Top Vegetarian Recipes
These vegetarian dishes are loaded with flavor from grains and vegetables like sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, bulgur wheat, butternut squash, quinoa and more. You'll love our satisfying combos for main dishes, soups and salads.
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Sweet Potato with Moroccan Chickpeas
Like chili on a baked potato—except so much more alluring, with caramelized roasted sweet potato and spiced chickpeas. Tie it all together with lemon-tahini dressing, fresh mint and dreams of far-off places.
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Hearty Vegetarian Chili
Many vegetarian chilies eat more like soups, but ours is built to satisfy a meat-lover. Bulgur wheat and mushrooms combine to mimic the texture and flavor of ground beef; chili powder, smoked paprika and chocolate stout lend deep, authentic flavor without a long simmer.
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Roasted Cauliflower and Tomatoes with Olives and Garlic Breadcrumbs
The details that elevate this recipe from a typical roasted dish are the briny olives and crispy breadcrumbs. Any olive works, but chef Abra Berens, author of Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, uses a bright green Sicilian variety called Castelvetrano.
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Roasted Butternut Burrito Bowls
You can have this deliciously nutritious Mexican-inspired meal on the table in under an hour--or even less if you cheat and use precooked brown rice!
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Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa and Spinach
Cheesy peppers hold a combo of grains and vegetables for a satisfying veggie dinner.
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Green Bean and Tofu Stir Fry
Extra-firm tofu is the choice for this quick, pretty and nourishing dish. It's least likely to stick in the pan or fall apart when turned.
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Hummus-Sesame Sweet Potatoes
Hummus makes an unexpected but tasty partner with sweet potatoes for this vegetarian main dish. Sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds and broccoli add flavor and texture.
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Red Lentil Dal with Zucchini
A staple on the Indian subcontinent, dal spans a whole category of bean dishes. It sometimes has a loose texture, but this version—thick like a stew and bolstered with zucchini—satisfies as a meat-free meal.
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Tuscan Bean Soup
Flecked with a grab bag of hearty vegetables, this healthy soup hums with garlic and crushed red pepper. The recipe comes from La Soupe, a nonprofit cafe in Cincinnati. Opt for the vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
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Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes and Lentils
This recipe comes from chef Abra Berens' book Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables. Don't be alarmed by cooking beans this long. Make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth and skipping the Parmesan.
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Laap Tofu
Laap (or larb, as it's often spelled) is an herby ground meat or tofu salad that's eaten across Thailand and is traditionally scooped with rice or lettuce. This super simple, healthful dish is a favorite of chef Shayn Prapaisilp, whose family owns four Thai restaurants (including Chao Baan)Â and two grocery stores in St. Louis.
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Three Sisters Corn-and-Chili Chowder
Corn, beans, and squash provide the protein in this creamy vegetarian soup.
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Bean-Mushroom Sloppy Joes
Canned beans supply fill-you-up protein at a fraction of the cost, fat and calories of ground beef or turkey. In our sloppy joes, we dress navy beans in mustardy tomato sauce that has all the familiar flavor of the meaty original.
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Chili Verde with Corn Bread Croutons
Bulgur wheat lends meaty texture, fiber and protein to soups and stews, where it can cook in the broth. In our sweet and savory chili, we match the grain with salsa verde, peppers and edamame for a weeknight meal that makes it oh-so-easy to be green.
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Roasted Kale, Tomato and Chickpea Salad with Wheat Berries
Our hearty salad tastes equally good warm from the pan, cold from the fridge or even at room temperature, so it's perfect for make-ahead meals and leftover lunches. Other grains, such as barley, faro or wild rice, also work well in this salad. Skip the Parm for a vegetarian entree.Â
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Penne with Lentils and Feta
Hearty and wholesome, this pasta salad is loaded with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, lentils, salty cheese and parsley, all cloaked in a light and bright red wine vinaigrette.
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Peperonata with Potatoes and Egg
This classic Italian braised-pepper stew freezes beautifully. Abra Berens suggests heaping it over potatoes (or even pasta, polenta or couscous) and topping it with a poached or boiled egg. This recipe is from her book Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables.
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Vegan Gumbo
If you usually walk past the okra at the farmers market, stop-and make this nutritious meat-and dairy-free take on the New Orleans classic. The recipe comes from Lachelle Cunningham, who is a chef and advocate for the Twin Cities soul food scene.
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Harvest Lentil Salad
Packed with healthy nutrients, this dish is perfect for any occasion. Serve as a side with a pork tenderloin roast or turkey breast or as a meat-free dinner salad with warm, crusty wheat rolls.
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Quinoa Harvest Chili
This hearty and uber-healthy vegetarian chili recipe comes from Brianne Jamerson of Indiana. If you'd prefer a looser texture, just add extra water or broth.
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Mushroom-Lentil Meatless Shepherd's Pie
Worcestershire sauce and mushrooms are rich in umami -- the savory flavor our brains associate with meat. We used both in our shepherd's pie, a low-fat, high-fiber, 'tater-topped casserole that delivers 100 percent of your daily comfort.
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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Zucchini, Almonds and Feta
You could make a meal of this dish: caramelized zucchini, crunchy almonds, salty cheese and hearty quinoa, all dressed in honey-basil vinaigrette. The recipe comes from Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio.
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Hidden Veggie Spaghetti with Ricotta
Plain old spaghetti? Look closer. Grated cauliflower uncannily mimics the texture of ground beef in chilies and sauces like our stove-top marinara. (We added shredded carrot, too, for sweetness and extra nutrients.)
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Lentil and Rice Summer Salad
This is a fab potluck salad. If you make it for dinner at home, try it topped with a salmon fillet or, for a vegetarian entree, served over spinach or other salad greens. (A word of warning: Don't substitute a different rice. Arborio, the type used in risotto, definitely works best.) The recipe comes from the blog A Couple Cooks.
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Fusion Bowl with Tofu and Soft-Cooked Egg
Carrot matchsticks, shiitake mushrooms and tender Napa cabbage hide in a tangle of chewy udon noodles. The tofu acts like a sponge, soaking up a sweet-and-spicy honey-Sriracha marinade.
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Quinoa with Summer Vegetables
Almonds add a satisfying crunch to the mixture of zucchini, sweet peppers, green onions and quinoa. Â
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Skillet White Beans
Gluten can sneak into baked bean recipes, but not this one. Maple syrup adds a sweet finish.
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Chimichurri Quinoa and Corn Patties
Fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro and oregano add zest to these healthy patties, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.Â
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Winter Tabbouleh with Fennel and Cranberries
This delicious and healthy twist on a traditional Middle Eastern parsley salad features protein-rich quinoa, cranberries, sunflower seeds and crisp fennel.
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Bean and Sweet Potato Patties with Lime-Jalapeno Cream
Because canned beans can be mushy, pair them with crunchy ingredients. Our sweet potato, quinoa and pinto bean patties had plenty of smoky, garlicky flavor. But when we added walnuts and served them over crisp romaine, they soared.
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Honey-Soaked Quinoa Salad with Cherries & Cashews
Fresh cherries or grapes, chopped cashews and sliced dried apricots add pops of flavor and color to this lovely gluten-free salad.
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Chickpea Sandwich Filling
This nifty mayo-dressed salad uses healthy and budget-friendly chickpeas instead of the traditional tuna, hard-cooked eggs or chicken. Try it in a sandwich or wrap or over a bed of greens.