36 easy vegetarian dinner ideas that even picky eaters will love

Whether or not you are a die-hard proponent of Meatless Mondays or a die-hard vegan, you are in all probability trying to combine issues up and add some new flavors to your repertoire. These simple vegan dinner concepts are the right resolution, with a mix of distinctive flavors from world wide. Higher but, most of those dishes take lower than half-hour from begin to end.

Likelihood is, even the pickiest diner will like at the least just a few of the choices on this record, so you’ll be able to add just a few new tips to your dinner recreation.

Seasoned rice with crispy chickpeas

Caitlin Bensel


Chickpeas are a vegetarian staple meal. Right here, it’s ready with heat Indian spices and served with rice cooked in garam masala.

Fish-free ceviche

Greg Dupree

Get all of the flavors of ceviche — with out the fish — on this 10-minute dish that is the right gentle summer time dinner. Substitute hearts of palm for seafood, and get that tropical taste from a lightweight lemon-and-coconut sauce.

Sluggish Cooker Black Beans Posole

Victor Protasio


Put some substances in your gradual cooker, then come residence to this scrumptious Mexican soup. Exchange the usual bitter cream with a dollop of vegan bitter cream (or coconut cream) as a garnish.

Tofu asada with caramelized onions and refried beans

Victor Protasius

Tofu is the right clean canvas for any spice mix you select—and right here, it takes on the spicy warmth of carne asada. Caramelized onions add sweetness to refried beans.

Vegetarian BLT with shiitake bacon

Caitlin Bensel

Shiitake bacon can nonetheless provide the identical smoky taste of bacon—particularly when it is marinated in soy sauce and roasted.

Hummus salad sandwich

Allison Micksh

Hummus makes a stunning (and extremely scrumptious!) veggie swap for the tuna on this salad sandwich. Use vegan mayonnaise to make this utterly vegan.

Zucchini butter spaghetti

Jennifer Causey

Do not let the identify idiot you: There’s barely any butter on this dish. Alternatively, grated zucchini, shallots and garlic are cooked till they attain a buttery consistency, then tossed with the pasta. (You should utilize a small quantity of vegan butter as an alternative of normal butter for a bit of further richness.

Thai curry vegetable soup and tofu soup

Christopher Baker

This super-quick soup will get its creaminess from coconut milk in a curry paste broth. It is a excellent recipe for utilizing up any further greens out of your produce drawer – peppers or broccoli is usually a good addition or swap for any greens you do not have readily available.

Watermelon bowls

Victor Protasius

Watermelon is a surprisingly good substitute for tuna on this Hawaiian-style recipe. (The soy and sesame marinade provides it a extra savory taste.) Use vegan mayonnaise for a spicy drizzle.

Oat and black bean burger

Greg Dupree

This blended and cooked burger recipe is tremendous simple to make. Season them along with your favourite seasonings, and pair them with selfmade French fries for a tastier (and simply as fast) model of the quick meals favourite.

Gnocchi and candy potatoes with hazelnuts

Greg Dupree

Gentle potato gnocchi and spiced candy potatoes get their excellent counterpart from crunchy hazelnuts. You’ll be able to fry the gnocchi in olive oil or a bit of broth as an alternative of butter.

Purple lentil soup with pumpkin and lemon

Caitlin Bensel

This colourful soup is the right consolation meals—particularly if you’re feeling underneath the climate. It is full of superfoods which might be good for you. Assume carrots, squash, lentils, and crunchy roasted almonds.

Sluggish Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Candy Potatoes

Con Paulus

The key ingredient on this chili? It’s cocoa powder, which supplies the dish a mole-like flavour.

Walnut Tofu Bowls

Caitlin Bensel

To offer your tofu that crunchy texture, take away extra water by wrapping the tofu in a kitchen towel and weighing it down with a forged iron skillet or different heavy object. Asian spices like rice vinegar and ginger add loads of liveliness.

Thai peanut butter ramen

Antonis Achilleus

You in all probability have every little thing you want in your kitchen by now to organize this scrumptious 20-minute meal. Be at liberty so as to add just a few extras—sliced ​​tofu, peppers, or carrots—to make the meal extra substantial.

Purple lentil curry

Jose Picayo

Indian curry is a well-liked vegetarian dinner concept. Bonus: You solely must do 10 minutes of prep and let the meal cook dinner for just a few further minutes.

Tofu and Mushroom Larb

Caitlin Bensel

This Laotian recipe places mushrooms entrance and middle for a hearty vegetarian dinner concept. If cilantro is a divisive merchandise in your loved ones, add a bit of mint to switch it.

Chopped cauliflower

Greg Dupree, Meals Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Stylist: Claire Spolin


Herbie’s Lemon Piccata is a standard Italian-style dish normally made with meat, however these scrumptious cauliflower steaks are an ideal standout. Make a bit of pan sauce and stir it into the pasta as effectively

Instantaneous noodles

Greg Dupree

This scrumptious pasta dish requires simply 5 minutes of prep, and options the daring, peppery flavors of arugula and radishes. The almond butter and sesame oil steadiness this out.

Vegetarian paella with summer time squash

Caitlin Bensel

Spanish paella sometimes options an array of seafood and sausages. However our vegetarian model has a bunch of colourful veggies to provide it a rainbow-colored look that makes it worthy of a cocktail party.

Polenta in creamy tomato sauce

Caitlin Bensel

This vegetarian recipe is the last word in simplicity: it is fast to organize, requires just one pan to scrub, and it is scrumptious, too. It is also a recipe that makes use of a ton of pantry fundamentals, so it is nice for these days when your fridge appears fairly empty.

Papaya and Jicama Aguachil

Victor Protasius

When you’re on the lookout for a lightweight summer time dinner, that is it! The spicy chili-lime sauce is the right foil to the creamy avocado and candy papaya, and recent mint provides a scrumptious completion.

Spicy coconut noodles

Beatrice da Costa

This simple and spicy noodle dish options coconut sauce and Thai-style chili paste. Be at liberty so as to add extra veggies or tofu slices to make it dinner-ready.

Roasted Israeli couscous with corn and herbs

Greg Dupree

This scrumptious salad is like summer time on a plate, with a mixture of recent corn and herbs. (Be at liberty to cook dinner it year-round, utilizing frozen corn as an alternative.)

Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf with Cranberries

Light + Hairs

Tart cranberries brighten the earthy flavors of untamed rice and mushrooms on this scrumptious pilaf. It is an ideal vegetarian choice for vacation dinners, and even those that take pleasure in turkey or ham will pile it on their plate.

Mushroom and corn tacos

Greg Dupree

Meaty mushrooms and corn exchange floor beef in these vegetarian-friendly tacos. You may make your individual sauce utilizing a fast and simple blender sauce, or use your favourite store-bought choices.

Lettuce wraps, tofu and mushrooms

Fred Hardy


Jasmine rice and a meaty combination of tofu and mushrooms make the right filling for crunchy lettuce leaves. The key to giving that floor beef-like look? Grate the tofu and blend it with our scrumptious Sriracha sauce and sesame sauce.

Roasted Vegan Quinoa Bowls

Victor Protasius


This dish is like fall in a bowl, with a mix of fall’s favourite root greens and a scrumptious French dressing. Consider this dish as an effective way to filter out what’s hiding in your fridge, as you’ll be able to exchange carrots with squash or parsnips, or attempt cauliflower as an alternative of Brussels sprouts. And if you do not have quinoa, couscous or different grains will do!

Veggie chickpea burger

Caitlin Bensel

When you’re not a fan of processed veggie burgers, you’ll be able to simply put together a scrumptious choice at residence. Harissa provides loads of taste to the burger, which may be garnished with all of your favourite substances. (We prefer it with a beneficiant piece of avocado.)

Superfood lentil salad

Victor Protasius

Virtually each superfood on the planet seems on this good-for-you recipe that is additionally actually good. We like so as to add grilled tofu to make it actually dinner-worthy.

Cauliflower tartine with romesco sauce

Caitlin Bensel

Spanish-style romesco sauce—a peppery combination of vinegar, almonds, roasted peppers, and tomato paste—provides daring taste to this open-faced sandwich. Use a great, crispy sourdough, and hold a knife and fork helpful, as it might make a multitude consuming this scrumptious combination along with your palms.

Meatballs with out meat

Caitlin Bensel

There are few individuals who can resist a meatball sub. This vegetarian choice incorporates a meaty mixture of eggplant and mushrooms as an alternative of pork and beef, however the identical daring tomato sauce. Select vegan Parmesan or a bit of dietary yeast as an alternative of sprinkled Parmesan.

Summer season Squash Farro Bowl

Caitlin Bensel

Take into account this the right summer time version of your cereal bowl. avocado. The summer time squash is topped with an array of recent herbs.

Roasted butternut squash with tahini sauce

Caitlin Bensel

Sesame tahini is a staple of chickpeas, and makes a creamy sauce that provides a bit of umami to the roasted butternut squash.

Loaded candy potatoes with coconut and kale

Victor Protasius

Stuffed potatoes are a straightforward and ideal dinner concept. When you’re on the lookout for the right vegetarian filling, do that mix of coconut and kale, with heat curry and serrano chile to assist increase the flavour.

Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Victor Protasius

In order for you all of the crema of Alfredo with out the precise cream, we have you lined. Cashew milk, cauliflower, garlic, and dietary yeast are blended collectively to provide the identical creaminess and taste with no drop of dairy.