Vegetarian Recipes and Meals

[SobaAddict70]

I´m hoping to resurrect this thread. While I cook a lot of vegetarian dinners, they tend to be of the "it´s just the 2 of us I´ll just make some pasta with loads of vegetables" kind.

I have a big dinner party coming up that has to be all vegetarian, and while I´m actually looking forward to this challenge, I could use some ideas for showstopping vegetarian dishes.

Who has made something awesome without meat or fish lately?

And ofcourse, while we´re at it, please post your everyday type vegetarian dishes, too.

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Here here...

Roasted winter root vegetables (assorted fingerlings, brussel sprouts, red carrots, white carrots, purple carrots) with ginger-scallion viniagrette

Mujadara -- lentils and rice cooked with spices and topped with fried onions. This is actually a pic I took some time ago. Last night's version used toor dal, the version in the pic had masoor dal.

[merstar]

I´m hoping to resurrect this thread. While I cook a lot of vegetarian dinners, they tend to be of the "it´s just the 2 of us I´ll just make some pasta with loads of vegetables" kind.

I have a big dinner party coming up that has to be all vegetarian, and while I´m actually looking forward to this challenge, I could use some ideas for showstopping vegetarian dishes.

Who has made something awesome without meat or fish lately?

And ofcourse, while we´re at it, please post your everyday type vegetarian dishes, too.

←

I eat mostly vegetarian, so I have lots of recipes. Here are several everyday dishes - many of them would be good for a dinner party also. Will PM any of these if you're interested:

Vegetable Couscous Paella

Curried Couscous Salad with Dried Cranberries

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Garlic Broth

Black Bean Patties with Cilantro and Lime

Vegetable Chili

Faux Fried Eggplant

Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic and Gorgonzola

SOUP:

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Yellow Pepper Soup

Curried Cauliflower Soup with Coriander Chutney

Carrot Soup With Spinach Chiffonade

Edited January 23, 2009 by merstar (log)

[fodgycakes]

I'm quite interested in this thread as well. Two of my roommates are vegetarian (actually one is pescetarian) and we cook dinner communally so I'm always looking for more ideas.

My roommates have a subscription to the Vegetarian Times which gives some good ideas. You can browse recipes online at the web site: http://www.vegetariantimes.com

I'm the dinner planner/chore assigner for the household so I happen to have a list of all our meals on my computer so here is a list of dinners we've had. Occasionally I'll cook a meat and non-meat version. Forgive any repeats, I went through quickly to remove them but may have missed some. If anyone is interested in any recipes just let me know.

sloppy joes, sweet potato fries

calzones

gazpacho, quesadillas

orzo with feta, tomato, olives

egg salad sandwiches, watermelon

stir-fried green beans with black bean sauce

Jamaican tempeh patties, collard greens, blackberries

Eggplant, tomato, tofu stirfry

Polenta, chicken/veg patties, brussels sprouts

Pasta with roasted squash, tomato sauce

Pad si iew with tofu

Falafel in pita

Pad Thai

Chicken/tofu, baked potato

Vegetable pan bagnat

Cabbage slaw, stuffed peppers

Pasta with marinara sauce, tofu, salad

Mexican pizza

Artichoke casserole

Ethiopian lentil stew with injera

Fried rice with tofu, broccoli

Taco salad

Vietnamese style curry, bread

Pasta with alfredo, peas, salad

Orange chipotle tofu, rice salad

Chipotle pesto pasta

Tofu, broccoli, green bean stir-fry

Pasta with roasted red peppers, chickpeas, artichokes

Asparagus, capers, and tofu with rice

Spaghetti and meatballs/fauxballs

Curry with cauliflowers, chickpeas

Bean and rice burritos

Eggplant and tomato casserole

Lasagna

Pasta salad

Bun thit/dau hu nuong - Vietnamese grilled meat/tofu over rice noodle salad

Roasted beet salad, avocado cheese and tomato sandwiches

Tofu-carrot cacciatore

General tso's tofu

Grilled cheese, tomato soup

Quiche, salad

Italian-style spaghetti squash

Mac and cheese, salad

tofu/seitan/faux chicken pot Pie, green beans

Pumpkin pancakes, hash browns, eggs

Mummy hot dogs, roasted red pepper "blood" soup

Kitty litter casserole

(this was a series of halloween dinners haha)

Spicy tempeh "bulgolgi", spinach

Veggie cottage pie

Mac and cheese pancakes, hash browns, fried eggs

Sesame tofu, broccoli

Ethiopian lentil stew, injera

Vegetable soup, garlic crostini

Pasta with tomato sauce, salad, garlic bread

Eggplant, tofu, tomato stir-fry

Beans and rice, spinach, corn salad

Carbonara, spinach & kale

Polenta pie, green beans

Beans and rice, corn salad

Huevos rancheros, cabbage slaw

Dried bean curd, mushroom, bok choy soup

Tortilla soup

Lemongrass tofu with rice, stir-fried baby bok choy

Canh chua - sour fish soup

Ca kho, bok choy - caramelized fish

Salt and pepper squid/shrimp, bok choy.

(a series of dinner during which the vegetarian was out of town)

Banh canh - Vietnamese tapioca noodle soup

Onion confit and stilton quiche, roasted pear salad

Tofurky, potatoes, salad

Provencal style edamame

Chili, cornbread

Onion confit pizza

BLT, roasted red pepper tomato soup

Eggplant and hummus wraps

Burgers, fries

Brazilian stew

Curry, rice

Mexican lasagna

Caramelized pork belly/tofu, pickled bean sprouts

Pasta with pesto and potatoes

Dolmas, salad

Kalbi/tofu, rice, green beans, soy bean sprouts

Bibimbap

Kielbasa, spaetzle, swiss chard

Palak paneer

Salad, bread, cheese, fruit, wine

Peanut sesame noodles

Pasta primavera

Tofu tomato soup

[C. sapidus]

Butternut squash with curry leaves, adapted from My Bombay Kitchen. Sliced squash tossed with olive oil, garlic, fresh and dried chiles, and salt. Strewn with curry leaves and baked in a hot oven. The savory flavors contrasted nicely with the sweet squash, and the browned bits were especially delightful.

This was not our whole meal, but for me, it could have been.

[Katie Meadow]

What do you do when you have nothing but zucchini, 3 potatoes and an onion in the house? Make Deb Madison's Zucchini and Herb Fritters. Okay, yes I had basil (one out of the three herbs suggested), eggs and bread crumbs, which was all it took. They are excellent--better than they have a right to be. (They cook more like pancakes, with very little oil in the pan.) My husband wanted sour cream on his, but I liked them plain. Fresh salsa would be very good. Serve with pan-fried potatoes with caramelized onion.

Bruce, that butternut squash with curry leaves looks perfect. Is that all there is to it, as you describe? Can you get me the recipe?

[C. sapidus]

Bruce, that butternut squash with curry leaves looks perfect. Is that all there is to it, as you describe? Can you get me the recipe?

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Thank you, Katie. Yup, the recipe is pretty simple. My Bombay Kitchen is well worth getting, but in the meantime here is a link to the recipe: pumpkin roasted with curry leaves (clickety). I hope you enjoy it.

[Pat W]

My Bombay Kitchen is well worth getting, but in the meantime here is a link to the recipe: pumpkin roasted with curry leaves (clickety). I hope you enjoy it.

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Thanks very much for that link. Your photo looks scrumptious!

[SobaAddict70]

Been on a semi-vegetarian kick lately.

Some meals in the past month:

Angel hair, asparagus and spinach soup

* French omelette, spinach and radish greens sauteed in butter, roasted radishes with marjoram and mint

* Sheep's milk ricotta gnocchi with chanterelles, zucchini and nasturtium flowers

* Roasted asparagus, Parmesan cheese and slow-cooked egg

* Sweet polenta, mascarpone cheese and strawberry confiture

* Asparagus risotto with ramps "pesto"

Spring minestrone

* Fromage blanc omelette with green garlic, pan-fried potatoes

* Broccoli rabe and beans with sourdough-garlic croutons and cheese

Corn should be making its appearance in the next few weeks. I'm looking forward to it.

[heidih]

With the recent press about Meatless Mondays I was curious about meat free meals we are doing. In a recent Washington Post article here it is noted that even Mario Batali is offering several meatless meals on Mondays in his restaurants. I am a vegetable lover but I always seem to slip in a tiny bit of meat "for flavor" so I am up for ideas and eager to think outside my usual box.

[Chris Hennes]

Tomorrow night I'm making enchiladas from Rick Bayless's Fiesta at Rick's: it's a traditional Mexican enchilada Suiza, but instead of a meat filling you use roasted vegetables. If you make the sauce with a vegetable stock (which I am doing), the recipe is completely vegetarian.

[heidih]

What interests me the most is composing a vegetarian meal that incorporates depths and varieties of flavor with various textures, feels integrated, and leaves the diners on that teeter-totter between satisfied and excited. I realize that many cultures have rich histories of vegetarian cooking. Just wondering what eGulleters are up to.

[cathyeats]

I love your description, Heidi!

A vegetarian meal I make often is a curried quinoa with cauliflower. Quite easy and simple, yet full of complex flavors. Here is the recipe and accompanying photo (not the most stellar photo, but you get the idea.) Let me know if anyone makes this - I'm curious to hear if you like it as much as I do.

Curried Quinoa with Cauliflower

2 T. oil (canola, high-oleic safflower, or olive oil)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. minced fresh ginger

1 carrot, cut into 1/2 inch half-moons

1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets

1/4 tsp. salt, or more to taste

5 t. curry powder

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1 cup water

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup quinoa (recommend Ancient Harvest’s no-rinse variety)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic and carrot, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower, spices and salt, and cook for another minute. Add 1 cup water, then cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add the peas during the last minute of cooking.

Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to the package directions. Mix the curried vegetables into the quinoa and serve. Top with nonfat yogurt, soy yogurt or raita, and toasted slivered almonds.

[Darienne]

The timing of this post could not have been better. I am SO impressed by your quinoa salad that I was set to find a recipe to use quinoa as a base...as in rice, or couscous, etc.

This will be for lunch (our dinner) tomorrow. And I'll report back.

Cathy, you are a treasure!

I too love what Heidi says. Having been a vegetarian for years (now a Lessmeatarian [Mark Bittman]), I was so sick of being fed meals, when out at a social affair, on board business, etc, that were so nothing. 'They' ate Filet Mignon...while I was given a pathetic salad or at best, Fettuccine Alfredo. I would eat Fettuccine Alfredo again at gunpoint only.

So right about other cultures having wonderful vegetarian dishes, ones which celebrate the ingredients!

One book I cook from often is: Habeeb Salloum. Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the MIddle East and North Africa. Of course there is no quinoa in this book and so to find a non-grain substitute for rice, couscous, Bulgar, etc...all of which I LOVE :wub: , all of which are grains...is terrific!

[Darienne]

A vegetarian meal I make often is a curried quinoa with cauliflower.

It was delicious. Absolutely delicious. I added a red bell pepper to the mix because I have an excess of them right now, and it fit in very nicely.

[LindaK]

If you like chick peas as much as I do, here's one to try: chana punjabi. I make this often, tweaking the recipe to add a little more ginger and garlic. Serve over basmati rice, top with a dollop of yogurt and additional chopped cilantro. It's really tasty. Spinach makes a good side dish.

Leftovers also freeze well, so I usually have a ziplock bag or two in the freezer with single serving portions. Even frozen, it reheats quickly, maybe needing a spoonful of water, something I'm always grateful for when I get home from work late in the evening and am hungry.

[Darienne]

Lunch today was a delicious combo of Linda K's Chana Punjabi with Cathy Eats' Curried Quinoa with Cauliflower, accompanied by toasted sliced almonds and an interesting melange of the end of the yoghurt, sour cream and coconut milk, all mixed together.

DH was in heaven.

[cathyeats]

Darienne, thank you (again) - it's so cool to have fans of my recipes and blog.

I never thought of eating the quinoa dish along with chickpeas. Sounds like a great combination. Linda, I think I'll make the chana punjabi tomorrow night!

Cathy

[Darienne]

Darienne, thank you (again) - it's so cool to have fans of my recipes and blog.

I never thought of eating the quinoa dish along with chickpeas. Sounds like a great combination. Linda, I think I'll make the chana punjabi tomorrow night!

Cathy

The combination was a happy accident. I had no idea of whether they would mesh or not. I did like the idea of the spinach, but had none. Living in the 'middle of nowhere' is not conducive to last minute purchases...

[SobaAddict70]

Late night snack of peas and carrots.

Recipe on the blog.

[heidih]

Soba I love the idea of vegetables as a late night snack. I have vowed to use every vegetable I grow so that will be a concept I employ.

I had not given vegetable stocks much thought before and have been intrigued by this topic.

[Shel_B]

I'm looking for some vegetarian recipes from the Mid-East, Turkey, Pakistan, etc. It would be a bonus if you have any background on the recipe, such as where it's from, info on any hard-to-find ingredients, etc.

Thanks for any help,

[Darienne]

Claudia Roden, A Book of Middle Eastern Food is the best although it is not vegetarian. I use Mabeeb Salloum, Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East and North Africa for a lot of recipes. The book does not call for traditional ingredients...it was written for a North American audience...the but food is good.

How 'authentic' do you want to be?

[Richard Kilgore]

I often cook for someone who is vegetarian of one type or another, and myself prefer to have one meatless dinner meal each week. So I need some help with suggestions for vegetarian main dishes.

What are your favorite veggie main dishes? Recipes?

[SobaAddict70]

One of my favorites:

Broccoli rabe and heirloom beans with sourdough-garlic croutons and cheese

The actual ingredients don't matter. Greens can be chard, escarole, broccoli, broccoli rabe or cabbage. Beans are typically Rancho Gordo but can also be any kind of dried or canned beans. Croutons are usually homemade.

Recipe here. Method is easy -- make a mirepoix, saute in olive oil until tender; add greens and bean cooking liquid. Add beans when greens have wilted. Cook until greens are done. Taste for salt, then add chopped herbs, extra-virgin olive oil, croutons and cheese. Serve.

Another favorite:

Winter-spring minestrone

Again, the actual ingredients don't matter. Use whatever you've got on hand. This version features Bintje and Purple Peruvian potatoes, carrots, parsnips, celery, celery leaves, asparagus, ramps, watercress, onion, shallot and two kinds of beans from Rancho Gordo, along with vegetable stock, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh thyme and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with bread and a salad and you're good to go.

I also like ricotta gnocchi -- more versatile than the usual potato.

This pic features ricotta gnocchi with Sungold cherry tomatoes and shiitake mushrooms. I make gnocchi throughout the year and pair it with whatever's in season. In the winter, it's usually a mix of crimini and reconstituted dried porcini mushrooms, or wilted cabbage and caramelized onion, or puréed Jerusalem artichokes, turnips and heirloom carrots.

Edited January 25, 2011 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[BadRabbit]

Vegetable Koftas are good and I've had some made with cauliflour that felt and tasted much like meat. I'm a big time carnivore but could still eat nothing but Nawabi Malai Kofta at a nearby restaurant and not miss the meat at all.

The downside is that some vegetarians really dislike that it tastes and feels like meat.