11 Vegetarian Dinner Ideas (perfect for Meatless Monday or Lent)
Every year millions of Christians around the world observe Lent, starting today. In honor of the meatless Fridays of Lent and from the many reader requests, I've compiled a list of delicious and healthy vegetarian recipes.
Even if you don't observe Lent, like our family, there are many aspects of eating vegetarian from time to time that can be beneficial. From saving money to increasing your vegetable consumption, these vegetarian dinner ideas are also surprisingly delicious (and that's coming from a meat lover).
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Meal Planning Theme Ideas
With each vegetarian dinner idea, I've also included ideas on how to incorporate each meal into a meal planning theme night strategy. Many families find it helpful to have a specific theme for each night of the week. This makes it easier to come up with diversity when thinking of what to plan for the week.
For example, if the theme for Monday is "Meatless Monday", then any of these vegetarian dinner ideas would be great to slot in there! Other popular meal planning themes that many of these meals could work well with are "Mexican Night", "Bean Night", "Taco Night", "Pasta Night" and more.
Here is an example of a week of meal planning using theme nights:
Mondays = Meatless Monday
Tuesdays = Taco Night
Wednesdays = One Pot Meal Night
Thursdays = Pasta Night
Fridays = eat out!
Saturdays = Leftovers Night (a.k.a. Empty the Fridge Night)
Sundays = Soup Sunday
Want more meal planning tips? Read more here.
21 Easy & Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
Veggie Bean Burritos
[caption id="attachment_5415" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Meatless Veggie and Bean Burritos recipe, Image Credit: KitchenStewardship.com[/caption]
A classic, but without the meat, kids and adults alike will love this meal. With only 20 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cook time, this dish could easily be thrown together on a weeknight.
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: Serve without the tortilla, over rice or buy gluten-free tortillas (like these)
Grain-free: serve over a bed of greens without the rice or tortilla
Dairy-free: leave out the cheese and sour cream (and add extra guacamole!)
Vegan: leave out the dairy
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Bean Night
Mexican Night
Meatless Monday
Burrito Night
Total prep + cook time: 40 minutes
Get the recipe at KitchenStewardship.com
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
[caption id="attachment_5417" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Image Credit: CookieandKate.com, Vegetarian Tortilla Soup[/caption]
Perfect for a cold, dreary day! This soup can warm your soul with it's nourishing broth and energetic spices.
The great thing about soups and stews is that they freeze so well. So make double and triple and enjoy the ease of simply thawing a meal next week! Cook once, eat twice!
What is hominy? This recipe calls for hominy, which according to The Spruce Eats, is a food made from kernels of corn. The kernels are soaked in an alkali solution of either lime (the mineral, not the fruit) or lye, which is a process called nixtamalization. The corrosive nature of the solution removes the hull and germ of the corn and causes the grain itself to puff up to about twice its normal size.
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: buy gluten-free tortillas (like these)
Grain-free: buy grain-free tortillas (like these)
Dairy-free: leave out the feta (add some avocado)
Vegan: leave out the feta cheese
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Bean Night
Mexican Night
Meatless Monday
Sunday Soup Night
Total prep + cook time: 30 minutes
Get the recipe at CookieandKate.com
Baked Easy Cheesy Zucchini Casserole Recipe (Zucchini Gratin)
[caption id="attachment_5418" align="aligncenter" width="603"] Image Credit: Wholesum Yum, Baked Easy Cheesy Zucchini Casserole Recipe[/caption]
Okay, so not the fasted vegetarian meal in the books, but it makes for it by being packed with yumminess. Plus, a lot of the time involves passive time. Grab a book, watch some Netflix or clean a bathroom while you wait.
You may want to pair this with a light salad to offset the heaviness super awesome cheesy density of the casserole.
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: we are already there!
Grain-free: yup!
Dairy-free: nope.
Vegan: not a chance.
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Casserole Night
One Pot Meal Night
Meatless Monday
Comfort Food Night
Low Carb Night
Total prep + cook time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Get the recipe at Wholesomeyum.com
Vegan Coconut Curry
[caption id="attachment_5420" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Image Credit: Hurry The Food Up, Vegan Coconut Curry[/caption]
Simple, easy, fast, and delicious. What more could you be looking for?
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: totally!
Grain-free: leave out the rice
Dairy-free: completely
Vegan: this dish was made for vegans!
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Indian Food Night
Curry Night Night
Meatless Monday
Total prep + cook time: 25 minutes
Get the recipe at HurryTheFoodUp.com
Black Bean and Spinach Enchiladas
[caption id="attachment_5422" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Image Credit: Fit Living Eats, Black Bean and Spinach Enchiladas[/caption]
This is one of our family favorites! I hear no complaints about "there's spinach in here" because it tastes so. damn. good.
I've also made double and frozen a whole pan of these beauties. While I think they are best fresh, they still work well as a freezer meal.
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: buy gluten-free tortillas (like these)
Grain-free: buy grain-free tortillas (like these) and sub flour for arrowroot or tapioca powder
Dairy-free: maybe not for this one
Vegan: I wouldn't...
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
One Pot Meal Night
Comfort Food Night
Meatless Monday
South of the Border Night
Total prep + cook time: 30 minutes
Get the recipe at FitLivingEats.com
Better Than Restaurant Falafel
[caption id="attachment_5432" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Image Credit: Minimalist Baker, Better Than Restaurant Falafel recipe[/caption]
Wondering what to do with collard greens? This is the perfect way to incorporate them into a delicious homemade recipe!
Falafels are great because they can be eaten as a stand-alone item, with pita bread, or as part of a salad. Super adaptable and great for lunch the next day too.
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: yes
Grain-free: not as written, but you could try substituting almond or coconut flour for the oat flour
Dairy-free: yes
Vegan: definitely
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Meatless Monday
Burger Night (but as stuffed pitas?)
Mediterranean Night
Kids Help Cook Night
Total prep + cook time: 20 minutes
Get the recipe at MinimalistBaker.com
Mediterranean Quinoa Burgers
[caption id="attachment_5425" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Image Credit: Well Plated, Mediterranean Quinoa Burgers Recipe[/caption]
This is a great recipe to get kids involved in the kitchen because it involves using something with buttons...the food processor. Because of this, and the great freezability of these burgers, double the recipe and freeze some. Same amount of work, twice the meals!
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: buy gluten-free buns or try using lettuce instead (more like the "protein style")
Grain-free: while quinoa is technically not a grain, if you are following a strict Paleo or Grain-free diet you best move on to another recipe
Dairy-free: leave out the feta
Vegan: try swapping the egg with a "flax egg" and leave out the feta
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Comfort Food Night
Meatless Monday
Burger Night
Mediterranean Night
Kids Help Cook Night
Total prep + cook time: 45 minutes
Get the recipe at WellPlated.com
Homemade Pumpkin Pasta with Fresh Basil
[caption id="attachment_5426" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Image Credit: Minimalist Baker, Fresh Pumpkin Pasta[/caption]
I don't usually recommend many recipes that involve this much prep time but since the cook time is only 2 minutes, it's actually not that bad. Plus, this is a super fun one to do with kids! They love to help make it and then enjoy the eating part immensely. This could be a fun Friday Night Family Night in the kitchen!
You could also play around with some different basil recipes and sneak in a lot of greens!
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: I'm thinking hard pass on this one
Grain-free: again, pass
Dairy-free: Eay Peasy, make or buy pesto that is made without cheese
Vegan: I haven't tried making this one vegan so I'm not how it would turn out...
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Comfort Food Night
Meatless Monday
Pasta Night
Mediterranean Night
Kids Help Cook Night
Total prep + cook time: 45 minutes
Get the recipe at MinimalistBaker.com
Lentil Bolognese
[caption id="attachment_5431" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Image Credit: I Heart Eating, Lentil Bolognese[/caption]
This is a great way to add lots of veggies to a meal without really noticing that there are tons of veggies! Ahem...what I mean is that you can pull a fast one over your kids and load them up with nutrition.
I would make double or triple of the sauce and freeze the extra for easy grab-n-thaw meals down the road.
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: yup! make sure to buy gluten-free pasta or serve over rice or quinoa
Grain-free: sure thing, eat as a stew and pair with a salad
Dairy-free: good to go
Vegan: totally!
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Meatless Monday
Pasta Night
Mediterranean Night
Total prep + cook time: 45 minutes
Get the recipe at IHeartEating.com
Simple Deep Dish Pizza
[caption id="attachment_5430" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Image Credit: Minimalist Baker, Deep Dish Roasted Veggie Pizza[/caption]
Take a new twist on Friday Night Pizza Night with this vegetarian pizza dinner recipe. The kids will love to jump in to help, half the fun is in the prep!
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: Although it would likely be with varied success, make this recipe gluten-free using this Gluten-Free Pizza Crust recipe.
Grain-free: Ummm, pass
Dairy-free: use a non-dairy cheese such as Daiya mozzarella
Vegan: totally! Just use the dairy-free cheese.
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Comfort Food Night
Meatless Monday
Pizza Night
Mediterranean Night
Kids Help Cook Night
Total prep + cook time: 45 minutes
Get the recipe at MinimalistBaker.com
Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
[caption id="attachment_5433" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Image Credit: EatGood4Life, Broccoli Casserole[/caption]
Next time the kids ask for mac n' cheese try this one! A vegetarian dinner that will please both big an small. This might be the ultimate comfort food...
Easily adapted for special diets:
Gluten-free: yup!
Grain-free: although quinoa isn't technically a grain, I don't know of a great substitute here and most people classify quinoa as a no-no when eating grain-free
Dairy-free: no way
Vegan: I'm not skilled enough with dairy-free cheeses to even be able to suggest a substitute.
Meal Planning Theme Ideas:
Comfort Food Night
Meatless Monday
Casserole Night
One Pot Meal Night
Total prep + cook time: 45 minutes
Get the recipe at EatGood4Life.com
What is your favorite Vegetarian Dinner Recipe?
I know you have one! Leave a comment below and share the love. I'm always looking for more ideas to add to my "Meatless Monday" Pinterest board and other healthy vegetarian recipe boards. While we don't always eat vegetarian, it's a great way to save some money and increase our veggie consumption.
If I get plenty more ideas and suggestions, I will definitely do a vegetarian dinner idea round-up blog post part 2!
P.S. Want more meal planning tips? Read more this tutorial for online meal planning here. And make sure to Steal my Meal Plans (Week 1), (Week 2), (Week 3), and (Week 4)
