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You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dish / Beans/Lentils/Pulses / 23 Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Recipes From Pantry Favorites

23 Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Recipes From Pantry Favorites

By Traci · ·

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my affiliate policy.

A collection of Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Recipes featuring pantry staples such as lentils, beans, peas, tofu, noodles, and pasta, that include long storage veggies, spices and condiments. 


Table of Contents

  • Vegetarian Meals Featuring Dry Lentils
  • Vegetarian Main Meals Featuring Beans and Peas
  • Healthy Vegetarian Dinners Featuring Firm Tofu
  • Healthy Vegetarian Meals Featuring Long Storing Veggies
  • Vegetarian Main Meals Featuring International Inspired Rice and Noodles 

Vegetarian Meals Featuring Dry Lentils

Lentils have a long storage life, are economical, quick cooking and are perfectly suited to include in soups, stews, pasta and sandwiches. I tend to get the most mileage out of French (or Puy) and red lentils. Here are five healthy vegetarian dinner recipes to try lentils in! 

Moroccan Lentil Stew in a bowl for a healthy vegetarian dinner recipe.

Moroccan Lentil Chickpea Stew

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Gluten Free  

A blog favorite and for good reason. This simple stew relies on French lentils, chickpeas, canned tomatoes and a handful of spices. It’s easy to pull together and packed with texture and flavor! 

Cauliflower Bolognese on a plate with a fork, a vegetarian main meal.

Cauliflower Bolognese

√  Vegetarian   √  Easily Vegan   √  Easily Gluten Free  

This cauliflower bolognese relies on red lentils, canned tomatoes and cauliflower, a long storing veggie, to create a rich, hearty and flavorful easy meal. It feeds a small crowd and makes excellent leftovers.

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup close up with a spoon and naan in the bowl.

 French Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Gluten Free  

Thick, creamy, rich and simple to make soup is quick and delicious for any season. This recipe relies on French lentils, canned coconut milk and curry spices to create a flavorful soup. 

Saucy Lentil Sloppy Joes on burger buns with an onion ring!

Tangy Lentil Sloppy Joes

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Easily Gluten Free  

Grab a fork, napkin and those tangy toppings, we’re getting sloppy y’all! This easy vegetarian  recipe relies on French lentils, canned tomato sauce, spices and condiments to create a mouthwatering sauce. Serve these up as vegetarian sandwiches or stuff the lentils in baked sweet potatoes! 

Spicy Red Lentils with Rice in a bowl.

Red Curry Masoor Dal (Spicy Red Lentils)

√   Freezer Friendly   √   Vegetarian   √   Vegan   √   Gluten Free  

This simple dal is so easy to make. It relies on pantry ready Thai red curry paste, ginger, garlic and red lentils to create its rich flavor.  Perfectly paired with Jasmine rice, this recipe is hearty and satisfying.



Vegetarian Main Meals Featuring Beans and Peas

Dry or canned, beans and peas are a pantry staple I lean on hard. Having a variety on hand means dinner is never too far away. I include beans in soups, stews, chili, burgers, sandwiches, salads and veggie patties. Here are seven vegetarian main dishes to try them in!

Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Smashed Chickpea Salad Sammie

  √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Easily Gluten Free  

This salad has become a blog favorite. It’s easy and simple to make, using only a handful of ingredients, and it packs a flavor punch.  Relying on chickpeas for bulk, pickles for tang and a few condiments, make sure you give this easy vegetarian main recipe a go! 

Hands Holding Slow Cooker Hearty Vegetarian Chili in a bowl.

Slow Cooker Hearty Vegetarian Chili

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Gluten Free  

Set it and forget it, this hearty crock pot chili is nourishing, flavor packed and feeds a small crowd! It relies on a mix of dry beans, and tomatoes for bulk and spices to bring home all the chili flavors we crave. 

Artichoke Chickpea Crabless Cakes on a plate with mango salsa.

Artichoke-Chickpea Vegan Crabless “Crab” Cakes

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan 

Flavor packed and texture rich, these “crab” cakes are easy to make and are make ahead ready. Let the food processor do the chopping, then shape and pan fry these crabless cakes! This recipe relies on chickpeas and canned artichokes, plus pantry staples such as Panko, flour and spices. 

Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas

Slow Cooked Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan  √  Gluten Free 

Cook in a slow cooker or on stove top, these pantry staple peas are not just for new years. Black eyed peas make a healthy stand alone meal or can become a part of other delicious recipes! This recipe relies on dry black eyed peas, spices, garlic and long storage veggies like onions and bell peppers. TIP: Puree’ the peas in part to make a flavorful soup. 

Black Bean Veggie Burger with Saucy Onions on a board, ready to eat.

Black Bean Walnut Burgers

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan  √  Gluten Free 

Nourishing, and delicious with a bit of a kick, these veggie burgers are hearty, nourishing and a blog favorite! This recipe relies on black beans, rice, walnuts, spices and flavor building condiments to bring it to a winning meal.  Top it with those saucy sweet onions! 

Chili Tater Tot Hotdish in a skillet.

Vegetarian Chili Tater Tot Hotdish

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Easily Vegan  √  Gluten Free 

Hearty and packed with spices, this simple weeknight vegetarian chili tater tot casserole relies on canned beans, spices, onions and bell peppers for bulk. It’s cooked in a skillet, covered with cheese (optional) and tater tots, then finished in the oven. TIP: No tater tots? No problem! Simply leave them off, cooking the entire recipe on stove top, and enjoy the chili without the tots! 

Cabbage Potato Soup in a Bowl with a Spoon

White Bean Cabbage Potato Soup

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Easily Vegan  √  Gluten Free 

This soup is easy to make and is super hearty. The healthy vegetarian dinner recipe relies on canned cannellini beans and long storing cabbage, potatoes and leeks. Rich and full of flavor, the leftovers are even better!  



Healthy Vegetarian Dinners Featuring Firm Tofu

Toss tofu in the freezer after you bring it home from the store. Freezing it before cooking improves its texture. A pantry staple you’ll always find in my freezer, here are three vegetarian main dishes to use tofu in! 

Tofu Teriyaki in bowls with steamed broccoli and rice.

Tofu Teriyaki Bowls

  √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Gluten Free 

With a little meal prep, these bowls come together with ease for a simple and flavor-packed dinner. Tofu is prepared in an easy homemade or store bought teriyaki sauce, then quickly prepared stove top with red bell pepper. Share with your favorite veggie side, and jasmine rice. 

Tofu Enchiladas on a Plate

Cheesy Tofu Enchiladas

  √  Vegetarian   √  Easily Gluten Free 

A mouthwatering vegetarian enchilada recipe, these enchiladas are flavor packed, texture rich and so simple to make! Prepared with an easy homemade or store bought red enchilada sauce, wrap the flavorful ground tofu filling up with your favorite tortillas and top with pepper jack cheese. 

A plate of tofu tacos garnished with lime, cilantro and pepita crema.

Tofu Tacos

 √  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Easily Gluten Free 

A blog favorite! So flavorful and hearty, the taco “meat” is packed with spices, onions and bell pepper and is perfect for burrito bowls too. Top these mouthwatering tacos with an easy chili lime cabbage slaw (a long storing veggie), pepita crema, avocado and/or sour cream. Go old school with crunchy corn taco shells, shredded romaine, diced tomatoes and cheddar cheese. 



Healthy Vegetarian Meals Featuring Long Storing Veggies

Long storage veggies such as cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, onions, peppers, celery, beets and greens such as kale are versatile and can be used in so many recipes. Pair them with other pantry staples such as pasta, tortillas, bread, cheese, spices and condiments for easy to pull together pantry dinners. Here are four recipes to use long storage veggies in! 

Orecchiette with Garlicky Kale and Breadcrumbs on a plate.

Orecchiette with Garlicky Kale and Breadcrumbs

  √  Vegetarian   √  Easily Vegan   √  Easily Gluten Free 

This pasta recipe is a hearty, flavor-packed meal with a lovely sauce. It calls for orecchiette, but any shape pasta you have on hand will do. Sub fresh kale for frozen or frozen spinach. TIP: If no capers are in the larder, skip them and stir in diced sun dried tomatoes or briny green olives towards the end of cooking. 

Cauliflower Tinga Tacos on a marble table.

Cauliflower Tinga Tacos

√  Freezer Friendly  √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan  √  Easily Gluten Free 

Tinga tacos rely on long storing cauliflower, and a can of tomatoes for bulk while prepared salsa, onion and spices pick up in the flavor department. This healthy vegetarian dinner recipe is fabulous shared in tortillas, but also, as a main component in burrito bowls. 

The Vegetarian Beet Rueben Sandwich with saucy mayo.

Vegetarian Reuben Sandwiches

  √  Vegetarian   √  Easily Gluten Free 

An easy to make, over the top flavorful sandwich featuring long storing sauerkraut and beets! Whip up a tangy Russian dressing with pantry condiments and slather it over your favorite sandwich bread. Top with Swiss cheese and kraut!

Baked mac and cheese with cauliflower being scooped up from a Dutch oven with steam rising off the mac and cheese.

Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

√  Freezer Friendly   √  Vegetarian  

This mac & cheese relies on long storing cauliflower and pasta for the bulk of the recipe. Mix and match your favorite melty cheese to round out a flavorful and texture rich casserole. Top with breadcrumbs and bake until toasty. TIP: This recipe can be made one pot if using a Dutch oven. 



Vegetarian Main Meals Featuring International Inspired Rice and Noodles 

Dry goods such as rice and noodles come in many varieties. I tend to keep Jasmine and black rice as well as rice stick and soba noodles on hand for sides, stir frys, curries, salads and soups. For international inspired healthy vegetarian dinner recipes, fresh garlic and ginger are two must have flavor builders. As an added bonus, they both have a long storage life! Here are four vegetarian main meals to use these ingredients in! 

Vegan rice noodle recipe in a bowl garnished with onions and sesame seeds. Chopsticks rest on the side of the bowl.

Thai Ginger and Garlic Noodle Bowls

  √  Vegetarian  √  Vegan   √  Gluten Free 

This recipe utilizes rice stick noodles to make up the bulk of the recipe and pantry staples for the broth. Use long storing cabbage and other favorite stir fry veggies to complement this mouthwatering and easy vegetarian main. 

Vegetable Stir Fried Rice in a large serving bowl with lime and sesame seeds on the side.

Thai Vegetable Fried Rice with Toasty Cashews

  √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Easily Gluten Free 

Jasmine rice is so fragrant in this healthy vegetarian dinner fried rice recipe. Veggies play a major role in bulking up this dish so it’s a perfect recipe to use whatever veggies you have on hand, from frozen peas, cabbage and/or edamame, many veggies work well in this recipe. TIP: Make the rice ahead and refrigerate for best texture! Dinner is a snap to pull together. 

vegetarian and vegan ramen in a bowl with chop sticks resting on the side, garnished with onions and sesame seeds.

Speedy Mushroom Ramen Noodles

  √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan  

A fast and hearty weeknight vegan mushroom ramen bowl, this recipe relies on miso, and broth to build flavor while soba noodles, and mushrooms make up the bulk. A flavor packed and easy ramen, put this one on your list! 

A woman's hands twirling rice noodles in a bowl of Peanut Thai Salad.

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

  √  Vegetarian   √  Vegan   √  Gluten Free 

Packed with long storing veggies like frozen edamame, cabbage, red bell peppers, and sugar snap peas, but is flexible enough to use other crunchy veggies you have on hand and in varying proportions. This healthy vegetarian dinner noodle recipe relies on rice stick noodles for bulk. A flavorful dressing brings all the crunchy together, made with pantry staples such as peanut butter, Tamari, and maple syrup. It’s make ahead ready and simple to pull together!

Pinterest Pin for Vegetarian Main Meal Recipes from the pantry.

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Cauliflower-Potato Red Lentil Curry

Overhead shot of Rancheros Tofu Scramble served in tacos with avocado, lime and salsa on the side

Rancheros Tofu Scramble

A bowl of Thai red eggplant curry in a bowl garnished with Thai basil.

Thai Red Curry with Eggplant and Sweet Peppers

Overhead shot of recipe of pumpkin curry in a bowl with chopsticks, topped with shredded spinach, shared with rice.

Thai Mushroom Pumpkin Curry Recipe

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  1. Avatar for Geraldine | Green Valley KitchenGeraldine | Green Valley Kitchen

    March 22, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    Thanks for this round up of recipes, Traci. I love all the lentil ones. I’m working from home for a while so looking forward to trying some new recipe for lunch. The supermarkets are terrible here – so pantry items are the way to go. Stay safe!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Nathan SeamistNathan Seamist

    March 21, 2020 at 5:02 pm

    Hope you are okay and well… Your foods look delicious (the sandwich, The Miso Noodles and the Rice and Noodles dish. Great Job… Traci

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Liz @ Floating KitchenLiz @ Floating Kitchen

    March 21, 2020 at 4:30 am

    Thank you for this list, Traci! Sharing immediately! Stay well, friend. XOXO.

    Reply
    • Avatar for TraciTraci

      March 21, 2020 at 4:45 pm

      Thank you so much Liz! You too. xoxo

      Reply

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I’m Traci and this is my blog. So Glad You Stopped By!

Here you’ll find full of flavor vegetarian comfort food with vegan and gluten free recipes too. I also share sourdough, sweets and naturally sweetened baked goods and desserts recipes because we all gotta have a little balance!

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