10 Homemade Vegan Dog Food Recipes
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A vegan diet has been touted as a healthy option for humans, so you might be wondering whether you can feed your dog such a diet without creating any dangers to their overall health. The short answer is yes, it is possible to do so. However, special care must be taken to ensure that your dog gets enough protein and that all their other nutritional needs are met as time goes on. To help ensure that you’re creating tasty yet healthy vegan meals for your dog, we put together a list of amazing homemade recipes to try. Check them out!
The 10 Homemade Vegan Dog Food Recipes
1. Our Favorite Homemade Vegan Dog Food Recipe
Gay’s Homemade, Plant Based Dog Food
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Potato masher
- Containers
Ingredients
- 6 small or 4 large sweet potatoes sliced lengthwise
- 2-3 zucchinis skins peeled skins do not soften up and do not mash well, cut in thirds
- 6 large carrots cut in half
- 2-3 fresh beets halved You can also buy the freshly cooked beets. If using fresh, do not add to the pressure cooker
- 1 cup lentils canned or cooked
- 3 Tbsps. Creamy Peanut Butter do not use natural – I use Skippy or Jif
- 1 package frozen peas cooked
- Optional Ingredients:
- Frozen spinach cooked and finely chopped
- One cup cooked rice
- 3 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
Instructions
- Place two inches of water in the bottom, add potatoes, zucchinis, beets, and carrots. Set to high pressure for 40 minutes. You can set to warm for up to an hour, Release steam and set aside.
- Remove ingredients from the pressure cooker. Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and beets and add to a very large mixing bowl.
- Add the lentils. If you cooked them yourself, add about one cup. If you are adding canned, rinse them in a colander for a few minutes to ensure all salt has been washed off. If you purchased cooked beets, add them now, with the peanut butter and peas.
- Using a potato masher or large spoon, stir and mash the mixture until you see no large lumps. Store enough in the fridge for the current week and freeze a the rest in worth in individual weekly containers.
Notes
I try to keep the recipe down to about 4-6 ingredients.
My dogs love broccoli and cauliflower but it is a bit hard on their tummies, so we avoid it.
Never use any artificial flavors, salt, pepper, spices, sugars, etc. All natural is best and healthiest.
2. Tofu With Black Eyed Peas and Rice by Azestfor
If you have an hour or so to spare, you can cook up this hardy dish for the week ahead that is sure to satisfy your dog’s hunger and tastebuds. Featuring black-eyed peas, tofu, rice, and supplements, this meal should meet all your dog’s nutritional requirements.
3. Bean, Quinoa, and Tofu Recipe by Happy Cow
Made with healthy ingredients and supplements, this homemade vegan dog food recipe is easy to make and requires little preparation time due to the pre-cooked beans. Both rice and quinoa are included, as are black and garbanzo beans for a big punch of protein. Flax seeds are added as a good source of essential fatty acids.
4. Surprisingly Easy Dry Dog Food Recipe by Vegan food Lover
If you have a food processor, you can make your own homemade dry dog food that will last all week. This recipe calls for ingredients like pinto beans, sweet potatoes, flax seeds, and even lettuce to round things out. After the ingredients are cooked, they get processed until mealy and then baked until toasty.
5. Simple Banana and Quinoa Concoction by Top Dog Tips
This recipe only requires four ingredients and water to make. If your dog likes bananas, they should love this meal, as it’s a bit sweet and contains multiple textures that keep the meal from getting boring. It can be prepared in as little as 20 minutes if you choose to use a microwave rather than an oven.
6. Homemade Whole Food Recipe by Mrs Plant In Texas
This recipe is cooked in a pressure cooker and then stored in the fridge between uses. It’s filled with beans, lentils, spinach, peas, carrots, and chia seeds, which offer fiber that is necessary for a healthy digestive system. You can customize the meal depending on what’s readily available in your kitchen.
7. Meatless Mush for Dogs by Top Dog Tips
If your dog prefers canned wet food over textured or dry food, they will likely fall in love with this recipe. It includes interesting ingredients like apple cider vinegar and cranberry juice, which work to soften and “liquify” the recipe so it resembles mush and is similar to canned wet food.
8. Colorful Homemade Meal in a Bowl by V-dog
This recipe looks delicious enough for humans to eat—aside from the included kibble, of course. It includes beans, carrots, greens, and blueberries, all of which are healthy additions to a dog’s diet. An instant pot is used in the recipe, but a pot on the stove can get the job done too.
9. Potato Stew and Black Eyed Peas by Active Vegetarian
Featuring sweet and russet potatoes, this filling stew is sure to be a hit with your pup. The recipe involves boiling a bunch of ingredients in a large pot on the stove, and adding dulse flakes and hemp oil while it cools. The stew stays fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can make it in bulk and dish it out throughout the week.
10. Chef Jana’s Turmeric Dog Food by Chef Jana Pinheiro
This simple recipe by Chef Jana is full of healthy ingredients that are easy on the stomach. This makes the stew suitable for older dogs, overweight dogs, and those with digestive issues. Everything in the recipe is suitable for humans too, so you can make a big batch and have the same thing that your dog is having for dinner — just season your personal dish with soy, teriyaki, barbecue, or hot sauce.
What Is the Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian Dog Food?
A vegan dog diet does not include animal products of any kind, whereas a vegetarian diet might include any animal products besides meat. So, while a vegetarian meal might not qualify as vegan, all vegan meals qualify as vegetarian. Therefore, all the recipes highlighted here are suitable for both diets.
An Important Note on Maintaining Your Dog’s Health on a Vegan Diet
A vegan diet alone will not provide all the nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy as time goes on, such as methionine and arginine. It must be supplemented to ensure that all required nutrients are available in each meal.
If you only plan to give your dog homemade vegan food as an addition to their regular commercial food meals, extra supplementation likely isn’t necessary. However, even a part-time vegan diet should be supplemented. It’s crucial to consult with your veterinarian when planning a vegan diet for your dog so they can recommend proper supplementation options.
Make sure you’re feeding your cat the right amount, check out our cat food calculator here.
The exact amount of calories an individual animal needs to maintain a healthy weight is variable and influenced by many factors including genetics, age, breed, and activity level. This tool is meant to be used only as a guideline for healthy individuals and does not substitute veterinary advice
Conclusion
These homemade vegan dog food options give you a chance to have a bit of fun in the kitchen while experimenting with different types of proteins, grains, and vegetables. If your veterinarian gives you the go-ahead, try your hand at one or more of these recipes to see which one your dog likes the best.
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Featured Image Credit: Anastasiya Tsiasemnikava, Shutterstock
