32 Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Everyday Cooking
Minimize fuss and maximize flavor with veggie-forward recipes to make anytime.
Preparing a flavorful, satisfying vegetarian meal doesn’t have to be a heavy lift. Veggie-forward dishes may call for plenty of fresh produce, but with a sharp chef’s knife and a trusty cutting board , prep stays simple. From there, these no-sweat vegetarian recipes come together quickly and easily. If you’d rather skip the stove, try Sheet-Pan Tofu with Broccolini, Mushrooms, and Sweet Potatoes. Short on time? Stir-fries are always a win — Spicy Eggplant and Zucchini Stir-Fry with Plant-Based Meat is ready in just 20 minutes. And of course, there are one-pot options too, like Orzo and Chickpeas with Turmeric-Ginger Broth. Take your pick and take it easy.
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Mushroom and Lentil Ragù
This vegetarian riff on the traditional slow-cooked meat sauce swaps beef for nutty mushrooms and quick-cooking lentils, which simmer in a red wine sauce fortified with vegetable stock.
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Saucy White Beans and Greens on Toast
F&W's Justin Chapple combines canned cannellini beans and Roman beans (aka cranberry beans) with spinach, jalapeño, cumin, and citrus to spoon over toasted slices of rustic bread.
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High-Protein Peanut Noodles
Blended silken tofu and peanut butter create the creamy base for a no-cook sauce to coat strands of chewy udon noodles. Garnish with chopped peanuts, scallions, and gochugaru to complete this 20-minute dish.
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Crispy Salt-and-Pepper Air Fryer Tofu with Asparagus
Give tofu a quick soak in a sweet-salty marinade made from soy sauce, brown sugar, and ground Sichuan peppercorns before air-frying it to perfection. Garlicky asparagus is a terrific match — pop it in the air fryer for about six minutes after the tofu is done. The whole thing is ready to eat in less than an hour.
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Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)
This classic Italian vegetarian dish comes together in just 30 minutes (in one pot, to boot) with pantry staples like canned chickpeas, ditalini pasta, tomato paste, and vegetable broth.
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Refried White Beans with Poached Eggs
A tasty choice for any meal of the day, creamy Marcella or cannellini beans are mashed with a garlicky puree of caramelized shallots, chile, and herbs, then served with perfectly poached eggs.
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Vegetable Potpie
This deeply savory vegetarian potpie layers lentils, mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots in a rich, miso-enhanced sauce. A sheet of buttery store-bought puff pastry bakes up golden and crisp over the creamy filling, keeping prep easy.
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Roasted Vegetable Grain Bowl with Chickpeas and Tahini-Ginger Dressing
Choose any grain, protein, or leafy green you have on hand for this versatile grain bowl. A nutty tahini dressing plus roasted chickpeas and broccoli will complement whatever's in your fridge.
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Tempeh Tacos with Cabbage Slaw
Tempeh, a protein-rich fermented soy product that crumbles beautifully, is a wonderful alternative to ground meat for plant-based tacos. Enhance the filling with fresh bell pepper and onion, season with cumin, garlic, and chipotle chile powder, then finish with a refreshing red cabbage slaw.
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Vegetarian Red Lentil Wraps
Chef Ana Sortun's Turkish-inspired wraps combine spiced lentil patties with tomato browned butter, crunchy lettuce, and pickled peperoncini peppers.
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Aloo Matar (Indian Potato and Green Pea Curry)
Chef Chintan Pandya's aloo matar cradles tender potatoes and bright green peas in a thick, luxurious curry of fresh ginger, garlic, jalapeño, and tomatoes. Just before serving, a swirl of rich ghee is stirred in for extra oomph.
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Spicy Eggplant and Zucchini Stir-Fry with Plant-Based Meat
Eggplant and zucchini cook quickly and absorb the flavors of chile-garlic sauce and soy sauce; their heat is tempered by fresh cilantro. Serve this plant-based stir-fry over rice for a filling, 20-minute meal.
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Marinated Chickpea Salad with Radishes, Cucumber, and Queso de Freir
For this 30-minute chickpea salad from 2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez, canned chickpeas are tossed with crunchy vegetables and a tangy lemon, garlic, and cumin dressing. Crispy, melty strips of fried queso de freir top it all off.
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Barbecue Jackfruit Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw
Trade pull-apart pork for shredded jackfruit drenched in a smoky, sweet sauce for a vegetarian sandwich that looks as good as it tastes. Don't skimp on the luscious slaw, pickled red onions, and dill pickle chips.
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Vegetarian Meatballs
Deeply caramelized cauliflower rice and shiitake mushrooms, cheesy nutritional yeast, hearty black beans, fragrant quinoa, and nutty pecans form the mix of these umami-rich meatless meatballs.
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Chile Crisp Sesame Noodles
These vegetable-packed noodles get their spicy, nutty flavor from a combination of chili crisp and zhi ma jiang, or Chinese sesame paste. (You can use tahini in a pinch.) Feel free to customize them with what's already in your fridge.
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Miso-Red Bean Patties
White miso and soy join forces for salty, funky richness in these red bean and shiitake mushroom patties that can be made in advance. Turn them into super-tasty sliders or enjoy them on a bed of fresh greens.
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Megadarra (Brown Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions)
Also called mujadara, megadarra is the Egyptian take on the lentil rice dish that's immensely popular throughout the Arab world. Here, it's accented with mildly sweet caramelized Spanish onions and served with garlicky yogurt. Pair it with fattoush salad for a complete meal.
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Sheet Pan Eggplant Parmesan
For this simplified eggplant Parmesan, eggplant rounds are arranged on a sheet pan with mozzarella and tomatoes, then sprinkled with Parmesan and crisp, seasoned sourdough crumbs before hitting the oven. A touch of fresh basil ties together the flavors.
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Quinoa, Corn, and Black Bean Salad
Bright cilantro and zesty lime, jalapeño's gentle heat, and red onion's crispy crunch make this hearty yet summery salad sing. A great way to showcase fresh sweet corn in season, it also works with frozen corn all other times of the year. Add grilled or marinated tofu for an even heartier dish.
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Kale-Artichoke Stuffed Shells
This crowd-pleasing classic employs lots of shortcuts to keep the baked pasta dinner simple: jarred marinated artichoke hearts, jarred Calabrian chiles, canned cannellini beans, and jarred marinara sauce. The dish can be prepped ahead, too.
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Nacho Snack Dinner with Sweet Potato Queso
F&W's Ann Taylor Pittman shares a recipe for vibrant queso made with Colby-Jack cheese, which gets subtle sweetness and its orange color from the addition of pureed sweet potato. Serve it with chips and prepped vegetables for a deconstructed nacho situation.
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Sheet-Pan Tofu with Broccolini, Mushrooms, and Sweet Potatoes
When you want something plant-based pronto, turn to this hearty recipe that gets dinner on the table in under an hour. The tofu derives its bright flavor from an easy marinade made from soy sauce, orange juice, vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic.
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Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce
2010 F&W Best New Chef Missy Robbins swaps chickpeas for pasta in her riff on spicy pomodoro. She finishes the dish with a shower of fresh herbs and salty pecorino cheese.
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Jamaican Stew Peas and Spinners
Luscious, hearty, and satisfying, this vegetarian stew pea dish comprises red kidney beans, aromatics, coconut milk, a Scotch bonnet pepper, and more. The spinners are unfussy finger-like dumplings that add a dense, toothsome bite. Serve it all over rice.
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Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale
Tender sautéed baby kale almost melts into the buttermilk-enriched béchamel in chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls' riff on mac and cheese, which is baked until the sharp cheddar on top turns crisp and golden.
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Tofu Skin Stir-Fry
Hardy dried tofu skin sticks mimic the texture of shredded meat in this quick stir-fry. To use them, simply break them into pieces, then soak in hot water until pliable, and finally drain before frying.
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King Oyster Mushroom Steaks with Pesto and Almond Aillade
Chef Julia Sullivan’s meaty king oyster mushroom “steaks” get seared until tender with crispy edges, then topped with a vibrant pesto and an almond aillade that balances bright lemon and garlic with buttery roasted nuts.
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Orzo and Chickpeas with Turmeric-Ginger Broth
Chickpeas and orzo pasta soak up a turmeric and ginger tea–infused coconut milk broth for this restorative 20-minute dish. Use a vegetarian fish sauce like Ocean's Halo or sub in soy sauce if you'd like.
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Seared Tofu Tabbouleh
Golden, crispy tofu is combined with hearty bulgur wheat, scallions, tomato, and cucumber, simply seasoned and dressed in lemon juice and olive oil for an easy one-bowl meal.
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Crispy Tofu Steaks with Ginger Vinaigrette
Panko-encrusted slices of firm tofu are pan-fried until they're golden and crisp on the outside and tender within. A gingery scallion vinaigrette brings a bold pop of flavor.
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Vegetarian Black Bean Chili with Ancho and Orange
Touches of orange and honey play off fruity ancho chile powder and tomatoes to give this easy black bean chili an unexpectedly bright, sweet lift. You'll need three cans of black beans and less than an hour to prepare it.
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