Vegetarian
6951 recipes found

Crispy Okra With Spicy Honey Sauce
Kwame Onwuachi serves a version of this dish at his acclaimed restaurant Tatiana in New York City. He halves and deep-fries his version, but in this adaptation, it’s quartered so every bit is extra crunchy. It’s lightly coated in a vibrant honey sauce bursting with Scotch bonnet chile, ginger and pungent garlic. The flavors are big but not overbearing, letting okra’s beauty shine. Finish with a dusting of mustard powder, if you like, and a squeeze of lemon, to bring this New York small-plate to your dinner table.

Dairy-Free Creamy Pasta Primavera
An early summer, dairy-free spin on the classic spring pasta dish, this uses oat milk, seasonal vegetables, plus a few tricks that make it even easier to make.

Za’atar Lion’s Mane Steak with Couscous & Herb Salad
A plank of steak-like Lion's Mane mushroom is seared and served with bright herby salad and chewy pearl couscous for a delicious, vegan weeknight meal.

Orzo Salad
This colorful, Mediterranean-inspired orzo salad is a crowd-pleasing side dish for a picnic or potluck, and can be a satisfying, vegetable-packed lunch. The trick to a flavorful pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is hot, so it can soak up plenty of flavor as it cools. This recipe takes that method a step further by tossing the hot orzo and dressing with the chickpeas, tomatoes and olives, giving the ingredients ample time to marinate. If olives aren’t your thing, try adding diced roasted red peppers or marinated artichokes for a burst of briny flavor in each bite. If preparing for a larger gathering, this recipe doubles easily, and leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, making it a good choice for meal prepping.

Crunchy Noodle and Tofu Salad
With crisp noodles and vegetables coated in a tangy dressing, this salad is reminiscent of the ubiquitous Chinese chicken salad, which isn’t actually Chinese in origin. Stripped of the chicken and given a more accurate name, this vegan take is a fresh salad with lots of textures and no active cooking. Fridge stalwarts carrot and celery combine with robust cabbage to provide heart and heft, while store-bought crispy fried noodles (sometimes sold as chow mein noodles) bring mouth-watering crunch. (They’re worth keeping in your pantry to use as a fun, effortless topper for salads or soups.) Another store-bought timesaver is baked tofu, which has already been marinated and baked, and is ready to use straight from the packet. It often comes in several flavors, and any of them will work for this recipe. The dressing is sweet, savory and acidic, and can be easily adjusted to your liking. Maple syrup adds richness, but honey, agave or sugar would all make suitable substitutes.

Balsamic Glaze
This two-ingredient balsamic glaze recipe is your pantry’s secret weapon. The simple reduction of balsamic vinegar and brown sugar or honey will leave you with a thick glaze and concentrated, complex sweet-sour flavor. When boiling the vinegar, be sure to turn on the vent or open a window, as the mixture is as fragrant as it is potent. Adding a sweetener is completely optional; the vinegar will naturally become more intense and a bit sweeter as it cooks down. If your reduction becomes too thick, simply add a dash of water to help loosen. Add this glaze to marinades, dressings or roasted vegetables (such as broccoli), or drizzle it over caprese salad or grilled peaches. Toss strawberries with a spoonful of balsamic glaze to enhance their flavor for strawberry shortcakes or strawberry pretzel pie.

Snap Pea, Tofu and Herb Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce
When the season gifts us sweet, juicy sugar snap (or snow) peas, use them raw in this textural salad. Slicing them in half diagonally not only unlocks their innate crispness, but also allows the inner peas to spill out, creating more texture. This salad is brazenly herb forward, and offers an excellent way to use up any leftover bundles in your fridge; mint, cilantro or basil can be used singularly or as a mix. The two-ingredient dressing is the simplest, and possibly tastiest, peanut sauce you’ll ever make: Peanut butter is whisked together with chile crisp and loosened with boiling water, which helps encourage it to emulsify, creating a smooth, creamy and intensely savory sauce. Looking for another shortcut? You can even skip pan-frying and use store-bought pre-baked firm tofu.

Palak Paneer
A vegetarian dish of fresh, unripened cheese cooked in a thick, creamy spinach purée, paneer palak originated in the northern Indian state of Punjab. Named for its two primary ingredients — spinach and paneer cheese — palak paneer is reminiscent of saag paneer (which typically uses a mixture of greens, including spinach, fenugreek leaves and mustard greens) but instead uses blended spinach as its sole source of greens. A fresh, firm, mild cheese used throughout India, paneer is prized for its texture and its ability to absorb the flavors of its surrounding ingredients, as it holds its shape without melting when heated. If you’re unable to find paneer, you can try firm tofu instead. Here, the paneer is heated in the sauce, however, you could sear the cubes in a pan before adding them to the dish. Serve palak paneer with naan or steamed basmati rice.

Couscous Risotto With Tomatoes and Mozzarella
This caprese-inspired “risotto” swaps in toothsome pearl couscous for the usual short grain rice, cutting the time spent stirring in half. The result is a pleasantly chewy, creamy one-pot dish that, like true risotto, is easy to adapt. The tomatoes caramelize and concentrate in flavor when roasted, but if you don’t feel like turning on the oven, try replacing them with a heaping cup of drained and chopped roasted red peppers or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (just pat them dry if they're oil-packed). And because pesto is so flavorful, there’s no need for chicken or vegetable broth: Plain old water is the cooking liquid of choice here.

Lemongrass Tofu and Broccoli
Intensely flavorful, this stir-fry harnesses the fresh, citrusy notes of lemongrass in a punchy marinade that doubles as the stir-fry sauce. While the tofu only needs a short soak in the lemongrass marinade before cooking, it also benefits from a longer one, so feel free to prep ahead and refrigerate overnight. This recipe’s cooking method is a combination of stir-frying and steaming: Searing the onions and tofu on high heat creates smoky notes, and covering the pan during cooking ensures that the broccoli stays bright green as it cooks through. If your skillet or wok doesn’t come with a lid, slide a large sheet pan over the cooking vessel. This hearty stir-fry can be eaten alone, with rice or tossed through glass or rice noodles.

Sheet-Pan Pizza al Taglio
Popular in Rome, pizza al taglio is a rectangular pizza that’s sold by the slice and is often eaten on the go as a salty, savory snack. The dough tends to be crisp-edged and light rather than chewy, and the toppings, which can vary widely, are often seasonal. This quick, untraditional version can be made on a sheet pan in less than three hours. It has a puffy, no-knead crust that’s imbued with olive oil (like focaccia) and extremely easy to make. Feel free to play with the toppings. Cooked vegetables (thinly sliced potatoes, artichokes, roasted peppers), sliced prosciutto or mortadella, olives, other cheeses, or tinned fish like anchovies or tuna can all be added after the pizza is baked.

Cumin Green Beans and Mushrooms
This bold stir-fry showcases the versatility of one of our pantry’s most staple spices: ground cumin. Often used in conjunction with other spices, cumin is just as compelling as a singular flavor, and it shines in this green bean and mushroom stir-fry. The warmth and slight citrus edge of cumin coaxes out sweetness from the beans and the earthiness from the mushrooms. The choice of mushrooms is up to you, from everyday button or creminis to fancier varieties like oyster or shiitake mushrooms. As with all stir-fries, most of the active time is spent in preparation. But when you are ready to cook, the meal comes together quickly.

Butter Bean Dip With Frizzled Onions and Preserved Lemon
Though creamy, mashed beans provide the foundation, the frizzled onion mixture is the true star of this dish. Cooked quickly over high heat, with layers of garlic, cumin and preserved lemon, these onions are sweet and salty, rich and acidic, making this a surefire hit with minimal effort. Canned butter beans are then briefly cooked in the fragrant frizzled onion oil before being mashed (or blended, if you prefer a smoother texture) to create the perfect base. If you can’t get your hands on preserved lemons, fresh lemon pulp and finely sliced zest can be used; just be sure to add an extra pinch of salt, too. This makes for a great side or dip, or spread it on pita and use as a filling for the ultimate chicken or cauliflower shawarma.

Easy Air-Fryer Asparagus
Cooking asparagus in an air fryer offers a speedy, hassle-free way to produce tender emerald spears with lightly crispy tips. Before frying, toss with a smidgen of olive oil (less is more, to avoid soggy stalks) and a light seasoning of salt and garlic powder. If you like, garnish with flaky salt, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and freshly grated Parmesan for a salty finish with bright citrus notes. To really save time, serve alongside air-fryer chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or steak, cooking the asparagus in the same basket while the meat rests on a plate, enhancing flavor and minimizing cleanup. A final note: When shopping for asparagus, always choose bright green, firm spears with straight tips and tight buds.

Egg-in-a-Nest Sandwich
An egg cooked in an egg-size hole cut out of butter-sizzled bread feels like a treat. But it’s not quite enough to make a meal. Here, the classic egg-in-a-nest merges with a grilled cheese and a breakfast sandwich into a meal for one that’s meant to be savored leisurely. It’s as delightful with coffee at the beginning of the day as it is in the middle for lunch, or ending it, whether at supper or at midnight. The bread slices — one cradling the egg, the other holding cheese — cook at the same time over relatively low heat so that they end up perfectly golden brown while the egg sets and the cheese melts. If you’d like a little heat, add hot sauce or any chile powder or flakes.

Pink Peppercorn-Marinated Goat Cheese
This simple recipe from “Le Sud: Recipes From Provence-Alpes-Côte D’Azur” recalls mornings in Antibes, a charming seaside peninsula between Cannes and Nice. If you find yourself there, wandering the market on Cours Masséna, make your way to the cheese stall and order the tomette à l’huile, a round of bright white chèvre in olive oil. Or ask for the freshest chèvre and make it yourself, as in this recipe. With a baguette, your afternoon is set.

Lemon-Garlic Linguine
This bright and creamy pasta is a weeknight go-to that can be embellished with seared scallops, shrimp or mushrooms to make it something special. Grated garlic, lemon zest and black pepper sizzle and bloom in melted butter to which starchy pasta water is added to create a thick sauce. A hit of lemon juice at the very end keeps it punchy. Linguine, which is not as thin as spaghetti or as thick as fettuccine, works well here, but if you have another pasta shape on-hand, feel free to swap it in.

Roasted Garlic
Unlike sautéing, which enhances garlic’s aromatic bite, roasting garlic transforms it almost entirely, making it immensely soft and sweet, with a rich caramel color. It becomes ultra fragrant and easy to spread. Using roasted garlic is a simple way to add depth to dressings, sauces, dips and sides like mashed potatoes, grains and vegetables. Add it to your avocado toast or tuna sandwich for a little upgrade. Carefully peel the roasted garlic and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to two weeks or in the freezer for a month. Alternatively, you can squeeze the garlic out to use and store as a paste.

Wild Rice Porridge
Wild rice, known as manoomin in the Anishinaabemowin language, has been central to the identity and history of Indigenous people in the Upper Midwest and Central Canada for thousands of years. Directly translated as the “good berry,” the sacred manoomin is found in tall green grasses of low-lying lakes and streams, where ricers of all ages use sticks to knock kernels from the grass stalks into the bed of a canoe. This recipe is adapted from Dwayne Jarman, a traditional ricer in Michigan and enrolled member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. For his son’s birthday every year, he makes a delightful breakfast porridge of hand-harvested manoomin simmered in cream and topped with dried fruit and nuts. A touch of maple syrup and plumped berries balance the nutty flavor of the rice with explosions of warm sweetness. You’re urged to seek out manoomin for this recipe (see Tip), but you could substitute store-bought, commercially cultivated wild rice if preferred.

Grilled Asparagus
Charred, sweet, crisp and tender, grilled asparagus is a goes-with-everything side dish. The only trick, really, is to buy spears that are at least 1/2-inch thick at the base to ensure they can grill long enough to blister and caramelize without completely turning to mush. While best hot off the grill — perhaps alongside grilled chicken, shrimp or cheese — you can refrigerate grilled asparagus for up to four days; chop the spears up and use them to bolster grain or green salads.

Charred Bok Choy and Cannellini Bean Salad
This recipe breaks bok choy out of its steamed and stir-fried box, demonstrating how well it responds to charring. Don’t be afraid to cook bok choy aggressively; the stalks are robust and remain crisp, while becoming smoky and sweet. Baby bok choy can be used too, but the leaves are much smaller and more tender, so simply slice them through the middle lengthwise. Other sturdy greens like gai lan (sometimes called Chinese broccoli) or cabbages will also work. The punchy dressing is sweet and acidic, given heat and spice from the grated ginger, while tart rice vinegar cuts through the richness of the maple syrup. Keep this dressing in mind for similar salads; it is equally lovely with cold soba noodles.

Roasted Eggplant Pasta Salad With Dates
Nature’s candy, plump and lush medjool dates add sweetness to this creamy and tangy pasta salad. Eggplant is roasted with cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper, then tossed with the dates on the hot sheet pan, using the residual heat to warm them so the flavors blend together. Mixed with cooked pasta, feta and bright mint, it’s a hearty yet light dish, perfect for summer nights. To streamline this dish for weeknights, use the eggplant-cooking time to prep the finishing touches (the dates, cheese and mint). Bring any leftovers to room temperature, then refresh them with a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Roasted Eggplant Pasta With Dates and Feta
Nature’s candy, plump and lush medjool dates add sweetness to this creamy and tangy weeknight pasta. Eggplant is roasted with cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper on a hot sheet pan, then tossed with the dates, using the residual heat to warm them so the flavors blend together. Mixed with cooked pasta, feta and bright mint, it’s a hearty yet light dish, perfect for summer nights. To streamline this dish, use the eggplant-cooking time to prep the finishing touches (the dates, cheese and mint). Bring any leftovers to room temperature, then refresh them with a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Sopa de Verduras y Chochoyotes (Summer Vegetable Soup With Masa Dumplings)
Chochoyotes, or corn masa dumplings, are commonly added to flavor and thicken soups and guisos (stews) across Mexico. They are also found in mole amarillo, the famous yellow mole from Oaxaca, and added to frijoles de olla because the corn flavor complements the regionally grown beans and herbs. In this soup, a summer vegetable medley, including fresh poblanos, corn and squash, is browned in olive oil to give the broth sweetness from the caramelized sugars in the vegetables. The chochoyotes slightly thicken the soup without any dairy or gluten added and contrast the flavor of the fresh, sweet corn.