Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 20 Vegetarian Recipes You Can Make on Meatless Monday—and Beyond Choose from meat-free apps, mains, and more! By Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner Instagram Twitter Website Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner is a writer and recipe developer. She's a regular contributor to The New York Times, Time Out New York, Forbes, and many more publications. She also writes the food newsletter, Specialty. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 4, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: GREG DUPREE Meatless summer? We're in! The warm months are maybe the best time to try eating plant-based meals, when summer's bounty is delicious, diverse, and practically begging to star in everything from dips to desserts. Backyard barbecues, beach parties, and park picnics can all be lush with veggies thanks to these excellent summer vegetarian recipes. Scroll down for some meat-free appetizers, main courses, desserts, and more! 01 of 20 Toasted Israeli Couscous With Corn and Herbs Greg DuPree A salad that's excellent as an appetizer or an entree, this toasted couscous with fresh summer corn offers a pop of sweetness and texture in every bite. Try it with leftover grilled corn for another savory twist. Toasted Israeli Couscous With Corn and Herbs 02 of 20 Corn and Pepper Scramble Caitlin Bensel If you're a gardener, farmer's market frequenter, or CSA (community-supported agriculture) subscriber, you're all too familiar with the abundance of corn and peppers in your fridge come midsummer. Use some of that bright, fresh flavor in a quick breakfast or lunch, and top it with crumbly cheese and hot sauce for an extra boost. Corn and Pepper Scramble 03 of 20 Peanut Butter Ramen Antonis Achilleos This quick vegetarian dinner recipe is super easy to whip up—it takes less than 10 minutes to make, and you can throw in an abundance of raw or cold leftover veggies to dress it up. With endless renditions of these plant-based creamy noodles, they can easily become a new summer staple. Thai Peanut Butter Ramen 04 of 20 Tomato, Corn, and Red Cabbage Salad Paul Sirisalee Whip this up for a picnic or to top any variety of vegetarian proteins, like grilled tofu, seitan (aka vegan chicken), or halloumi. It will add some acidity and bright color to any meal! And if you have leftovers, give this salad a refresh by tossing in your favorite summer herbs. Tomato, Corn, and Red Cabbage Salad 05 of 20 Grilled Cauliflower Steaks With Romesco and Manchego Victor Protasio Cauliflower steaks are always a good idea, especially when you can grill them outdoors on a warm night. Just bring all the elements near the grill so you can plate everything once these plant-based steaks are cooked to perfection. Grilled Cauliflower Steaks With Romesco and Manchego 06 of 20 Lemony Chopped Salad with Pita Victor Protasio This fattoush-inspired chopped salad is truly stunning to look at, but also way too easy to eat, with the perfect ratios of crispness, crunch, and tangy lemon dressing. Pita croutons are the perfect topping! Lemony Chopped Salad With Pita 07 of 20 Zucchini Pesto Pasta Caitlin Bensel Summer and pesto go together like sprinkles and ice cream. Delicious at any temperature, pesto pasta is both healthy and decadent, especially in this recipe that adds zucchini strands to the final dish. Zucchini Pesto Pasta 08 of 20 Grilled Halloumi Salad Greg DuPree Don't sleep on halloumi as an excellent summer vegetarian meal! This chewy cheese is amazing on the grill, as a salad topper, or on its own with your own choice of grilled veggies. If you don't want to cook the halloumi in a skillet, try it on skewers instead. Grilled Halloumi Salad 09 of 20 Lemony Cucumber-and-Herb Pasta Salad Greg DuPree The combo of mustard, garlic, and lemon in this dressing may just make it your summer salad go-to, but first, you need to try it with pasta and cucumbers. Talk about beach picnic goals! Lemony Pasta Salad With Cucumber 10 of 20 Meatless Meatball Subs Caitlin Bensel Summer is a perfect time for a lighter version of a traditional meal. This vegetarian take on meatball subs features eggplant and umami-filled mushrooms. It's also a great recipe to double, freeze half, and eat the second portion later in a grain bowl. Meatless Meatball Subs 11 of 20 Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl Jen Causey You may be used to mole with chicken, but it works equally well to flavor beans, veggies, and dressings. Crispy cauliflower and pumpkin seeds make this bowl a crunchy delight. Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl 12 of 20 Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries Gentl + Hyers White wine and tarragon help to flavor this hearty grain bowl, while the cranberries give it a sweet-tart boost. Top with parsley and enjoy this as a side dish or combined with a salad for a light dinner. Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries 13 of 20 Black Bean Tostadas With Sweet Potato and Poblanos Victor Protasio Black Bean Tostadas With Sweet Potato and Poblanos A rainbow of bright veggies adorns this black bean tostada. Shredded cabbage and radishes add a fresh crunch alongside the sweet potato and poblanos. This dish can be turned into nachos by subbing in tortilla chips for the corn tostadas. 14 of 20 Summer Nachos Greg DuPree Corn spiced with paprika and golden-seared zucchini top these cheesy nachos. Tie it all together by drizzling a creamy avocado-yogurt dressing over the tray. This works as a meal or as a fun, semi-healthy appetizer at a party. Summer Nachos 15 of 20 Mushroom White Pizza Greg DuPree This pizza's base couldn't be easier to fix: Just mix ricotta, shredded mozzarella, garlic, and oil. Add the sauteed mushrooms and slide into a hot oven for 12 minutes. Serve with a side salad for a light, summer meal. Mushroom White Pizza 16 of 20 Cauliflower Tartine With Romesco Sauce Caitlin Bensel You'll need a fork and knife to eat this unique, open-faced, vegetarian sandwich. Shallots, garlic, and raisins join two types of cauliflower (roasted and pickled) on sourdough, and it's topped off with a creamy Romesco sauce made from red peppers. Cauliflower Tartine With Romesco Sauce 17 of 20 Pistachio Pudding Hector Manuel Sanchez A cold scoop of fresh pudding on a hot day just hits the spot, especially when it boasts a beautiful green hue. And yes, that color is all natural thanks to the healthy pistachios. Pistachio Pudding 18 of 20 Frozen Strawberry Trifle Caitlin Bensel This make-ahead dessert only uses six ingredients, making it a breeze to prepare and have ready in the freezer for a special occasion. Cutting into the layers for that first bite of ice cream-covered strawberries is just delightful! Frozen Strawberry Trifle 19 of 20 Orange Dreamsicle Icebox Cake Caitlin Bensel Making a cake crust from flat graham crackers is the ultimate hack, and you just know that dreamsicle anything sparks so much joy. Bring this no-bake cake out at the end of a summer vegetarian meal for the ultimate creamy treat. Orange Dreamsicle Icebox Cake 20 of 20 Mixed Berry Biscuit Cobbler Kelsey Hansen When the weather cooperates and you can turn on your oven, a berry cobbler is the perfect summer treat. The biscuits on top of these berries add a wonderful crumbly layer that can arguably be eaten for breakfast and dessert alike. Mixed Berry Biscuit Cobbler Interested in a Flexitarian Diet? 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