30 Best Meatless Monday Recipes

These Meatless Monday recipes make dinnertime so much more enjoyable.

From cheesy eggplant parmesan to a hearty 15 bean soup to crunchy tacos, there’s something for everybody on this list.

If you’re not familiar, Meatless Monday is a campaign launched in Britain back in 2009 to make the world a better place for animals.

Small efforts, when taken by a whole nation, can make a big change!

Over the years, the campaign has spread worldwide. If you’re a huge supporter of the cause, but running out of vegetarian dishes to try, I have you covered.

With these scrumptious recipes, Meatless Monday has never been easier, or more delicious. Let’s dig in.

1. Eggplant Parmesan

Let’s kick things off with the lasagna’s vegetarian cousin, eggplant parmesan.

In this dish are layers of crispy, battered eggplant, sweet and savory marinara sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.

Once baked, the cheese gets nicely melted, covering the entire casserole with ooey-gooey perfection.

Each layer is already decadent on its own, but together, they create magic. With how decadent this eggplant parmesan is, you definitely won’t miss the meat.

2. Butternut Squash Soup

This butternuts squash soup is a sweet and creamy bowl of comfort. One spoonful will cure all the blues.

The sweet and nutty flavors of butternut squash, carrots, onions, and potatoes shine through in this soup.

There’s no cream or milk involved, just some chicken stock for added flavor.

Yet, this soup is ridiculously rich, creamy, and downright delicious. It goes to show that vegetables are scrumptious even on their own.

Also, this blog comes with a hack to make peeling butternut squash a breeze! 

3. The Best Vegetarian Chili

Chili purists may frown upon the lack of meat in this vegetarian chili, but I’ll bet once they try it, they’ll change their minds.

Even without the meat, this chili is ridiculously delicious.

The combination of beans, sweet potatoes, and sweet corn creates such delectable flavors and textures.

You can even take it to a whole new level by topping it with shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Tex-Mex chili for the win!

4. Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese

I can’t think of a more scrumptious comfort food than mac and cheese. When I’m feeling a little low, nothing beats the joy and hope a bowl of mac and

cheese gives.

There are hundreds of mac and cheese recipes out there, but I always come home to this Cracker Barrel copycat recipe.

It’s straightforward, nothing fancy, but it sure hits the spot. When everything else doesn’t go my way, I can always count on this simple dish.

5. Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas

These enchiladas are the ultimate vegetarian treat! If you’re considering going vegetarian, this dish might just seal the deal.

Stuffed with black beans, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli, these guys are bursting with color, flavor, and texture.

But it doesn’t end there. The scrumptious wraps are bathed in a homemade red sauce, making them even more addictive than they already are.

6. Smoky Potato Chickpea Stew

Looking for warmth in fall or winter? This chickpea stew fits the bill. 

Chickpeas, potatoes, kale, and tomatoes make this stew vibrant and full of flavor.

Seasoned with garlic, ginger, curry, paprika, and red peppers, it’s undeniably cozy and warming.

Imagine yourself curled up on my couch and inhaling this outrageously tasty stew. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect evening?

7. Baked Ziti Vegetarian

Baked ziti is lasagna for the lazy. It has all the flavors you love in a lasagna, but minus the work. 

Ziti noodles are layered with vegetables, marinara, and ricotta, and baked into bubbly perfection. 

It’s easy enough to fit a busy schedule but tastes like it took you several hours to make.

It has none of the usual meaty sauce, but what it lacks in meat, it makes up for with veggies.

I’m talking zucchini, bell peppers, and onions! Of course, if you have other veggies lying around in your pantry, feel free to add them in.

8. Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza

Pizza’s always a good idea, even if it’s vegetarian. This recipe makes such an addictive treat – so good, one slice isn’t enough.

So here’s how it goes: crescent rolls are smeared with cream cheese and topped with fresh veggies and shredded cheese.

Just because it’s not loaded with pepperoni, sausage crumbles, or salami, doesn’t mean it’s meh. Trust me, this pizza will blow your tastebuds away.

From the buttery crust to the salty and tart cream cheese to the fresh veggies, this pizza will be a sure hit.

9. 15 Bean Soup

Fifteen beans in one soup? I’ll have one giant bowl, please!

This soup is as hearty as can be. All those different beans work so well together in creating this masterpiece.

They’re melt-in-you-mouth tender but will still give you a bit of a starchy bite. 

But it’s not just all beans in there. This soup also features ham, celery, and onions, and is seasoned with garlic, herbs, and more. 

It may make you toot, which may not smell good, but this soup is definitely great food.

10. Veggie Burgers

While I do agree that nothing beats the goodness of a perfectly charred, tender, and juicy beef burger patty, I also won’t say no to these veggie burgers.

Veggie burgers get a bad rap for not even coming close to tasting like a beef burger at all.

But if you open your mind a little, you’ll find that they – especially these – are actually full of flavor.

These veggie burgers are made of seasoned and roasted broccoli, black beans, mushrooms, carrots, and onions.

They’re mixed with walnuts, spinach, and herbs, and turned into delicious patties.

While they don’t mimic the flavor of beef at all, you can already tell from the recipe just how fantastic they are.

11. Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Elevate bland cauliflower and turn it into a scrumptious steak!

Rub those steaks with spices and seasonings and roasted them in the oven. Trust me, they’re delicious.

Roasting does wonders for veggies. It brings out their natural sugars and gives them an even deeper flavor. 

It also creates a lovely outer crust around the cauliflower, adding another layer of texture to the vegetable. What a wonderful transformation.

12. Buffalo Chickpea Tacos

These chickpea tacos are outrageously delicious.

Soft and fluffy flour tortillas are topped with buffalo chickpeas, lettuce, jalapenos, cilantro, and a creamy ranch dressing.

You’ll love the idea of flavoring regular chickpeas with buffalo sauce. If you close your eyes, they might actually fool you into thinking they’re the real deal.

The colors in these tacos alone will make you drool. And once you take your first bite, it’ll be impossible to stop.

13. Homemade Easy Falafel Wrap

Who needs meat if you can have falafel? 

If you think falafel requires a lot of effort to make, think again. They’re actually super simple!

These falafels have the perfect texture – crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Wrapped together with tomatoes, pickles, cucumbers, onions, and a tahini dressing in soft pita bread, this wrap is the stuff of legends.

14. Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are stuffed with black beans and baked to perfection in this extremely mouthwatering recipe.

Sweet potatoes and black beans together in one dish? If hearty is what you’re looking for, well, you’ve just found it.

Besides the beans, the sweet potatoes are also stuffed with avocados and cilantro and smothered with a rich and creamy cashew cream sauce.

You’re welcome.

15. Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

I tried to stay away from it for so long because I was intimidated by the name. Honestly, I didn’t even know how to pronounce it!

But when a friend made me try it many years ago, I fell in love. I had no idea it was so simple – just olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. 

Despite its simplicity, though, it had such complex flavors. My mind was blown.

If you’ve never had it yet, take this as a sign. Aglio e olio is a must try.

16. Grilled Veggie Burrito Bowls

Let’s take a moment to appreciate how gorgeous these veggie burritos are. To say they’re colorful is an understatement.

Expect the refreshing flavors of black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and grilled peppers, onions, and sweet corn on a bed of creamy green rice.

What on earth is green rice, you ask? Oh, nothing. Just some brown rice dressed with creamy avocado sauce. 

The components are delicious on their own, but together, they’re phenomenal.

17. Hummus Veggie Wraps

Alfalfa sprouts, micro-greens, cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, and a ridiculously rich and creamy hummus are all stuffed together in one mouthwatering wrap.

This is a vegetable burrito at its best. 

This recipe is easily customizable, so feel free to add whatever veggies you can find in your pantry or fridge. 

If you’ll add carrots, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and the like, I suggest you roast them beforehand.

It’ll bring out the sweetness of the veggies, giving them a deeper, better flavor.

18. Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

There are tons of delectable items in a Panera Bread menu, but the one thing I can never live without is their broccoli cheddar soup.

If you’ve never had it, you’re missing out. Don’t worry, this copycat recipe makes a good replica.

A thick and creamy soup is filled with broccoli, carrots, and ooey-gooey, melted cheddar cheese.

Serve this in a bread bowl and you’ll have a hearty, complete meal.

19. Vegetable Stir Fry

A medley of veggies is stir-fried in butter, garlic, ginger, and a thick and savory sauce. It’s a very simple dish, but it delivers.

Complete with mushrooms, baby corn, red bell peppers, and broccoli, the only thing missing is a bed of rice. 

Even just butter alone will make these vegetables taste heavenly.

So just imagine how even more phenomenal they are when coated in a thick sauce of chicken broth, honey, soy sauce, and hot sauce.

I have one word: yum.

20. Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

This lasagna has layers of mushroom tomato sauce, lasagna noodles, spinach, and a medley of cheeses.

If you can’t have meat but you’re missing its flavor, this lasagna is for you.

The tomato sauce is loaded with cremini and shiitake mushrooms and seasoned beautifully with garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes.

21. Easy Tofu Pad Thai

Pad Thai is a traditional Thai dish of rice noodles, eggs, tofu, and shrimp tossed with a sweet, sour, and salty sauce.

This version of the delicious dish is much simpler but definitely delicious. 

With just rice noodles, tofu, green onions, bean sprouts, and a sauce flavored with soy-free soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, this pad Thai is a plant-based version that’s just as tasty as the original.

22. Roasted Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

Is it an enchilada, a casserole, or a lasagna? I can’t even tell anymore! All I know is that it’s crazy delicious.

This casserole has layers of salsa, tortilla bread, beans, roasted vegetables, and melty cheese. Each layer is amazing, but the vegetables are definitely the star.

Cauliflower, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, and onions are coated with olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper. Then, they’re roasted to perfection. OMG.

Roasting caramelizes the vegetables, making them sweeter. The oil gives them a crisp outer crust, while the seasonings give them an even deeper flavor. 

23. One-Pot Mexican Spiced Veggie Quinoa

Add a festive Mexican twist to the nutritious quinoa for a delectable feast.

Crunchy and nutty quinoa grains are made more delectable with jalapenos, bell peppers, zucchini, black beans, tomatoes, and corn.

Seasoned with chili powder and cumin, this dish is refreshing and flavorful with a spicy kick.

24. Potato Leek Soup

Potage Parmentier is a classic French soup. It sounds so fancy, and it is, but the recipe is actually pretty simple.

The soup is a combination of pureed potatoes and leeks, flavored with herbs and seasonings, and made rich and creamy with cream.

I love how smooth and velvety this soup is. There aren’t any chunks of meat or veggies involved, but it’s brimming with complex flavors, nonetheless.

25. Homemade Cauliflower Gnocchi

It’s gnocchi, but instead of potatoes, you’ll use cauliflower. If you want a healthier alternative to the classic pasta dish, this recipe is for you.

The recipe makes soft and pillowy gnocchi dumplings that you’re free to dress with whatever sauce you please.

For me, though, nothing beats the classic sage and butter sauce.

26. Fettuccine Alfredo

I can never say no to a good fettuccine Alfredo. This pasta dish is unbelievably rich, creamy, and cheesy.

Why settle for sauce in a jar when you can make one so easily at home?

All you’ll need is heavy cream, parmesan cheese, butter, garlic, and salt. It couldn’t be any easier than that.

27. Veggie Fried Rice

This veggie fried rice is so fully loaded, it’s a complete meal on its own.

Cooked white rice is fried with carrots, bell peppers, garlic, scrambled eggs, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

I mean, how ridiculously awesome does that sound? From the colors to the flavors to the textures, I give this dish a perfect score.

28. Farmer’s Market Veggie Quesadillas

These quesadillas aren’t just loaded with melted cheese, but with an array of vegetables as well.

This recipe calls for zucchini, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, black beans, and greens, but when it comes to quesadilla fillings, anything goes.

Throw in whatever fresh veggies you have there, and it’ll still taste amazing.

29. Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Nothing beats a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup to welcome fall. 

This soup is outrageously rich and creamy. It’s wonderfully sweet and nutty and made even tastier with thyme, garlic, and pepper.

As if you need any more reason to fall in love with autumn. 

30. Instant Pot Lentil Soup

This lentil soup is what I call happiness in a bowl.

Full of tender lentils, carrots, and crushed tomatoes, nothing screams hearty and comforting more than this soup does.