21 Dairy-Free Recipes To Help You Break Off Your Toxic Relationship With Lactaid
I’m in a toxic relationship…with dairy. No matter how many times it does me wrong, I just keep running right back. But this year, I’m determined to put myself first—I’m breaking up with dairy (the biggest gaslighter I’ve ever met). If you’re like me, starting a dairy-free diet may seem daunting. How do you say goodbye to a recurring character in your life? We used to spend almost every meal together: biscuits and gravy at breakfast, French onion soup for lunch, and mac & cheese way too often at dinner. Luckily, there are plenty of recipes that make kicking dairy to the curb surprisingly easy. Whether you’re just trying to eat it less or are saying goodbye completely, these dinners will not only make leaving dairy manageable, but enjoyable too.
These meal ideas will make moving on so much easier. We not only have recipes that don’t have any connection to dairy, but also some alternatives to your favorite dairy-filled meals. No need to get jealous of my friend’s connection with a bowl of fettuccine Alfredo when I have plenty of creamy, dairy-free pasta dinners who do get along with me (wink, wink, creamy tomato pasta). Longing after mac & cheese? Our vegan mac & cheese is the recipe you didn’t even know you were missing. If you’re looking for something that feels a bit lighter, we’ve also got plenty of satisfying bowls and sheet-pan dinners that won’t have you missing dairy in the slightest. Ready to end your love affair turned sour? Or, simply want dairy to take on a less important role in your life? Let these recipes be your rebound:
Brown Sugar Salmon
When it comes to 15-minute weeknight dinners, nothing is better than a simple piece of flaky, tender, savory-sweet brown sugar-glazed salmon. It takes 5 minutes to prep, 10 minutes to cook, and cleanup is an absolute breeze.
Get the Brown Sugar Salmon recipe.
Creamy Tomato Vegan Pasta
This is THE vegan pasta for lifelong dairy lovers. Rich and creamy, with deep tomato flavor, it’s sure to have everyone digging back into the pot for another serving.
Get the Creamy Tomato Vegan Pasta recipe.
Chili Crisp Fried Tofu
Chili crisp is the MVP in the flavor bomb pantry, and it’s back to prove it again with this chili crisp fried tofu. Featuring a vibrant spicy-sweet sauce made with just four pantry ingredients, this crispy fried tofu is waiting to make your weeknight dinner a little more exciting.
Get the Chili Crisp Fried Tofu recipe.
Thai-Inspired Basil Beef Bowls
Pad krapow is Thailand’s most popular stir-fry dish for a reason. It’s got saucy ground meat tossed with sliced bell peppers, spicy chiles, and a handful of fresh, sweet basil, served over steaming rice. Our take on this super-simple dish is the perfect protein-packed meal prep that’ll keep you excited to eat all week.
Get the Thai-Inspired Basil Beef Bowls recipe.
Vegan White Bean Chili
This flavor-packed vegan white bean chili has so much goodness going on (a trio of peppers, sweet potato, and corn to name just a few) and all of the fresh, crunchy toppings too. If you're missing sour cream, top this with your favorite vegan version!
Get the Vegan White Bean Chili recipe.
Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles
Who can resist rice noodles bathed in an abundance of sweet and creamy peanut butter sauce? Not us! In this recipe, the prep actually takes longer than the cooking, so feel free to make some elements ahead. With all them behind you, the dish comes together in a snap.
Get the Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles recipe.
Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs
This easy dinner combines ginger-garlic meatballs and a spicy red curry coconut milk sauce to create a flavorful dish that's both comforting and packed with bold, aromatic spices. The curry paste does double duty, adding the savory, spicy flavors of red pepper, garlic, lemongrass, and galangal to both the meatballs and the sauce.
Get the Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs recipe.
Cashew Cream Alfredo
You CAN make an ultra-creamy, velvety smooth Alfredo sauce, sans dairy, thanks to cashews. Freshly cracked black pepper adds a little burst of heat, but feel free to add some red pepper flakes too. Top with parsley or basil to make it extra-special too.
Get the Cashew Cream Alfredo recipe.
Baked Falafel Sandwich
Although this shortcut isn't as crispy as the classic falafel, they develop a nice golden crust and contain all the key spices. A zippy roasted pepper salad is the perfect foil, and creamy tahini sauce ties it all together.
Get the Baked Falafel Sandwich recipe.
Sweet & Sour Tofu
Sweet and sour sauce is a staple across Chinese-American restaurant menus—and for good reason. The combination of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors pairs well with virtually every protein. That’s especially true when it comes to tofu—because it’s mild in flavor, the sweet and sour sauce truly shines.
Get the Sweet & Sour Tofu recipe.
Spaghetti All'Assassina
This is like the OG one-pot pasta. The spaghetti is cooked in a spicy tomato broth in a style similar to risotto and charred in the pan as the broth gets absorbed. And when we say charred, we mean burnt. Trust us, the rich tomato, burned starch, and spicy mess of it all is absolutely delicious.
Get the Spaghetti All'Assassina recipe.
Mongolian Beef Ramen
Flank steak is accompanied by veggies spiked with ginger, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and scallions in this ramen noodle skillet for an easy dinner that tastes a little extra special.
Get the Mongolian Beef Ramen recipe.
Red Curry Chicken Thighs & Rice
In this one-pan wonder, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs get seasoned with garam masala and pan-seared, then smothered in a creamy, slightly spicy red curry sauce before being served over rice with a wedge of lime.
Get the Red Curry Chicken Thighs & Rice recipe.
Cabbage Roll Soup
This is a hearty, warming bowl of comfort food that embraces all the goodness of cabbage rolls: ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and tons of green cabbage, flavored with the gentle spice of oregano and paprika.
Get the Cabbage Roll Soup recipe.
Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
This one-pan dinner is the only thing standing between you and ordering takeout (again). Bone-in chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, and shallots get smothered with miso-chili sauce and baked until the sweet potatoes are tender and caramelized and the chicken is juicy and golden brown. The whole thing is topped with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, then served with chili crisp to pack a punch.
Get the Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken & Sweet Potatoes recipe.
Sushi Sandwiches (Onigirazu)
If you can’t get enough of the viral salmon and rice bowl, you need to try this sushi sandwich. Inspired by the popular Japanese onigirazu, this variation’s got the same elements of your favorite lunch—spicy salmon, seasoned sushi rice, cucumber, quick-pickled cabbage, carrot, and avocado—all wrapped in nori and served with plenty of sriracha-soy mayo.
Get the Sushi Sandwiches (Onigirazu) recipe.
Vegan Mac & Cheese
Delicious vegan mac & cheese might sound like an oxymoron, but trust us, this cheese sauce is good enough to satiate the strongest dairy craving.
Get the Vegan Mac & Cheese recipe.
Smash Dumplings
Pleating dumplings is a full-on art, but if you’re all fingers and thumbs with a wrapper, smash dumplings are the way to go. Layered with an aromatic pork and cabbage filling, this effortless take on gyoza is simple enough to whip up any night of the week.
Get the Smash Dumplings recipe.
Egg Roll Bowls
When I’m craving crispy egg rolls but need a more filling lunch option, I turn to these egg roll bowls. These wrapper-less egg rolls are the perfect solution when you want all the flavors of the take-out favorite but need something to keep you full for hours.
Get the Egg Roll Bowls recipe.
Chicken Stir-Fry
You can practically throw any combination of protein, veggies, and sauce in a pan and call it good, but sometimes it’s helpful to have a basic formula to go off of. Enter: our chicken stir-fry recipe. Make it as is, or use it as a jumping-off point to create your own.
Get the Chicken Stir-Fry recipe.
Hot Honey Chicken & Rice Bowls
We'll put hot honey on nearly everything, from pizza to avocado toast. Now we have an entire dinner centered around it! Here, the chicken gets tossed in the hot honey you make yourself (which means you can adjust the heat if you want!) and turns the whole dish delightfully sweet and spicy.
Get the Hot Honey Chicken & Rice Bowls recipe.
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