22 Easy Vegetarian Family Meals
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Level up your next family dinner with one of these meatless mains that you can whip together in just 30 minutes of active time in the kitchen. Whether you're in the mood for a saucy lasagna or an al fresco picnic dinner, these recipes have something to appeal to everyone. Recipes like our Cheesy Marinara Beans and Quick Walnut Tacos are perfect for nights when you need a low-lift crowd-pleaser.
Most of these recipes were also chosen because they’re hearty and satisfying after a long day. Plus, some of the prep work can be done beforehand to make dinnertime easier. Depending on the recipe, all you might want to add is a fresh green salad and/or crusty bread.
Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna
Thanks to jarred marinara sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles, this labor-of-love kind of meal can be ready in about an hour.
White Bean Soup with Pasta
We use mirepoix—a combination of diced onion, celery and carrot—to flavor this soup. Keep a store-bought bag of the mixture in your freezer to ensure you always have some on hand without worrying about it going bad.
Creamy Queso Chili
This mashup of the classic cheesy dip chile con queso with the beans and vegetables of chili is the best of both worlds.
Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
Think of this vegetarian enchilada casserole as a veggie-packed Mexican lasagna with corn tortillas standing in for the noodles! If your peppers are mild and you like heat, opt for spicy pico de gallo. This easy vegetarian dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.
Cheesy Marinara Beans
This ooey-gooey dish has baked pasta vibes but features protein-packed beans instead of noodles. Look for dried corona beans, a larger, creamy white bean, at natural foods stores or online. Cannellini beans are a good substitute. Serve with a green salad and toasted baguette.
Cauliflower Fajita Skillet
Thinly sliced cauliflower florets mimic the signature shape of fajita meat in this dish. We cook it in a cast-iron skillet for that tableside sizzle you'd get at a restaurant.
Quick Walnut Tacos
At Trio Plant-Based in Minneapolis, the first Black-owned plant-based restaurant in Minnesota, chef-owner Louis Hunter uses walnuts as a protein-rich substitute for ground beef to make these tacos. The ground nuts mimic the texture of meat quite nicely.
Skillet Mac & Cheese with Zucchini & Pimiento
Sweet and mild pimiento peppers add a little zest to this skillet mac and cheese, while zucchini boosts the veggie count. Here we boil the pasta a little less than usual, until just shy of al dente, so it doesn't overcook in the oven.
Easy Chipotle Chili
Refried beans and tomatoes provide a thick base to this easy vegetarian chili. Frozen vegetables keep prep to a minimum. Enchilada sauce and a chipotle pepper in adobo work as a "chili starter" with lots of flavor and spices built in. This recipe uses part of a can of refried beans—serve the rest alongside eggs for breakfast, use them in a taco for lunch or add them to a dip for chips anytime. This healthy chili also keeps well in the fridge or freezer.
Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes
This hearty vegetarian quinoa chili with sweet potatoes has mild spice from poblanos and green chiles. Chili powder, cumin and garlic provide classic chili flavor.
Egg-in-a-Hole Fried Quinoa
We used quinoa to bump up the fiber and protein in this stir-fry-inspired dish. Rather than making an omelet or stirring in the eggs as you would for fried rice, we cook them in divots right in the veggie-filled quinoa for a fun presentation. Opt for a flat skillet over a wok so you have plenty of room to nestle in the eggs.
Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
Maya Feller, M.S., RD, CDN, of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition, upgrades this popular budget-friendly combo. "Adding veggies to a classic sandwich—in this case, broccoli, zucchini and red bell pepper—boosts the nutrient-density of the meal," she says.
Pea Pesto Gnocchi with Burrata
Here we pan-fry gnocchi to get them crispy, then coat them with a pesto-like sauce made with sweet peas, spinach, basil and cashews.
Fruit, Veggie & Cheese Plate
This healthy fruit, veggie and cheese plate is easy and affordable to pull together for a fun snack-style dinner at home or can be packed up and enjoyed as an outdoor picnic.
One-Pot Lentils & Rice with Spinach
This hearty vegan dish gets its earthy flavor from cumin and brown rice. If you can handle extra heat, try doubling the crushed red pepper for a bigger punch of flavor.
Jackfruit Barbacoa Burrito Bowls
Jackfruit, a tropical fruit with a dense, chewy texture, is a blank canvas that takes on flavors well. In these vegan burrito bowls, the jackfruit is simmered in a warm and spicy chile sauce that's so good you'll never know you're eating a plant-based protein instead of pork or beef.
Falafel Burgers
Pureed chickpeas, seasoned with the characteristic flavors of falafel, make excellent veggie burgers. We use a two-stage method for cooking the patties, first browning them in a skillet and then finishing them in the oven. Garnish the burgers with tzatziki or tahini sauce, pickled red onions, lettuce and tomatoes.
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Classic eggplant Parm is filled with cheese, but this vegan eggplant Parmesan combines nondairy mozzarella cheese with nutritional yeast for a dairy-free cheesy substitute that gives you the comfort food factor without animal products. For the breading, use egg replacer, which you can find in natural foods stores and the special-diet section of large supermarkets.
Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
This vegetable lasagna with white sauce has a velvety sauce with lots of veggies and plenty of cheesy goodness. The layers of butternut squash give the dish a sweet and creamy flavor and texture. This vegetarian lasagna packs comfort in every bite.
Tabbouleh, Hummus & Pita Plate
This Mediterranean-inspired vegan picnic dinner features traditional fare like tabbouleh, hummus, olives and fresh fruit and vegetables. It's perfect to pack and take along or even to serve as an easy, healthy meal at home.
Tomato, Feta & Spinach-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
A mixture of tomatoes, spinach, feta, olives and fresh oregano gives portobellos a Mediterranean vibe in this healthy stuffed-mushroom recipe.
Serve these along with tofu as a super-satisfying or add a hearty salad and make them the centerpiece of a vegetarian dinner.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is sure to please. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: This healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
Read the original article on Eating Well.