If you think vegetarian meals are all salads and side dishes, these 25 recipes will change your mind.
When Louise and I started cooking more plant-based, we had one rule: if dinner doesn’t make you want seconds, it doesn’t go on the blog. We learned fast that you don’t need meat to make food satisfying, just salt, spice, and a few simple steps.
These recipes are hearty, protein-packed, and full of the kind of cozy flavors you’d usually associate with slow-cooked meat dishes.
Think creamy pastas, rich lentil stew, and one-pan dinners that make your kitchen smell like heaven (without the cleanup).
If you try one thing from this list, make it the red lentil curry. It’s the recipe that convinced my dad, a lifelong meat-and-potatoes guy, that plants can absolutely hold their own.
Easy Pastas & Orzos
Comfort food meets quick weeknight dinners.
Creamy Lemon Orzo: Bright, silky, and done in 20 minutes. The trick is to stir it like risotto, it releases starch and makes everything feel luxuriously creamy without a drop of cream.
Mushroom ragu: Think classic Bolognese, but lighter and just as rich. Mushrooms bring a deep, meat-like flavor. Toss the sauce with spaghetti and a shaving of parmesan cheese.
Smashed broccoli pasta: This is my mom’s recipe to use up leftover broccoli and make a vegetarian meal out of it. It’s creamy without cream, quick to make, and perfect for a comforting Mediterranean diet dinner.
Greek pasta salad: Crunchy, tangy, and full of feta goodness. Let it sit for ten minutes so the dressing soaks in, it’s the easiest way to make weeknight dinner feel like a vacation.
One-pot lentil pasta: Everything cooks together: pasta, lentils, and sauce, and it somehow tastes slow-cooked. It’s so simple and proof that lentils can totally hold their own.
Protein-Packed Soups & Stews
These dinner ideas are filling, high-protein, and full of Mediterranean warmth.
Marry Me Butter Beans: A PlantBased School favorite for a reason. Creamy, tangy, and rich with sun-dried tomatoes, it’s proof that butter beans can steal the show.
Curry Lentil Soup: Quick, creamy, and loaded with warm spices. Toast your curry powder in oil first, it deepens the flavor like magic. We love this one with fluffy basmati rice or naan bread for dunking.
Mediterranean chickpea soup: Tomato passata, olive oil, and oregano give this chickpea soup a bright Mediterranean twist. Perfect served with crusty focaccia bread.
Vegetarian chili: Rich, smoky, and packed with beans, this chili proves you don’t need beef for depth. Louise and I serve it with a big scoop of guacamole and fresh pico de gallo.
Red Lentil Curry: Fast, fragrant, and full of flavor. The lentils melt into a silky sauce that feels indulgent but light. Louise and I love it with yogurt raita on top.
Fresh Bowls & Hearty Salads
Quick, colorful, and satisfying (even for meat eaters).
Peanut noodles: Your quick weekday fix for takeout cravings. The sauce is creamy, nutty, and just sweet enough, toss it with crunchy veggies or leftover fried tofu for texture.
Mediterranean lentil salad: For anyone scared of lentils: this is your gateway. The salty feta, briny olives, and lemon dressing turn humble lentils into something craveable.
Black bean salad with lime dressing: Fresh, tangy, and full of bite. The cilantro lime dressing keep it bright, and it’s perfect tucked into tacos or a tortilla.
Quinoa fall salad: The balance of caramelized roasted sweet potato, chewy quinoa, and tangy vinaigrette makes this a “how-is-this-vegetarian?” kind of salad.
Chickpea Apple Salad: Sweet-crisp apples meet cooked chickpeas, parsley, and a Greek yogurt dressing. It’s perfect for October lunches and for Thanksgiving celebrations.
Vegetarian One-Pot Wonders
Minimal dishes, but maximum meat-free flavor.
Butter Bean Skillet with Feta: We call this our “six-ingredient miracle.” When the tomatoes burst, they create their own sauce and the salty feta finishes it off.
Tofu soup: Light, cozy, and quietly addictive. The tofu soaks up all that gingery, garlicky broth, so it tastes anything but bland. Louise calls it her “rainy-day-soup” and adds glass noodles for a complete vegetarian meal.
Creamy red lentil soup: The red lentils melt into creamy goodness without cream, and a squeeze of lemon at the end makes it such a healthy but cosy Mediterranean dinner idea.
Spanakorizo: Bright, herby, and way more exciting than it sounds. Think of it as lemony risotto’s low-effort cousin. We eat it with a boiled egg and crusty bread for scooping.
Bakes & Family Favorites
Cozy, crowd-pleasing dinners that reheat beautifully.
Mediterranean lentil loaf: All the comfort of a meatloaf, none of the meat. Watch skeptics go back for seconds (especially when served with mushroom gravy).
Lentil burger patties: Hearty, smoky, and crisp at the edges, everything a great burger should be, just greener. Louise says they’re even better the next day in a wrap with tzatziki.
Mushroom Wellington: Flaky, buttery pastry wrapped around a mushroom-lentil base. It’s the vegetarian main that steals Thanksgiving dinner every year in our home.
Cheese-stuffed zucchini: If you love lasagna, this one’s your lighter low-carb cousin with ricotta cheese and parmesan. Bubbly, cheesy, and baked until golden.
Sweet potato gnocchi: A little sweet, a little savory, and totally worth getting your hands floury for. Serve it with browned butter or marinara sauce.
More Vegetarian Resources:
If you tried these vegetarian meals or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
