50 Quick & Easy Meatless Recipes that Carnivores Will Love
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We’ve found the best quick & easy meatless recipes that are delicious and hearty! Your family will never miss the meat with these simple healthy vegetarian dinner ideas!
We’re in no way vegetarians, and to be honest — we really are hardcore carnivores! So we wanted to only share hearty meatless meals that were popular even among meat-lovers like ourselves!
Don’t have time to cook? Check out our Vegan Veestro review!
Benefits of Going Meatless
On top of meatless meals being better for the environment, they can also improve your health and even save you some money at the grocery store!
So the whole meatless Monday thing – is a great thing to try, and our favorite meatless meals won’t feel like a sacrifice!
Do you observe Meatless Monday?
Observing Meatless Monday is a great way to get in more vegetables and less red meat, as well as, help the environment. Luckily – there are so many great vegetarian dinner recipes out there now, too! You’ll never get bored trying out new things!
What is Meatless Monday?
Meatless Monday is a global movement to cut out meat from your diet once a week. It started in 2003 and has the goal to cut meat consumption by 15% for our environment and overall health.
Does Meatless Monday make a difference?
Yes, going meat-free once a week can make a difference on a personal and global level. Personally, you may feel better and even lose a little weight. Globally, Meatless Monday can help with reducing our carbon footprint and consequently help the environment.
Why eat less meat?
Not only can eating less meat help the environment by reducing our carbon footprint, eating more vegetables and grains can boost our overall health.
Are eggs OK for Meatless Monday?
Eggs are an excellent source of protein, and while they are an animal product, they’re not considered meat. So while vegans don’t eat animal products, for the average person just trying to cut down their meat consumption – eggs are totally okay.
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We've found the best quick & easy meatless recipes that are delicious and hearty! Your family will never miss the meat with these simple healthy vegetarian dinner ideas! So if you're asking yourself, "What can I make for dinner without meat?" We've got 50 unique ideas for you to try! This Easy Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe is the ultimate comfort food! You can literally prepare this within just a few minutes and throw it into your slow cooker for dinner all week! This healthy Vegan Stuffed Peppers recipe is great for a dinner party or holiday dish. With vegetables, quinoa, and melty vegan cheese cooked inside a bell pepper, this flavorful dish is so satisfying. A cheater version of the classic, this Chili Relleno Casserole has layers of gooey cheese and peppers, with puffy clouds of baked eggs on top. So delicious. And crazy simple. Serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Oven-roasted cauliflower and broccoli make this easy pasta recipe deeply flavorful - parmesan cheese, garlic and bright lemon juice are all you really need to round out the salty-umami-tangy symphony of tastes. It’s a 30-minute, meal-in-one with no vegetable side dish needed ... perfect for busy nights! This simple pasta dish with zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, and Parmesan, is so easy and flavorful. And on the table in 25 minutes! Great weeknight dinner option! These Spanish beans with tomatoes and smokey sweet spices are so easy to make in one pot in less than 20 minutes with just 7 ingredients. Only 125 calories per serving, this Spanish bean stew recipe is also vegan and gluten-free. These vegan BBQ cauliflower tacos are packed with flavor! Between the BBQ roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, the cabbage slaw, and the pineapple avocado topping, you'll get tons of nutrients these taco Tuesday. It'll be on your table in just 45 minutes. Easy 20-minute cheddar broccoli quesadilla recipe! Quick Mexican spiced broccoli cheese quesadillas the whole family will love. Crunchy Baked Black Bean Mini Tacos with creamy avocado, tangy pickled red onions, juicy diced tomatoes, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Perfect for Taco Tuesday or any night of the week. Full of flavor and ready in just 20 minutes, these Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos are sure to be the hit of your next taco night. These gluten-free and vegan tacos are made with corn tortillas, canned pinto beans, tomatoes, onions and seasonings. This easy Red Lentil Tacos Recipe is the perfect weeknight meatless meal that the whole family will love! An easy Vegetarian Taco Meat is ready to eat in under 30 minutes, making it a simple, quick, and healthy meal. Some delicious BBQ Jackfruit Tacos with Mango Salsa to health up your dinner and to keep great flavors on the menu! These walnut meat tacos are a great alternative to beef and pack a punch of protein. These tacos are filled with veggies and walnuts and only take about 10 minutes to make. They're so tasty that even omnivores will want second helpings! Veggie Filled Mexican Crêpes start with a flavorful masa crepe, stuffed with a customizable vegetable filling of nopales, onion, bell pepper, and Beyond Beef, then topped with salsa verde and cotija. These savory masa crêpes may have you re-thinking your perception of "Mexican food!" Vegan burritos with plenty of protein? Yes please! Nopalitos, black beans, thin-sliced new potatoes, avocado, red chile sauce, and yes, crumbled tofu all wrapped up in a soft flour tortilla... High Protein Vegan Burritos are loaded with the flavors of the southwest, and full of nutrients! This sheet pan sweet potato nachos recipe is an easy vegetarian nachos recipe, great for a quick weeknight dinner, or even a pantry meal! Customize your toppings and include your favorite plant-based options to make these loaded nachos vegetarian! Quinoa Enchilada Soup is a healthy, protein packed one pot meal that is full of Mexican flavors!! It’s a vegetarian, vegan, gluten free recipe that is extremely easy to make and freezer friendly. Serve it with a range of toppings for everyone to customize their own! If you want a quick and easy dinner to prep, this fail-proof one-pan Mexican quinoa is what you are looking for! Ready in just 30 minutes this flavorful meatless recipe is perfect for Mexican food lovers! Looking to whip up a delicious family dinner on a budget? Make your own easy copycat crockpot Trader Joe’s harvest chili. (Say that three times fast!) This soup is vegetarian and so yummy. No meat? No problem! This vegan Yes-You-Can Black Bean Chili recipe has all the taste of hearty chili and can be ready to eat in 15-minutes or less. The convenience of a three-ingredient recipe (black beans, salsa, corn) without any greasy pans to clean. This hearty black bean and sweet potato soup has a little smoky heat from chipotle peppers and is so incredibly satisfying! Plus, it's made in about 30 minutes! This Crockpot Three Bean Taco Soup is hearty and perfect for a cold winter day or whenever you need a filling meal. It is quick to throw together and make ahead sine the slow cooker does most of the work for you! Spaghetti Squash Boats filled with Black Beans Enchilada Filling makes a healthy and filling meal! This make a tasty and filling main dish. This Instant Pot Vegetable Chow Mein recipe is my go-to recipe for that night. When I make these noodles everyone gobbles them up. They are so easy to make in this instant pot! These Mushroom Chow Mein Noodles are ready in less than 25, so skip the takeout and make your own at home for a fraction of the cost. If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner you can’t go past this vegetable stir fry with noodles. Colorful vegetables are sautéed then mixed with a deliciously simple asian-inspired sauce. These sesame noodles can be ready to serve in 15 minutes, yes that’s not a typo! Quick as ever, versatile and flavorful, this quick noodle dish is a huge hit even with kids! Is it "authentic Moroccan?" Probably not... However, Vegan Moroccan Couscous with Chick Peas is loaded with Moroccan flavor, warm spices, and healthy ingredients. Served alongside your healthy main it's fabulous, but it also makes a great stand alone vegetarian main dish! A kid approved healthy take on Chinese takeout, vegan teriyaki chickpea bowl is made with delicious teriyaki chickpeas, oven roasted broccoli all over your favorite grain. Ready in 30 minutes, this is a great healthy meal for busy days. These Buckwheat Bowls with Roasted Vegetables and Tahini Sauce are delicious, comforting, and packed with power food ingredients. A filling nutritious meatless dinner that is easy to make in 35 minutes. Savory, bold and mildly-spiced, this Cauliflower Tikka Masala is a flavor-packed recipe that your whole family will love. It’s a pure comfort meal that is easy to make and it’s budget-friendly too! These spicy chickpeas come with red peppers and cheddar cheese. Melting that cheddar cheese all over the chickpeas makes the dish just that extra more delicious. It's full of protein and fiber, so definitely offers a good finish for your day This creamy baked Mac and cheese is vegan and healthy too without sacrificing flavor! It is also nut and gluten free! Don’t let that scare you because the taste is fantastic! Our creamy vegan pasta primavera is the best pasta salad we’ve ever had, and it’s so easy to make! Everything goes in one pot, and it's ready in 20 minutes! The easiest ever, best and creamiest Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto is just a few ingredients and minimal effort away. Comfort food, quick weeknight dinners and lazy lunches is at your fingertips with this awesome Mushroom Risotto recipe. A light Italian soup that features a garlic, onion, and oregano blend paired with tender tortellini noodles. This 30-minute meal tastes as if it’s from a fancy Italian restaurant. It’s simply the best homemade spinach tortellini soup out there! Ready in 30 minutes: Creamy Fettuccine Cauliflower Alfredo is absolutely rich and bursting with flavor, gluten-free, and a healthier recipe of a classic comfort food dish! Its uses fettuccine pasta, veggie stock, cauliflower, plant-based milk, and grated parmesan cheese. We love this zesty lemon ricotta pasta with spinach, it makes a delish weeknight meal ready in less than 15 minutes. Simple, fresh ingredients, delicious flavor, and minimal effort. Delicious pillow-soft gnocchi pasta smothered with a highly flavorful, cheesy, basil-infused, garlicky tomato-based sauce. Easy and extremely delicious! This Vegan Red Pepper Pasta features easy roasted sweet red pepper sauce tossed with Fettuccine and a simple Olive Gremolata. It’s a super quick and satisfying recipe that you can make in just 30 minutes. This Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake recipe is made with broccoli, spinach, and ricotta cheese. It’s vegetarian and gluten free. It's the perfect Italian comfort food The vegetarian lasagna of your dreams! Stuffed with green veggies, pesto, and a creamy no-cook ricotta white sauce, this is sure to become a family favorite! This is the best creamy dairy-free lasagna with vegan ragù and a high-protein cheese sauce! Secretly healthy and veggie-rich, this budget-friendly family dinner is actually easy to follow and totally customizable. Try this scrumptious meatless meal (no tofu required), kids love it! This Baked Gnocchi Recipe is easy to throw together with inexpensive store bought gnocchi and a ton of fresh healthy vegetables! Baked gnocchi is crunchy yet tender and the roasted veggies become a delicious sauce like pairing, topped with parmesan cheese and fresh basil you will find yourself making this dinner on the regular! Ready to eat in 35 minutes! Healthy and hearty meatless burgers are made using pantry ingredients like black beans and canned pumpkin puree. This delicious meal is on your table in 30 minutes or less! These Greek vegan chickpea burgers (Nistisima Mpiftekia Revithion), are packed with spices and herbs, very healthy and seriously satisfying!50 Quick & Easy Meatless Recipes that Carnivores Will Love
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Pasta with Parmesan, Lemon and Garlic - Two Healthy Kitchens
Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos [Gluten-Free, Vegan & with Oil-Free Option]
We also love these Collapsable Silicone Containers to make meal prep a breeze!
That wraps up a few of our favorite quick and easy meatless meals!
What’s on your meal plan this week?
Also – don’t forget – we have: healthy breakfasts, lunches, snacks and desserts all ready for you to try!
Our Favorite Meal Prep Hacks
Several of these recipes make enough to enjoy the next day for lunch or dinner! We love these re-usable containers!
- Collapsable Silicone Containers
- LunchBots Thermos
- Stasher Bags (like a resealable ziplock)
- Everest Cooler Lunchbox
Don’t have the time to cook a meatless meal?
We absolutely love Veestro! It’s a plant-based meal delivery service.
Not only do they have some amazingly delicious meals, they are so easy to pop in the oven or microwave and enjoy!
It seriously makes eating plant-based super easy!
Shop Veestro’s Meals
What other recipe ideas would you like to see?
You may also like our Healthy Fast Food Guide or Free Grocery List!
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So much inspiration for #meatlessMonday! We were vegetarians 25 years ago in southern CA, but still practice #meatlessMonday and more vegetarian cooking… Thanks for including my recipes. I’ve shared!