Vegetarian and Vegan Menu Ideas
Whatever the time of day, venue, or occasion, this page of vegetarian recipes and menus can help you plan the perfect meal.
Meals
Breakfast
I know many people don’t like it, but I swear by eating a good breakfast – it gives me more energy throughout the day and keeps me from thinking about lunch from 10am on. Here are some of my favorite breakfast recipes.
Brunch
Brunch can seem tricky to pull off, as it’s a combination of breakfast and lunch. In fact, it’s the easiest thing in the world – just be sure to combine a bit of both meals, with an emphasis on things that are easy to prepare and easy to serve.
Dinner
Recipes for vegetarian main courses, soups, salads, and side dishes organized by cuisine and occasion. You can mix and match to make a delicious vegetarian meal!
Lunch
Unlike dinner, which is usually a sit-down and chat with the family affair, lunch often has to be squeezed in between work or school commitments. Lunch also lends itself to combo meals: soup and salad, salad and sandwich, and sandwich and soup, so here are some suggested pairings that you can mix and match for a delicious, healthy vegetarian lunch.
Picnic
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love picnics. There’s something about sitting outside when it’s nice and warm, sipping a cool drink, and nibbling away at simple but tasty food. Here are some recipes and ideas to help pack the perfect vegetarian picnics.
Courses and Accompaniments
Appetizers + Side Dishes
This page includes recipes for vegetarian side dishes, snacks, and appetizers that aren’t salads or soups.
Breads + Grains
Whether you love home baked bread or just need to know the basics of cooking quinoa and rice, these recipes will keep plenty of breads and grains on your table.
Condiments + Dressings
Some meals just aren’t complete without a table full of condiments, dressings, and other garnishes, so try these on for size.
Desserts
99% of dessert recipes are naturally safe for ovo-lacto vegetarians and there’s no shortage of vegan desserts either. Most people love dessert, so here are a few of my favorite sweets.
Dips
Dips are so versatile. You can keep one in the fridge for an easy snack, offer a couple at a drinks party, or serve half a dozen different ones for an informal, interesting dinner.
Drinks
Why buy drinks when you can make your own? They’re always cheaper, usually healthier, and often even better-tasting than what you can buy in a café or at the store.
Finger Foods and Snacks
Finger foods are fun foods! Whether you’re having a party, watching TV, or trying to get your kids to eat a wider variety of foods, bite-sized snacks are the way to go.
Main Courses
A common complaint about vegetarian cuisine is that there are “no main courses, just side dishes.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. Aside from the fact that probably 90% of recipes can be made vegetarian by leaving out or substituting for whatever meat they contain, there are a number of traditional recipes that do not include meat.
Salads
Ah, salad. That’s all vegetarians eat, right? Of course not! But most of us do eat a fair amount of salad, and personally, I get tired of eating the same old lettuce every day. Here are recipes for some of my favorite salads.
Sandwiches + Burgers
For quick, healthy, and tasty meals, nothing beats a vegetarian sandwich or veggie burger.
Sauces
Sauce can make or break a recipe. You want it to be flavorful without overpowering the rest, or delicate enough to make whatever it tops taste even better. Here are my recipes for the best vegetarian and vegan sauces, from basic to exotic to the ultimate in creamy comfort food.
Soups
Whether hot or cold, a bowl of soup is chock-full of nutrition and flavor. From classic vegetable soup to split pea soup (with smoked tofu, for that traditional “hammy” flavor), you’ll find dozens of vegetarian and vegan soups in these pages, as well as tips on thickening soup.
Special Menus
Adaptable Recipes
Meals with a mixed group of vegetarians and non-vegetarians can require a lot of extra effort from the cook. However, you can save a lot of work by making similar dishes for both groups – a vegetarian version and a meat version. Here are some adaptable vegetarian recipes that lend themselves easily to meat additions.
Gourmet Menus
If you’re having a dinner party or some other event where you’re hoping to impress people (especially if those people aren’t vegetarian), try these gourmet vegetarian recipes – guaranteed to look beautiful and taste delicious.
International Menus
Planning a French, Mexican, or Middle Eastern party? Find delicious vegetarian recipes from different corners of the earth right here.
Kids’ Recipes
Deciding to give up certain foods and become a vegetarian yourself is one thing, but it can be difficult to convince your kids to do the same. How can you encourage kids to eat healthy, vegetarian meals? Try some of these tried and true recipes.
Quick Recipes
In a hurry? Have unexpected company? Need to eat and run? Take a look at these quick vegetarian recipes – each one takes one hour or less from start to finish.
Seasonal Recipes
The season can make a big difference in terms of what kind of produce is available, how much you feel like cooking, and what you want to eat. Take a look at these recipes divided by season.
Vegetarian Holidays
Find recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Kwanzaa, Easter, and New Year’s.