Regardless of your food preference, anyone can enjoy a tasty meatless meal every once in a while! Vegetarian meals are not only nutritious and delicious, but also budget-friendly, thanks to staples like beans, lentils, eggs, pasta and vegetables. Get some family-friendly ideas from our collection of filling vegetarian dinner recipes.
SIT-DOWN MEALS
1. Buttered Brussels Sprouts Penne | Maebells
Craving some pasta? Check out this buttered Brussels sprouts penne featuring perfectly browned sprouts. This recipe is made for one person, but feel free to double, triple or quadruple the amount if you’re planning to serve a family or guests.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 463; Total Fat: 25g; Saturated Fat: 10g; Monounsaturated Fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 39mg; Sodium: 329mg; Carbohydrate: 50g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 14g
2. One-Pan Mediterranean Eggs | Cook Smarts
This fun Mediterranean dish is friendly for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Eggs are softly cooked in a tangy tomato sauce, and served with crisp veggies like bell peppers, baby carrots and cucumbers. Toast some pita for added crunch, or go without for a lower-carb dish. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 304; Total Fat: 16g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 212mg; Sodium: 721mg; Carbohydrate: 28g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 12g
3. Vegetable & Rice Casserole | 24 Carrot Life
Take a bite of cheesy goodness with this recipe for vegetable and rice casserole. A convenient way to sneak veggies on to dinner plates, this vegetarian-friendly casserole is full of fiber from the rice and veggies plus. You can swap in your favorite veggies if you don’t like spinach and mushrooms. Recipe makes 8 servings.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 250; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 14mg; Sodium: 429mg; Carbohydrate: 32g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 10g
4. Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Boat | Love & Zest
Spaghetti squash boats are a meatless Monday comfort food combining budget-friendly ingredients like beans, cheese, broccoli, onions and squash. With plenty of fiber, vitamin A and C, we hope this recipe sends your tastebuds on a bon voyage. Recipe makes 2 servings at 1 boat each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 384; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 25mg; Sodium: 395mg; Carbohydrate: 52g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 19g
5. Roasted Eggplant and Lentil Bowl with Garlic Yogurt Sauce | Dietitian Debbie Dishes
There’s only so many ways you can spice up a veggie bowl, right? Wrong! This recipe calls for a roasted eggplant and lentil bowl smothered in garlicky yogurt sauce. Yum! To educate yourself on eggplants, here are some cook’s notes from Dietitian Debbie herself: Use eggplants as soon as you buy them because fresher eggplants will be less bitter than older ones. Also, cook them thoroughly. Half-cooked eggplants won’t taste half as great. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 cup + 2 tablespoons yogurt sauce.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 416; Total Fat: 21g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 17mg; Sodium: 703mg; Carbohydrate: 58g; Dietary Fiber: 25g; Sugar: 9g; Protein 21g
6. Jalapeño Corn Cakes with Black Bean & Avocado Relish | Clean Eating
Fluffy sweet and spicy jalapeño corn cakes pair well with high-protein black beans and creamy avocado. The black bean and avocado relish can also be used over cooked chicken or fish in case you also need to cater to non-vegetarians. Recipe makes 4 servings at 2 corn cakes + 1/2 cup relish each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 350; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 50mg; Sodium: 212mg; Total Carbohydrate: 49g; Dietary Fiber: 11g; Sugars: 6g; Protein: 14g
7. Baked Ziti & Summer Veggies | Cooking Light
Add pops of color to baked ziti with summer vegetables like squash, zucchini and tomato. Fresh basil and oregano gives this dish a healthy Italian flair. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 1/2 cups each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 301; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 65mg; Sodium: 640mg; Total Carbohydrate: 33g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Protein: 17g
8. Spicy Zucchini Black Bean Burger | The Healthy Maven
Bite into this zucchini black bean burger patty and enjoy a spicy kick! Mashed black beans, zucchini and flaxseeds are the reason why this high-fiber patty delivers over half of your daily fiber recommendations (and that’s without the whole-grain bun). Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 patty each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 209; Total Fat: 3g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 132mg; Total Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 14g; Sugars: 1g; Protein: 13g
SALADS & WRAPS
9. Mediterranean Quinoa Salad | Hummusapien
If you haven’t tried quinoa before, this easy-to-make and tasty recipe could be the gateway to this high-protein seed. This light and refreshing meatless dish pairs fluffy quinoa with crispy vegetables like cucumber, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Recipe makes 5 servings.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 383; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 9g; Cholesterol: 12mg; Sodium: 674mg; Carbohydrate: 43g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 12g
10. Chilled Black Bean Couscous Salad | Kim’s Cravings
Try this refreshing recipe featuring cooked couscous tossed with veggies and beans then chilled in a vinaigrette sauce. You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate for the next day. Recipe makes 6 servings at 1 cup each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 455; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 22mg; Sodium: 330mg; Carbohydrate: 73g; Dietary Fiber: 12g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 19g
11. Black Bean Spinach Quesadilla | Calories In, Calories Out
Family-friendly black bean spinach quesadillas make for a delicious and quick meatless Monday meal. This recipe calls for black beans, fresh baby spinach and mushrooms–but feel free to switch them out for your family’s favorite veggies. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 quesadilla each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 370; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 20mg; Sodium: 846mg; Carbohydrate: 44g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 20g
12. Baked Falafel Lettuce Wraps | The Wheatless Kitchen
Baked falafels is a crispy way to get your lean protein and fiber in. These delicious falafel are made by baking ground chickpeas for a healthy alternative to the traditional deep-fried version. Serve them up with tangy lemon-dill yogurt sauce, and watch them disappear. Recipe makes 6 servings at 3 falafels + 1 tablespoon yogurt sauce + 3 lettuce leaves + 1/2 cup tomatoes + 1/2 avocado each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 285; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 3mg; Sodium: 331mg; Carbohydrate: 34g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 9g
13. Grilled Zucchini Hummus Wraps | Maebells
This wrap is packed with grilled zucchini, veggies, cheese and hummus. Grilled zucchini is placed on a nice big tortilla topped with kale, red onion, tomatoes, cheese and a heaping dose of hummus. Recipe makes 2 servings at 1 wrap each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 332; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g ; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Sodium: 643 mg; Total Carbohydrates: 34 g; Dietary Fiber: 17 g; Sugars: 2 g; Protein: 13 g
14. Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing | Cooking Light
This tasty and colorful orzo salad gets a spicy splash from its buttermilk dressing, which includes chili powder and ground red pepper. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 3/4 cups orzo mixture + 2 avocado wedges each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 424; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g ; Cholesterol: 6mg; Sodium: 607mg; Total Carbohydrates: 64g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Protein: 13g
