53 Vegetarian Dinner Recipes for Meatless Meals Every Night of the Week
Ready to incorporate more meatless meals into your routine? These vegetarian dinner recipes are the perfect place to start. If you’re new to vegetarian cooking, it can be intimidating (do you really have to soak beans? And what type of tofu should you be buying?). Consider this your crash-course in transforming plant-based protein—like beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, and more—into hearty, satisfying vegetarian dinners. But these recipes aren’t just for beginners: Even seasoned pros are sure to find a few new ways to jazz up a pot of rice in this collection. Whether you’re looking for low-maintenance meatless meals or elaborate, party-worthy vegetarian entrées, these plant-forward dinner recipes have something for everyone. Scroll on to decide what’s for dinner tonight, then explore more of our best vegetarian recipes for crowds.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne1/53Cauliflower Biryani
This vegetarian dinner recipe involves quite a few components: fluffy basmati rice, yogurt and spice–marinated cauliflower, fragrant biryani masala, and a saffron milk drizzle. When they all come together in the Dutch oven, it’s nothing short of magic.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce2/53
A Vegetarian’s Dream Sweet Potato Dinner
Black or green lentils are best for this recipe, as they hold their shape well when cooked. The herby feta-tahini sauce is remarkably versatile: Serve it alongside roasted vegetables or thin it out with a touch of water to make a flavorful salad dressing.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne3/53
Pasta al Pomodoro
Simple, vibrant pomodoro sauce is lighter and brighter than standard marinara. It’s a staple of Italian cuisine for a reason. Like this pasta dish? Check out more of our favorite vegetarian pasta recipes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton4/53
Chickpea-Potato Chaat
Once you’ve boiled the potatoes, this flavorful and quick vegetarian dinner is really just an assembly task. The resulting dish is crispy and creamy, tart and sweet, spicy and cooling. It’s the perfect vegetarian meal no matter the weather.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou5/53
Rice Cake With Mixed Vegetables
Keep a package of rice cakes in your freezer and you can make this colorful vegetarian dish in approximately 5 minutes. To make things even easier, you can use any combination of vegetables.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton6/53
Chickpea Salad Sandwich With Creamy Carrot-Radish Slaw
Our vegetarian play on the classic chicken salad swaps in creamy, protein-packed chickpeas.
- Photo by Matt Russell7/53
Black-Eyed Peas With Chard and Green Herb Smash
This brothy beans-and-greens stew is all about the spicy chile-herb “smash” that’s scattered on top. Serve with rice instead of flatbread to keep it gluten-free.
- 8/53
Ros Omelette
With its rich, comforting, fiery gravy, this omelet isn’t confined to breakfast. In fact, in Goa, it’s even enjoyed deep into the night when partygoers seek it out from street vendor stalls.
- Photo by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege9/53
Shawarma-Spiced Tofu Pita Wraps
This shawarma-spiced tofu would be just as good over rice as it is tucked in a pita, slathered in garlicky yogurt sauce.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton10/53
Lentils With Caramelized Onion Aioli and Crispy Chile Oil
A quick simmer in white wine and a splash of soy sauce transform canned lentils into a composed dinner, complete with a dollop of vegan aioli. No raw egg yolks here: The aioli gets most of its sweet, rich flavor from caramelized onions, plus salty umami from miso.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell11/53
Winter Salad Hummus Bowls
Once you bake a big batch of seedy sprinkle for the top, this refreshing, satisfying vegetarian dinner recipe comes together in just half an hour. Smear the bottom of the bowl with creamy hummus for a high-protein meal.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson12/53
Lemony Pasta With Cauliflower, Chickpeas, and Arugula
This vegetarian pasta dinner is so full of fresh arugula, it’s almost like a salad. In a good way.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch13/53
Grilled Zucchini and Bulgur Salad With Feta and Preserved-Lemon Dressing
Have a jar of preserved lemons lingering in the pantry? Use them to make this punchy, zingy salad dressing, ideal for drizzling over smoky grilled zucchini and simple steamed grains.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson14/53
Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili
With the help of a few pantry staples—like corn and tomato salsa, canned beans, and puréed tomatoes—you can achieve all the flavors of slow-simmered chili in just 30 minutes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton15/53
Tacos de Pobre
Making mashed potatoes? Don’t throw out those potato skins—fried to a crisp, they make an excellent taco filling. Turn it into a full-on plant-based taco night with more vegetarian taco ideas.
- Photo by David Loftus and Richard Clatworthy16/53
One-Pan Sweet Tomato Gnocchi With Asparagus
All it takes is one pan and a package of shelf-stable gnocchi to make this easy vegetarian recipe. Okay, there are a few other ingredients involved—but we promise, it’s still extremely simple.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton17/53
Bombay Masala Chile Cheese Toasties
Grilled cheese just got a glow-up. This crunchy, cheesy, spicy, melty vegetarian meal is an Indian street food favorite; prep the chutney in advance for speedier assembly at dinner time.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton18/53
Sri Lankan Cashew Curry
Instead of tofu or tempeh, cashews are the main event in this golden Sri Lankan curry. It requires a little planning (i.e. soaking the cashews overnight), but once the cashews are soaked, they’re virtually impossible to overcook.
- Photo by Melina Hammer19/53
Llubav’s Green Spaghetti
No chopping required for this weeknight dinner. Just blend spinach, kale, basil, and garlic with feta, cream cheese, and olive oil to make a fresh, rich sauce that coats a tangle of nutty whole wheat noodles.
- Photo by Laura Edwards20/53
Bhuna Khichuri (Bengali Roasted Moong Dal and Rice)
Spiced with cardamom pods, cassia bark, and Indian bay leaves, this Bengali rice and lentil dish brims with warming flavor. To make it vegan, use vegetable oil instead of ghee.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Alison Attenborough21/53
Spinach and Artichoke Melts
Your favorite creamy dip, but in a form you (and your kids) can happily eat for dinner. Serve these spinach-artichoke melts with a bright green salad for a complete meal.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele22/53
Quick Chana Masala
Instead of using dried chickpeas (which often require an overnight soak), this recipe starts with canned chickpeas. Boiling them with their liquid helps mimic the texture you’d get from soaking dried ones, but with no planning required.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li23/53
Butternut Squash Steaks With Brown Butter–Sage Sauce
Drawing inspiration from classic steakhouse fare, this recipe applies the butter-basting technique to slabs of butternut squash to make a hearty vegetarian dinner.
- Photo by Joff Lee24/53
Loaded Halloumi Flatbreads
Pile seared Halloumi cheese and cabbage-and-chickpea salad over a swoop of hummus to make these vegetarian flatbreads.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton25/53
Egg Salad With Grilled Broccoli and Chili Crisp
Egg salad isn’t just a sandwich filling. It’s one of our favorite satisfying vegetarian meals, especially when paired with grilled broccoli and extra-crunchy chili crisp. (To make things super-quick, order one of our favorite chili crisps online.)
- Photo by Candice Kumai26/53
Miso Kale Caesar Salad
With simple ratios of just four ingredients—equal parts tahini, miso, and rice vinegar, plus a drizzle of honey—this riff on a Caesar salad dressing is as easy to memorize as your favorite cocktail formula.
- Photo by Martin Poole27/53
Paneer and Broccoli Masala
Black mustard seeds, cumin, ground turmeric, fresh ginger, and garam masala form the base of flavor for this South Indian dinner from Anjali Pathak’s cookbook, The Indian Family Kitchen.
- Photo by Laura Dart and A.J. Meeker28/53
Bitter Greens Salad With Melted Cheese
Broiling a salad might make you nervous, but a quick moment in the oven will only wilt the greens slightly and yet melt the cheese so that it cloaks the greens nicely.
- Photo by Teri Lyn Fisher29/53
Green Pea, Asparagus, and Parsley Soup
As long as you have a blender, this springtime soup can be yours in minutes. As with most soup recipes, it’s best enjoyed with a slice of crusty sourdough bread for dipping.
- Photo by SANG AN30/53
Spinach Shakshuka
While shakshuka often comprises eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, this rendition leans on fresh greens. The spinach-based dish starts with sautéed onions, jalapeños, and garlic; it’s perfumed with warm spices and dotted with creamy feta cheese (goat cheese would also be lovely here).
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, prop styling by Sarah Cave, food styling by Rhoda Boone31/53
BBQ Eggplant Sandwiches With Provolone and Mushrooms
A brush of barbecue sauce gives broiled eggplant a hint of sweetness and smoke, making it perfect fodder for a vegetarian sandwich. Store-bought sauce will work, but if you want to go the extra mile, make your own barbecue sauce with a handful of common pantry ingredients.
- Michelle K. Min33/53
Miso-Glazed Maitake Mushroom Burgers
Instead of blitzing a mix of vegetables and hiding them in patties, opt for these laid-back mushroom burgers, which star meaty maitakes. The miso amps up the umami in already-savory mushrooms.
- Photo by Ed Anderson34/53
Sam's Spring Fattoush Salad
Part of what makes this salad so great is the dynamic textures: The cracker-like lavash croutons and crunchy cucumbers and radishes contrast with the creamy feta and soft herbs.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow35/53
Chickpea-Mushroom Veggie Burgers
Make a big batch of these veggie burgers and stash them in the freezer for summer barbecues or last-minute meals. Your future self will thank you.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich36/53
Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
On a cold winter night, there’s no dish more comforting than a big bowl of vegetarian chili. Cayenne and chili powder give this recipe a smoky kick; serve it alongside a skillet of cornbread.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell37/53
Steamed Winter Veggie Bowls
A briny, herby vinaigrette turns simple steamed vegetables and no-fuss jammy eggs into a composed vegetarian recipe for dinner.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell38/53
Vegetarian Skillet Stuffed Shells
If you want to make stuffed shells but you really don’t want to turn on your oven, this stovetop version is for you. This vegetarian dinner idea—which starts with jarred marinara—is almost as easy to make as a standard pot of spaghetti.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce39/53
Vegetarian Lasagna With Easy Roasted Tomato Sauce
Instead of mozzarella, this vegetarian lasagna achieves supreme meltiness from sliced provolone. If you want to make your own fresh pasta sheets, be our guest—but if that’s one step too many, dried noodles work too.
- Photo by Hannah Che40/53
Vegan Mapo Tofu
In this vegan version of a classic Sichuan dish, tofu cubes swim in a mouth-tingling Sichuan peppercorn sauce, with dried red chiles for heat, fermented black beans for funk, and a touch of sugar to balance it all out. A potato starch slurry thickens the sauce into a glossy, spoon-coating consistency; serve over rice to sop up all the sauce.
- Photo by Emily Dorio41/53
Smoky Vegan Jambalaya
Use plant-based andouille sausage or smoked tofu in this vegan jambalaya recipe. You might want to make a double batch of the homemade Creole-Cajun seasoning: It’s great on roasted vegetables, potatoes, or just about anything.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert42/53
Sheet-Pan Mac and Cheese
You could bake your mac and cheese in a casserole dish, but our advice? For the crispiest edges and a deeply golden top, bake it in a sheet pan.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi43/53
Portobello and Poblano Enchiladas
Stuff flour tortillas with thinly-sliced portobellos and poblanos, then top these vegetarian enchiladas with not one, but two types of cheese (cheddar and queso fresco). An easy weeknight dinner never looked so good.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks44/53
Herb-Crusted Cauliflower Steaks With Beans and Tomatoes
If you love roasted cauliflower as a side dish, make it the star of the show with this recipe. Slicing cauliflower heads into 1-inch-thick “steaks,” coating them with herbs, and roasting until tender turns the humble veg into a substantial vegetarian main.
- Photo by Nassima Rothacker45/53
Sour and Spicy Okra With Potatoes
This vegan recipe gets its heft from thinly-sliced potatoes, which sizzle in cumin oil before chaat masala, tomato, and okra join the skillet. Serve this okra and potato sabzi in a bowl or tuck it into a wrap for an on-the-go meal.
- Photo by Aubrie Pick46/53
Lemongrass Tempeh Crumbles
These plant-based tempeh crumbles soak up plenty of the vibrant seasoning mixture (sugar, sriracha, lemongrass, and Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce), but they still crisp nicely in the skillet. Impressive, if we do say so ourselves.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton47/53
Eggplant Parmesan
An essential dish in the canon of Italian cuisine, eggplant Parmesan—which originated in Southern Italy as “peasant food”—actually predates chicken Parm. The more you know.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams48/53
Crunchy and Bright Greek Salad
With big chunks of feta, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers, this Mediterranean salad is full of contrasting textures—and it’s substantial enough to serve as a main dish.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart49/53
Lentil Soup With Coconut and Cloves
Let a pot of this coconut milk–enriched tomato-lentil soup simmer on the stove and fill your kitchen with the aroma of freshly-ground cloves.
- Photo by Jennifer Davick50/53
Crunchy Quinoa Salad
Use this quinoa salad as a quick dinner template for any veggies you have on hand: Snap peas, asparagus, radishes, and a variety of herbs are all welcome here.
- Photo by Gentl & Hyers, Prop Styling by Ayesha Patel, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich51/53
Risotto al Limone
This risotto recipe, which comes from the Via Carota cookbook, doesn’t require any butter, stock, or cream. It does require some stirring, but the effort is well worth it.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks52/53
Quick Sweet Potato, Mushroom, and Black Bean Burrito
Don’t worry about getting a fine dice on the veggies: Slash your prep time for these vegetarian burritos by grating the sweet potato. Kids not into burritos? This filling is just as good in a quesadilla.
- photo by Roland Bello53/53
Warm Tofu With Spicy Garlic Sauce
In this vegetarian dinner recipe, gently-simmered tofu is merely a vehicle for the sauce, speckled with chopped garlic, scallion, sesame seeds, and Korean hot red pepper flakes. Serve it on its own or as part of a Korean banchan spread.
Anna Stockwell
Sam Worley
David Tamarkin
Joe Sevier