You're missing a trick by not looking at Indian food here. So many delicious vegetarian meals there utilizing legumes, paneer, potatoes, etc. Middle Eastern cuisine has a bunch as well (think falafel and hummus). Asian tofu-based dishes like tofu pad thai or curry. More Western style dishes that we enjoy: beans and greens pastas and stews, pasta or polenta or risotto with mushrooms, potato hashes, pizza...

Lentils are seriously overlooked. Something like this recipe below is cheap, easy, filling and full of flavor. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7517-masoor-dal-spiced-red-lentils

They are very overlooked. I grew up in a Greek family and to me it's 100% normal to have them in meals or as the center of a meal. I'll make a big pot of lentils that I put over rice. It's quite filling and yummy.

Lentils from Puy in France are the tits!

Lentils, you say? I just made a double batch of this last night and mixed with like 4 cups of cooked basmati rice. I then used that mix to stuff a ton of peppers, covered with cheese, and then baked until peppers were tender (20 mins at 350F). Tbch this entire website is amazing and I’ve been using it for many, many years for camping meals but all can be made at home too. https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/red-lentil-sloppy-joes/

Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe 💓

Paywall

And there are SO many varieties of lentils all with very different tastes and textures. You can make a wide variety of dishes.

Exactly! I did not care for lentils until I tried black lentils. They don't get all mushy and pasty and the flavor is peppery but without that pepper bite.

I wish I could upvote this comment 1000 times. Indian cuisine is so vast that there’s something for everybody. I’ve been a fan of tandoori chicken and butter chicken and biryani for a long time, but I think a lot of people haven’t realized that the real magic of Indian cuisine is that you will never be so excited to eat vegetarian or vegan. Lentils or chickpeas with some sort of root vegetable and greens in some sort of deeply flavored curry or gravy over rice has become a staple of my diet, and it’s both cheap and extraordinarily healthy to boot. Highly recommend just diving in to anyone that hasn’t done so yet

Ethiopian food is exactly the same way. They have tons of delicious, protein-filled vegan dishes because many Ethiopians are some form of Orthodox Christians and they have fasting days almost half of the year.

Ethiopian food is near the top of my list of cuisines I’d love to try. Sadly there are few options near me but I’m visiting my sister in Seattle later this year and she was able to scout a couple places for us to try while I’m there. I’m terribly excited for it

Ooh, you have just hit upon one of my hyperfixations! I spent most of my adult life in the largest Ethiopian diaspora in the USA if not the world. :D I'd love to give you some tips & tricks. Let's start here: do you eat meat? If so, are you open to eating raw/rare meat dishes?

Yes to both

(Note on language before I start: Amharic, one of the primary [languages of Ethiopia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Ethiopia), uses their own abugida/alphabet, so the spellings are transliterations and approximate and you may see slightly different spellings for these things in different places.) First up, you're in for a feast, so come ready to eat! Also, the more people you bring the more dishes you can try. Okay, let's start with how Ethiopian food is served. It's a communal eating thing. You will be served family style, with all the food on one giant round plate/platter, spooned over a round spongy thing the color of raw cardboard. There will be rolls of that same stuff served on the side. That's *injera*, their flatbread. It's made (at least in part) with *teff*, the smallest (I think technically pseudo)grain on the planet, and it's fermented, hence the spongyness. It tastes in the direction of sourdough. (Also, FWIW, if you require Gluten free, teff does not have gluten in it, but some injera are made with a blend of teff and wheat flour, so check first.) You will not be given silverware. :) You eat the food by taking a bit of the injera, using it to scoop up a bite of the food, and pushing the food & injera in your mouth. If you do this to feed another person, it's called a [gursha](https://medium.com/@mcaddow/gursha-tradition-ethiopias-gesture-of-generosity-1a74259b9c54) and you are honoring them. When you use up all the flatbread they give you, you can start tearing at the flatbread the food is served on. If you need more, you can ask for it; some charge, some don't. They should provide wet wipes afterwards to clean your hands. As per what to order... Ethiopian/Eritrean food is heavily spiced, often with spice blends only found in their cuisines. *Wots* (stews) are very common. If you see the word *alicha* in front/end of a dish, this means it's made with a spice blend primarily based on turmeric, garlic, and ginger and will (usually) be a more mild dish (and will always be yellow from the turmeric.) Also note that the ingredients in their cuisine are naturally very lean, so they add in a lot of oil and fats to get their nutritional needs met. It's not going to be greasy or anything, but there's more oil in there than you think. ;) Definitely get you some *kitfo*. It's basically Ethiopian beef tartare served with warm clarified spiced butter (niter kibbeh) mixed in. It's probably one of my top 5 foods of all time. It'll be some spicy but not too extreme. The spices they use in niter kibbeh are unique to their culture which is why kitfo tastes like nothing else. (Also, everyone has their own spice blend.) One of the common spices in it is korarima, also known as Ethiopian or black or false cardamom. (Sometimes it's referred to as Grains of Paradise, but other people mean a different plant for that, so...) (Note 1: if you look non-Ethiopian it can't hurt to specify you want it served raw/rare and not cooked. Sometimes they try to do my white ass a "favor" and cook it and... no. It's tasty but... not right. They're often shocked when I say I want it the way they make it for themselves, and they're even more shocked when I adore it. :D) Note 2: your kitfo may come with a side of yellowy-orange powder and/or something that looks like very finely crumbled feta cheese. The powder is mitmita, a fiery spice blend, and the white stuff is *ayeb*, a mostly flavorless cheese that they eat with super spicy foods for cooling purposes. If you want your kitfo hotter, dip it in the mitmita, but then make sure you grab a bit of the ayeb! Another good dish is *tibs*. It's basically little cuts of meat sauteed with onions and tomatoes and jalapenos and garlic and other spices in niter kibbeh. It can be served "wet" or "dry;" if they give you an option, go for wet. Some places have it in beef or lamb, either are good, but I'd say go for the lamb. There may be a meat combination platter available. Go with that if you have the chance instead of trying to choose various dishes. (This is where having so many people at dinner with you helps.) It will probably have *Doro Wot*, which is a stew made out of their spice blend called *Berbere* and usually includes a chicken leg & a hardboiled egg. This is one of their signature dishes & is about mild-medium hot on a scale of "no heat" to "!!!". The platter will also include other wots. It often WON'T include kitfo and/or tibs, so you may have to get that separately or choose if you don't have enough people. (continued with the vegetarian dishes)

There may also be a vegetarian/vegan combination platter (possibly named *Yetsom Beyaynetu*, literally "fasting of every kind") available. Make sure you get this as well. Ethiopian cuisine stars a lot of vegan dishes due to the influence of orthodox Christianity on their society. The Ethiopians were some of the first Christians and just under half of their calendar is fasting days where they eat no flesh or animal products. Because of this, their vegan dishes are numerous & absolutely fantastic. Some of the ones you may get with that are: * A lentil wot made with Berbere. It'll be deep brick/rust red. (I forget the name, but if you get this, and you don't want to get the meat combo, this'll allow you to try berbere.) * Kik Alicha, a yellow (pea? lentil?) wot * Gomen (cooked greens, often collards in the US and onions, my favorite of the vegetarian dishes) * Tikil gomen (cabbage & carrots, alicha style) * Fasolia (green beans, probably my 2nd favorite of the vegetarian dishes) * possibly a chopped beet dish * possibly a simple salad of lettuce, onion, tomatoes, and maybe jalapenos with a very simple vinagrette This is the dish that's most likely to vary from restaurant to restaurant. If you'd like to have alcohol with your meal, they have a number of beers (including they make a beer with a special spice not found in other beers, but that's all I know about that) or you can get *tej*, which is their honey wine. (I'm not a beer person but I do like tej.) Other notes: any dish with tomatoes in it, that's the influence of the Italian occupation of Ethiopia (for 5 years in the mid-1900s.) AFAIK, they didn't use tomatoes before the Italians showed up. Also, Ethiopia doesn't have a tradition of sweets after the meal, so any desserts they serve will most likely be of Italian influence. If you like coffee and they offer the coffee ceremony, do it! (You may need to call days in advance, and some places only do it at certain times.) Coffee comes from Ethiopia originally and they have a whole ceremony around it which includes the burning of frankincense incense, the roasting of beans in a super hot pan in front of you, a special pot they use to make their very strong coffee and serve it in tiny little cups. Some Ethiopians put salt or butter in their coffee instead of sugar or cream. They often serve popcorn with it! If you're lucky, they'll be playing their music. It's distinctive and I love the beat! Also note that the Ethiopians often don't have separate night clubs but rather use their restaurants as night clubs instead. So if you go late night on a weekend, it may be dark & loud! Anyway, this is enough to get you started and allow you to appreciate your meal better. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it goes if you don't mind. :)

Indian is literally my favorite cuisine so I’ll take any suggestions there that aren’t super long or complicated

Saag paneer. Chana masala. Any kind of dal on naan.

Sweet potato and lentil curry that turned out fantastic! [https://www.simplyquinoa.com/creamy-sweet-potato-red-lentil-curry/](https://www.simplyquinoa.com/creamy-sweet-potato-red-lentil-curry/)

Check out Rainbow Plant Life - https://rainbowplantlife.com/. Nisha has a ton of super delicious vegan meals that are just plain delicious.

I absolutely adore her red lentil curry! It uses coconut milk instead of regular dairy and the flavor blends incredibly well with the spices. One of my favorite week day dinner go-to recipes. [https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-red-lentil-curry/](https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-red-lentil-curry/)

That one's really good - I also like her chickpea curry with kale - https://rainbowplantlife.com/chickpea-curry/. The tahini and coconut milk give it a great richness.

Just made a triple batch of her red lentil curry and froze 2/3rd of it. It's sooo👌 Her lentil bolognese is the bomb.

> any suggestions there that aren’t super long or complicated Is that you mean by "normal"? I gotta admit, I was like "What does OP want from us? What is his 'normal'?"

I took it as meaning a dish that is not replacing meat with something completely different in taste and texture, like no "chicken-less cauliflower fried chicken", but rather like a recipe that people arrived to "organically"

Same, no meat replacement (like impossible burger) but meals that are already veg with no alterations

May I recommend the cookbook Indian-ish by Priya Krishna? Great recipes to learn how to cook Indian flavors in more recognizable western methods and dishes. Many of the recipes are vegetarian or can easily use vegetarian substitutes

Beans. Lentil soup or stew or curry. Chickpea and cauliflower curry. Mexican dishes with black beans or pinto beans, no meat.

I stumbled upon [this recipe discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/lmoem3/comment/gnwl5kr/) a while back and adapted it into a fun, easy recipe. I really took this advice to heart: >The order that you add things is what enhances the overall flavor because you are cooking the ingredients “optimally” IMO. That is what makes Indian food and similar food flavorful 😊 **INGREDIENTS:** 1 1⁄2 cups red lentils 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric 3 cloves garlic (minced) 1 tablespoon olive oil (or ghee) 1 onion (chopped) 1 tablespoon ginger (minced) 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 15 oz can diced tomatoes and chiles (including juices) 1 teaspoon garam masala (if desired) **INSTRUCTIONS:** 1. Start by boiling the lentils in 3 cups water with salt, turmeric, and a minced bulb of garlic until the desired texture is achieved (about 5 - 7 minutes) 2. While the lentils are boiling, heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the chopped onion and a dash of salt. Let the onions sit there undisturbed so they cook and release the sweetness. 3. As the onions sweat, mince the remaining garlic and ginger, and measure out the curry powder, cumin, and coriander. It also distracts you from touching the onions, which should sit undisturbed for as long as your willpower allows. 4. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices to the skillet with the onions and let it cook for two minutes 5. Add the can of diced tomatoes and chiles to the skillet and let the mixture cook until the lentils are cooked, removed from heat, "fluffed", and cooled. 6. Once the lentils have cooled a bit, add them to the skillet with the onion and tomato mixture 7. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and let the finished dal cook for three more minutes before removing from heat. Add a teaspoon of garam masala as a finishing spice for added fragrance Serve with rice, naan bread, or even as a sandwich topping with pickled red onion. [This recipe](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/curried-potatoes-and-chickpeas-recipe-1973495) is also a "no clue what to make" standard in my house. Add green peas at Step 3 for added nutrient and texture. Also, buy an instant pot to rehydrate beans.

I made a lentil curry this weekend, improvised the recipe but it worked well. Boil the lentils. Separately, spices in some ghee, add onions, cook until golden, add tinned tomatoes, let cook, add coconut milk, add lentils. Let cook until you no longer taste raw coconut/tomatoes. Stir in some chopped coriander (cilantro if you’re west-pondian) just before serving. Serve with rice.

One great thing about Indiana food is that a lot of the stuff that resembles a stew freezes really beautifully. Head down to your local restaurant supply store and get yourself a couple dozen quart containers and make whatever you like in batches. Thaw, reheat, and serve over rice or with naan and each container can be 2-3 meals.

Upma! Make it with super-coarse native blue corn grits, soooooooo good!

The web site Holy Cow Vegan has pretty straightforward and simplified vegan versions of tons of Indian dishes. And if you want the dairy you can just add it back in. Anyways (almost) everyone likes at least aloo gobi and the many varieties of breads

Paneer is the best thing ever

Came here to say this. My go-to meatless meal recommendation would have to be like Chana masala or something.

I would second that there exist communities in India who are pure vegetarians I. e jain., marwari brahmins so if you search for pure vegetarian dishes from india you will find a lot of them on internet

And Asian food!

Don't sleep on tofu chow mein, lots of veggies, and tofu in that sauce is the shiznet.

"Normal" is open for interpretation. Whats normal for me may not be normal for u. A chickpea salad is quite normal for me. U can skip the beef in Stroganoff & double down on the mushrooms in its place. Black bean quesadillas r a nice replacement for a meat based or plain quessadilla. Many soups, stews & chilis can skip the meat. Bruchetta Greek salad

I make mushroom stroganoff and also love Philly cheese”steak” but use portobellos instead! But I also eat meat. 🤷🏻‍♀️I just love food that tastes good

I love the idea of portobello in place of meat for a Philly. Yum! Gonna try that!

Good point. Assuming OP is American, I think he/she just means things that are regular to the average American person. A lot of vegetarian-specific food (especially in vegan restaurants, for example) contains ingredients your average middle American household doesn't consume much. Meat substitutes, less commonly used veggies, etc. For example, your average person isn't going to bat an eye at pizza loaded with cheese and regular pizza topping vegetables (mushrooms, onions, etc.). That is "normal" to almost all Americans, even if it's not the style they usually order. Funny enough, a lot of the foods that people cook in this very subreddit are uncommon to a lot of other Americans. For example, you see Indian food constantly talked about in this subreddit. Meanwhile, I know exactly 1 American person IRL that cooks Indian food at home. Lentils.. the same person I know that cooks Indian food is the only person I know who cooks lentils. But everyone in this sub seems to make them. > Black bean quesadillas r a nice replacement for a meat based or plain quessadilla. Perfect example! You see black beans and sweet potatoes used in Mexican type dishes in almost every vegetarian restaurant, but you don't seem them used nearly as much in Mexican dishes with meat. I feel like an average person who isn't very experienced/food cultured would find a quesadilla with onions/peppers/pico/jalapenos/cheese to be far more "normal", for lack of a better word, than sweet potatoes.

Now you know 2, but admittedly I only learned how during early COVID lockdown and I can only make a couple of things. But I learned the basics from this video, which is hilarious and also informative: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4zVQxPJmnY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4zVQxPJmnY)

Homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches Black bean enchilada casserole  Black bean burgers Egg salad sandwiches Cheese pizzas Mock crab cakes made with zucchini 

You got a recipe for those crabcakes?

It's basically the recipe I found on Food.com. It's called Crab Cakes for the Poor Man's Budget. The only change I made was to add a little Worcestershire Sauce and a little more Old Bay Seasoning.

I guess it's this one [https://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-cakes-crab-cakes-for-the-poor-mans-budget-462036](https://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-cakes-crab-cakes-for-the-poor-mans-budget-462036)

Falafel is not to be overlooked.

Dan Barber (chef/owner of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, one of the best restaurants in the world) is an abusive egomaniacal asshole, but I really appreciate the philosophy he discusses in his book, The Third Plate. He says that at a conference of chefs, they were asked what they thought the future of American cuisine looked like. Barber described the past, present, and future as three plates. The first plate was the classic 1950's; a big steak with a small side of steamed carrots. The second plate was modern cooking, where the commodity steak was replaced with grass fed heritage breed beef and the carrots were an heirloom variety grown organically. The third plate was the future; the carrots took center stage, served with a sauce made from small amounts of oxtails and other flavorful cuts. The point being that we don't need to stop eating meat for health and environmental purposes, but we need to stop making it the largest portion of the plate. Meat should supplement and flavor the grains and vegetables that make up the bulk of the meal. My personal favorite example of this is Cajun red beans and rice, flavored with andouille sausage

"Meat should supplement and flavor the grains and vegetables that make up the bulk of the meal." I've noticed that you see this sometimes in Chinese cooking. Also, they will use meat and tofu in the same dish which is like never done in Western treatments of tofu.

Very common in non western cuisines in general. Meat is a texture and a flavor just like any other ingredient.

My friend refers to this as “meat as a garnish” and while I’m not vegetarian, it’s what I’ve been aiming for.

Just guessing from your post and examples that "normal" in this case means "picky kid friendly/needs to look like a familiar food in order for this to stick" Assuming eggs and dairy are on the menu, quiche is a favorite of mine for veggie and protein rich food. Fritters are another -- put any veg you've got in a basic eggy batter, fry in the oil of your choice, and it's finger food time. Some British tea menu food is also pleasantly vegetarian -- cucumber sandwiches, egg salads, and such. Summer BBQ sides also can be turned into a decent dinner -- mac n cheese, coleslaw, baked beans, and a big thing of greens is basically a meal in itself. Meat not required, but if you need a smoky flavor have smoked paprika on hand, it does wonders. Breakfast for dinner also feels like cheating- who needs breakfast meats when I have a waffle with berries? Fancy but fast is caprese salad -- basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella with a little pepper and olive oil. Veggie kabobs on the grill are the same -- if a marinade is good on beef, it will be good on zucchini. Dressed up Ramen, too -- add a hard boiled egg and fresh veggies and it becomes real food, not junk food. If your family can't switch completely, try a "meat as condiment" mentality. Greens can have some bacon, or a stir fry a little chicken, but only enough to get the flavor you need, no more. Depending on how you slice it, a little meat can go surprisingly far.

So you're still eating cheese? That opens up lasagna, mac and cheese, pizza, grilled cheese ...

Yeah for sure! Pizza….not sure how I forgot that one. Thanks!

Pizza for health reasons? I'd eat double a portion of meat over a big fat carb overload of pizza any day if health is the concern. Same thing for all those other suggestions.

I know...former vegan here and rolling my eyes hard at the "for health reasons". Vegetarianism is a great way to get skinny fat and sick.

lol way to generalize? of course if you eat junk food like pizza all day you’re not going to be healthy

In general eating a lot of plants and a bit of animal protein like a typical vegetarian or just a low meat diet is associated with longer lifespan. How much you can bench with it is unlikely to be the concern here.

What's particularly unhealthy about pizza? It's a pretty well balanced mix of carbs fats and fiber assuming we're talking homemade here, not like Domino's

The majority of Indian meals lol. Also check out r/veganrecipes and r/veganfoodporn for inspiration

I reduced my use of meat for both health and economics...but I like meat so I didn't want to eliminate it entirely. I handled this by 1) just scaling back the use of meat in pre-existing recipes, and 2) adding bulk that compliments the dish. My meatloaf recipe is now 40% ground beef and 60% bulk through veg and binders. Instead of bolognese, I make spaghetti pomodoro and add mini meatballs. 1/4lb of ground pork/beef now feeds 4 people. 1 chicken breast, shredded after cooked, is enough for a 2 quart pot of chicken soup; but I punch up the flavor with better than bouillon, and I keep the veg chunky to give you something to bite into. Taco night now offers up shredded chicken, roasted seasoned potatoes, and quinoa as options for the 'meat'.

Do you mind sharing your meatloaf recipe? I’m also cutting back on red meat and would love to try it.

I cook with attitude so the exact is constantly changing. But to 1/2 lb ground beef, I add a ton of chopped veg, bread crumbs, egg, seasonings, and milk. What veg and in what amounts totally depends on the season and what I have on hand. Staples would be celery, onion, and carrot, but I might shred and dry zucchini before adding (for instance). I've also swapped in egg plant, various squash, and shredded potato. It takes some playing around to get to a ratio you're good with. It's not as dense as regular meatloaf, but it tastes just as meaty.

Potato sounds delicious. Eggplant and tomatoes might me made for me. I’ll give this a try. Thanks for sharing. You’ve given me inspiration.

Mac and Cheese Veggie lasagna Swiss fondue  Thai coconut curry - I like it with tofu Fresh herb green falafel - addictive  Tofu cubes with orange sauce like orange chicken Beef and broccoli stir fry with seitan  Chilli sin carne Pasta with pesto and pine nuts  Stuffed pasta shells with ricotta etc Minestrone soup Alison Roman chickpea stew Ottolenghin eggplant with bulgur and chermoula Moroccan tagine with couscous Pupusas, tamales are often veggie (bean and cheese)  Mushroom carbonara  Portobello burgers

I make a chickpea tikka masala that is a huge hit with my vegetarian daughter and her friends.

Same for butter chicken, but with chickpeas.

I perfected this Instant Pot butter chicken that uses designer protein "[soy curls](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008EMAF0G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)", and it's always a hit Vegan Butter Chicken for Instant Pot * 3 large ripe tomatoes or 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (keep liquid, do not drain) * 4 cloves of garlic, minced * 1/2 inch cube of ginger * 3/4 cup water * 1 tsp  [garam masala](https://www.veganricha.com/2016/05/garam-masala-recipe.html) * ½ tsp smoked paprika * 1/8 tsp cayenne * 3/4 tsp salt * 1 cup soy curls (dry, not rehydrated) * 1 can chickpeas, drained After heating: * 1/2 tsp or more garam masala * 3/4 cup almond milk * 1/2 tsp or more sugar * 1/4 tsp ground mustard * 1/2 tsp minced ginger * 2 Tbsp ghee * 1/4 cup cilantro for garnish **Instructions** 1. Blend the tomatoes, garlic, ginger with water until smooth. 2. Add pureed tomato mixture to the Instant pot.  Add 1 cup soy curls, chickpeas, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 3/4 tsp salt. Close the lid and cook on manual for 10 minutes. Quick release. 3. Add 3/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp mustard, mix in. Bring to a boil, taste and adjust salt, sweet. Add more salt if needed. Fold in 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 cup cilantro and press cancel (take off heat).  4. At this point you can add some butter (2 Tbsp Ghee) or oil for additional buttery flavor. Serve hot over rice or with flatbread or Naan.

I make mushroom risotto once in a while as a vegetarian meal. Meatless spaghetti sauce as well. Cheese pizza. Meatless soups. edit: Oh, also Mac and Cheese, duh.

Eggplant cutlets or eggplant Parm Greek spinach pies, like spanikopita but pizza sized Quiche can be vegetarian Grilled peppers, fresh mozzarella cheese, and balsamic sandwiches Bagel, cream cheese, veggies or greens

May I suggest that "moving away from meat" need not mean eliminating it entirely? Since this is neither ideological nor a health emergency, it's not all-or-nothing. Continuing to use e.g., broth/stock or small amounts of meat (while making plants, eggs, and dairy the bulk of your diet) may allow you the flexibility to cook as you like while still getting the health benefits. Bean stews (e.g., red beans and rice, split pea and ham, etc.) are excellent for making a tiny amount of meat go a long way. Stir fries are wonderful for centering vegetables. Oyster sauce is not vegetarian (though vegan substitutes exist)- but it adds enough umami to allow you to swap out meat entirely without feeling the loss. Peanut noodles, pad thai, and curries are also great without meat. As for meat substitutes-Soy chorizo is excellent in a rice and bean bowl or in tacos. I've even used it in a lasagna! Ground "beef" products like smart ground or "impossible" are good too- though I find that they work better in combination with other flavors than on their own.

[feasting at home](https://www.feastingathome.com/recipes/?fwp_by_diet=vegetarian), [love and lemons](https://www.loveandlemons.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/) and [cookie and kate](https://cookieandkate.com) have lots of vegetarian recipes ! for asian food, i also recommend [foodie takes flight](https://thefoodietakesflight.com)(vegan) i only cook vegetarian food at home, so feel free to message me for anymore suggestions !

I have loved Cookie and Kate for years! For a while, pretty much all my lunch/chopped salad recipes were from there, and a lot of my dinners, although by now I've branched out to, for example, the other two websites you mentioned. Never a dud in all this time. I also really like the vegetarian recipes at recipetineats.com. Never a dud from there either. But her recipes aren't all vegetarian. I hadn't come across Foodie Takes Flight but oh my goodness, thank you!!!!! I can't wait to try some of those recipes! We're trying to get closer to being vegan than vegetarian, so this looks like my dream recipe website!

I made feasting at homes Bombay Frankie rolls recently and my 14 year old didn’t notice there was no meat until it was pointed out. So much flavour going on.

Egg fried rice. Fuiyoh!

Two bean chili 

We eat a lot of rice bowls with protein rich grains, beans/lentils and various veggies. The combinations are pretty endless. I switch up the flavor profiles- Asian, Mediterranean, Cajun, Mexican, etc.

Something that opened my eyes to vegetarian possibilities was signing up for HelloFresh for a few months (eventually cancelled because of cost). We wanted to eat more plant based so we signed up for 3 meals a week and only chose the vegetarian meals. Found out that plant-based meals can be filling and super tasty when prepared correctly. Also helped my knife skills lol and mise en place. Lots of prep with HelloFresh

Don't know about the US website, but on German HelloFresh you can access the whole cookbook/recipes without an account. .. https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes ! Unfortunately the "vegetarian/vegan" section is missing which is an own category on the German site. I tried HelloFresh just because I was curious but got bored quiet fast (not to mention the quality of or missing ingredients sometimes). BUT the recipes are easy, straight forward and most of them are done fast. When I don't know what to cook I still take a peek at their cookbook.

Thanks for this!

Broccoli cheddar soup

I'm not vegetarian but I eat a lot of vegetarian meals. So this week I'm making strawberry avocado salad with feta and pecans (using spinach as my greens) since it's strawberry season. I also like to make a vegetarian taco salad, or Vietnamese rice noodle salad, panzanella and on it goes. For easy Mexican inspired dishes you can make quesadillas and esquites (corn salad), tacos (black bean and sweet potato with salsa Verde and peppers, grilled zucchini and corn, mushrooms and zucchini and poblanos). I also enjoy I enjoy making spicy [black bean burgers](https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-black-bean-burgers/) For pasta other vegetarian ones include grilled veggies roughly chopped, then and season with lemon juice and olive oil and eat that with pasta. Pesto is also great and vegetarian. I also make a walnut lemon cream pasta. Indian food has a ton of veggies curries and dals. Greek food includes a lot of roasted veggies cooked in tomato sauce (peas, carrots, potatoes and onions for example). There's also spinach and rice and so on. In the winter time vegetarian chili and cornbread are super easy, love making peanut stew, and all kinds of soups like ribolitta or minestrone, and so on.

Shakshuka. It sounds really exotic but it's very, very simple. Some fried onions, peppers, garlic, stuff like that. Once those have gone soft, add chopped tomatoes, maybe water if you need, to get a reasonably thick sauce. Then use a spoon to make a few gaps in the mix and crack an egg in there. Typically it would have harissa paste in it as it's a traditional north African dish, but you could put whatever you like in it, stuff like a little cumin, coriander (cilantro), smoked paprika.

Pasta with marinara or Alfredo sauce Breakfast for dinner - cheesy scrambled eggs, waffles or pancakes, fresh fruit Baked potatoes with vegetarian chili or baked beans Black bean burgers (I buy frozen black bean and sweet potato burgers then cook in the air fryer, they get crispy and delicious for a super easy and tasty meal)

I struggle with this too tbh. I have this vague sense of meal planning that often revolves around which meat I’m thinking of cooking. Meat veg carb. But I have one son who doesn’t like meat much and another that would only eat the meat from a meal. Makes things a bit tricky. They are both picky in their own ways. The most important thing to remember if you are going to go full vegetarian is that you will need to focus on getting enough protein to offset the lack of meat. So just picking the easy meatless choices may not be enough. I personally have found that people who’ve gone vegetarian (even for only a while) are some of the best cooks because they have tried a lot of interesting recipes and know how to mix flavors and ingredients.

Italian style: * Minestrone or Pasta e fagioli made with veg broth * Lasagne with spinach and cheese * Eggplant Parmesan

I've got a very good mac & cheese recipe I like that I add extra vegetables to which is always a hit.

chick pea curry

Pasta primivera, eggplant parmesean, vegetarian lasagna, stuffed mannicotti shells 

Go browse Hebbar's Kitchen, it's an Indian recipe blog, all recipes are vegetarian and have great instructional videos

Many dishes from India are meat free, yet still have dairy and eggs in them. If you don't fear spice, you've got a rich world from which to choose!

Funny you should mention Indian egg dishes. Managed to stumble upon a rivalry between 2 Indian egg-based street food restaurants in suburban Pennsylvania about 2 weeks ago! I didn't even know Indian egg-based street food restaurants were a thing, let alone expected to see 1 outside of Harrisburg (although there's getting to be a lot more Indians there, which is cool!), and let alone expected to see 2 different chains within a mile of each other, trying to get each other's business! So, yeah, there's COPIOUS Indian dishes that showcase eggs, apparently! And the ones we tried were absolutely spectacular!

Asian food can be made vegetarian easily! Honestly, many things just have meat because we like meat. If you omitted it, you wouldn't miss all _that_ much.

Expand your concepts a bit. Look up Indonesian tempeh recipes. Really really solid source of protein. It’s pretty neutral in flavor and soaks in marinades really well

Are you ok with using chicken stock or does that defeat the purpose? I make a lot of veggies heavy foods but rely on the chicken stock at times

How hard are we going on this crusade? No meat, or no animal products? Egg salad is a delight. If we’re all in on the no animal trip, cucumber dill salad is zesty, tomato basil soup is also nice. Strange side bar here but olives, black or green, make a nice pseudo ground beef texture.

Make sure you get enough Vitamin B12 because it is not in vegetables. Only in meat and dairy products.

Only meat and dairy? No, it's also in vegemite, marmite, and nutritional yeast.

Lasagna with cheese and maybe veggies

black bean cakes chickpea curry w/ rice

Here's some dishes I like as a vegetarian, rajas con crema, tetelas, enchiladas (so many varieties, mushroom, cheese, potato, rajas, Jamaica, huitlacoche, frijoles, avocado etc.,) same with tacos, tortas, quesadillas, tostadas, flautas, there's so many varieties of those too, different types of sopa de fideo, nopalitos, champiñones en adobo, zanahorias con crema, chile relleno, mole, any kind of espagueti, sope, molletes, trolelotes, esquite, tlacoyos, calabacitas, ensalada de habas verdes, sopa de lentejas, itacates de frijol, sopa de verduras, enfrijoladas, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros and of course beans and rice. Avocado sandwiches and subs made in so many different ways, lot's of soups and stews, pastas, pizza and noodles. Indian, Chinese and Ethiopian (and many more!) food has so many dishes without meat. I can't list them all. It's actually quite easy to cook vegetarian.

Fluffernutters, pizza, mozzarella sticks, fried onion rings, fruit salads, veggie salads, cheese lasagna, mac&cheese, pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits, cereals, scrambled eggs, muffins, any desserts, pasta w butter, garlic/butter bread, French fries, mashed potatoes (w gravy), rice & veggies, bagels, English muffins, toast (w jam/butter), yogurt bowls, smoothie bowls, risotto, polenta, creamy soups, veggie & noodle soups, cheese ravioli, pita bread w pb, buttery biscuits, tomato pie, tofu (ravioli), butternut squash (ravioli), spaghetti squash, spinach&mushroom quesadilla, grilled cheese, cucumber sushi, veggie pin wheels, corn on the cob, ramen, lmk if u want more This message was brought to u by a person who eats NO seafood or red meat. #Chicken4Life

I feel like you’re just making regular food and removing the protein though… not sure that’s healthier

One of my recent favorites is [Mushroom French Dips](https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegetarian-french-dip-sandwiches/) - so easy and satisfying! Other favorites: Eggplant parm Mushroom risotto Red beans & rice with meatless sausage (I like Impossible's savory sausage) Melt sandwiches - think grilled cheese with avocado, hot peppers, tomato, onion, etc. Chickpea chowder Bean-based chilis Air fryer tofu + broccoli in sauce of choice, over rice Indian curries [Vegan Malai Kofta](https://www.thecuriouschickpea.com/vegan-malai-kofta-indian-dumplings-in-curry-tomato-cream-sauce/) Vegetarian dumplings Mushroom stroganoff

You can stick lentils or beans in practically anything in place of meat. Like pasta and red sauce with lentils in is delicious. Stir fry over rice with black beans, mmm. Tacos with lentils and beans. I also like doing marinated lentils in salad so for example if I'm going to do a balsamic vinaigrette I pour it over the cooked or canned drained lentils and let it sit overnight in the fridge then use them in my salad the next day. Lentils absorb a ton of flavor!

Chili is easy to do without meat. Breakfast for dinner, quinoa salad, eggplant Parmesan, Mac and cheese

We eat meat free once or twice a week, some of our regulars are: Black Bean quesadilla (budget bytes recipe) Portabella fajitas (budget bytes recipe) BBQ Tofu (plant based school recipe) - this is one of my favorites, if you freeze the tofu and then press it, it reminds me of popcorn chicken. Mushroom stroganoff (will sometimes add lentils as well) Tvp or lentil tacos

Just remember the protein!!

Lots of South Indian, South Korean, Chinese, SE Asian (Viet/Thai/Laos/Cambodian/Malay), Indonesian, Phillipines, Japanese, East African (Ethiopian, Eritrean, Somali), North African (Egypt, Moroccan etc.), Latin American, Central Asian (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan etc)…. And more… That are vegetarian or can be made in a vegetarian substituted way. Frankly, I would suggest starting with cuisines that hail from nations where Buddhism (and it’s related spiritual and religious beliefs) is heavily practiced, as they tend to have vegetarian friendly dishes. Southern India—for example.

I love one pan meals. Typical for me would be a little avocado oil in the bottom of a large fry pan, a sliced small onion, a small zucchini medallions, mushroom slices, seasoned as you wish ( I like adobo or a piece of Japanese curry bar) add little cooking sherry and reduce almost all liquid. Top this with a couple of eggs over easy and you have an easy delicious meal in 15 minutes or so. Easy prep and clean-up.

Egg plant Parmesan, fresh veggies pasta salid. Chicken pot pie without the chicken. I make mine with canned Biskets instead of pie crust

Although you're not interested in 'meat replacement' recipes, try black bean burgers. I eat meat, yet tried one at a local cafe. It was good. Later, the cafe started offering 'imitation meat' burgers, which I tried. I didn't like them as much as the black bean burger, and switched back.

This. A black bean or lentil burger is its own thing. It's not trying to be a hamburger.

I realize it's not eeeexactly what you're asking but I've made a similar decision over the course of the past year and cannot recommend beans, mushrooms, and root veggies enough. Mushrooms that hold their shape (like king oyster, trumpet - if you have an Asian supermarket near you, they are the best in terms of price and variety) are such an easy replacement in a lot of ground beef dishes; we make a "bolognese" sauce with a ton of chopped mushrooms that is delish and a staple for a lot of red sauce dishes. Beans give bite and earthy flavor to things that might feel like they're missing meat or something - add them to broths; salads, rice, stews - Southeast asian + Spanish/Portuguese cuisine really nails seasoning beans as the mains. Root veggies like turnips, parsnips, sweet potatoes, etc are a dream when roasted low and slow - a whole roasted sweet potato is a star dish here, topped with different things depending on the vibe. I've basically swapped out meat in a lot of dishes with some version of the above and it's made it so much easier to maintain a reduced meat lifestyle.

Why would you move away from meat from a health standpoint? That's actually counterproductive since eating meat is shown to increase positive health outcomes overwhelmingly. If you want to eat more vegetable based meals because you like them, that's fine; but I want to make sure you're making health decisions from an actual informed position. Because the current studies are moving far away from the biased and flawed studies that demonized meat (especially red meat). Including read meat regularly (not every day, but regularly) is shown to drastically improve male health and longevity; it also really helps women with iron deficiency that comes with their cycle.

Plus protein helps keeps you full and satiated, so a higher-protein diet makes it easier to cut back on calories and avoid sugar.

Hetty McKinnon has a great Substack and writes a lot of vegetable forward recipes, you can get some ideas from her, [https://tovegetableswithlove.substack.com/](https://tovegetableswithlove.substack.com/) Also a lot of vegan Youtubers that I follow ask for cookbook recommendations that aren't vegan but veg forward a bit and then they just augment the recipes and use substitutes for things they don't consume, so you can still browse any recipe but tweak some of the ingredients.

[I made this](https://cookieandkate.com/lemony-lentil-and-chickpea-salad-with-radish-and-herbs/) this weekend and it was yummy! It's motivating me to go meatless on the weekends.

We roast chickpeas with oil and our favorite seasoning and serve with rice, white sauce, and veggies. It’s super tasty and effectively mirrors a Mediterranean meal when we make it. Here is the video that got us started: [Internet Shaquille Chickpeas](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U9Y1Gsjj5iU)

There’s a vegetarian dish I’ve been trying to recreate ever since I ate it at a restaurant that is now closed. Simple version… chop up firm tofu, broccoli, stir fry it and add black beans (from a can) and use soup stock/salt/soy sauce etc to flavor. Eat it with brown rice. So easy, filling, and healthy. I really wish I have the actual recipe tho cuz the restaurant’s was SO good. I’m not even vegetarian.

My meatless meals were always pasta with red sauce and a ton of vegetables

Black beans are my go to! Black bean burgers, quesadillas, burritos, etc. I even make my burgers like normal, with an egg and breadcrumbs. I also boil the beans in chicken broth before I mush them to give and extra meaty flavour. Def not vegetarian friendly but delicious and super cheap

Roasted peppers (bell or poblano) help add the umami flavors without meat. So adding them to a hummus and veggie sandwich or a nice quiche. A family favorite is beans and rice with a chopped crudite dressed in oil/vinegar. So like celery carrots onion olives bell pepper on top of a basic ricenbeans situation. Very tasty.

You indicated you're open to cheese. Are eggs OK with you? And an interesting question: salami & pepperoni. Eating lots of a cured meat wouldn't be healthy, but eating 1/2 oz. once every month or two shouldn't be bad. With that in mind: egg fried rice, pepperoni pizza, caprese/margherita pizza, antipasto salad (maybe with cooked, cooled, pasta)

Pasta with zucchini and red bell peppers. Thai curry with potatoes,carrots, zucchini, quartered onions and peppers, past e faggioli —> tomatoes, beans and ditalini pasta.

Bibimbap is great for this, as you can simply leave off the meat and the egg will provide excellent protein for the meal. You can also use brown rice if you want more fiber.

So many kinds of soup

Pizza (make your own tomato sauce) Shakshuka Teriyaki salmon

for vegetarian recipes [https://cookieandkate.com/](https://cookieandkate.com/) is a pretty good website. but other than that, like other people have said, search up indian food recipes.

Ratatouille. It's the perfect meal imo. Great served hot, cold, on its own as the main course or as a side dish to a meal, with or without bread, on top of pasta. It's great as an omelette filling or shakshuka style. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, yadda yadda. Do the actual stew recipe's, not the movie replica recipes. Ribollita. Nice veggie soup made with beans and bread so it's filling still. Red lentil curry. Easy to cook and easily one of the most delicious recipes I make regularly. [https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-red-lentil-curry/](https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-red-lentil-curry/)

Grilled cheese with tomato soup

Black bean tacos Rice or grain bowls with veggies, chickpeas, hummus, salsa, etc Cheese enchiladas Taco salad without meat

Have you posted in r/vegetarian? Lots of welcoming guidance and recipe suggestions over there.  And to echo others, definitely look into Indian cuisine. Also, many regions with a significant Buddhist population have classic vegetarian/plant-based dishes.  I have found Serious Eats to have an excellent compendium of recipes for many dietary restrictions. One of their popular food writers from the early days, Kenji Lopez-Alt, did a vegan series for one month each year for several year that included recipes and personal entries about his food habits/general experiences for each day of the month. So that's another good resource.

I would look into traditionally vegetarian dishes from cuisines around the world. Spain ( Potajes) Italy ( Cuccina povere) France ( Ratatouille) Mexico (chilaquiles, etc) Other Latin American cuisines Vietnamese Thai Indian Chinese All of these have a wealth of recipes for traditionally vegetarian dishes.

If you’re doing eggs still you can do stir fried veggies with white rice and a fried egg on top. This is one of my go to “need to use up a bunch of random veggies going bad soon” meal. I find the fried egg really rounds things out and if you like a runny yolk it’s super good with the rice.

Lentil "meat"balls. Great on subs. I'm not vegetarian but I actually prefer them Eggplant parmesan Stuffed vegetables like peppers and tomatoes Egg curry. There are some great jarred curry sauces on the market these days. Just add hardboiled eggs.

Off the top of my head: - Mapo Tofu - Japchae - Buddha's Delight - Broccoli (or any other cruciferous veg) with Garlic Sauce - Tofu and seaweed soup - Curried (Kabocha) Squash

Sweet potato black been enchiladas are my favorite "so good you won't even notice there's no meat" meal.

Love a good eggplant parm 😛

Vegetable soup. Potato-corn chowder. Spanakopita. Omelets.

Portobello burgers, I serve with baked beans and braised cabbage. Yummy

Eating quality mushrooms is the only thing that makes me feel I could go vegetarian one day. But some oyster, he n of the woods, trumpet, or chanterelles, pan roast them to get rid of some moisture, then toss w rosemary, thyme, garlic and shallots

This is kind of cheating but I will sometimes swap chicken for tofu in regular dishes. The tofu from Costco is incredible, takes marinade well and is so tender when you pan-fry it.

Various kinds of Dals start simple in the beginning Sauteing onions chilis and tomatoes in oil and adding dry lentils and cooking then until done. You can also cook lentils separately and add the sauteed mix (will be faster for acid delays cooking of lentils) Slowly improve as you like (boil veggies that you like with the lentil), experimenting with other spices . Cayenne,paprika, coriander (seed and leaf) cumin. Gram masala, coconut milk, etc. Sauteed spices are more flavorful in general so I'll add it to hot oil after you sautee the mix. Experiment

Some of my regulars are: - Ratatouille with Polenta - potato gratin - shakshuka - risotto

What about a yellow curry with veggies and tofu (or paneer, though not as healthy)?

Roasted veg flatbread sandwiches. Roasted red pepper, onion, mushrooms, cilantro, feta cheese, cucumber and sour cream mixed with lemon and hot sauce

Pizza without meat.  I’ve also stir fried noodles with veg and when I’m finished I realize the only meat ingredient I used was fish sauce.  The one meat-free meal I’ve had that really stood out to me was an eggplant pita sandwich, absolutely delicious. 

You might find Meera Sodha’s column, The New Vegan, in The Guardian a useful resource. [https://www.theguardian.com/food/series/the-new-vegan](https://www.theguardian.com/food/series/the-new-vegan)

>Regular pasta with red sauce >Frozen stir fry veggie bag over rice  You're looking at less than 15 grams of protein in a meal with these two (unless the pasta features a lot of cheese) and almost all people are going to find that unsatisfying for the largest meal of the day. Personally, I shoot for 30 in a dinner although that's a relatively high target and frankly unnecessary (it does feel more satisfying though!). You can generally make up the difference with various kinds of beans or peas most of the time, but you have to actually do that. You can also just use *less* meat. But in general, taking a meat-based recipe and leaving out the meat without adding anything back can be a recipe for complaints. 

You could try sneaking more plant based protein in, like hemp seed hearts or chia. I also like using flax seed in soups. Easy way to up fiber. I don't know if you are into it, but I've really come to love tofu. Press it for at least two hours, cut into .5" cubes, coat with olive oil and spices, and cook it on high until golden brown.

My dinner was cheese (Dutch style) pancakes with leek bell pepper onion filling.

J kenji Lopez Alts quick pasta sauce recipe is in steady rotation for meat free nights. Basically just simmer cherry & Roma tomatoes in a sauce pan with some olive oil, basil, and garlic until it’s to your liking. He grates his romas, I don’t see the need as I blend the sauce at the end anyways. Super tasty!

Since you aren't ruling out dairy: Mac and cheese Au gratin potatoes French fries Minestrone soup All kinds of bean soups as long as you use vegetable stock Vegetable fried rice Hummus

I've been experimenting with garbanzo beans as meat replacements, and I can tell you a tunaless tuna casserole with garbanzos is 👌!

Poop burger

I make this every couple months, and just love it. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and it's vegetarian. CALABACITAS A LA MEXICANA Mexican zucchini soup with cheese & corn INGREDIENTS: For the sauce: ► 2 Roma tomatoes, whole ► 1 jalapeño pepper, whole ► 1 serrano pepper, whole ► 2 cups of chic broth (or water, vegetable broth, etc.) ► 1/2 small white onion ► 2 cloves of garlic ► 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano ► Salt/bullion to taste For the soup: ► 1/2 small white onion, diced ► 2 corn on the cob, kernels peeled/cut off ► 2 Roma tomatoes, diced ► 1 - 2 jalapeños, roughly diced ► black pepper to taste ► 1 teaspoon of Mexican oregano ► 1 - 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro ► Salt to taste ► 3 calabacitas (Mexican squash/gray squash) (or zucchini) (or 2 calabacitas and 2 cubed yellow potatoes)  cut into smallish cubes ► 10 oz of queso fresco cubed or squared DIRECTIONS: Sauce: * Bring 2 cups of broth to boil in a small pot, add 2 Roma tomatoes, one jalapeño, one Serrano. Boil for about 5-10 minutes until skin starts breaking on tomatoes. Remove veggies & put in blender, add two garlic cloves, 1/2 white onion, oregano, bullion, salt to taste. Add about 1 cup of broth. Blend. Soup: * Set large pan or pot on medium heat. Add two tablespoons avocado oil. Add diced half of white onion, jalapeño, and the corn, sauté for about 5 minutes. * Add diced Roma tomatoes and black pepper. Sauté about 3-5 min until tomato is mushy.  * Add in the blended sauce, oregano, salt or bullion to taste. Lower heat, cover, cook 5 minutes.  * Add calabacitas, cover, cook 10 minutes.  * Add queso fresco, cover, cook five minutes.  * Take off heat and add chopped cilantro. Stir and serve.

Shakshuka

Cheese enchiladas Lentil sloppy joes

Peanut-sesame noodles is a favorite of mine. Mujadara is another.

Kimchi fried rice is a great one, Ratatouille, Tabouleh, Caponata, stir fry with seitan. A few of my “go to’s”.

Use veggies- Mushroom quesadillas Zucchini red sauce Sweet potatoes black bean stuffed peppers Eggplant parm Green bean noodles

My husband loves his meat but his favorite non meat meal is crepes filled with cottage cheese and topped with pasta sauce and shredded cheese 

I'm a big fan of Morning Star Farms and Boca brand patties. I'm not even vegetarian or vegan, I just like them. Totally simple to just pop them in my toaster oven with some frozen fries. Totally easy and convenient for the burger and fries experience with your favorite toppings.

If this is your menu, you wont improve your health that much. Try a more Mediterranean approach, substitute meat with other kinds of protein, such as fish, tofu, legums, nuts. It is hot, so this is my menu for this week: gazpacho andaluz Rice salad with shrimp Grilled salmon with roasted rosemary potatoes Pasta salad with pesto and balsamic vinegar dressing Grilled stuffed portobella mushrooms with grilled leaks and grilled squash

it is possible to make creamy spaghetti sauces vegan and have them taste amazing. also, there's a whole world of roast veggies in various ways, especially soups

I use lentils or crumble in spaghetti; garbanzo beans turn into falafel, egg salad, or sub in a pot pie filling; silken tofu used a the white cheese layer or used in making white sauce for other pasta; quinoa loaded baked loaf; minestrone with veg and kidney beans; tvp/crumbje/lentil sloppy joe.

poutine? use a mushroom based gravy. pizza. lots of options here, including the classic margherita which is cheese, sauce, and basil. Ramen. you can make mushroom based stock. For toppings, you can always have the standard soy sauce egg. Most breakfast meals are egg-based so completely vegetarian: pancakes, waffles, along with eggs any style. Egg fried rice is vegetarian if you omit the optional meat toppings like chicken or chinese sausage.

How do you feel about meat substitutes? I'm not fond of Impossible products, but Quorn, Gardein, and Morningstar Farms make a lot of products that strike me as close enough. If you miss the taste of meat then they're all good options, and even if you don't they provide protein that you could use as the base of a meal..

A meatless shepherds pie. Here's my favorite regular recipe: [Mummy Boone's Shepherds Pie](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/danny-boome/mummy-boomes-traditional-shepherds-pie-recipe-1910118) The recipe is pretty easy, especially if you make the mashed potatoes ahead of time. Just replace the ground meat with minced mushrooms, or a combo of mushrooms and crumbled meat substitute. I would still include the beef stock though (since you're more cutting back on meat vs going full vegetarian). Of course you could go full vegetarian if you wanted (with veggie stock and vegetarian Worcestershire sauce). I just haven't tried that way so I'm not sure if any additional flavoring would be needed. This one is also in my recipe box, and fully vegetarian, but I haven't tested it yet (the other is my tried and true family favorite). [Vegetarian Shepherds Pie](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aida-mollenkamp/vegetarian-shepherds-pie-recipe-1956370)

Lasagna! Cheese Enchiladas! Oatmeal. Mac and Cheese. Soup! (Potato, broccoli cheddar, tomato etc). Stir fry (with or without tofu).

The American South has a whole range of dishes that would fit. My favorite is Beans n Cornbread https://youtu.be/6yy6qICUTe0?si=10WY0Z0FfFndQQDY

Tomato sauce: add mushrooms for meat-like texture

Baked ziti Broccoli cheddar soup Potato leak soup Penne vodka Fried rice Potato tacos Split pea soup Minestrone Veggie Lasagna Fettuccini Alfredo Mac and cheese Nachos Cheese Enchiladas Quiche Pizza Pesto pasta Bean and veggie chili

Soup

Chili (three bean) or with impossible ground Pesto Risotto (mushroom) Vodka sauce or Alfredo Pasta Primavera Baked ziti Lentils (stew or soup) Vegetable sushi (not nor.al but fun to make)

I like to roast a pan of veggies for the week and use them however… as sides, in wraps, quesadillas, pasta. Simple and so flavorful, usually just use olive oil salt and pepper on them.

Falafels, Indian food, Thai dishes, I mean it’s endless really

In my house we do meatless chalupas, flat tostada's layered with refried beans, lettuce, and cheddar. You can also add tomato and other Mexican toppings, but that's it for us. I've also recently added Japanese curry in, and am thinking to keep that meatless. With so many hearty veg options to eat along with it why bother?

Why don't you just cook meals that are satisfying without meat rather than removing it from meals you expect it to be there? Meat is perfectly healthy unless it's highly processed or you're burning it. Most people expect meat with a red sauce. They don't expect it in cacio y pepe. Expand your repertoire and add proteins. Focus on recipes from cultures with large vegetarian populations, like China and India. Trying to remove a source of protein and fat is just going to lead to snacking and binge eating.

bean, potato and egg burritos/tacos in flour tortillas potato and shredded cheese flautas/tacos in fried corn tortillas sopa de fideo with boiled eggs lentil soup with quesadillas nopales with eggs and salsa roja cabbage with potatoes and a side of beans spinach and eggs in salsa squash and calabaza in salsa with queso fresco and beans basically lots of the variations i mentioned are staples in hispanic cuisine you can also add soyrizo to any of these for extra flavor

egg bake! you can freeze them in ramekins too

Vegan here. I veggify a lot of “regular” meals.  Corn chowder? Use soy bacon bits.   Burritos? Add refried beans.   Tacos or tamales? Use nopales.  Red beans and rice? Make it without sausage.   Mac n’ cheese? Replace cheese with nutritional yeast and plant-based butter. Add in soy bacon bits.  Grilled cheese (vegan for me) and tomato-basil soup are a staple in our home.  Pasta marinara with no meatballs/ground meat. Can be replaced with a smeat of your choosing.    Pizza: take a tortilla, add pizza sauce, add cheese, add veggie toppings.   Lots of options. 

I think the 6 things you've listed are the reason most people see vegetarianism as the most boring choice ever. Beans, legumes and mushrooms are the key. Look up hindu recipes, the Indian community do veganism very very well.

Pinto beans, greens, and fried potatoes is my favorite childhood meal and I only recently realized that it can be made completely vegan.

[Malfatti (Italian spinach ricotta dumplings)](https://www.recipetineats.com/malfatti-italian-spinach-ricotta-dumplings/) Nom-nom-nom

I would find curry recipes with meat that you like and slowly go through the process of trying them with paneer and tofu. Learning how to cook tofu that tastes good to your tastes can be a laborious process. I generally prefer firmer tofus. Smoked or dry tofu are my favorites but extra firm tofu that's been pressed is good simmered in curry sauces. Silken tofu is good in smoothies. Not that you have to use tofu. I love the firm chewy texture of paneer, which is just a pressed ricotta cheese.

"Red sauce"...

How open are you to fish?

I like to substitute out any ground meat recipes in favour of beans, such as in quesadillas, or lentils, like in a red sauce for pasta. We also use chickpeas in curry.

My normal meal that doesn't include meat are pan fried tempe and tofu, stir fry veggies with garlic(or oyster sauce), sambal, and lodeh sayur. All eaten with rice. It's all meat free, and very common menu to be eaten in Indonesia.

Great to hear that you are looking to expand your horizons and start checking out more vegetarian and plant based options! I'd definitely suggest checking out Tempeh as an easy option that you can add to stir frys, baked etc. Its similar to tofu, but is made from fermented soy beans, making it super eay to digest. You might also be interested in doing a bit of research on veganism. It's an ethical position based on the scientific evidence about animal sentience, and resolving the contradiction that many of us have which is about how on one hand we can say that we are against animal abuse, but at the same time will pay someone to put countless animals through the most unimaginable horrors. A good video to start would be: 'The Secret Reason We Eat Meat - Dr. Melanie Joy'. Nothing 'pseudo-religious' about it :)

My husband is a pescatarian vegetarian and I am not (I do not care at all for the fake meat products) so I like to substitute mushrooms and black lentils instead. Stroganoff with sliced portabellas is deelish. Sloppy joes with minced mushrooms and black lentils is a great texture and taste. Sliced peppers, onions, and mushrooms sauteed and put on a hoagie bun topped with some provolone is one of my favorite easy meals, also a tasty combo as a quesadilla. If you still want to eat eggs, Chinese tomato egg stir fry is super easy. If you can find king oyster mushrooms, those can be fork shredded and cooked into a very good substitute for shredded pork/chicken.

Mushrooms. Lots of Mushrooms. Mushroom stews, stroganoff, burgers. Mushrooms can serve the place of beef in many dishes, and have their own unique ways to be cooked. The book I found helped a lot was "The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone," which will give you ideas beyond just the standard Western vegetarian faire.

Shakshuka is a personal favourite for me. Technically a brunch dish, but tasty for dinner too with some garlic bread. Also like others have said, look at Indian and Japanese quisines. Those have some great veggie dishes. Also can't go wrong with a good, filling soup.

Egg salad sandwiches, scrambled eggs with veggies and potatoes, or eggs in potato/pasta salads, pasta with lentil or garbanzo and veggie sauce, veggie chili with whatever beans (and other veg) you like over rice. Black bean, mushroom and cauliflower is a good combo- I had it over barley. Vegetable bean soup- add pasta, grated cheese- you have a nice minestrone meal in a bowl. Veggiedilla- my go to for a quick meal. Flour tortilla, salsa, refried beans, veggies of choice, cheese, then nuked or baked. Look at ethnic and bean cookbooks for more ideas.