47 Easy Dinners That Are Mostly Vegetables

updated Jul 27, 2022
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caprese stuffed peppers on a plate
Credit: Photo: Kristin Teig; Food Styling: Catrine Kelty

Here’s my dinnertime strategy: Bring on the vegetable recipes. I try to make vegetables the star of the show most of the time when I am thinking about what to make for dinner (in addition to keeping mealtime easy, of course!). I’m not a vegetarian; I eat both meat and fish. But by making my plate more about the vegetables and less about the meat, I find I automatically eat a more wholesome diet without radically changing much.

Some nights that means eating a meal that contains no meat at all, while other nights perhaps my casserole or frittata leans on some salty bacon for more flavor, my stir-fry gets bulked up with a piece of chicken, or I mix crumbled sausage into stuffed onions. The point is that no matter what I cook, vegetables dominate my plate.

From stir-fries and skillet dinners to casseroles and sandwiches, here are 47 vegetable-based meals I love.

Loaded Vegetable Sandwiches

When I don’t really want salad, but want to use up a bunch of veggies in the crisper, sandwiches are my absolute favorite way to do it. This lineup is totally irresistible, satisfying, and easy.

1 / 8
Roasted Broccoli and Summer Squash Sandwich with Artichokes, Feta, and Salsa Verde
This not-your-average veggie sandwich features a crusty ciabatta roll packed to the gills with roasted, briny, earthy, creamy flavors and textures.
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2 / 8
The Best-Ever Caprese Sandwich
Tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella and basil are stuffed inside a toasted baguette and finished with a drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar in this perfect summer sandwich.
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3 / 8
Egg Soufflé Sandwich
The fluffiest egg meets nutty melted cheese, tangy pickled peppers, peppery arugula, and creamy Dijonnaise in this elevated, yet easy, breakfast sandwich.
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4 / 8
The Ultimate California Sandwich
A cool, refreshing veggie sandwich inspired by ones sold in California natural foods grocery stores.
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5 / 8
Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
This vegetarian take on tuna salad is made with a base of hearty chickpeas and crunchy vegetables. The real heroes, however, are the gut-friendly fermented pickles and creamy Greek yogurt.
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6 / 8
Pressed Broccoli Rabe and Mozzarella Sandwiches
This easy and delicious vegetarian sandwich is one that actually gets better as it sits.
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7 / 8
Broccoli Reuben Sandwich
Crispy, crunchy broccoli replaces corned beef in this vegetarian twist on a classic reuben sandwich.
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8 / 8
Grilled Open-Faced Cauliflower Banh Mi
Grilling the baguette and the cauliflower florets adds bold, smoky flavor to a vegetarian banh mi.
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Veggie-Packed Stir-Fries

When in doubt, you can turn just about vegetable into a stir-fry. Even if you choose to include some meat, vegetables dominate these quick-cooking meals.

1 / 4
A Springy Noodle Stir-Fry
Raw and charred spring vegetables, including asparagus, snap peas, green beans, and snow peas, come together in this quick and delicious dinner.
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2 / 4
Ratatouille Stir-Fry
This quick-cooking version of a classic summer French dish features crisp-tender eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers.
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3 / 4
Weeknight Vegetable Stir-Fry
This easy weeknight veggie stir-fry is more template than recipe. Make it once a week to clear out the crisper and ensure you're eating your veggies!
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4 / 4
Potsticker Stir-Fry
Here's how to turn frozen dumplings into a one-pan meal.
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Meal-Worthy Salads

Salads, perhaps, feel like the easiest way to load up on a bunch of vegetables. What makes this lineup stand out — whether you start with smashed carrots and avocado, roasted fall veggies, or a mix of farro and broccoli — is that each one is guaranteed to fill you up for lunch or dinner.

1 / 9
Grain Salad with Use-It-All-Up Pesto
This hearty, satisfying main-course salad can be made with rice or whatever grain you have in the pantry: farro, millet, quinoa, etc. Orzo or couscous are also great options.
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2 / 9
Smashed Carrot Salad
In this salad, every ingredient has a purpose—lending texture, temperature, brightness and acidity to what turns out to be a symphony of flavors.
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3 / 9
Farro and Broccoli Salad
This hearty salad has farro, broccoli, smoked almonds, aged cheddar, golden raisins, and dried cranberries, and is served with a quick pickled shallot viniagrette.
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4 / 9
Loaded Veggie Taco Salad
This vegetarian taco salad with a creamy cilantro dressing is loaded with protein and can be eaten all week.
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5 / 9
Kale & Quinoa Salad with Roasted Squash and Sweet Potatoes
This hearty kale salad is packed with quinoa and roasted veggies, and rounded out with a creamy tahini dressing.
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6 / 9
Tortellini Salad with Marinated Artichokes and Feta
Here, cheesy tortellini pockets are tossed with marinated artichokes, fresh veggies, feta cheese, briny olives, and a bright lemon vinaigrette.
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7 / 9
Vegetarian Italian Chopped Salad
This make-ahead friendly salad is packed with crunchy veggies and tossed in a garlicky oregano vinaigrette. Eat as-is or serve alongside pizza.
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8 / 9
Herby French Lentil Salad with Carrots, Goat Cheese, and Pistachios
Carrots and pistachios lend crunch and color to this salad, while crumbles of goat cheese provide creaminess with every bite.
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9 / 9
BBQ Tofu Salad with Grilled Vegetables
Crispy grilled tofu and veggies are tossed in a smoky BBQ dressing for a crunchy summer salad everyone will love.
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One-Bowl Meals

Grain bowls are one of my favorite ways to make vegetables the center of my meal. And the best part is that it can be adaptable to what I have on hand and it means tucking into a little bit of everything, plus a toasty sauce or dressing to drizzle over top.

1 / 8
Roasted Vegetable and Kohlrabi Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Inspired by the saucy peanut noodles in my regular dinner rotation, these plant-based bowls are all about putting the veggies first.
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2 / 8
Smoky Quinoa Taco Bowls with Fried Eggs
This vegetarian taco bowl features nutty, protein-packed quinoa as its base, which is cooked with aromatics and chipotle in adobo sauce to give it a rich and smoky flavor.
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3 / 8
Crispy Tofu Bowl with Caramelized Fall Veggies
In this hearty vegetarian grain bowl, crispy caramelized butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and protein-packed tofu are tossed in a savory-sweet glaze and piled onto warm brown rice.
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4 / 8
Mushroom Shawarma Bowls
Inspired by shawarma, these plant-based bowls feature a mix of meaty mushrooms, crunchy romaine, warm plum tomatoes, and tangy pickled onions.
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5 / 8
No-Chop Cold Veggie Noodle Bowls With Soy Lime Vinaigrette
This summer sauté served over rice noodles is everything you'll crave in a cold noodle bowl.
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6 / 8
Roasted Cauliflower Bowl with Lentils & Sweet Potato Hummus
Every single piece of this vegetarian bowl can be made ahead of time and tossed together in a flash for a wholesome, delicious meal.
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7 / 8
Sesame Soba Noodle Bowl with Crispy Tofu
A recipe for warm soba noodles topped with crispy pan-fried tofu and vegetables.
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8 / 8
Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea Bowls
These saucy, spiced chickpea bowls with kale, avocado, and a runny-yolked egg are all the proof you need that comfort food can also be healthy.
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Stuffed Vegetables

There’s no more surefire way to make vegetables the center of the plate than by stuffing them. Big portobello mushrooms, bell pepper, and mini pumpkins are all ideal veggies for stuffing, and all make for meals that will fill you up more than you might think.

1 / 5
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
These weeknight-friendly vegetarian stuffed peppers are packed with protein in the form of black beans and brown rice.
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2 / 5
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Here, roasted portobello mushrooms are piled high with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese.
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3 / 5
Mini Pumpkins Stuffed with Onion, Mushrooms, and Chard
These easy vegetarian stuffed pumpkins are equally impressive.
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4 / 5
Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
These hearty sweet potatoes stuffed with chipotle black beans, avocado, cilantro, and chipotle yogurt.
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5 / 5
Caprese Stuffed Peppers
Fill roasted bell pepper halves with a mix of colorful tomatoes, basil, and burrata or fresh mozzarella for the ultimate mid-summer meal.
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Sheet Pan Dinners

Do you love sheet pan suppers? Me too! It means easy cooking and easy cleanup. Plus, whether you’re in the mood for comforting gnocchi, the wholesome comfort of beans and greens, or a frittata, it’s so easy to load in a bunch of veggies.

1 / 5
Sheet Pan Halloumi with Burst Tomatoes, Summer Squash, Preserved Lemon, and Mint
This colorful sheet pan dinner is packed with a wholesome mix of flavorful Mediterranean ingredients.
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2 / 5
Vegan Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers
Plant-based sausages roast alongside peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, and garlic for a hearty vegan take on the classic sandwich.
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3 / 5
Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Veggies
This one-pan dinner of roasted gnocchi and vegetables that doesn't even require you to boil the dumplings.
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4 / 5
Sheet Pan Roasted Okra, Black-Eyed Peas, and Tomatoes
This glorious vegetarian meal, cooked on one sheet pan, features caramelized okra, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, and Lowcountry-inspired spices.
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5 / 5
Sheet Pan Veggie Frittata
This cheesy, veggie-packed big-batch frittata is also great for meal prep.
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Veggie Skillets

Just as easy are skillet meals. Whether it’s a veg-heavy cobbler topped with butter biscuits, a quick bean chili, or a lasagna-inspired meal that’s packed with greens.

1 / 8
Gnocchi Skillet with Green Beans and Asparagus
This one-pan recipe is loaded with cauliflower gnocchi and crisp-tender veggies, all tossed in a lightly creamy sauce.
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2 / 8
Skillet Ratatouille Cobbler
Throw that perfect trifecta of summer vegetables into a hot skillet, then scoop a thyme-scented drop biscuit dough right on top.
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3 / 8
Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Skillet
This deconstructed stuffed pepper skillet is ready in half the time. It's packed with beans, rice, fire-roasted tomatoes, and plenty of spices, then topped off with melty cheese.
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4 / 8
Carbonara-Inspired Corn Skillet
Fresh corn mingles with salty pancetta, Pecorino cheese, black pepper, runny eggs, and fresh basil in this late-summer skillet.
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5 / 8
Vegetarian Skillet Pot Pie
This easy meatless pot pie is filled with sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and kale that's prepared and baked in a skillet.
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6 / 8
Skillet Lasagna Roll-Ups with Kale Pesto
This reimagined take on lasagna roll-ups boasts crispier edges and a fun new look. Starting with a store-bought sauce lets you focus your efforts on a nutty homemade pesto.
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7 / 8
Caramelized Onion Skillet Quiche
This savory caramelized onion quiche made in a skillet and topped with fresh arugula.
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8 / 8
Three-Bean Spring Skillet Chili
This vegetarian white bean chili is a warm weather rendition of a cold weather classic.
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