Vegetarian
6901 recipes found
Fennel and Lentil Salad With Caper-Mustard Dressing
Quietly dazzling, this salad is a dish you’ll turn to time and time again. It’s ideal for when you want something simple and hearty without being too filling. Made mostly of pantry ingredients, it has a punchy, acidic dressing that’s lightened up with fresh ingredients like fennel and parsley. While satisfying enough on its own, it works well with simple proteins like salmon, chicken or a jammy egg. Eat it for lunch during the week, and refresh leftovers by adding some baby spinach, fresh dill or more parsley.
Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad With Peanut Sauce
Serving as a luscious, umami sauce for pan-fried potstickers, peanut sauce yet again proves itself to be the hero of weeknight cooking. The sauce needs no cooking, just some hot water to soften the peanut butter, which also helps the sauce come together smoothly. By design, it is slightly runnier than usual, allowing it to casually drape over the dumplings. Right after whisking, the sauce may look too loose, but let it sit for a few minutes as it relaxes and thickens into the perfect consistency. Frozen potstickers — which have a flat base for pan-frying — work best, but you could use other types of dumpling too, cooking them according to their package instructions. The cucumbers are smashed and then salted, which not only draws out moisture, but also tenderizes them every so slightly, delivering just the right amount of freshness and crunch.
Basil and Olive Pasta Salad With Tomato Dressing
Ripe summer tomatoes are transformed into a fragrant, fruity dressing for this pasta salad. Giving the tomatoes a quick salt bath encourages them to release their tangy juices and further intensifies their flavor before they are blended with basil and garlic. While this dish is best with summer tomatoes, this salting technique makes it possible to use out-of-season ones, too. This dressing is thicker than most, so use a robust short pasta with lots of crevices, curves and swirls to hug and carry the sauce. Eat this pasta salad as is, or dress it with a creamy fresh cheese such as mozzarella, burrata or ricotta, or stir through some leafy baby spinach or arugula for freshness.
Simple Summer Salad With Feta
This refreshing, seemingly everyday green salad has a surprise at the bottom: A layer of creamy feta stirred into yogurt awaits, giving tangy richness by the forkful. Its base of greens, radishes and avocado is dressed with a simple lemon-Dijon vinaigrette, making this salad endlessly adaptable, depending on the season and your pantry. For crunch, you could add a handful of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds or broken bits of toasted pita, inspired by fattoush. If in need of protein, some chickpeas or white beans will do the trick. You could even turn this into a more filling summertime snack or meal by layering the feta-yogurt sauce on top of crunchy store-bought tostadas and piling the salad on top.
Fresh Lemon and Chile Pasta
This quick, deeply comforting pasta is creamy, but balanced by the zing of fresh lemon. Loosely based on Italy’s pasta al limone, this simple recipe combines butter, Parmesan and lemon juice with some reserved pasta water to form a velvety sauce that comes together in the pasta pan along with everyday heroes: garlic, green chile and some cream. To squeeze as much tang from a single lemon as possible, zest is also added to the vibrant sauce, giving the dish a wonderful, sunny scent. The lemon cuts through the richness and keeps your fork twirling for more. Serve this bright and easy pasta dish on its own to perk up a weeknight or with chicken piccata or simple roast chicken for a special dinner, ideally eaten outside in the late-setting sun.
Escalivada (Catalan Roasted Vegetables)
In Catalonia, escalivada is traditionally prepared in the fireplace, with raw vegetables nestled in the coals and ashes, cooked slowly until soft — typically eggplant, sweet bell peppers and onions, sometimes tomato. When cool, the charred skins are removed, and the vegetables are sliced or torn into strips, then dressed with olive oil, garlic and sherry vinegar. These days, the method has changed slightly, with modern cooks roasting the vegetables on a sheet pan in the oven or over indirect heat in a covered grill. The ingredients mingle, resulting in something much like a vegetable stew. Once assembled, it will keep a week and can be served cold or at room temperature. It tastes best when aged at least a day, so make it ahead for a party or picnic.
Pasta and Pickles Salad
This recipe is your invitation to the pasta and pickle party. Dill pickles work double time here: The brine is added to the creamy dressing to bring acidity, while a generous amount of pickles are used in the salad, bringing crunch and saltiness. The sourness of the pickles and the punch of the quick-pickled shallots really cut through the heaviness that is often found in creamy, mayonnaise-laden pasta salads. (This one skips mayo for lighter crème fraîche or sour cream.) An emphatic handful of dill reinforces the grassy notes of the pickle; if you have parsley or scallions lying around, you could throw those in too. Experiment by adding other pickles — sauerkraut, beets, radish, daikon would all work — or bulk this pasta salad up with some chopped romaine, chickpeas or hard-boiled eggs.
Eggplant Bolognese
Eggplant and mushrooms come together in place of ground beef in this hearty vegetarian pasta that delivers the depth of a more traditional Bolognese sauce. Use Italian eggplant, which is widely available and has silky, sweet flesh. Peeling the eggplant helps it brown and cook more quickly, and encourages it to partially melt into the sauce as it simmers. Earthy mushroom broth fortifies the vegetable-rich sauce with deeper savory flavor. Serve the pasta with a simple green salad and crusty bread.
Chilled Tofu With Gochujang Sauce
This silken tofu, draped in a tangy, savory, chile-sweet gochujang sauce, is a warm weather epiphany: No cooking whatsoever. The sauce is essentially a chojang, a portmanteau of the Korean words for vinegar, cho, and for gochujang, the fiery fermented red chile paste, one of South Korea’s most delicious exports. Often served alongside salted boiled broccoli with sesame, this sauce is also excellent with tofu or on cold, crisp lettuce or hydrating cucumber and pepper. Make a double batch of the sauce, if you like, to keep in the fridge for last-minute crisper-drawer raids. Enjoy this on its own or with a bowl of cooked rice.
Pakora
Crunchy, savory and well-seasoned with cumin, turmeric and chiles, fried vegetable pakora are a popular South Asian street food and snack. Pakoras are a perfect opportunity to use up just about any vegetables you have on hand. This version uses thinly sliced onion, potatoes and carrots, which get extracrispy when fried. Broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, peppers or cabbage also work well; and you can also grate or chop the vegetables rather than slicing them, if preferred. The thick, sticky batter is prepared with nutty gram or chickpea flour, but rice flour can also be used, just be sure to add the water judiciously. Pakora are best served right away, but they can also be stored in a closed container in the fridge and reheated in a hot oven for a couple of minutes. Serve pakora with mint chutney for dipping, and chai to drink alongside.
Avocado Hand Rolls
A fresh pot of perfectly steamed white rice is always a good place to start any meal. Though you could use leftover rice for this recipe, there is no greater comfort than just-cooked rice, especially when it’s seasoned like sushi rice with salt, sugar and acid. Build a meal around that pot: Sushi rice tastes great when stuffed into sheets of roasted seaweed with rich, creamy avocado. You can also tuck sliced cucumber, imitation crab sticks or sushi-grade raw fish into these rolls. If you have an extra 10 seconds, don’t hesitate to whip up the spicy soy sauce and lime juice dipping sauce (see Tip).
Salt and Pepper Zucchini
In this vegetarian rendition of classic salt and pepper shrimp, zucchini is pan fried with a coating of panko, giving it a golden brown exterior and tender interior. Zucchini’s mild nature makes a perfect backdrop for big salt and pepper flavor, the spiciness of jalapeño, and the sweetness of sautéed onion. Though the seasoning is packed with salt and pepper, granulated sugar is what brings balance to the dish. This recipe does ask for a bit of time and effort, as frying is labor intensive by nature. However, it makes an impressive vegetarian main dish or appetizer at a summer cookout and can upgrade your “Meatless Monday.” If desired, prepare the zucchini a day ahead by freezing it after breading. Place the pieces in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet tray, freeze until completely solid (about three hours), and then fry them — without thawing — when ready. Fried zucchini is best when eaten hot, so prepare any sides you may be serving ahead of time. This dish pairs well with cooked rice (sushi rice would be particularly nice) or a big, leafy salad.
Toasted Garlic Rice
This potent garlic rice recipe is for anybody who believes that there is no such thing as too much garlic. Finely chopped garlic toasts in butter, infusing it with its intoxicating aroma and flavor. The rice is also topped with store-bought fried garlic — in an ideal world, you would use a variety, ranging from thick fried slices to finely chopped bits and feathery pieces, but any crispy, store-bought fried garlic will do. The different kinds — and shapes, and sizes — bring a variety of crunch and a range of garlic flavors to the already intensely garlicky rice. Loudly garlicky, this dish is great alongside any saucy mains, or as a side for grilled meat or fish.
Pesto Beans
Part quick and rustic bean stew and part deconstructed pesto, this pesto-inspired one-pan meal requires no blender and minimal slicing. It all starts out by sizzling nuts with a little turmeric in olive oil until golden. The Parmesan cheese makes a creamy base for softened shallots and tender beans; then freshly torn basil leaves and lemon juice are stirred in at the end so they stay vibrant and fresh. Top with the beautifully toasted nuts, golden olive oil and a bit more Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread on the side.
Charred Corn and Chickpea Salad With Lime Crema
Charred corn is a bankable foundation for a simple and satiating summer meal. Just a few minutes in a hot pan will turn the kernels from starchy to sweet, while delivering smoky notes. A light dusting of ground cumin and smoked paprika reinforces these scorched flavors. In a loose nod to esquites, this salad is dressed with a simplified version of Mexican crema, tangy from the lime and spiked with garlic. If you like, add some heat with some sliced jalapeños or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. Spoonable and transportable, this is the perfect salad to take on picnics.
Peach, Cucumber and Mozzarella Salad With Gochujang Vinaigrette
The theory that opposites attract is confirmed in this unlikely pairing of peach and gochujang. The sweet and spicy notes of gochujang dance with the fresh fruitiness of peach, enhancing its sweetness and elevating its floral notes. Crunchy, juicy cucumbers and creamy mozzarella provide a welcome counterpoint to the boldness of the vinaigrette. Keep this game-changing salad dressing in your back pocket for any time you are looking to liven up a dish; it would work well drizzled over grilled or roasted veggies or even pan-fried tofu. The peaches can be swapped for any summer stone fruit; try nectarines, plums or apricots. If you’d like to add some greens, opt for baby spinach or arugula.
Barbecue Vegetable Salad
This knife-and-fork dinner salad is full of char and crunch, topped off with a festive dressing to incorporate into your summer repertoire. It’s also an ideal way to use up any grillable vegetables. On a verdant bed of Romaine lettuce, kale and cilantro, pile on grilled summer vegetables and peaches and a shower of corn chips. Beans add protein, though you could also top with quinoa, grilled tempeh bacon or another protein. While barbecue sauce doesn’t often coat lettuce, here it becomes a tangy, thick and pleasantly sweet salad dressing with the addition of a little lime juice to loosen and brighten. If you have some ranch in the fridge, drizzle zig-zags of it on top, too; the duo tastes like an herb-flecked Thousand Island dressing. Eat this big salad solo or with a side of cornbread.
Soba Salad With Grilled Mushrooms and Tofu
Throw together this exciting tangle of soba noodles, grilled mushrooms and tofu, raw vegetables and maple-miso dressing for your next picnic or warm-weather dinner. Hitting mushrooms and tofu with a little heat accentuates the nutty quality of the soba, while snap peas, serrano chile and herbs give this plant-based salad a juicy crunch. Lime juice, miso and maple work double duty as the salad’s dressing and the tofu’s marinade, which chars once it hits the grill. To mitigate the tofu sticking to the grill, maintain medium-high heat and let the tofu release itself from the grates instead of prying it off. To save time, prep the vegetables while the grill heats, or marinate the tofu and cook the soba up to a day ahead and refrigerate until needed.
Grilled Corn Panzanella
Panzanella, the Tuscan bread salad of bread, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, basil, is already peak summer cooking, but this grilled, summer produce-heavy rendition might be even more so. The dish is best in the summer when tomatoes are at their juiciest, which is exactly when you don’t want to turn on the oven to toast bread. But dry bread is the key to the salad’s deliciousness because it soaks up the tomato juices and vinaigrette for a mix of crisp and soft bites. So head outside to the grill: Charring the bread brings a nutty, smoky edge to the sweet tomatoes, corn and cucumbers. Add mozzarella, too, for creaminess, or make the salad vegan by replacing the mozzarella with white beans.
Stuffed Pepper Tacos
With just a single charred pepper stuffed with gooey cheese and herbs, this taco encuerado (or “naked taco”) proves that simplicity is often best — you don’t even need salsa. This recipe, which was adapted from “Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling” (Abrams, 2023) by Bricia Lopez with Javier Cabral, is inspired by the chiles encuerados served at Cocina de Frida, a restaurant in Ocotlán de Morelos, Oaxaca. The restaurant’s chiles de agua, small, medium-hot heirloom chiles, are considered naked because they don’t have a batter like other chiles rellenos. Ms. Lopez likes to use Anaheim or mild Hatch chiles, which are sweet with a subtle kick, then finishes them with just a sprinkle of olive oil and flaky salt to brighten.
Pimento Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches
Every summer, Southerners await the arrival of juicy, ripe tomatoes to make a classic tomato sandwich. This version of the beloved staple swaps in pimento cheese as the creamy companion instead of the typical mayonnaise. The pimento cheese is studded with sharp Cheddar and jalapeño, giving it just enough kick without completely overshadowing the tomato. Choose tomatoes that are ripe but still somewhat firm: You want them to have the structural integrity that prevents a soggy sandwich. While many Southerners prefer plain white bread, you could opt for sourdough or brioche. This recipe is great for parties and group picnics, but don’t feel pressured to only make these for a crowd — the recipe can be easily halved. You could also use the extra to spread on crackers or add to biscuit dough. You’ll end up with four cups of pimento cheese, which will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. However, the sandwiches are best eaten as soon as they’re assembled.
Corn Grits With Charred Peppers and Broccoli
For a cozy and produce-packed dinner, top cheesy, corn-studded grits with grilled peppers and broccoli. To pull it off without racing between the outdoor grill and the indoor stove, build a two-zone grill — with one side heated, one not — and think of the unheated side as a back burner. Its gentle heat will gradually cook the grits while the vegetables soften and char over the flames. A squeeze of grilled lemon lifts the smoky flavors, but feel free to also add chopped parsley or basil, or a shake of hot sauce for spice. For pot recommendations, see Tip.
Mákos Tészta (Poppy Seed Noodles)
This four-ingredient one-pot meal takes 25 minutes to complete, so it’s easy to understand its wide appeal. Freshly cooked long, flat noodles are tossed in butter (sometimes oil) with ground poppy seeds and sugar. The results are pleasantly sweet, nutty and comforting. This dish of poppy seed noodles, also known as mákos tészta in Hungarian, originated as early as the 16th century as a humble meal beloved by peasants. Its affordability and appeal caused it to quickly grow in popularity until it was adopted across Hungary and certain parts of Eastern and Central Europe. The dish is enjoyed as a sweet main course, served on its own, or paired with a soup or salad.
White Bean Salad With Crispy Cheese
This hearty, no-cook salad has a range of textures and flavors that make it particularly satisfying, all without much effort from the cook. The canned white beans are dressed in a bracing red wine vinaigrette that enlivens their soft earthiness with a welcome tang. Slivers of fennel lend sweetness, while arugula and basil add pleasingly green and bitter notes. Then, just before serving, crumbled store-bought Parmesan crisps make the whole thing crunchy, salty and very fun to eat. Just be sure not to add the Parmesan crisps until right before serving; they soften quickly and may lose their snap.