14 Vegetarian Lunches That Will Actually Fill You Up
Let’s face it: Sometimes vegetarian lunches leave something to be desired. But we’re not settling for a pile of sad lettuce with a smear of hummus anymore. Say hello to 14 vegetarian lunches that will actually fill you up and keep you satisfied all day.
RELATED: 30 Vegetarian Comfort Food Recipes
1. Black Rice Bowl with Figs, Radicchio, Pickled Radishes and Pepitas
Candied pepitas and black rice elevate this simple rice bowl that will have your coworkers peering over their cubicles.
2. Rainbow Vegetable Sandwich
Maria Lichty adds tons of vibrant color to a simple veggie sandwich that anyone would be thrilled to find in their lunchbox.
3. Barley Chickpea Salad with Purple Cabbage, Spinach and Almond-Sesame Miso Dressing
Thank Jodi Moreno for upgrading your lunch this week. This hearty salad gets its heft from barley and chickpeas and its deliciousness from an addictive almond-sesame miso dressing.
4. Turmeric Spiced Cauliflower and Broccoli with Capers
Do a little meal prep on Sunday and enjoy this keto and vegetarian roasted cauliflower dish all week.
5. Veggie Niçoise Salad with Red Curry Green Beans
Most Niçoise salads come topped with tuna. Not this one. It’s so full of red curry green beans, potatoes, English cucumbers and radishes that you don’t miss the fish one bit.
6. Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Sandwich with Cranberries and Lemon
Who needs avocado toast when you have this hearty avocado sandwich? It’s packed with your favorite fruit mixed with chickpeas, dried cranberries and arugula.
7. Avocado Caprese Wrap
Hearty doesn’t have to mean complex. Case in point: Heidi Larsen’s easy-to-make avocado Caprese wrap with mozzarella and balsamic drizzle.
8. Kung Pao Cauliflower
One of our favorite hacks? Swap cauliflower into all of your Chinese takeout favorites, including spicy kung pao.
9. Taco Salad
Pass the hot sauce. You can put together a fiesta-worthy salad without cooking a single ingredient. (Thanks for the fabulous vegetarian lunch, Aida Mollenkamp.)
10. Romaine, Kale and Broccoli Salad
Toss together Katie Workman’s romaine, kale and broccoli salad—with lots of crumbled goat cheese, natch—in less than 20 minutes.
11. Alison Roman’s Roasted Squash with Yogurt and Spiced Buttered Pistachios
Cook up a gorgeous seasonal lunch from one of our favorite cookbook authors, Alison Roman.
12. Sesame Ginger Noodles
Forget the takeout order. Gaby Dalkin’s sesame ginger noodles, you won’t need to pick up lunch, just your chopsticks.
13. Vegan Chickpea Caesar Wrap
Vegans and vegetarians, rejoice: You can really sink your teeth into Gena Hamshaw’s Caesar wrap, thanks to a cashew cream–based dressing and plenty of chickpeas.
14. Shredded Brussels Sprout and Apple Salad
Crunchy shredded Brussels sprouts provide the base for Liz Harris’s filling salad—and did we mention the sliced apples cooked in maple syrup and crunchy pine nuts?
RELATED: 18 Vegetarian Bowls That Make Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner a Breeze
