As the weather gets colder, many of us turn to hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meals that star meat or poultry. But before we’re all eating leftover turkey breast and sausage stuffing for a week straight, why not indulge in some seriously satisfying vegetarian comfort food? Here, seven dinners to make this week that even carnivores can get behind, from tomato soup in grilled cheese bread bowls to Korean-style popcorn cauliflower.
60 Vegetarian Dinner Recipe Ideas You Need to Try
Produce
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 pound sweet potatoes, plus 1 large
2 ounces arugula
1 sweet onion
10 garlic cloves
1 head cauliflower
2 large white onions
1 lemon
2 red serrano chiles
2 large poblano peppers
1 avocado
1 head red cabbage
3 limes
6 Persian cucumbers
1 shallot
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch chives
2 bunches cilantro
1 bunch oregano
1 bunch basil
1 bunch scallions
Meat
7 eggs
Dairy
3 ounces half-and-half or heavy cream
2 sticks unsalted butter
16 slices American cheese
12 ounces fresh mozzarella
12 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
Sour cream, for serving
Grains
4 round bread loaves (preferably sourdough)
6 small corn tortillas (or 6 store-bought tostadas)
Canned and Packaged Goods
One 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
60 ounces vegetable broth
Sesame seeds
7 ounces dried red lentils
One 13½-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
2 ounces unsweetened dried coconut flakes
1 pound pizza dough
4 ounces sun-dried tomato pesto
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 15-ounce can chickpeas
One 15-ounce can black beans
12 ounces frozen corn kernels
Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, harissa, apple cider vinegar, bay leaf, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, gochujang, soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, all-purpose flour, cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, ground ginger, mustard powder, curry powder, ground cinnamon, fenugreek seeds, chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, sugar, mayonnaise, sriracha, smoked paprika
This nutritious bowl tastes just as good in the morning as it does at dinnertime. Feel free to roast any less-than-perfect vegetables you forgot about in the fridge alongside the spuds and sprouts.
Our inner child is psyched to dig into this soul-soothing tomato soup—and the cheese-lined bread bowl. Did we mention the lid is a grilled cheese sandwich?
Equal parts sticky, sweet and spicy, the Korean-inspired glaze on these cauli florets will rock your world. Serve the nuggets with steamed white rice and plenty of kimchi.
This vegan delight will earn a permanent spot in your weekly rotation at first bite. The red lentils are chock full of immunity-boosting, anti-inflammatory ingredients—like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and garlic—and creamy coconut milk.
Warning: Make this for the fam once and your kids will ask for it on the daily. Luckily, it’s a breeze to prepare since it starts with store-bought pizza dough and jarred sun-dried tomato pesto. Plate it with pasta or Caesar salad.
Forget the ground beef—black beans and chickpeas can hold down the fort. Warm spices and cold-weather veggies make the chili even more filling, with help from a generous dollop of sour cream and chopped avocado on top.
Gather ’round for the most ingenious cucumber recipe of all time. It turns out the refreshing veggie can be roasted just like chicken after being slathered in butter and seasoned with a vinegar dressing. The cukes will turn out irresistibly crisp, with none of their raw bitterness.
40 High-Protein Vegan Recipes That Are Satisfying and Totally Plant-Based
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.