Whether you’re mixing up your menu or an established vegetarian, these recipes will surprise you with exciting new textures and flavors.
It can be tricky being vegetarian! My oldest daughter is a vegetarian simply because she feels her best when she avoids meat, which I can fully understand.
The problem is, for those of us raised on meat and potatoes, it can be difficult, and boring, if we try to forge our way into vegetarianism without any guidance.
And that’s where this list, with tons of seasonal ideas for a beginner or for someone who bid adieu to meat years ago, is helpful for keeping things fresh.
Nobody wants to be in a food slump, especially when there are so many delicious ways to eat a vegetarian diet! These recipes will help you do just that.
1
Taylor Kiser
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Recipe
Sweet but not *too* sweet, pumpkin pasta sauce is a favorite in our home because it mixes up a classic comfort food without being too crazy. Red sauce, while delicious, can be acidic and upset stomachs, plus it just gets a little tired after a while. This flavorful, creamy pumpkin sauce is mild, has a great texture, and tastes incredible with spaghetti squash and a sprinkle of cheese.
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2
Taylor Kiser
Sweet Potato Burrito Bowl Recipe
I adore sweet potatoes – from the texture, to the health benefits, to the way they fill you up without making you feel uncomfortably stuffed. I try to use them as a side as often as I can, so when I can use them as the base of a dish, I’m extra pleased. If you love classic burrito bowls but want a fresh spin packed with extra veggies, this sweet potato burrito bowl recipe is the one for you.
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3
Taylor Kiser
Maple Tahini Grilled Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Flavorful, rich tahini blended with maple syrup and a touch of lemon juice brings a whole new life to grilled sweet potatoes as a surprisingly delicious dip. Our maple tahini grilled sweet potatoes recipe is easy to make and a unique way to enjoy sweet potato fries! I like garnishing them with cilantro for added flavor and serving them alongside veggie burgers for a tasty, filling dinner.
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4
Nora Rusev
Fall Panzanella Salad Recipe
I know what you’re thinking if you’re a vegetarian, “Another salad?! No thanks.” Trust me on this one – you haven’t had a salad like this! Our fall panzanella salad recipe boasts a homemade dressing containing everything from shallot, vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup along with crunchy rye bread, pears, green apples, radicchio, thyme, and shallot. Add chickpeas, cheese or tofu for heartiness.
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5
Taylor Kiser
Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Casserole Recipe
Spinach and artichoke are paired together all the time for good reason – they just complement each other so well! One thing that can become tiring as a vegetarian is feeling like you’re living off of appetizers. That’s why this spinach artichoke quinoa casserole is so awesome! It has the amazing flavors and hearty ingredients you love, combined with cheese which is a always no-brainer, creating a main dish everyone can enjoy.
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6
Erin S.
Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe
Mushrooms in cream sauce are just so incredibly savory and tasty, which is why our creamy mushroom pasta recipe is perfect year round, but especially in the chilly fall and winter months. Even people who aren’t huge raw mushroom fans often find themselves enjoying sautéed or cooked mushrooms, so give this a try before writing it off – the flavor and texture changes drastically, and a cheesy cream sauce can win just about anyone over.
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7
Urvashee Patel
Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole Recipe
I love casseroles! I really, really do. For all the jokes about casseroles, there’s a reason they’re still so popular. They are just so good, and so easy! A full, hearty, balanced meal that’s ready to go all at once is a dream come true, and this vegetarian enchilada casserole recipe will be a huge win with your family without being just another boring taco night.
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8
Kiersten Frase
Indian Cauliflower Pizza Recipe
Replacing the traditional red sauce of pizza with a curry sauce changes everything for the better, and newer, in this Indian cauliflower pizza remix. If I know one thing from experience, it’s that vegetarians get really sick of cheese pizza, really fast. So wow yourself and your favorite veggie lover with this twist on pizza that they’ll never see coming. Caulfilower florets, mango chutney, nuts and cilantro make one heck of a pizza.
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9
Taylor Kiser
Pumpkin Quinoa Curry Recipe
Filling, rich and simple, this slow cooker recipe for pumpkin quinoa curry will be ready when you are – and that’s something I don’t take for granted. I love my slow cooker, primarily because it saves me so much time and energy, allowing me to try something new while having more evening hours to myself to spend with my family. This seasonal revamp of curry adds eggs to fill you up even more, stretching your food and your dollar.
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10
Brianna Hobbs
Gluten Free Sticky Garlic Noodles Recipe
One of my close friends is gluten-free and vegetarian, and whenever I think it’s hard to come up with something to eat, she crosses my mind! That’s why, whenever I see a gluten-free vegetarian recipe, I send it her way. Sticky garlic noodles will remind the recently gluten-free of some of their former favorites, with the added bonus of not leaving them in digestive misery. Win-win!
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11
Taylor Kiser
Crockpot Quinoa Recipe
Another Mexican dish that will have so much flavor and versatility, this Crockpot quinoa recipe comes out ahead because it cooks itself. Yeah, I know that’s a given being made in the Crockpot, I just need to point it out. One thing I love about Mexican dishes is that everyone can customize them – add salsa, avocado, sour cream, cheese, or don’t. It will make everyone happy to have it their own way!
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12
Urvashee Patel
Three Bean Vegetarian Chili Recipe
A chili bursting with flavor, and some unexpected ingredients, this three bean vegetarian chili is truly unique. All of the typical beans and peppers are paired with Allspice and cocoa powder for a wildly flavorful chili that won’t leave you missing the meat. I love cooking in new and surprising ways, and enjoying my guests’ faces as they discover flavor combinations they had never previously considered! This one is a hit.
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13
Nora Rusev
Mushroom Swiss Chard Pasta Recipe
Fresh mushrooms and Swiss chard combine with browned butter and white wine sauce in this cozy recipe for mushroom Swiss chard pasta that would make a great couples’ dinner for a home date on chilly autumn nights. For those who have never tried Swiss chard, you can bring the crunchiness down several notches to your comfort level if you’re not a huge fan. I personally prefer mine much softer than most recipes call for.
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14
Nora Rusev
15 Minute Caprese Pasta Recipe
I love this recipe because it literally comes together in just 15 minutes, but I also love this fresh and flavorful take on your typical pasta delicious. Ditching heavy sauces for fresh tomatoes and chunks of fresh mozzarella, all paired with tons of fresh basil, is a total stroke of genius. Take your favorite caprese salad and reimagine it as caprese pasta and that’s exactly what you have here.
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15
Taylor Kiser
Air Fryer Falafel Recipe
Make great use of your super convenient air fryer and give our air fryer falafel recipe a go! This otherwise traditional Indian recipe that can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways, and it’s generally a crowd pleaser with most vegetarians. It’s flavorful, full of protein and can be made in advance to use for easy lunches or it makes a hearty dinner. I like it best wrapped in warm pita bread slathered with creamy tzatziki, but it’s also amazing topping salad.
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16
Lisa Grant
Baked Spinach Rigatoni Recipe
Spinach is rich in iron, making it an awesome addition to vegetarian dishes. It also has the added benefit of adding loads of flavor and texture to just about any dish. This baked rigatoni is cheesy and super simple, using budget-friendly ingredients for a filling dish that doesn’t take hours to make. It’s all the things you want in a baked pasta dish and none of the meat you don’t want.
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17
Jennifer W.
Meatless Chickpea Ragu Recipe
Our meatless chickpea ragu recipe is vegan bolognese done right! This hearty and healthy version of ragu pasta sauce will hit the spot. To give this sauce the same substantial, stick-to-your-ribs quality that a traditional meat-based ragu sauce would have, toss a can of chickpeas into a food processor quickly pulse a few times. With less than 30 minutes prep time, you can make this last minute or on evenings when you’re struggling to find something convenient and healthy.
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18
Julia Mueller
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
Shepherd’s Pie is such a classic comfort food and it’s easy to understand why. How can you not love the cozy mashed potato goodness?! For vegetarians craving the hearty, meat-free alternative, this vegetarian shepherd’s pie recipe is what you’re craving. The recipe calls for parsnips, carrots and mushrooms, but use the freedom to add whatever you like most!
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19
Urvashee Patel
Kung Pao Cauliflower Recipe
My kids and I recently tried a cauliflower recipe as a chicken replacement and wow, were we impressed! I had been avoiding such recipes, thinking that they would be immediately snubbed, but when I was brave enough to try, we all joined in and agreed that they were amazing. This recipe for Kung Pao cauliflower will surprise you, no doubt, with its bold flavor and incredible texture. It’s not chicken, but it’s absolutely tasty!
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20
Rebekah Garcia Kalinowski
Enfrijoladas Recipe
If you love beans and bean sauces as much as I do, this enfrijoladas recipe is perfect for you. I love warm, creamy refried beans so much that I can (and do) eat them plain. This recipe calls for a creamy bean sauce that is poured over corn tortillas that can be stuffed with peppers, avocados, more beans, or anything else you’d like. Modify this for the non-vegetarian in your life and throw in some shredded chicken or thinly sliced steak.
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21
Toni Dash
Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe
It wasn’t until an Indian restaurant finally opened in my town that I realized what I’d been missing and just how much you can do with Indian recipes to customize them! You may need to invest in some new spices to give this paneer tikka masala recipe a try, but I promise you won’t regret it. Plus, you’re likely to find tons of new ways to use them once you’re hooked on this Indian specialty.
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