Hawaiian-Style Vegan Recipes
Cookbooks and free recipe collections for plant-based island cooking. Updated October 7, 2026.
Cookbooks
Aloha Veggies, by Alana Kysar
More than 100 plant-based recipes for local Hawaiʻi favorites, including loco moco, poke, mochiko, potato mac salad, huli huli tofu, and island desserts. Kysar is Hawaiʻi-born and lives in Kula, Maui. Published in 2026.
Tasting Hawaiʻi Vegan Style, by Lillian Cumic
More than 120 plant-based, gluten-free recipes, including local favorites, an entire poke chapter, vegan seafood, and vegan cheeses.
Hawaiʻi: A Vegan Paradise, by Lillian Cumic
More than 120 plant-based recipes from the islands, including tofu poke, loco moco, Hawaiian saimin, chik’n long rice, potato mac salad, haupia, and poi andagi.
Free Recipe Collections
Vegan ʻUlu and Kalo Recipes, Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative
A large collection from a Hawaiʻi farm cooperative, with vegan recipes using ʻulu, kalo, ʻuala, and other locally grown foods.
Vegetarian Recipes, Down to Earth Organic & Natural
A Hawaiʻi-based recipe archive with many clearly labeled vegan dishes, including local favorites such as musubi, loco moco, saimin, poke, and huli huli tofu.
Moku Roots Holiday Vegan Recipes, Maui No Ka ʻOi Magazine
Five recipes from the former Maui restaurant Moku Roots, including lūʻau leaf and roasted garlic dip, macadamia nut cream, mac and cheese, garlic mashed potatoes with gravy, and kabocha pie.
Vegan Luau Menu, Vegetarian Resource Group
A complete plant-based luau menu with jackfruit lomi lomi and poke, tempeh with pineapple fire sauce, and two-tone haupia. This is a mainland interpretation, but it remains a useful collection.
Native Hawaiian Foods and Plant-Based Adaptations
Vegan Lau Lau
Lau lau is a traditional Hawaiian comfort food made by wrapping meat and fish in edible taro leaves. There are vegan alternatives.
Poi
A simple poi recipe using cooked taro and water.
Kūlolo, Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative
A baked version of the traditional kalo and coconut dessert, made with poi, mashed kalo, coconut milk, and coconut sugar.
Haupia, University of Hawaiʻi recipe archive
A naturally vegan haupia made with coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch, and water.
Watermelon Poke, Down to Earth
A vegan take on poke using marinated, baked watermelon, served on its own or over rice.
Hawaiʻi Local Favorites, Veganized
Vegan Spam Musubi, Chef Bryan Kennedy
Two versions of the Hawaiʻi favorite, one using plant-based Spam and one using baked tofu.
Smokey Tofu Musubi, Down to Earth
An easy tofu musubi that does not require a musubi mold.
Vegan Loco Moco, Down to Earth
Rice topped with a vegan burger patty, brown gravy, and a plant-based egg option.
Vegan Hawaiian Mac Salad
A dairy-free, egg-free version of the creamy macaroni salad found on many Hawaiʻi plate lunches.
Fried Saimin with Plant-Based Char Siu, Down to Earth
A Hawaiʻi party staple made vegan with vegetables, saimin noodles, and soy-curl char siu.
Vegan Chicken Long Rice
Bean-thread noodles, vegan chicken, ginger, garlic, scallions, and savory broth in a plant-based version of the Hawaiʻi staple.
Vegetarian Manapua with Mushrooms and Red Bean Paste
Steamed buns with savory mushroom filling or sweet red bean paste. Check packaged ingredients to keep the recipe fully vegan.
Vegan Plate Lunch
A full local-style plate lunch with tofu katsu, vegan beef teriyaki, macaroni salad, and rice.
Vegan Butter Mochi
A vegan, gluten-free version of the chewy coconut and mochiko dessert.
Hawaiian Malasadas, Chef Bryan Kennedy
A vegan version of Hawaiʻi-style malasadas, the Portuguese doughnuts that became a local favorite.
Island-Inspired Vegan Recipes
Baked Huli Huli Tofu, Down to Earth
Tofu baked in a sweet-savory huli huli sauce, suggested with rice and macaroni salad for a plate-lunch style meal.
BBQ Hawaiian Tofu Bowl
A tofu bowl with barbecue sauce, pineapple, rice, and vegetables.
Crispy Hawaiian Garlic Tofu
Crispy tofu in a sweet, savory garlic sauce.
Pineapple Teriyaki Jackfruit Sliders
Jackfruit sliders with pineapple teriyaki flavors.
Recipe links can change over time. If you find a broken link, please let us know so we may keep this collection current.