We love a vegetarian meal for dinner. Eating a vegetarian diet can be a healthy and delicious way of eating. We know eating less meat is better for the environment and it can be good for your heart health as well.
Vegetarian dinners can often be cheaper as well. We've included several vegetarian pantry meal options that include chickpeas, beans, lentils, and coconut oil - all reasonably priced ingredients that are shelf stable.
It's so easy to eat veggie in the spring and summer when greens and fruit are plentiful, but it can be equally as rewarding in the cold weather. It just takes a little more planning to make sure your pantry is stocked.
Here are 20 of our favorite vegetarian recipes for dinner. Let us know your favorites in the comments below!
Awesome Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
This udon noodle soup with mushrooms and bok choy is a delicious and easy dinner recipe.
These delicious stuffed portobellos have a spinach leek mixture that's topped with mozzarella and panko.
This red lentil dhal is a wonderful, warming bowl of food.
You're going to love this Tuscan white bean soup recipe - it's veggie-heavy, hearty, and full of flavor.
This butternut squash pasta with toasted panko and sage is a creamy, delicious recipe.
This awesome Mexican vegetarian soup is full of healthy, hearty ingredients, like tomatoes, onions, black beans, red bell pepper, corn, and chipotle chilis.
This chana masala recipe is a healthy, hearty dinner that's a weeknight favorite.
This veggie white bean soup is a delicious, healthy recipe with loads of flavor.
This vegan chickpea curry recipe is lush - it's a warming and hearty meal.
This leek and onion puff pastry tart is a wonderful, subtle recipe that highlights the complex flavors of the leeks and Camembert cheese.
This is the best vegan chili recipe and it's easy to make!
This spinach, mushroom, and mozzarella galette is really delicious.
This coconut lentil curry is ready in 30 minutes and tastes amazing! Serve it alongside rice or naan for a delicious, plant-based dinner.
This delicata squash tart is the coziest recipe - perfect for chilly nights when you want a flavorful veggie dish.
This easy black bean chili recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and full of flavor!
This creamy zucchini pasta recipe is made with half zucchini noodles and half linguini noodles. It has a rich, decadent sauce made from cream, butter, and lemon that's brightened up with fresh herbs.
This creamy cauliflower mac and cheese recipe is made with roasted cauliflower, white beans, salsa, and a whole head of roasted garlic. It's a delicious, vegan mac and cheese recipe.
A super quick weeknight meal, this cauliflower gnocchi with pesto is ready in just 10 minutes!
This delightful broccoli pasta recipe is a delicious weeknight meal.
Vegetarian Sources of Protein
There are some great sources of vegetarian protein. Here are some of our favorites:
- Eggs (try our Avocado Egg Salad)
- Lentils (try our Red Lentil Dal)
- Quinoa (try our Shaved Fennel Asparagus and Quinoa Salad)
- Chia Seeds (try this 3-ingredient Chia Pudding)
- Peanut Butter (try our Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Oatmeal)
- Chickpeas (try our Roasted Chickpea Salad)
- Tofu (try this Pan-fried Sesame Garlic Tofu)
How to Start to Eat More Vegetarian
If you want to start to eat more vegetarian recipes, you don't have to immediately cut out all meat (unless you want to). Start gradually and try new protein sources to see what you enjoy.
Here are some tips for becoming a vegetarian.
- Plan your meals. Making a meal plan for the week and planning several vegetarian meals will help you stick to a vegetarian diet.
- Stock your pantry. Have ingredients to make easy vegetarian meals available in your pantry (think cans of chickpeas and beans, onions, lentils, etc)
- Try new protein sources. If you love shredded meat, try jackfruit. Or try plant-based "meat" like Beyond Burgers.
- Make a choice about eggs. Some vegetarians eat eggs and others don't. Decide if you want to include eggs in your diet. They're a great source of protein and easy to cook, but not everyone wants to use them.
- Get creative with new recipes. Try a new recipe or two each week to expand your cooking skills. Some of our favorite vegetarian sites are Cookie + Kate and Vegetarian Ventures.
