41 Delicious Vegetarian Dinner Ideas That Will Feed Your Whole Family
Whether you live in a strict no-meat household or you just want to incorporate at least one day a week dedicated to no meat, these meatless recipes will be perfect for you to whip up a quick and delicious meal for the whole family.
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1.Roasted Tomato Soup
Pair with grilled cheese for the ultimate comfort food meal.
Recipe: Roasted Tomato Soup
2.Instant Pot Mushroom and Spinach Risotto
Forget about all the stove-top stirring and let your Instant Pot turn arborio rice into creamy, indulgent risotto, loaded with savory spinach and mushrooms and topped with Parmesan cheese.
3.Curry Noodle Soup
Even in the summer, there's nothing better than a hearty bowl of curry noodle soup to keep your family pleasantly delighted with this meatless dinner.
Recipe: Curry Noodle Soup
4.Cacio e Pepe
You can't go wrong with a delicious pasta with cheese and pepper!
Recipe: Cacio e Pepe
5.10-Minute Peanut Sauce Rice Noodles
This 10-minute peanut sauce made with creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, and garlic is pretty much life changing. Don't have rice noodles on hand? Use spaghetti, udon, or even instant ramen noodles.
6.Spicy Vegetable Ramen Bowls
The base of this spicy, creamy ramen soup starts with sesame oil, dried mushrooms, garlic, vegetable broth, tomato pasta, Sriracha, and soy sauce. Just add ramen noodles and garnish with any of your favorite toppings from jammy eggs to wilted bok choy.
Recipe: Spicy Vegetable Ramen Bowls
7.Whole Braised Cauliflower with Salsa Verde Orzo
Looking for a dinner that's super satisfying and works perfectly as leftovers? This one's for you. Orzo is simmered in vegetable broth, shallots, garlic, and sage to create the delicious flavor your family will love.
8.Pad Thai Spaghetti Squash
If you're not the biggest fan of squash, this recipe is guaranteed to change your mind and make you see just how delicious squash can be!
Recipe: Pad Thai Spaghetti Squash
9.Peanut Noodle Pasta Salad
This peanut noodle pasta salad is the perfect pasta dish to serve at any summer barbecue you plan on throwing this warm season with your family.
Recipe: Peanut Noodle Pasta Salad
10.Vegetable Bibimbap
This Korean rice dish is made with a handful of fresh and pickled vegetables and a runny fried egg. Get creative and use whatever is in your kitchen.
Recipe: Vegetable Bibimbap
11.20-Minute Lentil Bolognese
You won't miss the ground beef when it comes to this savory lentil-packed tomato sauce. It comes together in one pan in about 20 minutes. Just toss it with your favorite cooked pasta and enjoy.
Recipe: 20-Minute Lentil Bolognese
12.Slow Cooker Tortellini Minestrone Soup
When it's cold outside, nothing hits the spot like tortellini soup. And best of all, this recipe comes together entirely in the slow cooker, so you can set it, forget it, and wait for dinner time.
13.One-Pot Vegan Swedish "Meatball" Pasta
Who says you need pork, beef, or turkey to enjoy a good meatball? These vegan Swedish "meatballs" will have you questioning if you would ever want to eat meatballs that aren't vegan ever again.
14.Vegetarian Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers
Stuff these bell peppers with your favorite grain (quinoa, rice, or even couscous), sautéed onions, lots of spices, diced tomatoes, and a healthy serving of shredded cheese.
15.Summer Vegetable Minestrone Soup
This hearty summer vegetable minestrone soup is filled to the brim with plenty of filling vegetables that even the kids in your family will love because they're just too tasty.
Recipe: Summer Vegetable Minestrone Soup
16.30-Minute Tuscan White Bean Skillet
This one-skillet recipe comes together with pantry ingredients you might already have on hand. Grab some canned white beans, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, and marinated artichoke hearts, and you're halfway to dinner.
17.Vegan Pulled Pork Sliders
You can buy canned jackfruit at most markets, even at your local Trader Joe's. Simmered in spices, liquid smoke, and barbecue sauce, it takes on the taste and texture of pulled pork.
Recipe: Vegan Pulled Pork Sliders
18.Caprese Spaghetti Squash
Stuffed with garlic, onion, cherry tomato, and mozzarella then topped with fresh basil, this pasta substitute may be low carb, but it's still totally satisfying.
Recipe: Caprese Spaghetti Squash
19.Slow Cooker Coconut Curry
A true dump meal, just toss some veggies, coconut milk, quinoa, tomatoes, and spices into the slow cooker. When dinner time comes around, it's ready to eat.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Coconut Curry
20.Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Pizza
This BBQ jackfruit pizza is the perfect BBQ chicken alternative that'll satisfy every hungry mouth in your household.
Recipe: Vegan BBQ Jackfruit Pizza
21.Crispy Orange Air Fryer Tofu
A riff on the Chinese takeout classic, this saucy orange tofu is actually deceptively easy to make. Thanks to your handy air fryer, it gets crunchy on the outside while remaining chewy on the inside.
Recipe: Crispy Orange Air Fryer Tofu
22.Veggie Enchiladas
You won't even miss the meat when you cut into these rich and creamy tortillas, which are filled with a spiced mixture of rice, sweet potatoes, and black beans — then topped with red enchilada sauce.
Recipe: Veggie Enchiladas
23.Baked Eggplant Parmesan
You'll be shocked that this crispy eggplant — breaded, then baked from start to finish — isn't fried in oil.
Recipe: Baked Eggplant Parmesan
24.Kung Pao Cauliflower
Cauliflower is my all-time favorite substitute for recipes that are traditionally made with chicken. This Chinese-inspired dish is no exception. Cauliflower gets roasted in the oven until crispy, then tossed in a thick and spicy sauce on the stove top.
Recipe: Kung Pao Cauliflower
25.Smoky Chipotle Mushroom Tacos
Thanks to a smoky marinade made with chipotle paste, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, and smoked paprika, these mushrooms are bursting with flavor. Serve them in tacos with your favorite toppings.
Recipe: Smoky Chipotle Mushroom Tacos
26.Spinach-Artichoke Lasagna Roll-ups
Lasagna is one of the ultimate comfort foods, and this recipe is guaranteed to bring even the biggest carnivores comfort.
27.Homemade Vegetable Pot Stickers
If you've never made pot stickers from scratch, it's actually quite easy and a fun family dinner or date night idea. Start with store-bought dumpling wrappers and fill them with a mixture of veggies, ginger, chives, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
Recipe: Homemade Vegetable Pot Stickers
28.Creamy Thai Sweet Potato Curry
Curry is one of my go-to vegetarian meals. It's good for you and filling, and you can customize it with any of your favorite vegetables.
Recipe: Creamy Thai Sweet Potato Curry
29.Veggie Pad Thai with Peanuts and Basil
Add some tofu for extra protein if you're feeling hungry, but this sweet-meets-savory Thai noodle dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
30.Vegetarian Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu is often made with ground pork, but this version is totally vegetarian. Thanks to chili bean sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, and Korean red chili, it's super spicy and will warm you right up on chilly fall nights.
Recipe: Vegetarian Mapo Tofu
31.Instant Pot Cauliflower Tikka Masala
If you don't follow a vegan diet, you can make this vegetable-based tikka masala with half-and-half or full-fat yogurt for extra creaminess.
32.Crispy Falafel
You could always bake these homemade falafel in the oven, but for the ultimate crispy exterior, frying them in oil is the way to go.
Recipe: Crispy Falafel
33.Lentil Shepherd's Pie
You can shave lots of time off this recipe by using canned lentils and your favorite canned tomato sauce. You can even skip boiling and mashing the potatoes if you use the frozen kind.
Recipe: Lentil Shepherd's Pie
34.Parmesan Polenta with Roasted Vegetables
Whatever veggies you have on hand, toss them into the oven and roast them until just charred and tender. Serve on top of polenta for a satisfying fall meal.
35.Baked Buffalo Cauliflower
Dredged in milk, panko, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder, these cauliflower florets boast a crunchy exterior and a nice kick. Just don't forget the blue cheese dressing for dipping.
Recipe: Baked Buffalo Cauliflower
36.Ricotta Zucchini "Meatballs"
These plant-based meatballs are light and fluffy on the inside with a crunchy outside. Serve them on top of your favorite pasta tossed with your go-to sauce.
Recipe: Ricotta Zucchini "Meatballs"
37.Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
A combination of sweet potatoes, quinoa, and red lentils makes these meatless patties taste and feel similar to classic hamburgers. Serve them on buns with your favorite toppings.
Recipe: Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
38.Crispy and Crunchy Tofu Nuggets
Battered in milk (or nut milk), flour, bread crumbs, and lots of spices, then baked in the oven for about 25 minutes, these vegetarian nuggets might permanently change your opinion about tofu.
Recipe: Crispy and Crunchy Tofu Nuggets
39.Garlic Roasted Tomato and Spinach Flatbread
Turn your average weeknight into a pizza party. Instead of pizza dough, I love using store-bought naan and adding toppings for a quick and easy family-friendly meal.
40.Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
This veggie-packed lasagna takes advantage of fall's best produce, like mushrooms, leeks, kale, and squash. It's easy enough to make on a weeknight but special enough to save for date night or your next dinner party.
Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
41.Creamy White Bean Soup with Kale and Gremolata
"Gremolata" is basically a fancy word for a simple mix of garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs. Sprinkled on top of this white bean soup with a drizzle of good olive oil, it takes your meal to the next level.
What are some of your favorite meatless recipes? Feel free to leave them in the comments below.
This article contains content previously curated by Hannah Loewentheil. It was compiled by Salimah McCullough.
