12 Best Diabetes-Friendly Vegan Recipes You Can Make in Under 20 Minutes

Following a diabetes-friendly, vegan diet doesn’t mean you can’t put dinner on the table fast. To prove it, I’ve pulled together 12 of my favorite diabetic vegan recipes you can make in 20 minutes, so you’ll feel nourished in no time.

These plant-based recipes are packed with fiber-rich carbs and are low in cholesterol and saturated fat, but balanced enough to include fiber and protein to help people with diabetes control their blood glucose levels easier.

You’ll also find that the fiber content is fairly high, which helps balance blood sugar even more!

12 Low-carb vegan recipes

Whether you’re a longtime vegan or just looking to incorporate more plants into your diet, this list is packed with veggie-forward recipes that prioritize healthy fats and lean proteins to help you meet your nutritional goals without sacrificing flavor or time.

High Fiber Watermelon Salad over Coconut Rice | Erin Palinski-Wade

I know what you are thinking, how can you make a watermelon salad – and add rice on top of it – without skyrocketing blood sugar levels? The secret is in the fiber! This recipe swaps out traditional rice for RightRice, a rice alternative that tastes and looks just like rice but with double the amount of plant-based protein and five times the amount of fiber.

I love this recipe because it is so simple to make and can be easily doubled (or tripled) to use in meal prep for the week as well.

Calories: 182 Carbs: 30g Protein: 10g Fat: 2g Fiber: 5g

Raw Vegan Cookie Dough Bites | Erin Palinski-Wade

When you use delicious ingredients, it doesn’t take much to make a tasty dessert! These vegan cookie dough bites are the best example! The best part about this recipe is the chickpea flour.

Chickpeas are packed full of soluble fiber (the kind that helps lower unhealthy LDL-cholesterol levels and improve overall blood glucose control), which may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Choose from high protein and fat add-ins like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or almonds for a more satisfying and filling treat!

Calories: 225 Carbs: 35g Protein: 8g Fat: 6g Fiber: 4g

Keto Green Smoothie | Erin Palinski-Wade

Low-carb vegetables come together with delicious healthy fats, like those found in avocado, to make this smoothie incredibly delicious while having little impact on your glucose levels. Plus, you’ll have a filling and nutritious breakfast or snack in under five minutes.

Use an unsweetened plant-based protein powder to keep the carbohydrates low and boost the protein.

Calories: 218 Carbs: 17g Protein: 5g Fat: 17g Fiber: 2g

Watermelon Nice Cream | Erin Palinski-Wade

Typical ice cream is made with dairy milk and heavy cream for a creamy texture, but this recipe uses two low calorie, low-carb ingredients: almond milk and frozen watermelon chunks! Almond milk has a higher content of fat which keeps you feeling full and satisfied after eating and helps to slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates from the nice cream.

Calories: 39 Carbs: 9g Protein: 1g Fat: 1g Fiber: 1g

Vegan Caesar Salad with Roasted Sriracha Chickpeas | Haute & Healthy Living

This vegan caesar salad with roasted sriracha chickpeas closely resembles your typical caesar salad, but is completely dairy and gluten-free. With the veggies, tahini dressing and crunchy chickpeas, it is also packed with 9 grams of fiber, protein and healthy fats, making it both nutritious and filling.

Calories: 277 Carbs: 33g Protein: 13g Fat: 12g Fiber: 9g

Spicy Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Oats | Haute & Healthy Living

A lot of bean burgers require a ton of prep which can be a bit of a turn off when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. These Southwest veggie burgers are made with oats and canned black beans so they can be whipped up in no time for a healthy meal.

While oats and beans contain carbohydrates, they’re also high in protein and fiber, which helps to slow down how quickly the sugars are broken down for energy.

Calories: 164 Carbs: 31g Protein: 8g Fat: 2g Fiber: 7g

Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Walnuts | Fueling Fertility

This roasted red pepper dip skips the traditional breadcrumbs and swaps it for walnuts and cumin with pomegranate molasses to make a sweet and tangy low-carb, gluten-free dip.

It’s packed with vitamin and antioxidant-rich peppers, omega-3 rich walnuts, and protein-dense walnuts and tastes amazing with warm slices of pita bread or alongside a veggie snack tray and hummus.

Calories: 242 Carbs: 8g Protein: 5g Fat: 22g Fiber: 2g

Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Muffins | Melissa Altman-Traub, RDN

Vegan peanut butter banana muffins are perfect for a light breakfast or anytime you need a quick snack. They’re perfect for people with diabetes since the peanut butter is packed with protein and healthy fats to keep you full and slow down digestion.

If needed, you can cut down on carbs even more by using oat flour and replacing the brown sugar with a sugar-free sweetener.

Calories: 190 Carbs: 27g Protein: 5g Fat: 7g Fiber: 2g

Mediterranean Chickpea Artichoke Salad Jars | Kelsey P. RD

Need a refreshingly easy vegan, no-cook meal? Look no further! Made with pantry staples and fresh veggies, this easy Mediterranean chickpea salad is full of color and flavor. It’s quick to make, high in protein, and full of Mediterranean flavor. A perfect make-ahead meal for busy weeknights or quick grab and go lunch.

Each jar has 28 grams carbohydrates but only 28 grams of net carbs because of the 10 grams of fiber from the chickpeas and artichokes. Just shake, pour and enjoy!

Calories: 292 Carbs: 28g Protein: 9g Fat: 17g Fiber: 10g

Bok Choy Soup | Kelsey P. RD

The star of this soup is bok choy, a dark, leafy, cruciferous vegetable packed with fiber, and antioxidants, but very low in calories and carbs. That means you can fill up with a light, yet flavorful soup without a blood sugar spike. It’s easily customizable and comes together in 20 minutes! Serve with your favorite vegan protein, like tofu, for a more satisfying and filling soup!

Plant-Based Chickpea Eggs | Jackie Newgent

While these plant-based eggs look like scrambled eggs, they’re flavorful, filling, and totally vegan!  They turn a humble can of chickpeas into a protein-packed vegan meal in 10 minutes or less. One serving has 28 grams of net carbohydrates, and is well balanced with protein, fat and fiber to keep you full and slow the digestion of carbs.

Calories: 290 Carbs: 38g Protein: 12g Fat: 12g Fiber: 10g

Spring Rolls with Creamy Peanut Dressing | Zest Nutrition

Spring Rolls are a delicious way to eat more veggies. The savory peanut dipping sauce takes them over the top, while also boosting the protein and healthy fat content. They are basically a hand-held way to eat a salad, all wrapped up for convenience! Use bagged slaw or prep your veggies and dressing in advance and for easy assembly.

Calories: 313 Carbs: 44g Protein: 9g Fat: 11g Fiber: 5g

The bottom line:

It can feel confusing if you’re following more than one diet at a time, but these recipes make it easy to successfully manage your diabetes while following a vegan diet. Each diabetes-friendly vegan recipe on this list is ready in under 20-minutes and loaded with nutrients like protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you full and satisfied without spiking your blood sugars or sacrificing flavor.