A collection of Vegetarian Main Meals featuring pantry staples such as lentils, beans, peas, tofu, noodles, and pasta, that include long storage veggies, spices and condiments! Which one will you try first?
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 recipes to try lentils in!
√ 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!
√ 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 Curried French Lentil Soup
√ 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 spices to create a flavorful soup.
√ Freezer Friendly √ Vegetarian √ Vegan √ Easily Gluten Free
Grab a fork, napkin and those tangy toppings, we’re getting sloppy y’all! This easy 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!
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.
Dry and Canned 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!
√ 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 one a go!
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 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 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.
√ 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!
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!
White Bean Cabbage Potato Soup
√ Freezer Friendly √ Vegetarian √ Easily Vegan √ Gluten Free
This soup is easy to make and is super hearty. The recipe relies on canned cannellini beans and long storing cabbage, potatoes and leeks. Rich and full of flavor, the leftovers are even better!
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!
√ 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.
√ 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.
√ 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.
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
√ 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.
√ 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 recipe is fabulous in tortillas, but also, as a main component in burrito bowls.
√ 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!
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.
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 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!
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 dish.
Thai Vegetable Fried Rice with Toasty Cashews
√ Vegetarian √ Vegan √ Easily Gluten Free
Jasmine rice is so fragrant in this 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 √ 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!
√ 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 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!
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!
Hope you are okay and well… Your foods look delicious (the sandwich, The Miso Noodles and the Rice and Noodles dish. Great Job… Traci
Thank you for this list, Traci! Sharing immediately! Stay well, friend. XOXO.
Thank you so much Liz! You too. xoxo