Don’t get us wrong—we love hearty comfort food. But you know that feeling you get after scarfing down a giant cheeseburger with fries? Blargh. Now think about how great you feel after eating a big salad. Whether you’re following a specific diet or just want to take a break from heavy dishes, these light and flavorful raw food recipes will have you feeling like a million bucks—without skimping on flavor.
18 Easy Raw Food Recipes to Try This Week
Cheesy Raw Vegan Zucchini Lasagna
This lighter take on everyone’s favorite Italian dish uses cashews, almonds and nutritional yeast to make the creamy “cheese” sauce.
15-minute Gazpacho With Cucumber, Red Pepper And Basil
Pick up all the ingredients from your local farmers market, toss them in a blender or food processor and you’re good to go.
5-minute Raw-nola
Loaded with nuts, seeds and fruit, this healthy breakfast will keep you going all day. Make a big batch and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Rainbow Taco Boats
Who said that taco Tuesdays were off the table on the raw diet? These veggie-filled boats have all the crunch of their cooked counterparts but with significantly less cooking time (just 15 minutes, since you asked).
Rainbow Collard Wraps With Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
These colorful wraps make a great packed lunch or make-ahead dinner (you can prep them up to two days in advance). Just don’t forget to put out the napkins and double-check that all the dressing ingredients (including the peanut butter and soy sauce) are raw.
Super Clean Broccoli Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing
This one’s got it all—crunch (thanks to purple cabbage and broccoli), sweetness (mmm, raisins) and tons of flavor (hello, almond-miso-orange dressing). We like Artisana Organics' raw almond butter.
Creamy Miso Soup
Nope, those mushrooms aren’t cooked—they’re actually marinated in olive oil, tamari and lemon juice until they’re nice and tender.
Raw Veggie Chili
The “meat” is made from walnuts and mushrooms, but you can use whatever vegetables you have lying around to bulk out the sauce (just don’t skimp on the spice).
Raw Oatmeal Raisin And Cacao Nib Cookies
You know the taste and texture of cookie dough? Yeah, these raw treats are like that. (Except much better for you.)
15-minute Cucumber-avocado Blender Soup
There are some days when you want to stand over a hot stove, making soup from scratch. And then there are other days when you just want something that’s quick, easy, filling and delicious. This creamy soup is for the latter. (Just skip the Greek yogurt on top.)
Raw Pasta Primavera And Meatballs
No need to miss out on this family favorite. Simply make the “meatballs” vegan and raw-friendly and load up on veggies.
Avocado Mango Salsa
Scoop this colorful salsa up with some raw crackers or spoon into lettuce cups for a tasty snack. Thanks, Coterie member Monique Volz for the tip. (Question: Do margaritas count as raw food?)
Raw Carrot Cake With Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
This spiced treat requires only 10 ingredients and 30 minutes to make. Yep, we’ll take two slices, please.
Anti-inflammatory Berry, Watermelon And Ginger Smoothie
Aka the breakfast of champions. Why? Because it's delicious, good-for-you and takes minutes to prepare. You're welcome.
Parsnip Rice With Hemp Seeds, Spring Peas And Basil
Fresh and zesty, this healthy rice comes together in just 15 minutes. We knew that putting that food processor on our wedding registry was a good idea.
Chocolate Almond Butter Smoothie Bowl
A decadent (but totally) healthy way to start the day. Or hey, save it for dessert. Either way, you'll want to check that the almond butter and cacao are raw (we like this brand).
Cold Soba Noodle Salad With Raw Veggie Noodles
The ultimate warm weather, no-cook dinner. Just don't skimp on the spicy sunflower seed sauce.
Raw Apricot Candy
This no-bake treat is super easy to make with no thermometers or hot, bubbling sugar to worry about.