10 food accounts on Instagram to start your vegan and plant-based journey with
Colourful recipes, plant-based ideas or vegan curry bowls—whatever you're looking, these vegan influencers will be your answer
More people are turning towards plant-based and vegan lifestyles, whether it is because of health concerns or in their quest for a more sustainable way of living. This individual consciousness and demand for vegan food has seeped into the restaurant spaces too with some of the biggest names like Eleven Madison Park ditching meat entirely from their menu and making it completely vegan and plant-based. Whether this will lead to an actual change and add to the sustainability movement is for experts to debate.
For now, though, we're sticking to a list for those looking to make the switch to veganism with our picks of 10 vegan food creators from across the globe that may help answer some of the questions gnawing at you. Take a look.
Richa Hingle: @/veganricha
Quite the name in the Indian-American vegan community and the author of two elaborate cookbooks, Richa Hingle is a vegan recipe developer from Seattle. With most of her recipes featuring beans, lentils and vegetables that are rarely ever salads, Hingle's take on re-imagined Indian recipes is something you must absolutely check out. Follow her for quick ideas of dals, curries, wraps and dairy-free mithais and desserts.
Priyanka Naik: @/chefpriyanka
With an extensive culinary journey as a TV host, recipe developer, editor and now, a cookbook author, Priyanka Naik is a self-taught vegan chef. Her forte lies in globally inspired vegan Indian cuisine and the influences of her travel experiences reflect in her food. Her library of recipes includes savoury, sweet and raw-vegan dishes that are innovative, but also easy peasy.
Nisha Vora: @/rainbowplantlife
Making a professional switch from law, Nisha Vora started a food journey in 2014 and has since worked with several recognised global publications like Forbes, CNN and Food52. Baked mac and cheese, lentil shepherd's pie, Thai butternut squash chickpea curry and red lentil curry are some of the recipes you'll want to bookmark.
Purvi Shah: @/iampurvishah
Inspired by a documentary on environmental issues and sustainability, Purvi Shah made the switch to a vegan lifestyle six years ago. With a focus to debunk the myth that vegan and plant-based food is bland and deficient in nutrients, she has created vegan recipes like papaya mousse, beetroot cutlets, mixed lentil vada and jaggery churma ladoo only to prove otherwise. Follow her Instagram page for daily food inspiration.
Nisha Sharma: @/cravings4vegan
Nisha Sharma started her vegan food journey through a blog and most of the inspiration for her recipes stems from her love for organic food. One look at her Instagram feed and you will sense the comfort and warmth of a home-cooked meal. Nisha's recipes are wholesome, easy and will leave you craving for more.
Abhijna Harvu: @/ahsustainablelife
Trying to champion sustainable living through her culinary endeavours, Abhijna Harvu runs a blog and a YouTube channel. Her recipes range from a simple vegan yoghurt to more elaborate ones like miso-tahini ramen. Harvu's Instagram page is a neatly curated haven for vegans.
Michelle Chen: @/run2food
Food blogger and recipe developer Michelle Chen turned vegan about five years ago. Chen follows a 100% plant-based and vegan diet and hopes to inspire everybody to do the same. As ironic as it seems, given that she is a dentist by profession, Chen loves desserts and often shares recipes for them, with the raw Snickers caramel slice being the most popular one.
Michaela Vais: @/elavegan
With over 1.2 million followers and work featured on Buzzfeed and Cosmopolitan, Michaela Vais is a vegan recipe creator, food stylist and photographer. She stopped eating meat at the age of six and then turned completely vegan in 2011. Most of her recipes are also refined sugar-free, gluten-free and simple to make at home. You can find everything from easy appetisers and mains like casseroles and curries to pizza and soups and desserts on her social media handles.
Noha Cloud: @/leeksnbeets
An Egyptian US-based recipe developer and writer, Noha Cloud's Instagram account is a rainbow of colourful food and fresh ingredients. Cloud is quite the pro when it comes to carefully arranging vegan bowls, some of which include the forbidden rice bowl with purple garlic tahini, spring sunset bowl with vegan pesto-hummus dip and a Hasselback potatoes and eggplant bowl. We especially love the little anecdotes she shared with each of her recipes.
Maya: @/fitgreenmind
At the age of 16, Maya has already gathered a following of 620k people. She creates reels and posts vegan recipes daily. Scallion pancakes, Gordon Ramsay's eggplant, focaccia bread and romesco pasta are some of her popular dishes. More than anything, it is her enthusiasm for vegan cooking that will keep you hooked.
Manal Doshi
Manal is a gregarious and ambitious girl who talks about bread incessantly. Her penchant for writing and aesthetics transcends into everything she does. She loves researching the culture and history of things. When she's not writing, you can find her working on a dozen unfinished projects, and consuming an unhealthy amount of art.