40 Italian Vegetarian Dishes

The first recipe on our list is naturally vegetarian and vegan (although some regions add sardines).

Caponata is veggie-packed with eggplant, olives, tomatoes, and capers. It's a Sicilian dish that you and your family will love.

Tomato bruschetta is crunchy, juicy, garlicky, and perfect as an Italian appetizer, and side dish.

The recipe is simple; you can make it in 10 minutes with a few basic ingredients.

Here's a scrumptious finger food made with tender eggplants and topped with a tasty tomato sauce and melty cheese.

This recipe is a sure hit with picky adults and kids alike and is a great starter and side dish.

The best way to make focaccia without getting your hands dirty is with a no-knead method.

Add tomatoes or rosemary on top and serve as a luxurious and crispy appetizer.

Italian rice balls are an irresistible recipe made with a leftover or cooled-down risotto. They are coated in crunchy breadcrumbs and fried until perfectly crisp and golden brown.

A perfect starter for guests and special occasions!

Crostini are small slices of crunchy toasted bread you can eat as an appetizer or easy side dish.

Everyone loves crostini because they are tasty and fun to eat. Top with vegetables, pesto, and cheese to accommodate all eaters.

This fried eggplant recipe is super crunchy outside and perfectly tender on the inside.

We make it with and without eggs, and it's suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Looking for a quick vegetarian dinner?

Try this 15-min dinner: tofu hugged in marinara sauce. A great main meal and meat substitute.

Beans, cabbage, tomato flavor, and herbs come together in this rustic Italian soup.

Perfect with crostini or sourdough bread and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.

Try these vegetarian meatballs with an aromatic marinara sauce and fresh herbs.

Served in a sub or on spaghetti, it's a rich and satiating vegetarian dinner!

You can make this vegetarian risotto dish in just over 30 minutes and serve it for a delicious and comforting family dinner.

Our recipe has vegan and vegetarian alternatives, plus ideas for cooking leftover risotto.

Instead of chicken with mushrooms, we use tofu for a 30-minute vegetarian meal idea.

It's a protein-rich dish with a restaurant-worthy look and flavor.

This pasta is naturally vegetarian, easy to make, and with the best and simplest ingredients from Italy.

Tomato, pasta, olive oil, and basil, it's a family-friendly dish that everyone will love.

Here's how to make garlic and oil pasta in under 15 minutes.

It's a tasty and simple dinner idea where you can easily add your favorite vegetarian toppings; try broccoli, cauliflower, or tofu.

Zucchini fritters pack a ton of flavor and are an excellent vegetarian meal for the whole family.

Our tip is to top them or dip them with tzatziki sauce, or marinara sauce for a light main dish.

These savory pancakes are gluten-free, and they're made with simple vegetarian ingredients, yet they are delicious and fulfilling.

Stuffed with sauteed mushrooms and spinach for a chewy and meat-free dinner.

Italian Eggplant Parmigiana is one of the tastiest eggplant dishes ever.

Its simplicity of ingredients, rich tomato flavor, and creamy texture will make you fall in love with this delicious meal.

Our vegan carbonara is a simple recipe that can be made in 15 minutes.

The taste of our carbonara sauce is similar to the taste of an authentic Italian carbonara but made vegetarian since there is no bacon.

Our pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian pasta dish made with a rich and creamy tomato sauce, tender roasted eggplants, and fresh basil.

Top your pasta with grated parmesan cheese for a vegetarian dinner.

Rigatoni Arrabbiata is an Italian pasta dish with a spicy tomato sauce.

This is a simple yet tasty recipe that you can make in just about 20 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.

Tofu pasta is a delicious vegan recipe with tasty crumbled tofu and a rich tomato sauce.

This is essentially a tofu bolognese that you can put together for a quick, easy, and nutritious meal in less than 30 minutes.

To make gnocchi, we follow the authentic recipe for Italian potato gnocchi.

They are easy to make at home, and you'll need just three ingredients and a fork.

This rice salad is adapted from the Italian rice salad and it's the perfect summer dish, easy to prepare in advance, and bring with you for a picnic outdoors.

This vegetarian tofu "fish" is soft, refreshing, juicy, lemony, and full of Mediterranean flavors.

It's oven-baked with Italian seasoning and wrapped in parchment paper to concentrate its aroma and keep it juicy.

You are going to love our zucchini boats because they are filled with an earthy lentil tomato mixture that tastes so good you won't believe there's no meat in it.

Our lentil bolognese is an Italian classic with an ultra-rich and hearty sauce.

It's perfect with pasta, lasagna, or zucchini noodles. A satiating vegetarian Sunday dinner.

Zucchini risotto is creamy, tasty, and easy to make in one pot with grated zucchini in just about 30 minutes.

Serve it with grated lemon zest and freshly ground pepper for a restaurant-worthy look.

This lentil soup is perfect as an everyday dinner.

Our Italian soup stores for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, and for up to 3 months in the freezer, making it excellent for meal-planning.

Our stuffed eggplant is delicious and easy to prepare, made with tender roasted eggplant boats and three different quick and easy stuffing.

This Italian bean stew is easy, fulfilling, and delicious, made with simple ingredients that you might already have in your pantry.

This soup is dairy-free and vegetarian, and a warming Italian dish for cold autumn and winter nights.

Expect a creamy, tasty, and comforting soup ready in just about 30 minutes.

Asparagus risotto is creamy to perfection, light, comforting, and nutritious.

If you love asparagus, you'll love it even more with this vegetarian risotto.

We might use tofu instead of chicken, but this meal is rich, earthy, meaty, and packed with the cacciatore flavor we all love so much.

You've never had tofu like this!

These cutlets are easy to make, with really basic, everyday ingredients, mixed together in a food processor, shaped into cutlets, and baked for just over 20 minutes.

Zucchini pasta, as in pasta with zucchini, is a creamy and easy one-pot recipe you can make as a quick dinner for the whole family.

Couscous with vegetables is a delicious way of enjoying couscous.

This is an easy Italian recipe that you can make in less than 30 minutes, with seasonal veggies and herbs.

Instead of meat, we add sauteed mushrooms to this creamy and veggie-packed pasta.

Ready in just 25 minutes and perfect as an everyday vegetarian dinner.

Inspired by an Italian recipe for lemon chicken, but we replaced the chicken fillet with tofu slices.

The result is a delicious meal that can be prepared in no time.

We finish this list with an Italian rustic salad with leftover bread, tomato, and crispy cucumber.

Panzanella is a delicious appetizer and side dish idea, and it's ideal for the spring and summer season when tomatoes are ripe and juicy.

Pasta e fagioli makes the coziest family dinner ever.

You can make it with simple and affordable plant-based ingredients, yet it tastes fantastic, and it's incredibly warming and satiating.