37 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes You'll Make All the Time

These meatless meals are perfect, any night of the week.

January 12, 2023

By: Food Network Kitchen

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Veggie-Forward Ideas You'll Love

Eating more vegetarian meals can be a great way to fill your diet with good-for-you ingredients like nuts, seeds, whole grain and, of course, veggies. You’ll find that everything from comfort foods to casseroles can go meatless with ease—and still be every bit as satisfying. If you’re in need of some fresh inspiration, you’re in the right place. We’ve got wholesome recipes for vegetarian soups, meatless chilis, veggie-forward slow-cooker options and so much more—starting with this light-yet-satisfying vegetarian pasta. It features whole-wheat pasta plus a few nutritional powerhouses like mushrooms (which are loaded with B vitamins and potassium) and red peppers (which are filled with vitamin C). This dish is delicious as-is but you could also add a few cubes of marinated, seared tofu on top for extra protein.

Get the Recipe: Pasta Primavera

Healthy Lentil Chili

This hearty vegetarian chili is both nutritious and satisfying, thanks to the protein-packed navy beans and brown lentils. We added a generous dose of dried spices and other pantry staples to boost the flavor and make this dish accessible for any night of the week.

Get the Recipe: Healthy Lentil Chili

Veggie Lover's Club Sandwich

Stacked high with veggies, this sandwich is as appealing to look at as it is to eat. With a creamy avocado spread and smoky tofu, there's no bacon or deli meat required.

Get the Recipe: Veggie Lover's Club Sandwich

Healthy Vegetable and Couscous Stuffed Peppers

This dish looks particularly vibrant when you use a combination of sweet yellow, red and orange bell peppers. Pick the largest ones you can find, with the flattest, most stable bottoms so they remain standing once they're stuffed and baked in the tomato sauce. These peppers are delicious hot out of the oven or served Mediterranean-style at room temperature.

Get the Recipe: Healthy Vegetable and Couscous Stuffed Peppers

Squash and Spinach Lasagna

This vegetarian main dish is packed with vegetables (butternut squash and spinach) and gets creamy goodness from part-skim mozzarella and low-fat milk.

Get the Recipe: Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Lentil Soup

Made with hearty lentils and lots of vegetables, Alton's soup is comforting and satisfying.

Get the Recipe: Lentil Soup

Spaghetti and No-Meat Balls

These "meatballs" aren't made with meat at all, but a combination of mushrooms, breadcrumbs, tofu and spices — made to taste just like the real thing.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti and No-Meat Balls

Stuffed Honeynut Squash

Honeynuts look like baby butternut squash but are sweeter and with a thinner skin -- making them perfect for stuffing. This recipe makes a hearty vegetarian main course or flavor-packed side to a roast or steak.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Honeynut Squash

Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomatoes and Ricotta

This quick, flavorful and healthy side is done from fridge to table in under 30 minutes. We trim off the top and bottom of the squash, poke it all over and cook it in the microwave in a fraction of the time it would take to roast it. If you wanted to make this a complete meal, juicy turkey meatballs would be a delightful accompaniment to this pasta alternative.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomatoes and Ricotta

Roasted Zucchini Flatbread

This pizza-like meatless meal comes together easily using store-bought pita and hummus, plus oven-roasted zucchini, lemon and goat cheese.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Zucchini Flatbread with Hummus, Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Almonds

Tofu Parmesan Subs

Tofu is an excellent substitute for chicken or eggplant in the classic Parmesan sub. The sandwiches still have plenty of flavor, thanks to garlic, basil, Italian seasoning and some part-skim mozzarella.

Get the Recipe: Tofu Parmesan Subs

Sicilian-Style Cauliflower with Whole-Wheat Pasta

Tossed with raisins, pine nuts and capers, this flavorful pasta makes a perfect vegetarian main course.

Get the Recipe: Sicilian-Style Cauliflower with Whole Wheat Pasta

Broccoli Balls with Harissa-Yogurt Sauce

These falafel-inspired broccoli balls are perfectly crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside and loaded with vibrant fresh herbs and spices. Paired with a tangy and spicy harissa-yogurt sauce, they can be perfect guilt-free hors d'oeuvres for your next party, a fiber-packed vegetable side dish or a crunchy addition to a salad. Since harissa pastes can vary widely in spiciness, feel free to adjust to your liking. They freeze really well, so make a double batch and freeze some for another night.

Get the Recipe: Broccoli Balls with Harissa-Yogurt Sauce

Skillet Eggs with Squash

Bring out the skillet for this one-pot dish filled with healthy yet comforting flavors.

Get the Recipe: Skillet Eggs With Squash

Chile Cheese Casserole

Serve breakfast for dinner with this chilaquile-inspired casserole. Using baked tortilla chips, a mixture of eggs and egg whites and just a bit of sharp Cheddar and pepper Jack, the fat is low while the flavor is high.

Get the Recipe: Chile Cheese Casserole

Weeknight Vegetarian Chili

Rich with flavor, this vegetarian chili tastes like it's been simmering for hours. But thanks to canned beans and tomatoes, it's ready to hit the dinner table in 30 minutes. Serve with brown rice for added fiber.

Get the Recipe: Weeknight Two-Bean Chili

Zucchini Fettuccine with Tomato Sauce

This easy mock pasta dish doesn't require any time on the stove or in the oven — just cut zucchini into strips and top it with fresh tomatoes, olive oil and herbs.

Get the Recipe: Zucchini "Fettuccine" With Tomato Sauce

Mushroom-Hummus Soup

Adding hummus makes this easy one-pot dish substantial enough to enjoy on its own. A refreshing lemon-yogurt topping gives the soup a rich creaminess.

Get the Recipe: Mushroom-Hummus Soup

Vegetarian Spinach-Walnut Pate

The words "vegetarian," "pate" and "caviar" don't necessarily go together, but this creamy, flavor-packed appetizer spreads like pate, and the tart bursts of pomegranate seeds are a little like caviar. This vegetarian (in fact, vegan) dish is inspired by the country of Georgia's dish pkhali, a spinach spread that can also be made with beets or mushrooms.

Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Spinach-Walnut Pate

Healthified Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Fat-free evaporated milk is the secret ingredient that makes this comforting soup creamy but not overindulgent. Choose vegetable broth over chicken for the soup's base to keep it truly meatless.

Get the Recipe: Healthified Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Slow-Cooker Mushroom Barley Risotto

This entree is vegetarian, but the mushrooms make it hearty enough for non-vegetarians too. The flavors are perfect for the colder weather of fall.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Mushroom Barley Risotto

Tofu-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Versatile, high-protein tofu is cooked with tomatoes and spinach to become the nutritious filling for acorn squash in this veggie-rich main course.

Get the Recipe: Tofu-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Healthy Dried Mushroom and Barley Soup

If you're looking for a hearty and healthful meal, consider this dried mushroom and barley soup. The barley adds nuttiness, a sprinkle of flour lends viscosity to the broth and the dried mushrooms provide meatiness and umami. If you have fresh mushrooms on hand, you can add them, too. The result is a deliciously nourishing, vegetarian dish that everyone will love.

Get the Recipe: Healthy Dried Mushroom and Barley Soup

Pasta with Broccoli-Walnut Pesto

Superstar vegetable broccoli is the primary ingredient in this delicious pesto, which also gets a hit of heart-healthy fat from walnuts. Serve it over tricolor or whole-wheat fusilli.

Get the Recipe: Broccoli-Walnut Pesto With Pasta

Tofu Cuban Sandwiches

The beloved Cuban pressed sandwich gets a vegetarian makeover with the help of sliced tofu (topped with melted Swiss cheese and roasted peppers) in place of the traditional meat. Jicama sticks are the crunchy accompaniment.

Get the Recipe: Citrusy Tofu Sandwiches With Jicama Sticks

Vegetarian Chili with Summer Vegetables

You don’t need meat for a delicious and filling chili. Fresh eggplant and firm tofu ensure a crave-worthy texture, while fire-roasted corn and tomatoes provide the classic flavors of your favorite cozy dish.

Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Chili with Summer Vegetables

Meatless Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

Vegetarians can now enjoy this classic comfort dish. Starring tofu and eggplants, this meatless meatloaf is as satisfying as the original. Finish it off with a rich mushroom gravy.

Get the Recipe: Meatless Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

Lightened-Up Penne a la Vodka

Cut down on the fat content of a traditional vodka sauce by replacing some of the cream with 2-percent Greek yogurt, which provides the same creaminess and richness as a full-fat version.

Get the Recipe: Lightened-Up Penne a la Vodka

Spicy Vegan Sloppy Joes

Mushrooms make these kicked-up sloppy joes ultra-meaty. But there's no meat here, making this vegan sandwich one of the lightest sloppy joes you'll probably ever make.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Vegan Sloppy Joes

Tofu-Potato Scramble

For a protein-packed lunch, divide this hearty combination of firm tofu and Yukon gold potatoes between several whole-wheat tortillas, then add your favorite toppings.

Get the Recipe: Tofu-Potato Scramble

Spiced Apple Yogurt Sorghum Bowl

This delicious combination of sorghum, Greek yogurt and cinnamon-ginger sauteed apple is a nourishing and comforting breakfast for a cold winter's morning.

Get the Recipe: Spiced Apple Yogurt Sorghum Bowl

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Lasagna

Busy families, this recipe is for you. I crave the comfort of homemade lasagna in the winter, but I dislike the lengthy assembly time that often accompanies the dish. The slow cooker makes the entire process really simple: no boiling noodles, no precooking the vegetables and no need to worry about making neat layers.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Vegetable Lasagna

Veggie Burgers with Pomegranate Ketchup

Packed with meaty mushrooms, filling brown rice and hearty walnuts, these burgers are guaranteed to beat anything you grab from the freezer aisle. Serve the veggie burgers with sweet pomegranate ketchup for a flavor profile that you’ll crave again and again.

Get the Recipe: Veggie Burgers with Pomegranate Ketchup

Cheese-and-Chile-Stuffed Mushrooms

Here's a vegetarian dish even carnivores can appreciate: meaty portobello mushroom caps stuffed with chile peppers and hearty mozzarella. Top them off with some diced jalapeno and a dollop of sour cream, to tame the heat.

Get the Recipe: Cheese and Chile-Stuffed Mushrooms