars.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan gluten-free panettone

Chef Day RadleyThis panettone recipe contains tart and sweet fruit

For our last dessert, try making this vegan and gluten-free panettone by Chef Day Radley. It bakes into a tall, tender loaf filled with soaked citrus peel, sultanas, and currants, offering a festive mix of sweet and tangy fruit in every slice.

Find the recipe here.

Whole roasted miso cauliflower

Romy LondonThis roasted cauliflower is a great centrepiece

This whole roasted miso cauliflower by Romy London is another centrepiece option. It roasts into a golden, umami-rich head coated in a miso, soy, and maple glaze, then gets served over a creamy cannellini bean dip for a striking, fully plant-based main.

Find the recipe here.

Festive eggplant and tomato rice bake

Nadia FragnitoTry something distinctly Italian for your holiday dinner this year

Lastly, make this traditional Italian eggplant and tomato rice bake known as a timballo by Nadia Fragnito. It layers tomato-simmered arborio rice with golden fried eggplant and pockets of vegan mozzarella, creating a rich, gluten-free centrepiece that slices beautifully for festive dinners.

Find the recipe here.

https://plantbasednews.org/veganrecipes/gluten-free-holiday-recipes/