37 Vegetarian Recipes That Are Anything But Boring
Don’t limit your options to just salad—there are lots of choices if you’re looking to avoid meat
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.
This classic Spanish dish can be sliced into wedges for breakfast or lunch, or cut into cubes for tapas.
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 »
Chickpea Tofu Salad (Burmese Salad with Shan Tofu)
Chickpea Tofu Salad (Burmese Salad with Shan Tofu)
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 »
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 »
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 »
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) »
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 »
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 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 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, Long Bean, and Crispy Shallot Vinaigrette with Black Bean Vinaigrette
Tofu, Long Bean, and Crispy Shallot Vinaigrette with Black Bean Vinaigrette
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 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 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 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 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) »
Quinoa Veggie Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Relish
Quinoa Veggie Burger with Roasted Red Pepper Relish
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