The 10 Best Plant-Based Cooking Channels on YouTube Right Now

Chances are, you’re cooking from home right now a lot more than you’re used to. If you’re anything like us, you’re likely already getting tired of that seitan dish and your go-to chia pudding recipe with a giant swirl of frozen (sigh) berries. It seems like every other night is Beyond Burger night. Or maybe Taco Tuesday has morphed into Taco Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Rut, no more! It doesn’t have to be that way. As we all hunker down at home in light of the coronavirus pandemic, take inspiration and culinary gusto from these incredible plant-based YouTube channels. Some are household names, others are little-known gems, all deliver one heck of a growling tummy.

Vegan bacon? Make it a double order. This New Hampshire chef and culinary school grad of NYC’s plant-based Natural Gourmet Institute (now the Natural Gourmet Center at Institute of Culinary Education) creates approachable recipes with spunk, pizazz, and plenty of comic relief. With plenty of comfort food recipes and an especially nice selection of hearty breakfast options, we’re ready to get cooking pronto.

2. Sweet Potato Soul

Jenné Claiborne’s instructional cooking videos and handy vegan 101-style guides (vegan hacks for new moms is a recent favorite) are particularly great resources for those new to plant-based living. With nourishing and affordable recipes, you’re going to be overprepared for the day when you can host your first vegan dinner party. ‘Til then, grab your Instant Pot and thank Claiborne later.

Craveable recipes from New York Times best-selling cookbook author Angela Liddon are a bit of (vegan) chicken soup for the soul. With hits like plant-based mac and cheese and hearty chickpea salads, you’ll want to save room for dessert. Thankfully, she’s got you covered on that front too. Vegan cinnamon rolls, anyone?

Ella Woodward’s British accent alone is enough to usher you into a better frame-of-mind, nevermind her superb recipes. This week, we're loving the Spiced Peanut Sweet Potatoes with a Creamy Artichoke & Edamame Dip. We have a feeling all those tortilla chips you bought for your pantry will too.

Rose had us at “the vegan cooking channel for people who don’t know what they’re doing.” She hooked us with stellar recipes like eggplant stir fry, creamy kimchi udon, and vegan breakfast bowls. Right now, we’re super grateful for her “quarantine cooking” tutorials that rely on pantry and freezer staples.

Dave and Steve keep their subscribers happy with their upbeat attitudes and simple recipes (and, perhaps, dashing good looks). We’re looking forward to whipping up a batch of falafel burgers, chickpea curry, and five-minute ramen, but excuse us while we get sidetracked by this swoon-worthy creamy roasted red pepper pasta sauce.

Whether you’re looking for three-ingredient meals, cheap and easy meals, or high-protein meals, Madeleine Olivia has something for every kind of plant-ivore. Check out a day in Olivia’s life with her personal recap of what she’s eating while on lockdown, and take plenty of notes. 

Vegan chef Gaz Oakley wows us with innovative vegan recipes with an emphasis on high-protein meals. Must-tries include his vegan ribs, lasagne, and Christmas Dinner Burger (Christmas in March? We all could use a little holiday cheer). Oh, how we can never get enough of that Welsh accent, either.

Lauren Toyota reminds us all that vegan nacho cheese should be its own food group. Her entertaining and enlightening videos break down recipes with easy-to-follow visuals, and once you’ve tried her vegan baked puttanesca ziti, you’ll wonder how you lived so long without it. Olives, sundried tomatoes, capers, and more come together for a serious hit of umami in this carb lover’s dream that’s bound to become a go-to for years to come.

Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram light and levity is contagious—and exactly what we could all use an extra dose of right now. Green juices, smoothie bowls, zoodles, and even cookie and cupcake recipes await. Currently, we can’t get enough of these snickerdoodle cookies, because, stress-baking. Worth noting: Since a lot of her recipes rely on raw, vegan foods, you’ll want to swap fresh fruits and veggies for frozen ones as needed.