Healthy Vegetarian Recipes and Menus

Featured Recipes

Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwich

Cheese steaks are a Philadelphia tradition: thin slices from a rich and very fatty slab of beef, fried up and topped with a heavy cheese sauce. We've cut down on the fat considerably - but not on the taste. All it needs is a cold beer or a glass of pinot noir on the side. Make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of chicken stock.

» Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwich

Bean Bolognese

Fiber-rich beans stand in for the beef and pork in this surprisingly rich-tasting vegetarian take on pasta Bolognese. Without the meat, the dish has only a third of the fat and 80 percent less saturated fat. To make the perfect meal, serve with a peppery arugula salad and warm, crusty Italian bread.

» Bean Bolognese

Egyptian Edamame Stew

A riff on the Egyptian classic ful medames, a highly seasoned fava bean mash, this version is made with easier-to-find edamame. Edamame (fresh green soybeans) have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. They can be found shelled in the freezer section of well-stocked supermarkets. This stew is great served with couscous, bulgur or warm whole-wheat pita bread to soak up the sauce.

» Egyptian Edamame Stew

Tofu Parmigiana

Instead of having a greasy, battered coating, the tofu “steaks” in our revamped Parmigiana are breaded and lightly pan-fried in just a small amount of oil then topped with part-skim mozzarella, fresh basil and your favorite marinara sauce. This Italian classic will please even those who are tofu-phobic.

» Tofu Parmigiana

Cheese-&-Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling—ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese—and nestle them into roasted portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large portobello caps; if you can only find smaller ones, buy one or two extra and divide the filling among all the caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce.

» Cheese-&-Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

These bean burgers will even please carnivores. The cornmeal coating gives a pleasant crunch and smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro and guacamole add Southwestern flavor.

» Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

» Vegetarian Taco Salad

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Make simple and delicious meals with these healthy vegetarian recipes.

Whether you’re a vegetarian or looking to eat more meat-free meals for better health, these easy vegetarian recipes are a delicious way to incorporate more vegetables, beans and whole grains into your diet. More and more, people are realizing that going meatless even once or twice a week can have real health benefits, including weight loss and reduced risk for heart disease. Why? Plant-based foods, such as vegetables, beans and lentils, are low in saturated fat and full of fiber, which helps you feel satisfied on fewer calories. (Most Americans eat only about half the 25 to 38 grams of fiber that’s recommended each day.) Plus, when you plan more vegetarian dinners you’ll save on grocery bills and reduce your carbon footprint: the worldwide meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of manmade greenhouse-gas emissions, according to the United Nations. Eating more simple vegetarian meals will help you save money too. These delicious vegetarian recipes showcase some of the staples of vegetarian cuisine and provide tasty culinary inspiration and cooking tips for every vegetable lover.