Raw food is not only easy to prepare but also satisfyingly light and refreshing. It’s a great way to whip up nutritious meals or healthy snacks. And you don’t just have to limit yourself to boring salads!
There’s a range of simple, fresh, and insanely delicious raw food recipes you can try out! To save you the trouble, we’ve listed some of our favorites here. They range from breakfast staples and snacks to sides and mains, and even desserts, giving you plenty of options to maintain a healthy diet!
1. Avocado Fudge
Let’s start our list on a sweet note with this avocado fudge recipe! This no-bake dessert features creamy avocados (no surprises there!) paired with bananas and chopped chocolate alongside honey, coconut oil, and peppermint extract. Its vivid green hue and delicious taste make it perfect for everyday snacking and serving at parties and potlucks. Plus, you can keep it frozen for up to a week!
2. Best Ever Guacamole (Fresh, Easy & Authentic)
Whip up this delicious guacamole in just 10 minutes! All you need to make this popular Mexican staple is to mash ripe avocados to your desired consistency, then add cilantro, garlic, jalapeño pepper, lime juice, onion, tomatoes, and salt. Stir well, and serve with tortilla chips to enjoy!
3. Caprese Salad with Avocado
This popular summertime recipe features the award-winning trinity for epic flavor — juicy cherry or grape tomatoes, baby mozzarella balls, and fresh basil leaves. Serve it with a drizzle of sweet and tangy balsamic glaze to take it to the next level. Making it for date night? Pair it with Chardonnay or Sauv Blanc to impress your date!
4. Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad
This recipe puts a spin on the traditional Middle Eastern salad by replacing grains with fine-ground cauliflower. Combine it with EVOO, lemon juice, chopped cucumber, garlic, mint, parsley, scallions, and tomatoes, and then you have a light and refreshing salad that will make your heart sing! Consider making it a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
5. Chickpea Salad
Eating raw food doesn’t mean you have to miss out on protein! This nutritious dish gets a heft dose of protein from chickpeas and is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. It also features fresh seasonal vegetables that you can flavor with a refreshingly creamy vinaigrette and lots of fresh herbs to tantalize your senses. It’s fantastic by itself, although you can also serve it with couscous, pasta, quinoa, or rice.
6. Coconut Key Lime Pie Smoothie
Enjoy the flavors of a classic pie in a smoothie form! This decadent smoothie is the perfect pick-me-up drink. The creamy coconut milk gives the drink a tropical flavor, then you have the protein-rich yogurt, and tons of spinach for that vibrant green color. The bananas help offset the tanginess of lime juice and zest, but you can also add maple syrup or honey to give your smoothie some extra sweetness. Serve with whipped cream and shredded toasted coconut!
7. Cucumber Gazpacho
Cucumber gazpacho is summer in a bowl. Make this refreshing soup by blending cool cucumbers with cilantro, coriander, lime juice, and Greek yogurt. You can also add diced cucumbers, cilantro, shallots, and scallions to this silky smooth soup to boost its delicious texture, although chilled shrimp will also make a great addition!
8. Fennel Orange Salad
Juicy, crunchy, and deliciously fresh, this salad is made with the popular Mediterranean pairing of juicy oranges and fennel. Serve it over a bed of greens for a boost of nutrition, and smother it with a zingy citrus vinaigrette to delight your taste buds. This tangy, zesty salad offers a top-tier sensory experience and is sure to be loved by all!
9. Fresh Garlic Herb Goat Cheese Dip
You’re in for a treat with this goat cheese dip! Creamy goat cheese is paired with aromatic herbs and seasonings, along with lemon juice, maple syrup, and garlic, to produce the ultimate dip. You can drizzle it with EVOO for extra flavor, and serve it with roasted or raw veggies. Or slather it on crusty bread and top it with tomatoes for a tasty snack!
10. Healthy Homemade Fruit Popsicles
A popsicle a day keeps summertime heat at bay. Okay, no, we made that one up. But these refreshing popsicles will definitely help cool down the heat! They’re brimming with juicy fruit flavors and have no artificial sweeteners, making them a fantastic healthy treat! Plus, you get four yummy flavors — Peach Strawberry Yogurt, Minty Watermelon, Blackberry Lemon, and Orange Mango Coconut — to choose from, so you’ll be spoiled for choice!
11. Mediterranean-Style Mango Salad
A salad with a Mediterranean twist, this dish has a ton of flavors. It combines sweet and ripe mango with cool cucumber, shallots, crunchy red pepper, and baby spinach with pomegranate aril, cilantro, and mint. It’s topped with a light dressing made of lemon juice and olive oil for a zesty kick. It also features a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper flakes for a hit of spice!
12. Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes (Raw Vegan, No Bake)
One bite of these decadent cheesecakes will make you forget all your problems! Make these mini treats with a walnut-oat crust layered with a five-ingredient vegan cheesecake and another layer of blackberry cheesecake filling on top. These mini cheesecakes taste like a delightful combination of ice cream and cheesecake and are perfect for a light, healthy dessert!
13. No Bake Energy Balls
Gymgoers, this one’s for you! These six-ingredient energy balls have six grams of protein each, making them the best breakfast or snack to complement your workouts. They’re made with honey, peanut butter, salt, rolled oats, and chocolate chips. They also include vanilla protein powder, but feel free to use your choice of protein powder flavor to make them more palatable.
14. Rainbow Spring Rolls with Sweet Chili Mango Sauce
This recipe is full of fresh, colorful shredded veggies and fruits, including avocados, mango, purple cabbage, and cucumber, all wrapped in rice paper. These rainbow rolls are absolutely irresistible! Serve them with a sweet and spicy chili-mango dipping sauce to enjoy yummy flavors in every bite.
15. Raw Carrot Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
This raw carrot cake looks as good as it tastes! Prepare the base with blended dates and walnuts, shredded carrots, vanilla, and spices, then mix in some coconut flour to give it a cake-like texture and natural sweetness. Serve this treat topped with a layer of silky cheesecake-inspired frosting, garnish as you desire, and dig in!
16. Raw Cauliflower “Fried” Rice
It’s not actually fried; this is still a raw meal — the recipe gets its name from the medley of spices and seasonings that are fundamental in fried rice! Make this “fried” rice by combining cauliflower rice with lentils, carrots, tomatoes, peas, green beans, and cucumber. Spicy and tangy ingredients like chili, lemongrass, ginger, lime juice, and salty coconut aminos add a bright burst of flavor to this meal!
17. Raw Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
This dessert gets ready in just five minutes! That’s enough to give it a try! It calls for blending frozen bananas and cocoa powder with a splash of plant-based milk to produce a decadent treat you can enjoy guilt-free. You can top it with sliced fruits and nuts to make it even more delicious!
18. Raw Pad Thai
This noodle-free version of pad thai is perfect for a light supper. It calls for tossing spiralized zucchini, carrot, cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro, edamame beans, and cashew with a smooth and creamy peanut butter dressing to give the dish wonderful flavors. You can also add some tofu to give it a boost of protein.
19. Raw Broccoli Balls
These raw broccoli balls are vegan and gluten-free, perfect for a healthy plant-based snack! Make them by blending broccoli and cashews in a food processor, then mix in red onion, garlic, avocado oil, jalapenos, nutritional yeast, and seasonings and pulse until the mixture is wet and crumbly. Next, shape the mixture into small, bite-sized balls, and that’s it! To make the balls crispier, we recommend using a dehydrator!
20. Raw Vegan Coffee Cupcakes
Whip up a batch of these creamy cupcakes without turning on the oven! They feature a crunchy base — prepared with almonds, coconut oil, dates, and cacao nibs — and a decadent filling made of cashews, coconut cream, maple syrup, coffee granules, and coconut oil. It features an amazing contrast of textures and is sure to satisfy the coffee lover in you!
21. Raw Vegan Lasagne
This refreshing and vibrant vegan lasagne features crunchy zucchini slices, which encase three different and equally irresistible layers — tomato sauce, avocado pesto, and cheese made with cashews and almonds and flavored with lemon juice and nutritional yeast. Once assembled, you can serve it with different garnishes. This recipe is customizable, so use whatever you have to create a delicious meal!
22. Raw Zucchini Salad
Elevate your dinner spread with this fresh and crunchy salad. It uses zucchini, creamy and salty crumbled feta cheese, pine nuts, and microgreens to create a nutritious dish. Add a fresh lemon juice dressing on top to produce the perfect summer salad that you can serve as a side dish or appetizer at potlucks and parties!
23. Red Wine and Raw Beet Ravioli with Cashew Cheese
This raw beet ravioli will have everyone reaching for seconds! To make this crowd-pleasing dish, place a dollop of smooth, creamy, and flavorful cashew cheese on one half of the beetroot slice, then fold the other half over it to create the ravioli. Serve it topped with chopped apple, walnut, and fresh sage alongside a glass of red wine for the ultimate meal.
24. Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
This game-changer recipe is proof that raw Brussels sprouts can taste amazing! It comes together with just seven ingredients and without any cooking! Simply toss Brussels sprouts with dried cranberries, grated cheese, pine nuts, and a light dressing, and your simple yet impressively delicious salad is ready! If you’re hosting a party, you can easily prep this salad ahead of time to focus on the main courses!
25. Simple Healthy Coleslaw
This colorful and crunchy slaw is bursting with delicious flavors and health benefits. It’s also super easy to make — just toss cabbage, carrots, and fresh parsley with a simple garlic-lemon dressing! You can garnish it with toasted seeds for extra crunch and flavor, then serve it alongside grilled dishes for a complete meal. The best thing? You can easily store it in the fridge for up to four days.
26. Spicy Raw Thai Salad
This spicy raw salad is packed with robust Asian flavors. To make, smother chopped veggies with a dressing prepared with tamari, sriracha, hoisin sauce, and olive oil. Garnish with chopped chives and flavored cashews, and serve! You can also pair it with grilled chicken or salmon for a complete meal.
27. 10-Minute Raw Vegan Curry with Zucchini Noodles
Ready in only 10 minutes, this vegan curry and noodles recipe features a wonderful marriage of flavors! To make, prepare a silky-smooth curry sauce with cashews, garlic cloves, avocado, and spices like curry powder, cayenne, red chili paste, and sea salt. Use it to smother spiralized zucchini noodles, and add some cherry tomatoes, sliced carrots, and nuts to the mix before serving. Enjoy!
28. Triple Berry Smoothie Bowl
We can’t have a raw food list without including the ever-popular smoothie bowl! This version features a base of frozen mixed berries, unsweetened almond milk, plain Greek yogurt, and ice (for thickening), and you can serve it topped with fresh fruits, seeds, nuts, and hemp hearts. It’s the perfect recipe to start your day!
29. Vegan Caramel Slice (No-Bake)
If there was ever a doubt that raw plant-based foods can’t be indulgent, this no-bake dessert would prove this myth wrong! To make this decadent treat, prepare a simple cookie base with almond flour, coconut milk, drained dates, and oat flour, and spread the mixture on a lined baking sheet. Add melt-in-your-mouth caramel and dark chocolate on top, garnish with your favorite toppings, freeze for at least 2 hours, and serve!
30. Vegan Cauliflower Rice Sushi
If you love sushi but want a vegan alternative, look no further! In this plant-based version of sushi, you get to enjoy the fresh crunch of raw veggies wrapped in nori — an edible sea vegetable that offers numerous health benefits. Serve it alongside a sweet and spicy dipping sauce to take your taste buds on a flavor ride!
