50 Vegetarian Recipes for Meatless Mondays — or Any Other Time

Meatless Monday is more than a catchy slogan; it is a lifestyle change that has helped people around the world rethink their dietary habits. By eliminating meat just one day a week, you can decrease your risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol, improve blood pressure, and, from an environmental perspective, decrease your carbon footprint.

Even the most steadfast carnivores can skip one night of steak a week for a plate of vegetables, which is why we have rounded up 50 vegetarian recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon snacks that are anything but bland and boring. With options like shakshuka, creamy broccoli rabe soup, portobello and eggplant schnitzel, vegetarian dumplings, nachos, and more, your part-time foray into vegetarianism might just become a full-time habit. 

Take this hiatus from meat to focus on cooking vegetables — the right way. Give those greens, that cauliflower steak, or those flavorful spring herbs the starring role they deserve. Broiled, grilled, boiled, braised, roasted, sautéed, and even fried, vegetables are versatile, delicious, and nutritious.

For more ways to add more vegetables to your diet every meal of the day, read on for our roundup of 50 delicious, vegetarian recipes to eat on Meatless Monday — or any other time.

Start your day off right with a healthy dose of hearty grains, sweet fruits, and nutritious vegetables. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite vegetarian breakfast recipes that range from sweet to savory and are perfect for whatever side of the bed you wake up on this morning.

Because my grandmother liked asparagus so much, my grandfather took special care with his plants. Now I am carrying on the tradition. For this recipe I like young asparagus. I cook them in a skillet even when I am working over a grill to make sure the smoky flavor doesn’t overwhelm, only heightens. I top the asparagus with gribiche, a French sauce that is traditionally an emulsion of hard-boiled egg yolk and oil perked up with pickles and herbs. I like a rough-chopped version and prefer to use the whole egg. I quick-pickle my own carrots (which is very easy) and put them in the sauce, but if you prefer another pickle, don’t hesitate. — Chris Fischer

For the Asparagus on Toast recipe, click here.

Avocados make a great cream cheese substitute because they bring a smooth consistency in addition to a healthy dose of fiber, potassium, and vitamin B. Give your breakfast a boost by spreading avocado on toast, then topping it with sautéed tomatoes and onions as well as fresh chives, garnished with chive blossoms. This recipe comes to us from Melissa of Foodista.com. — Meatless Monday

For the Avocado Toast With Chives recipe, click here.

This healthy breakfast option tastes like your favorite dessert. Just combine the nutritious oats, chia seeds, almond milk, and blueberries before you go to bed and wake up to a delicious morning treat.

For the Blueberry Cobbler Overnight Oats recipe, click here.

Looking for a new way to spice up brunch? Try this Garlicky Broccoli Rabe Toast topped with delicious eggs. — Andy Boy

For the Garlicky Broccoli Rabe Toast With Poached Egg recipe, click here.

A delectable banana and marmalade topping sets this French toast apart from the pack. — Lauren Gordon

For the Marmalade and Banana French Toast recipe, click here.

An easy and impressive brunch idea — just scramble eggs, spoon onto flatbread, sprinkle with toppings, bake until bubbly, and serve! — American Egg Board

For the Mini Breakfast Egg, Tomato, and Spinach Flatbread Pizza recipe, click here.

This kid-friendly recipe is perfect for all those busy weekend breakfasts when you’re looking for a quick, tasty, and fairly healthy treat to feed the little ones. This recipe is courtesy of Tiffany at A Thrifty Mom. — Hannah Hoskins

For the Nutella Breakfast Pizza recipe, click here.

Skip the sausages and heavy breakfast sandwiches. Instead, try this simple and healthy blend of chia seed and oatmeal to start your day off with your healthy foot forward.

For the Oatmeal, Chia, and Fresh Fruit recipe, click here.

Make soft scrambled eggs with spinach and tomatoes and top with feta for a breakfast sandwich you’re going to want to make again and again. — Milagros Cruz

For the Open-Faced Scrambled Egg Sandwich With Spinach and Feta recipe, click here.

The name doesn’t really roll off the tongue on a hungover morning, but this recipe, which uses a combination of eggs and spicy tomato sauce — similar to the Mexican huevos rancheros, though with a distinctively North African/Middle Eastern flavor — offers a memorably fiery blast-off to a day that might otherwise have proved drab and dull. Shakshuka is usually thought of as an Israeli breakfast dish, but in fact is eaten widely in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Yemen too. The only slightly unusual ingredient is the smoked paprika, which gives the tomato sauce a wonderful smoky richness. This version is quite spicy; if you prefer a milder dish, you can halve the quantities of jalapeño, pepper, and paprika. — Milton Crawford

For the Shakshuka recipe, click here.

Impress yourself and your friends by serving this easy, decadent, yet healthy breakfast. Stuffed French toast is generally loaded with unhealthy fats and calories. This recipe, though, is made with fresh fruit, almond butter, whole grain bread, and toasted walnuts for a warm, gooey morning treat. — Pam Braun

For the Stuffed French Toast recipe, click here.

Not much of a sweets person, but still looking for that savory, vegetarian start to the day you can take on the go? These muffins are just the thing you need, with plenty of healthy, protein-rich quinoa and herbaceous flavor. Your taste buds will have just the morning treat they deserve.

For the Tomato Basil Quinoa Muffin recipe, click here.

The great thing about serving burritos at your brunch is that you can lay out each individual dish of ingredients and encourage guests to build their own. A vegetarian burrito just makes it all the more accessible for your friends and family. — Lauren Gordon

For the Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito recipe, click here.

Everyone needs a midday pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the workday, which is why we have rounded up a few of our favorite, nutrient-packed vegetarian lunch recipes that you can enjoy at home or take with you to work.

Just because you are going meat-free doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in comfort food. These gooey grilled cheese sandwiches contain just the right amount of sweet and savory. While we love apricot jam, feel free to modify this recipe with your favorite jam or preserve.

For the Apricot and Brie Grilled Sandwich recipe, click here.

Fresh vegetables, soba noodles, and a spicy peanut dressing are layered up in a mason jar for the perfect healthy, wholesome lunch to take with you to work. — Hannah Hoskins

For the Asian Noodle Salad Jars recipe, click here.

Looking for a light but filling lunch option? Nosh on this mix of protein-packed chickpeas, toasted walnuts, and fragrant rosemary. Carry this healthy salad to lunch in a jar layered with fresh mixed greens for the perfect traveling lunch.

For the Baked Chickpeas With Toasted Walnuts, Rosemary, and Chili recipe, click here.

A spin on a traditional creamy broccoli soup, this recipe calls for broccoli rabe instead. Topped with crispy quinoa, this relatively guilt-free soup will leave you begging for more. — Andy Boy

For the Creamy Broccoli Rabe Soup With Quinoa recipe, click here.

Ancient grains are an excellent way to work more whole grains into your diet. Paired with a blood orange vinaigrette, this farro salad is a nutty and bright choice for a meatless lunch.

For the Farro and Beet Salad With Blood Orange Vinaigrette recipe, click here.

There's a trendy Cambodian-inspired sandwich shop in Manhattan called Num Pang that makes a pretty mean tofu sandwich. Such was the inspiration behind my very own version. Mine traces its roots back to Indonesian cuisine, though, with a peanut dressing that's common on dishes like gado gado. Also, just as an aside: While writing this recipe I suddenly realized this would have been really good with some cucumbers and cooked bean sprouts instead of lettuce. Just a thought. — Will Budiaman

For the Grilled Tofu Sandwich With Peanut Dressing recipe, click here.

By now everyone knows the great health benefits of dark, leafy greens like kale, so why not treat your body to this fresh mix with homemade vinaigrette?

For the Kale Salad recipe, click here.

When I was growing up in Korea, this dish was one of the regulars in my home-packed school lunches (dosirak/bento), which usually consisted of rice and a few side dishes. I like it braised, but you can omit braising and simply pour the sauce over the pan-fried tofu. — Hyosun Ro

For the Korean Braised Tofu recipe, click here.

Mushrooms can add that umami flavor without adding meat to a dish, which is why we are absolutely in love with these mushroom quesadillas for your Meatless Monday lunch. Just add a side of pico de gallo for dipping and you are all set for an excellent lunch.

For the Mushroom Quesadilla recipe, click here.

The peanut butter gives this pasta salad just the kick it needs to go from good to great. The rich, creamy peanut dressing coats the noodles and provides plenty of the complex, salty peanut butter flavor to a bowl of noodles and vegetables.

For the Peanut Butter Vegetable Pasta Salad recipe, click here.

"Grilled vegetables are the main attraction of this pizza. The range of colors and textures makes for a beautiful pizza, and with a sauce of only crushed cherry tomatoes, this is one of our healthiest and tastiest pizzas. Just what the doctor ordered!" — Craig Whitson and Tore Gjesteland, authors of Passion for Pizza: A Journey Through Thick and Thin to Find the Pizza Elite

For the Pizza Primavera recipe, click here.

This sweet and savory salad isn’t your average beet and goat cheese salad. The addition of escarole, Japanese cucumber, figs, and pistachios makes this salad an excellent fresh and vibrant lunch option.

For the Purple and Blue Salad recipe, click here.

I love soft, silky tofu, and this spicy soup is surprisingly addictive. The mushroom stock gives this stew, or jjigae, a deep earthy taste and complexity. The sweet zucchini and the creamy egg cut the spiciness as well. This is one of my favorite jjigaes and it is so good for you; perfect for a cold winter’s evening. — Judy Joo, host of Cooking Channel’s new series Korean Food Made Simple

For the Soft Tofu and Vegetable Soup recipe, click here.

Vegetarian dinners can be just as filling as meat-filled ones, just be sure to balance yours vegetable-based protein sources with fiber-rich vegetables, whole-grain carbohydrates, and plenty of flavor-boosting ingredients, like fresh herbs and spices, just as you would on any other night.

Bust out the barbecue sauce, 'cause it's almost summer! For non-meat-eaters, seitan is a great replacement. It's savory and the texture is much more pleasant than that of tofu. This sandwich is super easy to make and you can experiment with different toppings. — Jane Bruce

For the BBQ Seitan Sandwich recipe, click here.

Creamy butternut squash is layered with flat lasagna noodles, and then topped with a rich, nutmeg-scented béchamel sauce. The best thing about this vegetarian dinner is that you can assemble it ahead of time, and then just warm it up in the oven before dinner.

For the Butternut Squash Lasagna recipe, click here.

Perfect in its minimalism, cacio e pepe, directly translated as cheese and pepper, is a real crowd-pleaser, great for a family meal or a dinner that doubles as lunch the next day. For that buttery taste with less fat, this version combines olive oil and butter in a 2:1 combo. A key to this dish is using freshly ground pepper, so get out your pepper mill and grind away. — Valaer Murray

For the Cacio e Pepe recipe, click here.

The fresh roasted tomato, pumpkin seed, and cashew salsa in this vegetarian cheese taco combines perfectly with the melty panela cheese and roasted poblano peppers.

For the Cheese Taco recipe, click here.

Who doesn’t like crispy, crunchy schnitzel for dinner? This recipe swaps the traditional veal or pork for thick slices of portobello mushroom and eggplant. The whole dish gets drizzled with a brown butter lemon-caper sauce before serving.

For the Portobello and Eggplant Schnitzel recipe, click here.

Tofu acts like a blank canvas in both texture and flavor. Having worked at a Chinese restaurant for 10 years, I learned the secrets for transforming tofu into an incredible delight. The first trick is to cut the tofu into small cubes and then roast it — this is to give the tofu a crisped exterior so it's ready to soak in the flavors of the sauce it's cooked with. — Erin Swing

For the Roasted Tofu Stir-Fry recipe, click here.

Chili is the ultimate gift to cooks in small kitchens. It requires only one pot, the result is a hearty, filling meal that can feed a fleet, and, in the case of this recipe, it’s also extremely cheap. Though the dish has long been hailed as a meat-lovers’ favorite, we've found that if done correctly, the familiarity of the flavors is what makes people want to eat it all night long. In this vegetarian version, the chipotle compensates in flavor for the absence of slow-cooked beef brisket by giving the dish a down-home, rich smokiness. — Big Girls Small Kitchen

For the Smoky Chipotle Vegetarian Chili recipe, click here.

The tofu is marinated in a wine-soy-butter marinade before seasoning with a classic poultry spice mix. Then, the tofu is rolled baked and topped with rich, flavorful mushroom gravy.

For the Tofu Turkey Roll-Ups recipe, click here.

Grilling and barbecuing don't have to be all about burgers, steaks, and hot dogs; vegetarian burgers are easy to make and easily customizable. Vegetarian burgers can be made using virtually any mix of beans and vegetables; whatever you have on hand will work. This recipe uses chickpeas, onions, and cumin; after the patties are grilled, they're super smoky and flavorful. — Kristie Collado

For the Vegetarian Chickpea Burgers recipe, click here.

Everyone loves tacos. This is a delicious, vegetarian option, similar to what you might see on a menu at your favorite taco place. The citrus in this gives it a subtle tanginess that really makes this a delightful dish! — Nathan Cyphert

For the Vegetarian Mushroom Tacos recipe, click here.

A warm bowl of comforting ramen doesn’t have to include pork belly. Here, the ramen noodles are served in a miso-based broth with a flavor-boosting, sweet onion purée. Finally, chopped carrots, apples, and mushrooms are added to round out the dish.

For the Vegetarian Ramen recipe, click here.

This vegetarian version of a stuffed eggplant uses tofu and Asian flavors to create a hearty meal that satisfies even the biggest carnivores. Serve with aromatic jasmine rice for a healthy, no-fuss dinner. — Valaer Murray

For the Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant recipe, click here.

Looking for a quick and easy dinner idea for Meatless Monday? Try this simple vegetable stir-fry with a rich and creamy peanut sauce.

For the Veggie Stir-Fry With Peanut Sauce recipe, click here.

Healthy, vegetarian snacks are the way to go on Meatless Mondays when you find yourself craving a small bite between meals. This collection of vegetarian snack recipes are so good, you just might find yourself reaching for them every day of the week.

Bell pepper “chips” are topped with a lime-sour cream drizzle; lots of vegetables, like cucumber, tomatoes, and avocados; and just a bit of shredded cheese for a healthy take on nachos. Even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy them! — Catherine McCord

For the All-Veggie Nachos recipe, click here.                         

This Indian-inspired fried okra recipe is seasoned with a blend of pungent spices, and then gets dipped into a cool, cucumber raita before eating.

For the Crispy Fried Okra With Amchoor, Chile, and Cucumber Raita recipe, click here.

Make this vegetarian appetizer for any dinner party. Your friends won't believe how delicious these crispy tofu bites taste in a sweet, tangy sauce. You can also make this dish vegan by using soy milk instead of regular milk. — Nasoya

For the Crispy Tofu Bites With Sweet Chile Sauce recipe, click here.

As a lover of dumplings who is constantly on a diet, believe me when I tell you this recipe changed my life. I had a total Dr. Frankenstein look-what-I've-created/it's-alive-moment the second I bit into this delicious dumpling. A healthy dumpling I don't have to order or question the contents of? I. Am. Sold. Hopefully, you will be too! You can definitely play with the ingredients to make sure they align with your tastes though I recommend definitely using the slaw mixture, as it soaks up the sauces rather nicely! — Lauren Gordon

For the Easy Vegetarian Dumplings recipe, click here.

By now, you’ll not be surprised to learn that the secret to great Israeli-style hummus is an obscene amount of tehina, as much as half of the recipe by weight, so it’s especially important to use the best quality you can find. Unlike Greek-style hummus, which is heavy on garlic and lemon, Israeli hummus is about the marriage of chickpeas and tehina. In fact, there are no other ingredients, just a dash of cumin. The only lemon and garlic involved is in my Basic Tehina Sauce. There are countless variations, but I’m not talking about black bean, white bean, or edamame hummus. Those might be perfectly nice dips, but since hummus is the Arabic word for chickpeas, that’s what we use. Remember to leave time for dried chickpeas to soak overnight. — Michael Solomonov

For the Hummus Tehina recipe, click here.

The spicy, tangy flavor of these kale chips that are dusted with chili powder and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese outdo any store-brought kale chips you may have tried in the past.

For the Kale Chips With Parmigiano-Reggiano recipe, click here.

Here's an easy trick to add moistness to your baked goods: Add a little Greek yogurt. This recipe from Chobani adds it to a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, and apple pie spice for unique and fruity carrot muffins.

For the Peach Carrot Muffins recipe, click here.

This lightened up version of your favorite spinach and artichoke dip is made with plain Greek yogurt. Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, or crudité for a guilt-free snack.

For the Spinach and Artichoke Dip recipe, click here.

Freshly fried tortilla chips are piled high with a mix of cheeses, cilantro, salsa fresca, chipotle sour cream, roasted jalapeños, and queso fresca for the ultimate vegetarian nachos treat.

For the Tacofino Nachos recipe, click here.

This deviled egg recipe is so easy it can barely be called a recipe. Truffle salt lends the earthy flavor of truffles, but you won’t have to spend a lot of money on this easy passed appetizer. Learn how to make perfect hard-boiled eggs every time. — Julie Ruggirello

For the Truffle Deviled Eggs recipe, click here.

Turn healthy vegetables into a fun garden filled with cucumber and carrot flowers with broccoli grass. Even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy them! — Catherine McCord

For the Veggie Garden Cups recipe, click here.