The first useful plant-based meal is not necessarily the most impressive one. It is the dinner you can imagine making again when you are tired and the kitchen is untidy.
Choose something close to food you already enjoy: tomato pasta with beans, a baked potato with toppings, or a simple soup. Read the whole method, buy a manageable amount, and notice which step requires the most attention.
After eating, change one thing for next time. Perhaps the sauce needs more water, the onion should be smaller, or the portion was too large. Repeating the meal lets you use that observation instead of starting from zero with another unfamiliar recipe.
You can build variety later. One dependable dinner is already a practical addition to your week, and it gives you a calmer place from which to try the next ingredient.
The second attempt is where it starts to feel easier
On the first evening, you are reading, finding equipment, and learning the sequence at the same time. On the second, you know which pan fits and when the garlic goes in. That frees attention for the food itself.
Keep the basic ingredients similar, then use the one adjustment you noticed. If the sauce was dry, reserve more liquid. If the vegetables were uneven, change the cuts. Do not redesign the whole meal simply because you now feel more confident.
After two or three attempts, decide whether it deserves a place in your rotation. The answer can be no. A recipe may be perfectly reasonable and still require more chopping than you want on a weekday. Keep the skill you learned and choose a meal that fits your actual routine. Reliability includes wanting to cook it again.