The rule of thumb when it comes to consuming carbohydrates is that the more complex the design of the carb, the better it is for you. Complex carbohydrates “pack in more nutrients than simple carbs,” plus they’re also “higher in fiber and digest more slowly.” This means that they’re not only more nutritious for our bodies, but they’re also generally lower on the glycemic index (causes less flux in your blood sugar) and are more satiating. Complex carbohydrates are great for managing type 2 diabetes, promote bowel regularity, and are known to help control cholesterol.
In contrast,simplecarbohydrates are plain old sugars lacking a foundation of nutrients, which are found in raw and brown sugar, corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, and sucrose (found in a variety of foods including dairy and fruit), and fruit juice concentrate.
Complex carbs are strong in the plant-based food world and can be found in fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, whole grains, whole wheat bread, oats, peas, and rice, to name just a few. Narrowing down the best complex carb options focuses on whole grains, — quinoa, buckwheat, and whole-wheat pasta — fiber-rich fruits, — apples, berries, and bananas — fiber-rich veggies, — broccoli, leafy greens, carrots, and pretty much any veggie you enjoy — and pretty much any bean you fancy!
Boost your complex carb and nutrient diversity intake by mixing and matching between these sources. Here are 15 recipes to get you started!
We also highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! And, don’t forget to check out our Whole Foods Archives!
1. Apple Quinoa Salad
Source: Apple Quinoa Salad
This Apple Quinoa Salad recipe by Desiree Rodriguez combines two of the best complex carbohydrates — quinoa and apples! Great for the digestive system, this salad also offers a great source of protein, healthy fat, vitamin, and minerals from a mixture of fruit, herbs, and aromatics.
2. Hydrating Super Green Smoothie
Source: Hydrating Super Green Smoothie
Apples are a great complex carb option due to their naturally high content of a special gut-friendly fiber called pectin. This Hydrating Super Green Smoothie recipe by Caroline Doucet combines the complex carb-energizing powers of apples with those from fiber and nutrient-dense kale. Plus, you’ll get a dose of healthy fat from hemp hearts, and extra hydration from water-rich cucumber, all of which have a higher absorption rate thanks to lemon juice!
3. Broccoli Noodle Soup
Source: Broccoli Noodle Soup
This Broccoli Noodle Soup recipe by Kristina Humphreys is the perfect complex carbohydrate mashup sourcing high-nutrient carbs from broccoli and fiber and protein-packed carbs from brown rice noodles. Great for these last few months of cold semi-spring weather!
4. Nourishing Black Bean Burger With Thousand Island Dressing
Source: Nourishing Black Bean Burger With Thousand Island Dressing
You might think of chili when you think of beans, but in the plant-based world, beans are one of the best ingredients to use in the creation of a burger! This Nourishing Black Bean Burger With Thousand Island Dressing recipe by Maria Koutsogiannis is an excellent, fun, family-friendly burger recipe to infuse your day with complex carbohydrates, specifically black beans and brown rice.
5. Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Spiced Sweet Potato Frosting
Source: Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Spiced Sweet Potato Frosting
Just because it’s a healthy carbohydrate doesn’t mean it can’t be a decadent dessert! This Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Spiced Sweet Potato Frosting recipe by Molly Patrick uses complex carbohydrate favorite buckwheat — the groat version — along with gluten-free millet to create those chocolatey-dense cupcakes, all topped off with complex carb veggie champion sweet potato frosting!
6. Jerk Lentils With Coconut Rice and Fried Banana
Source: Jerk Lentils With Coconut Rice and Fried Banana
This Jerk Lentils With Coconut Rice and Fried Banana recipe by Jenny Connelly is a great example of diversifying your complex carbohydrates. Along with lentils, this recipe calls for complex carb-rich bananas and kidney beans. To make ittruly and exclusively complex carb friendly, swap out the white rice for some brown rice.
7. Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce
Source: Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce
This Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce recipe by Natalie Martin MS, RD, and Lexie Staten MS RD is a great example of a grain-free, complex carbohydrate-rich meal option. Sourcing complex carbs from kale, carrots, onion, and peanuts, this recipe is also rich in natural and healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals found in peanut butter, lime juice, garlic, and fresh ginger.
8. Chickpea Turnip Meatballs
Source: Chickpea Turnip Meatballs
Make a big batch of these complex carb-friendly Chickpea Turnip Meatballsby Ashley Madden at the beginning of the month, freeze half, and enjoy the other half on a variety of dishes! These are not only rich in those wonderful complex carbohydrates, but they’re also a great source of plant-based protein and a slew of vitamins and minerals.
9. Whole Wheat Radicchio Ravioli
Source: Whole Wheat Radicchio Ravioli
This Whole Wheat Radicchio Ravioli recipe by Valentina Chiappa is a great way to infuse your day with veggie and grain-sourced complex carbs, specifically whole wheat and radicchio. These healthy ravioli are filled with protein and nutrient-rich tofu and leek, all topped off with a variety of anti-inflammatory spices, such as turmeric, cinnamon, oranges, and healthy fat-filled ingredients, such as pistachios and olive oil.
10. Blueberry Molasses Smoothie
Source: Blueberry Molasses Smoothie
This Blueberry Molasses Smoothie recipe by Kennedy Kitchings offers a super sweet treat that’s also nutrient-rich — thanks to blackstrap molasses! — and a great source of complex carbs — from those blueberries and bananas!
11. Baked Potatoes with Mushroom and Spinach
Source: Baked Potatoes with Mushroom and Spinach
This Baked Potatoes with Mushroom and Spinach recipe by Hannah Sunderani packs a powerful complex carbohydrate punch with baked potatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and almond butter. A super healthy, wonderfully satiating, simple dinner recipe!
12. Oil-Free White Bean Chili
Source: Oil-Free White Bean Chili
This Oil-Free White Bean Chili recipe by Larice Feuerstein is yet another great complex carb-rich meal to make in a big batch! Chili recipes are one of the best freezable foods meaning you can still get a healthy dose of nutrients even on those nights that you just don’t want to cook.
13. Quinoa Plantain Pancakes
Source: Quinoa Plantain Pancakes
Start the day right with super tasty complex carbohydrates! This Quinoa Plantain Pancakes recipe by Mitra Shirmohammadi dumps simple carb white flour for superfood quinoa and complex carb fruit favorite plantain or large banana. This is also one of the healthiest pancake recipes you’ll find sourcing the natural fiber-packed sugar from the banana with the optional use of maple syrup.
14. Quinoa Pear Salad
Source: Quinoa Pear Salad
Combine, combine, combine! This Quinoa Pear Salad recipe by Medha Swaminathan uses multiple complex carbs such as quinoa, pear, and avocado. Nutrient-dense, naturally sweet, and super light, this is the perfect mid-day meal or side dish at the dinner table.
15. Hearty 15-Bean and Vegetable Stew
Source: Hearty 15-Bean and Vegetable Stew
This Hearty 15-Bean and Vegetable Stew recipe by Nutritious Delicious is the ultimate complex carb recipe! Almost every ingredient offers a source of those brain and body-boosting carbs including 15 different types of beans, onion, carrot, swiss chard, two different types of mushrooms, and even tomatoes!
Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content.Click here to Support Us
Easy Ways to Help the Planet:
- Eat Less Meat:DownloadFood Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of ourfavorite vegan cookbooks.
- Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint:Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands likeTiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade repeatedly.
- Support Independent Media:Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing high-quality content. Please considersupporting usby donating!
- Sign a Petition:Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list ofmust-sign petitionsto help people, animals, and the planet.
- Stay Informed:Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing toour newsletter!
- Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!
