Healthy Italian Vegetarian Recipes

This Bolognese sauce recipe is adapted from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. We swap out the beef and pork for button mushrooms to keep this traditional comfort food vegan yet weighty with umami flavor. And while some recipes call for red wine, this recipe sticks with Hazan's white wine selection.

James Beard Award-winner and Top Chef contestant Karen Akunowicz of Fox & the Knife in Boston turns this Italian-inspired bread salad into a hearty fall dish. Instead of tomato, fennel mingles with the vinaigrette to let the bread soak up its licorice notes, while the arugula lends the dish a hint of pepper. The lemony vinaigrette is so simple and tastes so much fresher than store-bought. Make a double batch to toss on other salads. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Add some shredded chicken to the salad to make it a meal.

This flavor-boosting combo of mint and lime, inspired by the traditional Italian herb-and-garlic gremolata recipe, livens up juicy watermelon. Put a platter out at your next cookout and watch it disappear in an instant.

The sauce for this pasta dish is just cheese and pepper (aka cacio e pepe in Italian). Try this with kids as a simple yet sophisticated alternative to standard mac and cheese. Lots of black pepper adds a touch of heat, priming picky palates for spicier food.

This brilliant red bittersweet cocktail was first created in Italy about a hundred years ago and remains a widely popular aperitif. Made with staple home bar bottles, the Negroni is a great cocktail to brighten up your happy hour. Don't have gin? Substitute bourbon or rye whiskey to make a classic boulevardier!

Roasting the vegetables to fill this homemade ravioli yields a more intense flavor.

This recipe feels and looks indulgent without being high in calories. The "caprese" components--fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and tomatoes--beautifully shine through, while the white beans add protein and a creamy texture. If you can't find fresh small mozzarella balls, tear a large ball of fresh mozzarella into small pieces.

A summertime favorite--zucchini casserole--gets an Italian spin in this delicious and healthy side dish with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. You can use zucchini or summer squash in this caprese-style casserole, or a combination of the two. A sprinkling of fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar just before serving brightens up the flavors. Serve with grilled or roasted chicken and some quinoa, rice or couscous to soak up the juices from the casserole for a satisfying and easy dinner.

A combination of tofu and nutritional yeast creates a convincing stand-in for ricotta in this easy vegan eggplant lasagna. It's layered with the eggplant and a quick homemade tomato sauce, then topped with dairy-free cheese substitute for a satisfying casserole that'll please meat eaters and vegans alike. It also happens to be gluten-free!

Spaghetti with red sauce is often eaten as a main dish, but don't overlook it as a side. The homemade tomato sauce in this recipe takes advantage of your late summer tomato harvest and is well worth the small effort it takes to make it.

This 25-minute pasta side dish goes well with chicken or fish and can be served either warm or at room temperature. Kale and basil create a fresh-tasting pesto that is packed with protein and taste, thanks to the addition of chickpeas. We like shaved Parmesan sprinkled on the top, but feel free to add toasted pine nuts or walnuts for some crunch.

Getting in your daily servings of vegetables is easy when you feature this veggie-loaded pasta recipe. It's full of broccoli, asparagus, and tomatoes and a creamy ricotta-tomato sauce--you'll be amazed that it takes just 25 minutes to prepare.

Annoyed by cooking lasagna noodles, only to end up fighting with them while they stick together and tear before you can layer them properly in the pan? Try this no-boil method and you'll never boil lasagna noodles again. Don't drain the canned tomatoes--the extra moisture helps cook the noodles to perfection.

Serve this delicious gremolata with grilled meat or fish, or jack up the flavor of your vegetable side dish by tossing it in with freshly steamed crisp-tender vegetables. This nutty condiment offers a triple dose of citrus--orange, lemon, and lime--that will make whatever dish it's served with really stand out.

Light whipped topping is the secret to this delicious mousse dessert. Portions of the whipped topping are sweetened and flavored with cocoa powder and strawberries and then layered and frozen to resemble Neapolitan-style ice cream.

Smoked Gouda and fresh herbs add a sophisticated flair to this tomato-topped appetizer pizza.

This one-pot pasta with tangy tomato-basil sauce is a simple, fast and easy weeknight dinner. All of your ingredients go into one pot, and with a bit of stirring and about 25 minutes of cook time, you'll have a healthy dinner the whole family will enjoy.

To save prep time, this quick mini pizza recipe uses purchased pizza sauce and whole-wheat sandwich thins (instead of pizza dough) for the crust. Get creative with toppings and serve this to your kids as a healthy after-school snack. Try broccoli and mushrooms or slices of deli ham and canned pineapple chunks.

Prepare your own delicious risotto mix with this easy recipe. Keep it on hand for up to 3 months and cook it as needed when you're looking for a quick, tasty side dish.

With pizza-style Canadian bacon and a four-cheese blend to boost the seasonings, this mouthwatering pizza is loaded with flavor but has only 216 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving.