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  6. 20 500-Calorie Vegetarian Dinners That Are High in Protein

20 500-Calorie Vegetarian Dinners That Are High in Protein

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD May 03, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna
Credit: Greg DuPree

Just because you're going meatless doesn't mean you can't load up on protein—a key nutrient that supports digestion, muscle strength and even weight loss. These dinners include at least 15 grams of protein per serving for a hearty dish that's still low in calories. Whether you're in the mood for a salad, soup, sandwich or pasta, there's a delicious meal for you in this mix. Lean on recipes like our Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna and Black Bean Fajita Skillet for a tasty, healthy way to end the day.

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Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

Spinach & Mushroom Quiche
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This healthy vegetarian quiche recipe is as simple as it gets. It's a quiche without the fussy crust! It's filled with sweet wild mushrooms and savory Gruyère cheese. Enjoy it for breakfast or brunch, or serve it with a light salad for lunch.

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Red Lentil Soup with Saffron

Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
Credit: Jacob Fox
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This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice.

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Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna

Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna
Credit: Greg DuPree
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Thanks to jarred marinara sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles, this labor-of-love kind of meal can be ready in about an hour.

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Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet
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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.

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Cheesy Zucchini Quiche

Cheesy Zucchini Quiche
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This cheesy crustless zucchini quiche has plenty of leeks and zucchini enveloped in a light custard. Feta and fontina cheeses add a rich depth of flavor. Serve it for brunch or anytime you have extra zucchini on hand.

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Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

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We love the retro vibe of these egg salad lettuce wraps. Iceberg lettuce makes a perfect low-carb swap for bread to serve the egg salad.

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Crispy Pea Fritter Salad

Crispy Pea Fritter Salad
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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We mashed together peas, fresh mint and lemon zest with breadcrumbs to make small pan-fried cakes perfect for topping a salad.

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Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta

Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta Frittata
Credit: Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat
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Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

 

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Caprese Sandwich

Caprese Sandwich
Credit: Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely
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This caprese sandwich is fresh from the basil and hearty from thick, crusty ciabatta. The sun-dried tomatoes deepen the flavor. Topping the bread with a layer of basil leaves and using toasted bread helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy if you need to make it a few hours ahead.

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Cheesy Marinara Beans

Cheesy Marinara Beans
Credit: Photography / Nico Schinco, Food Styling / Frances Boswell, Prop Stylist / Paige Hicks
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This ooey-gooey dish has baked-pasta vibes but features protein-packed beans instead of noodles. Look for dried corona beans, a larger, creamy white bean, at natural-foods stores or online. Cannellini are a good substitute. Serve with a green salad and toasted baguette.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Salad Primavera with Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette

Salad Primavera with Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette
Credit: Eva Kolenko
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This is a salad where the vegetables really shine and the lettuce plays a supporting role. It requires a bit of work up front to blanch all the veg, but the results are impressive.

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Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale

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You can make these three-ingredient tomato-simmered eggs with things you probably already have on hand in your freezer and pantry. To make these baked eggs more like eggs in purgatory, look for a spicy tomato sauce and don't forget some whole-wheat bread for dipping.

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Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw

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Lighten up your burger! Bean patties have less saturated fat and more fiber than beef patties. They're also cheaper and easier to cook indoors--and we promise they're just as satisfying, especially with the mouthwatering creamy slaw on top.

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Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema

Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema
Credit: Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat
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Crumbled tofu spiced up with Cajun seasoning is layered onto these tostadas with a juicy mango slaw. A dollop of sour cream zhuzhed up with beet and lime adds even more flavor. Look for precooked beets in the produce department of your grocery store.

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Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

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This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers.

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Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

falafel salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
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Deep-fried falafel can be a total grease bomb. But these pan-seared falafel still get crispy in just a few tablespoons of oil with equally satisfying results. Be sure to use dried, instead of canned, chickpeas in this healthy recipe--canned chickpeas add too much moisture.

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One-Pot Lentils & Rice with Spinach

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This hearty vegan dish gets its earthy flavor from cumin and brown rice. If you can handle extra heat, try doubling the crushed red pepper for a bigger punch of flavor.

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Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
Credit: Leslie Grow | Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
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Maya Feller, M.S., RD, CDN, of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition, upgrades this popular budget-friendly combo. "Adding veggies to a classic sandwich—in this case, broccoli, zucchini and red bell pepper—boosts the nutrient-density of the meal," she says. This recipe was part of a feature story, "The Real Cost of Healthy Food."

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Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale

Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale
Credit: Greg DuPree
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Loading up your pasta with vegetables like the kale and mushrooms here is not only delicious, it also makes the meal more satisfying.

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    1 of 20 Spinach & Mushroom Quiche
    2 of 20 Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
    3 of 20 Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna
    4 of 20 Black Bean Fajita Skillet
    5 of 20 Cheesy Zucchini Quiche
    6 of 20 Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
    7 of 20 Crispy Pea Fritter Salad
    8 of 20 Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta
    9 of 20 Caprese Sandwich
    10 of 20 Cheesy Marinara Beans
    11 of 20 Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
    12 of 20 Salad Primavera with Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette
    13 of 20 Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale
    14 of 20 Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw
    15 of 20 Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema
    16 of 20 Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing
    17 of 20 Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
    18 of 20 One-Pot Lentils & Rice with Spinach
    19 of 20 Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
    20 of 20 Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale

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    20 500-Calorie Vegetarian Dinners That Are High in Protein
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