Here are our top picks when it comes to easy vegetarian dinner recipes! These healthy meatless meals please everyone around the table.
Looking for meatless meals? Vegetarian dinners appear regularly on our table, and they are just as satisfying as those with meat! But here’s the thing. It’s difficult to find vegetarian meal ideas that are easy, filling, tasty, and healthy all at once. So we’ve combed through our archives to find the very best of the best vegetarian meals that we know you’ll love!
Here are our top 25 vegetarian dinner recipes! These recipes are filled with colorful healthy veggies and enough plant-based protein to keep you full. All of them have received top marks from readers, and remain in our short-list for regular cooking, too. Ready to get started?
And now…our top 25 easy vegetarian dinner recipes!
Need a fast and easy vegetarian dinner recipe? Enter: baked quesadillas! This recipe makes the humble solo meal into a delicious dinner, resulting in a big batch all at once on a sheet pan. They come out with a beautifully crispy exterior. In fact, it feels like a whole new version of this classic: like Quesadillas 2.0.
Some vegetarian dinner recipes stand a head above the rest, and this is one of them. Try this cheese tortellini in creamy marinara sauce! In just 15 minutes, you’ve got a pasta skillet that’s a true symphony flavor.
It’s got bubbly cheese, garlicky tomato sauce, and savory, meaty breaded eggplant: it’s Eggplant Parmesan! This classic vegetarian dinner recipe is hearty, filling, and pleases just about everyone. This baked Eggplant Parmesan is faster and easier to make at home than most recipes and full of incredible flavor.
Here’s a Tex Mex favorite vegetarian dinner that no one can turn down…and it’s a great way to infuse loads of veggies without giving it a second thought. Try these Vegetarian Faijtas! These are so full flavored and satisfying, they please everyone around the table: even the meat lovers.
You won’t want to stop eating this mushroom pasta recipe! Its savory, buttery flavor pops with garlic, lemon, and Parmesan. This dish has just the right proportion of ‘shrooms to pasta, so that each bite has a generous pop of flavor.
Here’s a vegetarian dinner that takes just 30 minutes and results in so much flavor…you’ll put it on your regular rotation immediately. Try this Thai-style Tofu Curry recipe! The brilliant red broth is flavored with coconut milk and red curry paste, with the zing of lime and a hint of spicy sweetness.
Here’s a vegetarian dinner recipe we designed to work in 30 minutes flat: these easy Vegetarian Enchiladas! The filling takes no time to whip up: it’s just spiced pinto beans and spices. Roll ’em up, bake until golden and cheesy, and load with all your favorite toppings.
Here’s a must-make recipe for tofu fans: and eaters on the fence, too. Try this irresistible BBQ Tofu recipe! Each bite has just the right chewy texture, bathed in a silky, sweet, savory sauce. You’ll want to keep eating it for days. Serve with rice, or Southern-style sides like coleslaw and cornbread.
Here’s our favorite way to use these tasty florets: in a cauliflower stir fry! Fry it until lightly charred and tender, then add bell peppers and a punchy stir fry sauce. It’s the best way to make eating your veggies irresistible!
Here’s a recipe that doubles as a vegetarian dinner or a stunning side dish: and it couldn’t be more delectable. Try these spinach artichoke Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms! Yes, that’s right. It combines the deliciousness of spinach artichoke dip with the meaty, savory goodness of a baked portobello mushroom.
Also try: Portobello Mushroom Pizza
Here’s a go-to when you need a plant based dinner that’s protein-packed: Meatless Meatballs! This recipe takes under 30 minutes to make, and it’s packed with protein! Even better: the flavor is outstanding. Serve with pasta and your favorite marinara sauce!
Here’s an easy dinner recipe that seems to please just about everyone: Taco Salad! This Tex-Mex salad has been impressing for decades, and it gives us all the 1990’s nostalgic vibes. Top it off with our deliciously satisfying vegan taco meat.
Here's a vegetarian sheet pan dinner to load on the veggies! This recipe has 4 of our best vegetables to eat all at one time: and it’s seriously tasty, too. It’s perfect to meal prep for healthy dinners or lunches throughout the week.
Meet a favorite vegetarian dinner recipe: the Falafel Burger! We don’t always have the energy to fry up a batch of authentic falafel. So eating it in burger form is the next best thing! The combination of a cumin and coriander-scented chickpea patty with cool cucumber sauce and all the fixin’s is pretty darn epic.
This one the ultimate quick weeknight meal, a filling vegetarian dinner that comes together in 20 minutes flat. Meet this soba noodle bowl! It’s filled with stir fried broccoli, red pepper and onion, mix with a savory sauce with creamy peanut butter.
Here's a fan favorite easy weeknight vegetarian dinner: chickpea curry! It takes only about 20 minutes to make, which is a speed demon move on weeknights. Warm spices and coconut milk make it one the most tastiest things you can make in that short time window—hands down.
A good grain bowl is an easy vegetarian dinner! This one is loaded with fresh veggies, chickpeas and our favorite creamy Tahini Sauce. It makes a fast and easy dinner in 30 minutes!
Ready for a stunning vegetarian dinner? You’ve got avocado fries, breaded and baked in a hot oven until crispy, with a texture reminiscent of a fried fish taco. Then top that with spiced black beans, pico de gallo, and the refreshing crunch of romaine lettuce. Drizzle on a creamy lime and cilantro sauce, and it’s heaven on a plate.
Meet our best vegetarian lasagna! We’ve been honing meatless lasagna recipes for years. This one is the culmination of all of our research: and damn, is it good (if we may say so ourselves). The tomato sauce has just the right zing and garlic nuance, and the spinach ricotta cheese filling is classic and creamy.
Are you on the lentil train? Lentils are low in calories, high in nutrition, and budget friendly. And, they make 40 times less greenhouse gases than a burger. Impressive, right? So here’s a favorite way to eat them: this Best Ever Lentil Soup.
This eggplant pasta has got it all! It’s packed with savory and zesty flavor: tender roasted eggplant, zesty marinara sauce, and peppery basil. It’s 100% plant-based, but lacking nothing in the flavor department. Even better, this vegetarian dinner is incredibly versatile: it works for weeknights and for serving to company!
Here’s a quick dinner idea that’s always satisfying and works for nearly every diet. That’s right, the good old Burrito Bowl! Throw rice, veggies, and burrito fillings in a bowl and call it meal! Here’s the thing: a good burrito bowl can actually take a while to make at home with all the components. Want a burrito bowl that’s lightening fast to make? Try this one.
Here’s a vegetarian dinner idea that marries basic Italian flavors into a mess of garlicky, gooey goodness: Baked Rigatoni! It’s a pasta bake that’s got all the comfort of tomato sauce and cheese, but has intrigue and uniqueness in the flavors. The tomato sauce is full of garlic and a little fennel for meatiness, and it’s got lots of fresh peppery basil for a herbaceous kick.
What better to please a crowd than Sloppy Joes? These vegetarian Sloppy Joes have a zingy lentil filling that tastes just as good as the meaty version. Put it on a toasted bun with some bread and butter pickles, and WOW!
Here’s a tasty pasta recipe that’s comfort food with a healthy spin: our creamy cavatappi pasta! It’s one of Alex and my favorite pasta shapes, paired with a creamy cauliflower sauce that coats the noodles perfectly. It’s cheesy but not too rich, made with a secret ingredient to infuse nutrients.
In just 25 minutes you have a fast and easy vegetarian dinner: this Quick Chili! All you have to do is cut one onion: otherwise it’s dump and stir. There’s nothing about it that tastes like a short cut. Even better: serve it over Sweet Potato Wedges for chili-Loaded sweet potatoes!
Also try: Ultimate Vegan Chili
Last up...a vegetarian dinner recipe that's a hands down fan favorite: Creamy Wild Rice Soup! This one is impossibly creamy, packed with flavor and full of tender veggies and hearty rice. Everyone asks for the recipe—it’s that good.
More recipe ideas
There are lots more ideas where these come from! Outside of these vegetarian dinner recipes, we’ve got ideas for every meal…and everything in between. Browse some of these ideas:
- Review our top Easy Vegetarian Recipes for every meal
- Fill in your day with Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas or Easy Vegetarian Lunch Ideas
- Nosh on these Vegetarian Appetizers
- Go for 20 Easy Friday Night Dinner Ideas
- Check out seasonal Vegetarian Grill Recipes or Summer Vegetarian Recipes
- Find Vegetarian Tacos, Vegetarian Soups or Vegetarian Sandwiches
- See our top 12 Best Vegetarian Meals for Meat Eaters
25 Vegetarian Dinner Recipes: Baked Quesadillas & More!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 (8 half quesadillas) 1x
Description
Here are our top picks when it comes to vegetarian dinner recipes! These meatless meals please everyone around the table.
Ingredients
- ½ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon each cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt
- 1 large or 2 small green onions
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup smoked mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup pico de gallo
- 8 6” tortillas (flour or corn)
- For topping: Guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Drain the rinse the beans, then mix them with the olive oil and seasonings. Thinly slice the green onion.
- Brush a baking sheet with a bit of olive oil. Place the tortillas on the sheet and rub them to coat them in olive oil.
- On each tortilla, place 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon seasoned beans, 1 tablespoon green onion, 2 tablespoons smoked mozzarella, 1 tablespoon pico de gallo, and 1 pinch kosher salt. If desired, add a drizzle of hot sauce. Fold over the tortilla into a half circle (this makes it easy to flip, instead of making full quesadillas with 2 tortillas). Complete for each tortilla, then brush the tops with oil.
- Bake 8 minutes. Then flip and bake 6 to 7 minutes more until browned and crisp on the outside. Cut into 3 wedges each with a pizza cutter. Serve topped with cilantro and sour cream, and with guacamole and extra pico de gallo for dipping.
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Vegetarian dinner recipes
Let us know if you have any questions!
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