We are basically pescatarian and my husband can’t tolerate dairy so I cook vegan all the time. I don’t typically use recipes, though.
For young adults I would do build your own burrito bowl or make your own tacos. You guys can have ground beef or chicken if you want and they can have beans. You can buy Daiya vegan cheese if you think they would like it. I usually make rice because I like rice, but it’s not necessary. We eat a lot of tofu so might include that or some other fake meat, but it’s not necessary if you’re not comfortable cooking with it. Just beans, rice, peppers, zucchini, onions, corn, avocado (or guac), maybe some mango if you’re feeling fruity, lettuce, lots of cilantro and lime, could sauté some mushrooms, sweet potatoes are always a nice addition if you like them. I like sweet red bell peppers and maybe some fresh or pickled jalapeños.
Veggie pasta is always easy too. Use a jarred sauce or just fresh veggies. I like to sauté fresh tomatoes, onions, and garlic, with other veggies like zucchini and mushrooms, maybe asparagus or peas and lemon. Have real and/or fake parmesan as a condiment.
And most Asian foods are easily made vegan with tofu. I like those Momofuku noodles (Wegman’s carries them and so does Costco, the Trader Joe’s version is pretty good too). Just chop up a bunch of veggies and tofu and saute with a little soy sauce (the veggies need their own seasoning, but the noodles come with a seasoning packet). Just leave out the fish sauce.
A veggie summer roll would be great too. I need to make those soon. They are so refreshing this time of year. Get your rice paper wrappers and wrap lots of veggies!
Falafels are great for vegans. Just leave off the tzatziki (made with yogurt, or make your own with soy yogurt). Hummus and baba ganoush are already vegan as is the falafel. You can buy frozen falafels to make it easy. We do make your own falafel night fairly often.
You could do a vegan risotto. Just use veggie broth instead of chicken broth. I like the Beyond Boullion brand, specifically the “no chicken”, but you can buy veggie broth in a carton from Pacific brand or other brands. Remember that parmesan can be a condiment and doesn’t go into the risotto.
Hit me up if you need more suggestions. I haven’t cooked with real dairy in 30 years (except butter, because that doesn’t bother my husband, but margarine is an easy sub there). Cheese is only used as a condiment in my house. I don’t buy cow milk. Like I literally don’t remember the last time I had it in the house. Soy milk or any of the other alternative milks usually sub just fine 1 to 1.
Loveandlemons.com has lots of good vegetarian and vegan recipes to browse. Vegan Dinner Recipes - Love and Lemons