Whether you're new to vegetarian eating as a way of life or just trying to decrease the family food budget by serving a few meatless meals each week, you may wonder what to serve for dinner without meat. Vegetarian meals can be much more diverse and offer more variety than the typical meat-based meal, often using ideas and ingredients from cultures around the world. Vegetables can serve as the foundation for a variety of vegetarian dinners. Some ideas include soups, salads and casseroles.
Soup
Vegetarian soups can be filling and hearty with the addition of beans and whole grains. Sauté celery, carrots and onions in butter or olive oil and then add a starch in the form of brown rice, potatoes, corn or small pasta shapes along with some vegetable broth or tomato juice. Add cooked beans and any other fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand such as green beans, squash, kale or cabbage and season with fresh or dried herbs. Add a can or two of beans for protein and serve the soup with cornbread or biscuits for a complete meal.
Salad
Main dish salads can make an excellent dinner for vegetarians, but you have to go beyond iceberg lettuce and a few vegetables to make it succeed. Use nutrient-packed greens like Romaine, spinach or Swiss chard for a base. Almost any food can be fair game for the salad bowl including cold leftover pasta, grains, and beans, nuts and seeds, cheese cubes, hard-boiled eggs and olives as well as all types of fresh and lightly steamed cold vegetables. Serve the salad with fresh crusty rolls or pack it into pita bread and top with your favorite dressing.
Casserole
To make a vegetarian casserole, begin by choosing a vegetable and a starch that go well together. Some good combinations include potatoes and spinach or kale, pasta and broccoli, rice and zucchini, millet and cauliflower, and beans, corn, and tomatoes. Cook the starch, steam or sauté the vegetable if desired and combine in a casserole dish. Add a mixture of several beaten eggs combined with milk or cream or a basic white sauce. Other ingredients to consider adding include cottage or ricotta cheese, cooked lentils, tofu, green onions, garlic and extra vegetables. Flavor the casserole with herbs, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and top with grated cheese and bread crumbs if desired.
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