If you’re looking to start a vegan food truck and need some menu inspiration then look no further…
My first street food business was a mobile juice bar (which I still run today).
I saw a gap in the market in the food truck industry where I live, for a healthy, meatless alternative so decided to go for it.
Since then back in 2015 the vegan and meatless market has grown significantly by 2.69 billion globally in 2018 and is projected to expand at a rate of 9.6% from 2019 to 2025.
This growth has mainly been in the brick-and-mortar type of businesses along with vegan products in supermarkets.
This means there is arguably still a lot more demand and space in the food truck industry for vegan food truck businesses.
So if you have landed on this article and are looking for inspiration for vegan food truck menu ideas you have come to the right place.
Please read on for 16 inspiring vegan food truck menu ideas for 2024.
Benefits of a vegan food truck
The vegan food market has grown for a number of reasons over the last decade which means there are a few additional benefits to starting a vegan food truck.
The health benefits
It is well-documented that too much red meat is not good for our health and can lead to increased health risks.
Now I’m not a vegan but I definitely eat less meat these days and I think we can all appreciate a diet that is rich in fruits and veggies.
The lower costs
The highest cost in terms of making a food product for a food truck by far is meat.
Cutting meat out of the equation and off the menu will, therefore, help with a healthier bottom line.
Less risk
When food prepping you have to use different chopping boards and areas for meat, fish, fruit, and veg. This is to reduce the risk of bacteria and food poisoning.
Running a meatless operation will, therefore, reduce the risks of cross-contamination making it a safer more efficient operation.
Helping the environment
Meat production is putting a large strain on our ecosystem and a major contributor to greenhouse gases.
Therefore anything that can help to reduce the strain by consuming less meat (especially red meat) can only be a good thing, right?
1. Indian Street food
There are naturally a lot of meatless vegan dishes in the Indian food repertoire.
This is, therefore, a great type of food for someone looking for vegan food truck menu ideas.
Indian food truck menu ideas:
– Gobi Aloo wrap – Cauliflower, potatoes, red lentil hummus
– Aloo Matar – Pea and potato curry
– Pav Bhaji – Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, green peppers, green peas and spices
– Vegetable samosas
2. Vegan dirty burgers
Who doesn’t love a good burger aye? They have been one of the most popular food truck items for many years now and continue to be.
However, as people’s eating habits have changed so are the offers from food truck traders. Namely vegan burgers.
They are pretty easy to make in bulk or there are a number of companies you can source from.
Beyond Meat and Impossible are a few vegan burger companies currently breaking through.
Vegan burger food truck menu ideas:
– Mushroom and bean burger
– Smoky mushroom and jackfruit
– Sweet potato and black bean
3. Loaded fries
Loaded fries are an easy one for the vegan market. You can use both sweet potato fries or regular white potatoes and the stuff you can load them with is pretty much endless.
Loaded fries food truck menu ideas:
– Kimchi-loaded fries
– Tofu bacon and vegan nacho cheese
– Mushrooms, BBQ sauce and Jalapenos
4. Vegan tacos
Vegan taco food truck menu ideas:
– Quinoa mince
– BBQ mushrooms
– Cannellini beans and asparagus
– Jackfruit carnitas
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5. Vegan burritos
The Mexican burrito is a versatile dish that can be filled with all sorts of vegan delights. Instead of carnitas (shredded beef) or chicken think BBQ jackfruit or smoked tofu.
Vegan burrito food truck menu ideas:
– Black bean and smoked tofu
– Sweet potato, cauliflower, walnut taco meat
– BBQ shredded jackfruit
6. Vegan dogs
Vegan hotdogs were lacking in the flavour department for many years but this has all changed.
There are a number of innovative companies now selling some very good-tasting vegan hotdogs (Beyond Meat and Trader Joe’s to name but a few).
Sure you can make your own, but this can be time-consuming and you may have to make a lot to keep up with demand.
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7. Vegan kebabs
I’ve not seen many food trucks serving vegan kebabs so there may be a good opportunity here.
Instead of using chicken or lamb use tofu along with whatever veg tickles your fancy.
Kebabs can be served in wraps or naked on skewers with rice and a tasty dressing.
Vegan kebab food truck menu ideas:
– Smoked tofu and potato with ginger-garlic teriyaki dressing
– Mushroom, courgette, and red pepper with ginger-garlic Teriyaki dressing
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8. Vegan Caribbean
One of my favorite national cuisines of all time!
I have to confess I don’t usually eat the vegan options when I go for a Caribean but there are definitely some tasty-looking dishes to choose from.
Vegan Caribbean food truck menu ideas:
– Caribbean jerk chill – Coconut milk base, red beans, sweet bell pepper, juicy mango lime juice
– Vegan Caribbean bowl – Chickpea curry, roasted plantain and coconut rice
9. Vegan grilled cheese
This is another type of vegan food that is pretty hard and time-consuming to make in the quantities needed for a food truck.
As long as the quality is there and ideally you are sourcing from a local company I don’t see any problem with buying this from a third party.
Dr Cow, Miyoko’s Kitchen, and Heidi Ho are well-known and reputable vegan cheese brands.
10. Vegan pizza
One of the staple foods on the food truck scene and for very good reason.
It’s delicious, relatively easy to make, has a good mark up and there are loads of toppings to choose from.
Vegan pizza food truck menu ideas:
– Vegan cheese, red pepper, tomato
– Vegan cheese, tomato, spinach, olives
11. Falafels
Middle Eastern food is another personal favorite of mine and for anyone looking for a vegan option, falafels are always a good choice.
A lot of people are familiar with this type of food so it shouldn’t be a case of a hard sell.
12. Vegan ice cream
There are a few vegan ice cream food trucks opening in my home town which seem to get pretty busy.
Booja Booja springs to mind who are now supplying supermarkets.
There are two ways you can sell vegan ice cream from a food truck. Either make your own or sell someone else’s product (like vegan cheese and burgers).
If you go for the latter make sure it’s high quality.
13. Vegan Thai
Spicy and delicious there are plenty of vegan options to serve your hungry customers when it comes to Thai food.
Vegan Thai food truck menu ideas:
– Pad Thai Tofu
– Thai Vegetable spring rolls
– Thai pumpkin curry
14. Mobile juice & smoothie bar
Juice and smoothies are a match made in heaven for vegans and vegetarians. It’s pretty much fruit and veg and not very much else.
The array of different ingredients available makes it easy to come up with menu ideas and keep them fresh (excuse the pun).
Juice and smoothie food truck menu ideas:
– Orange, carrot, lemon, ginger (juice)
– Apple, beetroot, carrot, lemon
– Watermelon, mango, pineapple (smoothie)
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15. Jacket Sweet Potato
Not just any potato, but sweet potato. Versatile, healthy, and relatively cheap to produce.
And just like loaded fries, you will have a wide selection of toppings to choose from.
Vegan jacket potato food truck menu ideas:
– loaded with vegan chili
– Loaded with vegan cheese, onions and beans
– Loaded with Thai pumpkin curry
16. Vegan Crepes
Thin and crispy French crepes are a popular food truck item and can be served with both sweet and savory fillings.
Vegan crepes food truck menu ideas:
– Peanut butter, banana with agave syrup (sweet)
– Banana, blueberry, and strawberry with vegan ice cream (sweet)
– Vegan cheese, mushroom, tomato (savory)
Author
Gavin D is the founder of Street Food Central and Tru Foo Juice Bar Co. and has worked in the mobile catering industry for over 7 years.