By Amy Burger, VRG Intern

Video-sharing app TikTok launched in the US in 2016 and its popularity has grown steadily since, especially as Americans stayed home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to viral dance routines and challenges, the platform is a great source for vegan recipe inspiration, notably from these five creators:

@eat_figs_not_pigs: Ashley Hankins has combined her interest in food with her passion for veganism, which she shares through recipes like her sticky baked Korean barbecue tofu bites. Hankins recently published a cookbook, Make it Vegan, and has frequently appeared on Fresno-area morning show “Great Day Kitchen” to show off her cooking.

@iamtabithabrown: Tabitha Brown’s soothing narration and catchphrases including “like so, like that” and “because that’s my business” are her signature on the app, where she shares creative original recipes. After her carrot bacon video took her viral, Brown was featured in magazines and on television; she now has her own show, All Love, on the Ellen Digital Network.

@plantcenteredprep: Ashley Kitchens was raised on a beef farm, and after becoming a Registered Dietitian, transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle. Her TikTok videos educate viewers about the basics of vegan nutrition using evidence-based research, and she shares tips for healthy meal planning. Her epic breakfast wrap is a simple, yet tasty recipe that’s easy to customize.

@thekoreanvegan: Joanne Molinaro is a lawyer by day, but she’s known on TikTok for beautifully-narrated videos in which she pairs personal anecdotes with vegan recipes. Molinaro’s stories cover her family’s origins in and escape from North Korea and Molinaro’s own personal life, while her recipes show veganized Korean entrées as well as baked goods like her easy blueberry lemon muffins.

@veganjenni: Jenni Poole’s TikTok account chronicles her vegan lifestyle. Videos show how to shop vegan, tips for transitioning to veganism, recipes (a recent post showed how to make vegan mozzarella sticks), and her activism work. Poole also highlights the work of other vegan content creators, and recently started a vegan book club.

While these five creators consistently post outstanding TikTok videos, they all have a presence on Instagram, and most also have websites and Facebook pages, for those who don’t want to commit to yet another social media platform. Their content is definitely worth watching, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else they do next.