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  6. Our 20 Best Vegetarian Dinners to Make This Summer

Our 20 Best Vegetarian Dinners to Make This Summer

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins May 20, 2022
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These four- and five-star meatless meals will soon be summer go-tos in your kitchen. Featuring loads of seasonal produce like zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and cucumber, these dinners range from a cheesy quiche to fresh, flavorful salads, so you're sure to find something that will suit your mood. Recipes like our Summer Vegetable Gnocchi Salad and Zucchini Lasagna Rolls with Smoked Mozzarella are perfect for days when you're craving lots of veggies.

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No-Cook Black Bean Salad

No-Cook Black Bean Salad
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A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

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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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Summer Vegetable Gnocchi Salad

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This riff on pasta salad is best served warm while the gnocchi are nice and tender. Plus, the grilled veggies taste extra-good fresh off the fire in this easy gnocchi recipe.

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Quinoa-Black Bean Salad

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Enjoy this quinoa and black bean salad as a delicious and quick vegetarian main dish or as a side for grilled chicken or steak. And don't forget the leftovers! They make an easy lunch on the go.

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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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Cauliflower Gnocchi Caprese

Cauliflower Gnocchi Caprese
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This super-easy dish is perfect for summer. Store-bought frozen cauliflower gnocchi are crisped up in a pan, then tossed with mozzarella cheese, plenty of basil and balsamic vinegar for a hearty and healthy spin on the classic caprese salad.

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Southwest Chopped Salad with Tomatillo Dressing

Southwest Chopped Salad with Tomatillo Dressing
Credit: Leigh Beisch
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Jicama is the crunchy, sweet tuberous root of a legume native to Central America. If you love it in this salad, try including sticks of it with your next crudités spread.

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Zucchini Lasagna Rolls with Smoked Mozzarella

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This healthy riff on lasagna rolls uses strips of zucchini instead of lasagna noodles for a vegetable-packed dinner that's fun for the whole family. This is a great recipe for kids to help make--let them get their hands dirty rolling the zucchini ribbons with the cheesy filling. Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to quickly slice the zucchini into uniform thin strips--this will ensure easy rolling and even cooking.

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Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

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This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.

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Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce
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This vegan burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve them on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce--it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.

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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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Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole

Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole
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This healthy casserole is essentially a crustless quiche, brimming with fresh summer vegetables. Bake it up for an elegant summer brunch or a casual backyard barbecue.

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Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

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This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.

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Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

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Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

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Quinoa Avocado Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

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Persimmons add sweetness to this tossed green salad that sports a healthy salad dressing. A sprinkling of crispy fried quinoa adds unexpected crunch, putting the salad over the top in the best way.

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Eggplant Gyros

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Eggplant's meaty texture is a delicious vegetarian stand-in for the lamb that typically fills a gyro sandwich. The vegetable absorbs the lemony-herby-spicy marinade like a sponge, so if you have time, let it marinate for the full day.

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Quinoa Salad with Feta, Olives & Tomatoes

Greek Quinoa Salad
Credit: Greg DuPree
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This quinoa salad, which takes loose inspiration from a Greek salad, is flavorful and filling. Broiling the olives along with the other vegetables softens their flavor and adds a smoky background note. A garnish of basil brightens the dish.

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Skillet Mac & Cheese with Zucchini & Pimiento

Zucchini-Pimiento Skillet Mac & Cheese
Credit: Jacob Fox
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Sweet and mild pimiento peppers add a little zest to this skillet mac and cheese, while zucchini boosts the veggie count. Here we boil the pasta a little less than usual, until just shy of al dente, so it doesn't overcook in the oven.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

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Zucchini Frittata

Zucchini Frittata
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A frittata, as a flat omelet is known in Italy, can be filled with a variety of vegetables and cheeses and makes a great impromptu brunch dish or supper. In this version, fresh mint and basil brighten the mild taste of zucchini. If you prefer, use feta or ricotta salata in place of the goat cheese.

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    1 of 20 No-Cook Black Bean Salad
    2 of 20 Cheesy Zucchini Quiche
    3 of 20 Summer Vegetable Gnocchi Salad
    4 of 20 Quinoa-Black Bean Salad
    5 of 20 Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw
    6 of 20 Cauliflower Gnocchi Caprese
    7 of 20 Southwest Chopped Salad with Tomatillo Dressing
    8 of 20 Zucchini Lasagna Rolls with Smoked Mozzarella
    9 of 20 Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
    10 of 20 Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce
    11 of 20 Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
    12 of 20 Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole
    13 of 20 Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata
    14 of 20 Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
    15 of 20 Quinoa Avocado Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
    16 of 20 Eggplant Gyros
    17 of 20 Quinoa Salad with Feta, Olives & Tomatoes
    18 of 20 Skillet Mac & Cheese with Zucchini & Pimiento
    19 of 20 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
    20 of 20 Zucchini Frittata

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    Our 20 Best Vegetarian Dinners to Make This Summer
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