25 Best Vegetarian Recipes

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Rösti Casserole with Baked Eggs

You'll love this Rösti Casserole with Baked Eggs. Why? Because rösti (pronounced RAW-stee or ROOSH-tee) is basically an irresistible form of hash browns, consisting of shredded potatoes that are cooked until browned and crisp along the edges. We have whittled down the calories in this traditional Swiss dish and added our own spin with a little grated turnip thrown in the mix for earthy-sweet flavor, plus a good dose of Greek yogurt for tang and extra protein. And we’ve turned the whole thing into a casserole that includes runny-yolked eggs. Serve with a colorful tossed salad for an easy brunch or breakfast-for-dinner option

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

Homemade enchilada sauce adds authentic flavor that makes this dish truly memorable. Making it is an easy process that starts with dried ancho chiles, which provide medium heat, slightly smoky flavor, and a pleasing mix of fruity and bitter notes. Look for bags of dried ancho chiles on the Latin foods aisle of your supermarket; sometimes, you’ll also find them in the produce section. If you want a spicier sauce, toss a raw (whole) jalapeño or serrano pepper in the blender. Be sure to warm the tortillas according to package instructions; they’ll be more pliable when warm and less likely to tear.

Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit

These bunless burgers are wonderfully hearty, with a crisp exterior and chewy-creamy interior. Though they do admittedly require a good bit of prep, the results are well worth it (just read the reviews!). For whole-grain bonus points, use cooked whole-grain (also labeled “hulled”) barley instead of pearled barley, and swap in whole-wheat panko for traditional. You may just love these burgers so much that you’ll make a double batch next time; reviewers have noted that they freeze well. The fruit salsa is, as the recipe title states, fiery—the heat comes from the minced serrano chile. For a milder version, seed the chile, leave it out, or opt for a milder jalapeño or Fresno chile.

Vegetable "Meat" Loaf

Vegetarians and carnivores alike will love this ingenious twist on meat loaf. The meaty-flavored, umami-rich recipe received our Test Kitchen's highest rating. Though it does involve a few steps, they all add up to incredible flavor: Roasted bell peppers are slightly smoky, sweet, and silky; sautéed creminis have a concentrated mushroom flavor; and toasted walnuts offer hearty texture. Since you’ll already have your food processor out for finely chopping the mushrooms, you can also use it to chop the onion and walnuts. Do what you can to steal away a portion of leftovers into the fridge; it will make for a great “meat” loaf sandwich the next day.

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Goat Cheese

This is no ordinary pasta salad. It’s an elegant, entertaining-worthy dish that expertly builds flavor through simple techniques and well-chosen ingredients. Cherry tomatoes and asparagus roast until toasty and slightly caramelized; herbes de Provence lend sophisticated flavor notes; briny kalamata olives and pungent goat cheese add tangy, salty layers. You can easily swap in whole-wheat penne or rotini to boost the nutrition; the bold flavors of the salad will stand up to the earthy pasta. Leftovers are great refrigerator-cold, so this makes a great brown-bag dish. Arugula’s slightly peppery bite is fantastic, but you can also use kale, spinach, or spring mix instead.

Tuscan White Bean Soup with Escarole

Hearty but not heavy, this brothy, chock-full–of–veggies soup is sure to satisfy. It features escarole, a mildly bitter green with heads that look like fluffy, ruffly-edged romaine lettuce. If you can’t find escarole, substitute an equal amount of coarsely chopped lacinato or red kale, Swiss chard, or spinach. We add a half-teaspoon of crushed red pepper to complement the greens and creamy Great Northern beans with a fair amount of heat; decrease the amount if you’re sensitive to spice. A chunk of Parmesan cheese rind simmers in the soup, contributing lots of richness and depth; you can substitute a tablespoon of white miso if you don’t have a cheese rind stashed in your fridge or freezer.