SHARE

If you think vegetarian recipes are limited to just the same old salads, think again. Whether you’re a full-time vegetarian or simply looking to avoid meat for a little while, there are lots of choices. Pasta is always a good option, especially when covered in vegetables or stuffed with cheese. Curries are also often vegetarian-friendly. You can even make vegetables the star of the show if you give them a good roast. With these 29 amazing vegetarian recipes, you won’t think twice about skipping the meat.

"Paneer

Paneer Tikka Kebabs

"Spanish
This classic Spanish dish can be sliced into wedges for breakfast or lunch, or cut into cubes for tapas.
"Vegetarian
"Spicy
Get the recipe for Spicy Mashed Vegetable Curry with Rolls (Pav Bhaji) »
"Masala

Masala Dosa

A masala dosa feast includes turmeric-tinged potato sabzi, rich gun­powder chile paste, and crisp, airy wrappers. Get the recipe for Masala Dosa »
"Ossetian

Ossetian Beet Top and Cheese Pies

"Roasted
Get the recipe for Roasted Ripe Plantain with African Pepper Compote »
"Sri
"Vada

Vada Pav (Indian Veggie Burgers)

Vada Pav (Indian Veggie Burgers)
"Burma

Chickpea Tofu Salad (Burmese Salad with Shan Tofu)

Chickpea Tofu Salad (Burmese Salad with Shan Tofu)
"Spicy

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini

"Vegan
"Vegetarian

Pepper Pot Soup

This recipe comes from Madhur Jaffrey’s A Taste of India, though we’ve tested this recipe in the SAVEUR test kitchen, we present it in its original, unedited form from the book. Get the recipe for Roasted Moong Dal with Spinach »
"Greek
"Okroshka,
"Anzelottos

Swiss Chard Anzelottos with Pomodoro Sauce

From the tortelli family, anzelottos are rectangles often with ridged edges. “They’re made with a thicker, bright white dough of plain semola flour and hot water, which penetrates the proteins in the rustic flour more easily,” chef Evan Funke of Felix in Los Angeles says. Get the recipe for Swiss Chard Anzelottos with Pomodoro Sauce »
"Saffron

Spaghettoni with Jasmine, Saffron, and Chamomile

"Potato

Potato and Cheese Tortelli with Porcini Mushrooms

Potato and Cheese Tortelli with Porcini Mushrooms

Rajma (North Indian Kidney Bean Masala Stew)

Chiles and ginger add invigorating heat to a classic Punjabi dish of tomatoes and kidney beans garnished with slivers of red onion. Redolent of coriander, cumin, and cinnamon, this warming stew is best enjoyed over basmati rice.

Coconut Beluga Lentils

At Turtle Bay Estate House on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, chef Anthony Dawodu enriches lentils with sweet coconut milk. Get the recipe for Coconut Beluga Lentils »
"Persian

Persian Herbed Frittatas with Fenugreek (Kookoo Sabzi)

Persian Herbed Frittatas with Fenugreek (Kookoo Sabzi)
"Chinese

Chinese Spicy Garlic Eggplant (Yu Xiang Qie Zi)

Steaming eggplant, as opposed to deep-frying it, lightens this fragrant stir-fry adapted from a recipe in Grace Young and Alan Richardson’s The Breath of a Wok (Simon & Schuster, 2004). Get the recipe for Chinese Spicy Garlic Eggplant (Yu Xiang Qie Zi) »
"Falafel"
There is nothing like falafel’s first bite: the crisp-fried exterior giving way to a creamy center of seasoned mashed beans, garlic, and parsley. Get the recipe for Falafel »
"Cauliflower

Cauliflower and Goat Cheese Souffles

Cauliflower and Goat Cheese Souffles
"Spinach

Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce

A chilled tomato sauce with sundried tomatoes makes a pleasant contrast to these hot potato and spinach dumplings, which chef Josita Hartanto of Berlin’s Lucky Leek binds together with firm tofu and durum wheat semolina. Dry the potatoes and spinach thoroughly so the dumplings will hold their shape. Get the recipe for Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce »
"Coconut

Coconut Rice and Red Beans

If you prefer, you can use canned red kidney beans in this satisfying side dish, served alongside Braised Oxtail with Butter Beans. Simply skip the first step and rinse one 15-oz. can of beans before adding them to the pan in step two.
"Spaghettini

Spaghettini with Carrots, Olives, and Red Endive

Carrot ribbons cooked al dente and lightly braised red endive add color to this simple vegetable-packed pasta dish, brightened with lots of lemon zest. Josita Hartanto of Berlin’s Lucky Leek uses multicolored carrots for a beautiful presentation. Get the recipe for Spaghettini with Carrots, Olives, and Red Endive »
"Tofu,

Tofu, Long Bean, and Crispy Shallot Vinaigrette with Black Bean Vinaigrette

Tofu, Long Bean, and Crispy Shallot Vinaigrette with Black Bean Vinaigrette
"Potato

Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa)

Inspired by the potato tacos at Loncheria Otro Rollo in Bakersfield, these Tacolicious versions are stuffed with fluffy mashed potatoes and pan-fried until crisp. The accompanying smoky ranchero sauce also would be great as an accompaniment for meat or fish or spooned over eggs. Get the recipe for Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa) »
"Ricotta

Ricotta and Egg Gnocchi with Olives, Capers, and Tomato Sauce

These soft gnocchi from Tuscany are the ultimate version of the kind most commonly served at Italian-American restaurants. The dish is amped up with briny chopped capers and green olives. Get the recipe for Ricotta and Egg Gnocchi with Olives, Capers, and Tomato Sauce »
"Spelt

Spelt Risotto with Beets and Horseradish

Heston Blumenthal, chef at the Fat Duck in Bray, England, was inspired by his trip to Transylvania in this dish. Blumenthal substitutes spelt, a wheat berry found in most supermarkets, for the more common short-grain rice to give the risotto a nutty and wholesome flavor.
"Salt-Roasted

Salt-Roasted Turnips with Goat Cheese and Greens

Kobe Desramaults uses almost no spices at his Michelin-starred restaurant In de Wulf, located in an isolated corner of Belgium. Here he relies on salt roasting to make these turnips, served on a bed of creamy goat cheese, buttery and tender. Get the recipe for Salt-Roasted Turnips with Goat Cheese and Greens »
"Mixed

Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry (Ghanta Tarkari)

This vegetarian Indian dish from the state of West Bengal features squash, potatoes, and gourds enriched with ghee and sweetened with grated coconut. Get the recipe for Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry (Ghanta Tarkari) »
"Grilled

Grilled Vegetable and Barley Salad

Grilled Vegetable and Barley Salad
"Quinoa

Quinoa Veggie Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Relish

Quinoa Veggie Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Relish

MORE TO READ