It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when planning meals, and this is especially common when your ingredient list and time are limited. This roundup of easy vegetarian recipes is anything but rabbit food or outlandishly complicated dishes. Each delicious idea is super satisfying (think: creamy soups, hearty casseroles, grain bowls, and more), and we promise they are beginner-friendly. And perhaps most importantly, these meatless meals won’t leave you hungry.
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Marinated Tofu Skewers
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
It doesn’t get much easier than a no-cook tofu flavored with a rich, flavor-packed marinade. The ingredient list might seem overwhelming, but you likely have a lot of it on hand, like EVOO, vinegar, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper. The umami kick comes from a combination of miso and nutritional yeast, which is balanced with lemon juice. Simply press to remove moisture, then soak the tofu in your marinade for up to five days.
Sweet and Spicy Cauliflower ‘Meatballs’
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
No one will miss the ground beef in these sweet and spicy (or swicy) bites. Quinoa and riced cauliflower create the meatless “meatball” base, which is held together with breadcrumbs and eggs. To make this appetizer or main vegan, find a binding egg substitute, like a mix of flaxseed and water.
Veggie Udon Stir Fry
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Vegetarian noodle dishes don’t need to lack flavor; just add an umami element to the sauce. This udon noodle stir fry has a sweet and savory dressing made with soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, mirin, and garlic. The veggies soften just enough to maintain some crunch, which makes this meal feel especially hearty and satisfying.
Gnocchi With Spring Vegetables
Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss
This creamy gnocchi is so delicious, everyone will be coming back for seconds. In addition to the seared potato or cauliflower dumplings, asparagus, peas, and sugar snap peas star in this vegetarian feast. Lemon-garlic sauce and Parmesan cheese top off the dish, which comes together in around 25 minutes.
Sesame-Crusted Tofu With Spicy Dipping Sauce
This vegetarian recipe will become a staple you can add to several recipes on this list, like salads, grain bowls, or soups. Each crispy tofu piece is coated in sesame seeds, five-spice powder, and cornstarch before frying. Don’t forget the garlic-chili dipping sauce, especially if serving as an appetizer. Add rice and steamed broccoli for a complete meal.
Spiced Sweet Potato Soup With Pistachio Dukkah
This pureed sweet potato soup is topped with a pistachio-seed version of dukkah, a Middle Eastern nut and spice blend. The extra step gives the comforting and nutritious soup a bit of texture. Ready in 30 minutes from start to finish, add this quick soup recipe to your weeknight dinner menu.
Farro Bowl With Pomegranate Vinaigrette
As we’ve seen, a hearty vegetarian grain bowl is perfect for a filling meatless meal any night of the week. This recipe combines farro with sweet potatoes, fennel, and spinach. Top with cheese and a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette for added flavor.
Fancy Tomato Sandwiches
Whether you’re making these sandwiches for lunch or a casual dinner, they’re sure to hit the spot. Think of them as a BLT, but with cheese instead of bacon. The best part is an herbed salted butter slathered on both halves of the baguette.
Curry Tomato Soup With Naan Croutons
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
You don’t have to order takeout to enjoy a spicy vegetarian soup. To recreate this twist on a traditional favorite, all you have to do is caramelize onions with the recommended spices, simmer everything on the stovetop, then blend with an immersion blender. Top with a drizzle of butter or olive oil and serve with naan.
Butternut Squash Tartines
Victor Protasio
This tasty open-faced sandwich may look fancy, but we promise it’s easy to make. Start by roasting your squash, then mix olive oil, ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and black pepper to create a creamy base. Try substituting silken tofu for the cheese to make a vegan-friendly tartine.
Hearty Black Bean Chili
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
From the cookbook A Couple Cooks: 100 Recipes to Cook Together by Sonja and Alex Overhiser, this cozy chile is packed with pantry ingredients for a simple and totally satisfying meal. It also serves six and is freezer-friendly. If you have extra, stash it in the freezer for an easy dinner down the road.
Easy Green Shakshuka
Greg DuPree
This recipe from Ali Rosen’s cookbook 15 Minute Meals includes a few super-smart shortcuts. First, instead of washing and cooking fresh spinach, opt for frozen. Second, canned artichokes add meatiness and flavor to the dish. Third, jarred salsa verde is all you need for the tangy sauce.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Breakfast Tacos
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Food Stylist: Claire Spollen
Stuffed with sweet potatoes, canned black beans, avocado, and eggs, these breakfast burritos will leave you feeling full until lunch. The best thing is you can make and freeze them ahead of time for a quick meal when in a rush. And, trust us, they’re just as good for dinner as they are for breakfast.
Khichdi
VICTOR PROTASIO; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Have a bunch of veggies in your fridge you’re not sure how to use before they go bad? Consider this hearty khichdi recipe from chef and recipe developer Ashley Lonsdale. This classic South Asian dish is made with rice, split mung beans, red lentils, and lots of vegetables, creating a thick, porridge-like dish perfect for a cozy night in.
Za’atar Tofu Skewers With Tomato Salad and Hummus
Jennifer Causey
Pack in the protein with this tasty, easy to make vegetarian dinner. Tofu and chickpeas (via the hummus) are the stars here, but a spice blend of sumac, thyme, marjoram, and other Middle Eastern spices really make this dish pop. Add the refreshing tomato salad on the side, and you’ve got the perfect complete meal.
Mushroom and Farro Soup
Hearty, delicious, and comforting, this mushroom soup is full of veggies and whole-grain farro. White wine balances the flavors, and rosemary adds an earthy aroma. Pre-sliced wild mushrooms reduce the prep time, but whole mushrooms can be less expensive.
Orange-Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Get all the deliciousness of take-out with this scrumptious vegan meal. Coat the tofu in cornstarch and cook it with the broccoli on a sheet-pan in the oven. Mix together a simple glaze on the stove-top, toss the tofu and veg in it, and serve it all over rice.
Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pancakes
Breakfast for dinner is probably the best comfort food. These pancakes combine mashed sweet potatoes with traditional fall flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg for a tasty and better-for-you breakfast option. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup and chopped pecans.
Creamy Potato-Cabbage Soup
One of our most popular soup recipes ever, this one coaxes big flavor out of a few humble ingredients, including cabbage, onion, potatoes, and carrots. Round it all out with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh dill. To keep the soup entirely plant-based skip the sour cream. It will still be delicious!
Veggie Patties
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Flexibility is the name of the game with this veggie patties that use scraps you have on hand. Choose between squash and zucchini, cauliflower and broccoli, parsley and celery leaves, and chickpea and all-purpose flour to create the ultimate veggie patty. Flaxseed “egg” is the binder, making this a fully vegan option.
Sweet Potato and Kale Tortilla Soup
Soup is an excellent way to develop a ton of flavor without the meat. This nutrient-packed vegetarian soup features sweet potato and kale cooked in a spiced vegetable broth. In addition to freshly cooked tortilla strips, top with avocado, cilantro, and radishes for a warming meal.
Parm e Pepe Spaghetti
If this creamy pasta sounds and tastes a bit like cacio e pepe, it’s because it takes cues from the classic Roman dish. This version is made with a rich and bold cheese and pepper sauce, but Parmesan stands in for the typical Pecorino Romano. Top the noodles with a walnut-parsley mixture to add a crunch and freshness to the easy weeknight meal for vegetarians.
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Christopher Testani
Spaghetti squash is filled to the brim with alfredo sauce and twice-baked until tender in this comforting gluten-free vegetarian dish. To make it vegan, sub the traditional alfredo sauce for a creamy cauliflower and cashew milk version.
Tofu Fried Rice
Fred Hardy
With just one pan and 25 minutes, this fried rice recipe is a breeze to get together. The rice and protein-rich tofu crisp up in the pan, while absorbing flavor from ginger, turmeric, and garlic. Before serving, cilantro and lemon juice are stirred into the rice, and yogurt is drizzled on top.
Superfood Lentil Salad
Eat more of the top superfoods with this scrumptious and satiating salad packed with charred zucchini, golden raisins, lentils, and roasted sunflower seeds. The healthy ingredients are tied together thanks to a fresh sunflower seed vinaigrette you’ll want to put on everything.
Skillet Baked Eggs with White Beans and Mushrooms
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Food Stylist: Claire Spollen
You won’t believe how much flavor there is in this one-pan meal. Start by browning mushrooms. Add some kale, and make a creamy sauce with flour and milk. Stir in some canned beans, and add a few eggs. After about 10 minutes in the oven, a protein-filled dinner will be ready to serve.
Crispy Mushroom Reuben Sandwiches
Believe it or not, you can have a corned beef sandwich without the beef. Well, sort of. In this version of the deli-inspired dish, healthy mushrooms stand in for meat. These mushrooms taste meaty and savory thanks to their high umami content. What’s more, this outrageously delicious sandwich also includes a flavorful dressing made with tomato paste, horseradish, soy sauce, melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and rye bread.
Roasted Butternut Squash With Tahini Sauce
It’s no secret that roasted chopped butternut squash is delicious, but pairing the gourd with tahini takes it to a whole new level. The creamy sesame paste highlights the veggie’s sweet notes and creates a perfectly balanced bite. Toasted pepitas and sesame seeds add some much-needed crunch, while fresh cilantro brings a bit of freshness.
Fennel, Leek, and Wild Mushroom Gratin
Victor Protasio
You’ll just need 30 minutes of hands-on time to prepare this golden cheesy vegetarian bake for the oven. The dish is full of fresh and hearty ingredients like wild mushrooms, Gruyère and Parmesan cheese, fennel, and leeks which make it full of contrasting flavor and texture. It’s a side dish that brings all the comfort and is sure to delight your crew.
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes
Complete with wings, chili, and pigs in a blanket, a typical game-day spread isn’t exactly a vegetarian-friendly menu. Surprise the meat lovers of the bunch with a vegetarian chili that’s delicious and chock-full of hearty ingredients like beans, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Just don’t be surprised when it, too, becomes a family favorite.
Grilled Portobello and Cheese Burgers
Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Carla Gonzalez Hart
Vegetarians also deserve a mouthwatering burger hot off the grill. In this version, meaty portobello mushrooms and salty cheese get their time on the grates before being layered onto buns with creamy yogurt, arugula, and a rich Romesco sauce.
Skillet Polenta in Creamy Tomato Sauce
Raid your pantry for this one-pan vegetarian dinner, made with cooked polenta, canned tomatoes, and white beans. Start by hand-crushing the whole peeled tomatoes before simmering them with oregano-scented onions to make a flavorful sauce. Add white beans and tuck tender pieces of polenta into the delicious sauce before popping it under the broiler to create a satisfyingly crispy top.
Tofu and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps
Fred Hardy
The star of this lettuce wrap recipe is the tofu, which is grated before being browned in a skillet with umami-rich flavors like soy, shiitake mushrooms, and sweet hoisin sauce. Piled high on a lettuce cup with fluffy jasmine rice and crunchy scallions, and the protein becomes completely satisfying—and delicious.
Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon
This veggie-filled soup combines butternut squash, lentils, carrots, a cornucopia of spices, and harissa paste, which adds some welcome heat to each bite. Top it off with roasted almonds and chopped parsley. Serve the whole thing alongside toasted pita bread and plain yogurt. You’ll have a meat-free meal on the table in 35 minutes.
Roasted Eggplant With Miso and Sesame Seeds
In this Asian-inspired vegetarian recipe, the eggplants roast at high heat, making the outside skin crispy and the inside succulent. The rich miso dressing gives it a salty umami flavor that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Serve over a bed of cooked whole grains (like brown rice or farro) with lots of fresh herbs for an easy and impressive vegetarian meal.
Lemony Chopped Salad With Pita
This gorgeous chopped salad from Bare Minimum Dinners by Jenna Helwig features roasted chickpeas and pita bread croutons. Along with fresh ingredients like radishes and cucumbers, you also get a hint of mint for a refreshing, crisp taste.
Red Lentil Curry
This vegetarian curry—packed with red lentils, carrots, potatoes, and warm spices—is comfort in a bowl. While this meal requires a fair amount of ingredients (most of which are kitchen staples), it comes together in about 30 minutes. Just be sure to serve it with some naan; you’ll want something to sop up every last drop of the savory broth.
Summer Nachos
Called summer nachos for the variety of summer vegetables in the recipe, these vegetarian nachos are easy-to-make and will satisfy the entire family. Full of healthy veggies like zucchini, corn, and red cabbage, top them with an avocado-yogurt cream, scallions, and cilantro for tasty nachos you’ll enjoy any time of the year.
Black Bean-Oat Burger
A vegetarian burger can be surprising for even the biggest burger fan. Here, black beans and oats stand in for beef to form tasty vegan patties flavored with scallions, garlic, soy sauce, and chili powder. Our favorite part about this meal is that the patties can be frozen, meaning you can prepare a bunch at once and freeze the rest for the ultimate quick weeknight meal.
Slow-Cooker Black Bean and Spinach Enchiladas
This set-it-and-forget-it vegetarian dinner is full of flavor but takes minimal effort to prepare. Before you head out the door in the morning, stuff the tortillas with black beans, chopped spinach, corn, and grated Cheddar. A filling and meatless meal will be waiting for you when you get home at the end of the day.
Zucchini Pesto Pasta
Sure, you could use store-bought pesto to dress up a bowl of pasta, or you could whip up your own zucchini-cashew pesto that perfectly clings to a heaping helping of noodles. This dish pairs the homemade pesto with generous dollops of ricotta, fresh basil, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a drizzle of oil. We promise you won’t regret making this 25-minute meal.
Butternut Squash Bake With Wild Rice
Yes, this savory squash bake is a perfect vegetarian side dish for Thanksgiving, but it’s just as delicious the other 364 days a year. In addition to butternut squash, this comforting vegetarian casserole features wild rice, caramelized onions, and mushrooms, all bathed in a rosemary-infused cream.
Eggplant Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with minced meat, but this version swaps beef for a mixture of hearty eggplant, pearl onions, and carrots. The vegetarian pie is topped with the traditional mashed potato topper, making it the ultimate vegetarian comfort food dish.
Summer Squash Farro Bowl
This vegetarian dish is packed with tasty, nutritious foods. You’ve got a hearty farro base paired with chickpeas, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and sliced avocado. Oh, and the bowl is served alongside a rich Greek yogurt dressing.
Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl
Jen Causey
Jarred mole sauce is a time-saver in this dish, which takes just 35 minutes to make. The Mexican staple is paired with roasted cauliflower, black beans, quinoa, and arugula to create a meal that is both healthy and delicious.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad sandwich may use canned chickpeas instead of poultry, but the meatless mixture is still flavored with familiar ingredients such as celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. It’s perfect for a quick, light dinner on nights when you don’t feel like turning on the stove and also works as a tasty weekday lunch you can easily bring to work.
Toasted Israeli Couscous With Corn and Herbs
Combining fresh corn kernels with caramelized onions, couscous, and herbs, this hearty salad is a satisfying vegetarian meal. Serve as-is for lunch or dinner, or top with your favorite meat alternative.
Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
Upgrade a standard package of ramen noodles with a spicy Thai peanut sauce for a quick and easy meatless meal. Add a fried egg or tofu for a heartier, protein-filled dish.
Grilled Halloumi Salad
Grilled halloumi cheese is the star of this salad—an easy, quick vegetarian dinner. When combined with romaine, chickpeas, and kalamata olives, you get a flavorful and filling salad.
Lemony Pasta Salad With Cucumber
This pasta salad is packed with fresh ingredients and requires no mayonnaise, unlike many pasta salad recipes. While fantastic as a side dish for family barbecues, you could also eat it as-is for a vegetarian meal or add tofu or chickpeas for a more filling dinner.
Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries
While some cuisines include meat in their rice pilaf, this vegetarian version makes use of mushrooms and cranberries. The dried cranberries add a touch of sweetness, and the wild rice brings out the savoriness of the mushrooms. Serve with tofu or leave as-is for a delicious side dish.
Grilled Mediterranean Salad
Upgrade your typical pasta salad with grilled vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers. You could also add tomatoes or eggplants to the mix. Either way, you’ll have a filling and meatless dinner-worthy salad.
Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Coconut and Kale
A mashed sweet potato filling is stuffed back into the skins, then topped with cooked kale and toasted coconut. This vegetarian recipe has tons of flavor from the coconut, lime juice, and curry powder. Add a sprinkling of vegetarian-friendly cheese for another layer of flavor and texture.
Apple-Cheddar Quesadillas
Antonis Achilleos
You can have this nostalgic supper on the table in less than 30 minutes. The quesadilla filling requires only cheese, apples, and honey-mustard. And while we like a side salad of spinach and avocado, any green leafy will do.
Chickpea-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Full of fiber and protein, this easy vegetarian staple calls for canned chickpeas and sweet potatoes. After baking the sweet potatoes, fill them with the spiced chickpea mixture, then top with a bit of protein-filled yogurt or sour cream.
Sweet Potato Casserole With Coconut
Shredded coconut elevates traditional sweet potato casserole, giving it a sweeter flavor. Though it may seem like a dessert, this vegetarian recipe is hearty enough to be a side for any dinner spread. Also, your guests will appreciate the added nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes, like vitamin A and potassium.
Creamy Mushroom Soup With Chives
Cremini and shiitake mushrooms give the classic mushroom soup a rich, umami flavor. Potatoes and heavy cream add a creamy texture for a rich and comforting meal. Serve alongside your favorite crusty bread for dipping.
Sweet Potato Risotto
Vegetarians can never go wrong with risotto. Here, cubed sweet potatoes are sautéed with garlic before adding Arborio rice and cooking until creamy. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of oregano for a delectable and comforting meal.
