35 Vegetarian Recipes That Are Incredibly Easy to Make

Cauliflower Tartine With Romesco Sauce

This tasty open-faced sandwich may look fancy, but we promise it's easy to make. You'll start with the delicious combination of Romesco and cauliflower, then add golden raisins and fresh parsley to the mix for a bright—and subtly sweet—kick. Try substituting cilantro and chopped dates for the parsley or raisins.

Eggplant and Mushroom "Meatball" Subs

Talk about a trifecta: This recipe combines eggplant meatballs, salty-savory mushrooms, and fluffy whole-wheat hoagie buns. These sandwiches are so flavorful your dinner dates will wonder why they ever ate meat-filled meatball sandwiches.

Mushroom White Pizza

While pepperoni and sausage are some of the most popular pizza toppings, this white pie proves that pizza night can go vegetarian. Here you'll find a blanket of ricotta and shredded mozzarella topped with sautéed mushrooms, all on a slab of convenient store-bought pizza dough. Serve your pizza with an arugula or romaine salad for a complete meal.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes

Complete with wings, chili, and pigs in a blanket, a typical game-day spread isn't exactly vegetarian-friendly. Surprise the meat lovers of the bunch with a vegetarian chili that's delicious and chock-full of hearty ingredients like beans, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Just don't be surprised when it, too, becomes a family favorite.

Thai Curry Vegetable and Tofu Soup

You don't have to order takeout to enjoy Thai food. To recreate this traditional favorite, all you have to do is combine the ingredients on the stovetop. Then, stir in lime juice and sprinkle with torn fresh basil leaves before serving to add a bright note.

Roasted Eggplant With Miso and Sesame Seeds

In this Asian-inspired recipe, the eggplants roast at high heat, making the outside skin crispy and the inside succulent. The rich miso dressing gives it a salty, umami flavor that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Serve over a bed of cooked whole grains (like brown rice or farro) with lots of fresh herbs for an easy and impressive vegetarian meal.

Red Lentil Curry

This vegetarian curry—packed with red lentils, carrots, potatoes, and warm spices—is comfort in a bowl. While this meal requires a fair amount of ingredients (most of which are kitchen staples), it comes together in about 30 minutes. Just be sure to serve it with some naan; you'll want something to sop up every last drop of the savory broth.

Roasted Eggplant and Olive Pasta Salad

Who doesn't love pasta salad? Salty olives and feta cheese combine with fresh tomatoes, pasta, and tender cubes of roasted eggplant, making this the perfect satisfying and healthy lunch or dinner. The longer it sits, the more the flavors meld together, so make extra and eat well all week.

Mustardy Kale Salad With Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple

Crunchy, sweet, and tangy all at once, this hearty main-course salad combines kale, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced apples, chopped almonds, and shaved pecorino cheese. To soften the raw kale leaves and make them easier to chew, combine them with the dressing and then rub the mixture with clean hands.

Spicy Coconut Noodles

To make this dish's easy Asian-inspired sauce, combine the coconut milk, tomato paste, chili powder, salt, and chili paste in a large saucepan. Stir the fettuccine or rice noodles into the sauce, toss, and top with scallions, sprouts, basil, and coconut to add depth of flavor.

Vegetarian Tacos With Goat Cheese

These flavorful meatless tacos are packed with good-for-you vegetables, like spinach, corn, and tomatoes. Crumbled, cooked extra-firm tofu and goat cheese give the tasty meal an added protein boost.

Parm e Pepe Spaghetti

If this creamy pasta sounds and tastes a bit like cacio e pepe, it's because it takes cues from the classic Roman dish. This version is made with a rich and bold cheese and pepper sauce, but Parmesan stands in for the typical Pecorino Romano. Top the noodles with a walnut-parsley mixture to add a crunch and freshness to the easy weeknight meal.

Superfood Lentil Salad

Eat more of the top superfoods with this scrumptious and satiating salad packed with charred zucchini, golden raisins, lentils, and roasted sunflower seeds. The healthy ingredients are tied together thanks to a fresh sunflower seed vinaigrette you'll want to put on everything.

Fettuccine With Asparagus, Leeks, and Mint

This meat-free pasta is packed with some of spring's finest vegetables, such as asparagus and leeks. Fresh mint stands in for a heavy sauce, while lemon zest and red pepper flakes add some zest and a touch of spice. The best part? It's ready in just 20 minutes.

Black Bean and Oat Burger

A vegetarian burger can be surprising for even the biggest burger fan. Here, black beans and oats stand in for beef to form tasty vegan patties flavored with scallions, garlic, soy sauce, and chili powder.

Our favorite part about this meal is that the patties can be frozen, meaning you can prepare a bunch at once and freeze the rest for the ultimate quick weeknight meal.

Tofu and Mushroom Larb

If you're ready to shake up your dinner routine, try this vegetarian Thai dish starring tofu and plenty of shiitake mushrooms. The 30-minute meal also features shallots, fresh cilantro, mint, and salty cashews. Serve it warm or at room temperature with juicy lime wedges, leafy vegetables, and sticky rice.

Sweet Potato and Apple Soup With Cheese and Walnuts

Spiced with nutmeg, this cream-free soup of pureed sweet potatoes and apples makes a warm, comforting meal to enjoy on cold nights. Serve the subtly sweet soup with a spread of blue cheese, walnuts, crackers, and sliced apples.

Polenta-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Stuffed peppers are typically filled with rice, but a smooth, creamy polenta filling ups the comfort level in this tasty dish. While the polenta is still warm, stir in the corn, goat cheese, and scallions. Then, fill the poblano pepper halves with a hefty scoop and bake until heated all the way through.

Slow-Cooker Black Bean and Spinach Enchiladas

This set-it-and-forget-it dinner is full of flavor but takes minimal effort to prepare. Before you head out the door in the morning, stuff the tortillas with black beans, chopped spinach, corn, and grated Cheddar. A filling and meatless meal will be waiting for you when you get home at the end of the day.

Potato Pierogi With Sautéed Cabbage and Apples

Store-bought potato-and-onion pierogi make this comfort meal easy to prepare. While the pierogi cooks, whip up the tangy cabbage side by sautéing the onion, apple, cabbage, and vinegar until slightly wilted but still crunchy. Serve the pierogi atop the cabbage mixture with sour cream on the side for a filling vegetarian meal.

Thai Spiced Tofu

Though high in protein, cooked tofu can be downright bland. To add a burst of flavor, marinate the tofu with a bit of Thai red curry paste, sugar, and a splash of fish sauce for 15 minutes before cooking. Serve each portion with a side of tender green beans.

Eggplant Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with minced meat, but this version swaps beef for a mixture of hearty eggplant, pearl onions, and carrots. The pie is topped with the traditional mashed potato topper, making it the ultimate vegetarian comfort food dish.

Butternut Squash Bake With Wild Rice

Yes, this savory squash bake is a perfect vegetarian side dish for Thanksgiving, but it's just as delicious the other 364 days a year. In addition to butternut squash, this comforting casserole features wild rice, caramelized onions, and mushrooms, all bathed in a rosemary-infused cream.

Zucchini Pesto Pasta

Sure, you could use store-bought pesto to dress up a bowl of pasta, or you could whip up your own zucchini-cashew pesto that perfectly clings to a heaping helping of noodles.

This dish pairs the homemade pesto with generous dollops of ricotta, fresh basil, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a drizzle of oil. We promise you won't regret whipping up this 25-minute meal.

Yellow Squash Farro Bowl

"Healthy" might not be the first word that comes to mind when you think of grain bowls, but we swear this vegetarian dish is packed with tasty, nutritious foods. You've got a hearty farro base paired with chickpeas, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and sliced avocado. Oh, and the bowl is served alongside a rich Greek yogurt dressing.

Skillet Polenta in Creamy Tomato Sauce

You'll need to raid your pantry for this one-pan vegetarian dinner, made with cooked polenta, canned tomatoes, and white beans. Start by hand-crushing the whole peeled tomatoes before simmering them with oregano-scented onions to make a flavorful sauce. Add white beans and tuck tender pieces of polenta into the delicious sauce before popping it under the broiler to create a satisfyingly crispy top.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Put down the phone—this takeout fake-out is full of fresh vegetables and is much better than the real thing. To make this fried rice, first sauté the vegetables until tender but slightly crispy, then add cooked rice, scallions, and a homemade soy sauce mixture. To finish the dish, stir in scrambled eggs.

Crispy Mushroom Reuben Sandwiches

Believe it or not, you can have a corned beef sandwich without the beef. Well, sort of. In this version of the deli-inspired dish, healthy mushrooms stand in for meat.

These mushrooms taste meaty and savory thanks to their high umami content. What's more? This sandwich also includes a flavorful dressing made with tomato paste, horseradish, soy sauce, melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and rye bread.

Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl

Jarred mole sauce is a time-saver in this dish, which takes just 35 minutes to make. The Mexican staple is paired with roasted cauliflower, black beans, quinoa, and arugula to create a meal that is both healthy and delicious.

Roasted Butternut Squash With Tahini Sauce

It's no secret that roasted butternut squash is delicious, but pairing the gourd with tahini takes it to a whole new level. The creamy sesame paste highlights the veggie's sweet notes and creates a perfectly balanced bite.

Toasted pepitas and sesame seeds add some much-needed crunch, while fresh cilantro brings a bit of freshness.

Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon

This veggie-filled soup combines butternut squash, lentils, carrots, a cornucopia of spices, and harissa paste, which adds some welcome heat to each bite. Top it off with roasted almonds and chopped parsley.

Serve the whole thing alongside toasted pita bread and plain yogurt. You'll have a meat-free meal on the table in 35 minutes.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad sandwich may use canned chickpeas instead of poultry, but the meatless mixture is still flavored with familiar ingredients such as celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard.

It's perfect for a quick, light dinner on nights when you don't feel like turning on the stove and also works as a tasty weekday lunch you can easily bring to work.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Frittata

Frittatas are protein-packed and versatile. Don't like spinach? Just swap in your favorite veggies and herbs instead.

To round out the meal—whether a light dinner, lunch, or brunch—serve a piece of the vegetarian frittata with a simple green salad and a slice of thick country bread. This is a perfect vegetarian breakfast for dinner option.

Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Shells

Pack jumbo pasta shells with a mixture of ricotta, chopped baby spinach, and Parmesan cheese and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Top with your favorite jarred marinara sauce, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake until the cheese begins to brown and bubble. Pair the rich and creamy dish with a simple green salad.

Chickpeas With Chard and Pan-Roasted Tomatoes

To draw out the fresh flavor of the tomatoes, place them cut-side down and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until browned and softened. Then, add the chard, raisins, chickpeas, and fresh lemon juice and cook until fully heated. Serve the flavorful stew over a bowl of rice.