20 Vegetarian Winter Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

Chile-Lime Cauliflower Quesadillas

Celebrate your favorite wintry fruits and veggies, like avocados, sweet potatoes, winter squash and apple, in these tasty meatless mains. Whether you're in the mood for some flavorful skillet gnocchi or a fresh, citrusy salad, you're sure to find something you'll love in this mix. Recipes like our Chile-Lime Cauliflower Quesadillas and Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens will get you in and out of the kitchen in 30 minutes, so you can enjoy a delicious dinner in no time.

01 of 20

25-Minute Sweet Potato & Bean Enchiladas

25-Minute Sweet Potato & Bean Enchiladas
Antonis Achilleos

These quick sweet potato and bean enchiladas are diabetes-friendly thanks to egg wraps that are lower in carbs than traditional tortillas. The vegetarian filling is both sweet and savory, while the topping adds texture and freshness.

02 of 20

Chile-Lime Cauliflower Quesadillas

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Poblano peppers add a touch of heat to these vegetarian quesadillas, but a sweet bell pepper is tasty, too, if you want something milder. Start these quesadillas in the oven and finish them off in a skillet for melty cheese and crispy tortillas.

03 of 20

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Dipping tofu in buttermilk makes the coating stick for a crispy pan-fried tofu, reminiscent of fried chicken. Spicing up the collards with paprika coats them with smoky flavor while keeping this dish vegetarian. And this quick, easy and healthy dinner comes together in just 25 minutes, so it's great for busy weeknights.

04 of 20

White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

05 of 20

Tofu, Mushroom & Bok Choy Soba Noodle Bowls

Tofu, Mushroom & Bok Choy Soba Noodle Bowl
Greg DuPree

Soba noodles are made with whole-grain buckwheat, upping the fiber count in these brothy bowls and adding nutty flavor. Thick and chewy udon noodles make a good alternative.

06 of 20

Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing

Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing
Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee

This kale-quinoa salad pops with different flavors and textures. Massaging the kale helps break down its fibrous nature, while add-ins like toasted almonds, feta and cucumber add crunch and saltiness.

07 of 20

Comforting Cabbage Soup with Ginger

Healing Cabbage Soup
Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna

Cabbage turns tender and flavorful in this comforting soup. The aromatic broth is full of spices, including ginger and turmeric, making it perfect for enjoying on a cold day or keeping you hydrated if you're sick.

08 of 20

Creamy Avocado Pasta

Creamy Avocado Pasta
Jen Causey

This creamy avocado pasta gets its vibrant color from spinach and avocado, which combine to create a flavorful sauce. Serve the pasta with grilled shrimp or salmon for a boost of protein. Or keep this avocado pasta vegan and top with a portobello mushroom.

09 of 20

White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi

White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi
Jacob Fox

Sun-dried tomatoes are the star of this recipe— providing texture and umami. Combined with the spinach, they make this dish a great source of vitamins C and K.

10 of 20

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes
Jennifer Causey

This hearty vegetarian quinoa chili with sweet potatoes has mild spice from poblanos and green chiles. Chili powder, cumin and garlic provide classic chili flavor.

11 of 20

Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup

Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup
Fred Hardy

This quick and easy vegan pumpkin black bean soup is filled with veggies. Convenient canned pumpkin, beans and coconut milk flavored with curry make it a hearty fall meal.

12 of 20

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.

13 of 20

Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Croutons

Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Croutons

Bulk up boxed butternut squash soup with frozen cauliflower florets, then top off your bowl with crispy chickpea snacks for major crunch (look for them near the dried fruit and nuts at your grocery store). This impressively easy dinner comes together with just those three ingredients, not including salt, pepper and oil. Because prepared soups are typically higher in sodium, look for light or reduced-sodium versions of your favorites.

14 of 20

Lentil Curry with Cauliflower Rice

Lentil Curry with Cauliflower Rice

ombine precooked lentils (often located in the produce section of your grocery store) with an Indian-style simmer sauce for a super-fast and flavorful curry. Serving it over riced cauliflower bumps up the vegetable count and keeps carb servings in check. This 3-ingredient dinner (not counting salt, pepper and oil) is really as easy as it gets. To be mindful of the salt, look for simmer sauces with less than or close to 350 mg sodium per ¼-cup serving.

15 of 20

Vegan Walnut Tacos with Avocado Cream

Vegan Walnut Tacos with Avocado Cream
Joy Howard

A savory blend of walnuts and mushrooms stands in for meat in these tasty vegan Tex-Mex tacos. Creamy avocado sauce and crunchy cabbage provide just the right combination of flavors and textures. These tacos get a nice kick from chili powder, but feel free to reduce the amount if you prefer a less spicy taco. Add a side of beans to round out the meal. The filling and avocado cream would also be great in a rice bowl, on nachos or in a burrito.

16 of 20

Vegetarian Mushroom Paprikash

Vegetarian Mushroom Paprikash

Meaning "with paprika" in Hungarian, paprikash is a creamy spiced stew traditionally made with meat. We've chosen mushrooms to give this vegetarian paprikash a hearty bite. Using a mix of varieties gives you a good spectrum of textures and flavors.

17 of 20

Butternut Squash Chickpea Mac & Cheese

Butternut Squash Chickpea Mac & Cheese

This gluten-free butternut squash mac and cheese packs plenty of cheesy goodness in every bite. Chickpea pasta gets coated in a sauce made with pureed butternut squash that gives this comforting meal a nutrient boost and adds a sweet note to complement the savory flavors.

18 of 20

Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice

containers of vegan burrito bowls with cauliflower rice

These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthier and more flavorful than takeout. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time.

19 of 20

Red Cabbage-Apple Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Tender cabbage and a vibrant applesauce-mustard pan sauce are the perfect pairing for pillowy low-carb cauliflower gnocchi. Add diced chicken-apple sausage for extra protein.

20 of 20

Butternut Squash Soup with Avocado & Chickpeas

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Jazz up a can of soup by adding protein with chickpeas and flavor with curry powder. Stir in a little Greek yogurt to make it creamy.

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