Looking for vegetarian dinner recipes to change up your usual rotation? Think golden stuffed shells, colorful enchiladas and bowls of noodles piled with toppings.
These dinner ideas give you plenty to choose from, whether you’re in the mood for pasta or something with lots of vegetables.
You can keep things simple or go all out with the extras. Use these pictures as inspiration rather than full cooking instructions. When choosing recipes, check that broths, sauces and cheeses are vegetarian too.
Vegetarian dinner ideas worth saving
mushrooms in creamy sauce
We’re starting off strong with this gorgeous pan of mushrooms. I love how the sliced mushrooms peek through the thick, pale brown sauce, with chopped herbs scattered over the top.
For your own dinner, try serving a mushroom dish like this over noodles or mashed potatoes. There’s plenty of inspiration here for the sauce lovers.
Read also: 20 Japanese Dinner Ideas With Rice Bowls, Noodles and More
bean and vegetable enchiladas
How good do these enchiladas look? Black beans and colorful diced vegetables fill the rolled tortillas, with red sauce and melted cheese over the top.
The big white dollop and leafy cilantro finish the plate. If you like that combination, try adding sour cream to your own serving.
eggplant and spaghetti
If you love pasta with lots of sauce, this one is for you. Golden-coated eggplant slices sit over spaghetti with chunky red sauce and a fine grated topping.
I’d keep those big slices rather than cutting the eggplant into little pieces.
chickpea tikka masala
This chickpea tikka masala may just be one of my favorites here. I love the orange sauce against the white rice, plus the browned flatbread tucked into the bowl.
Follow the serving idea with a little chopped green garnish. Keep some bread on the side if you want something to scoop through the sauce.
golden stuffed shells
I am obsessed with the golden top on these stuffed shells. Each shell has a pale, leafy-green filling, with red sauce showing around the edges of the pan.
If you want to try this combination, look for a spinach and ricotta version made with vegetarian cheeses. I’d serve it straight from the baking dish.
sweet potato and black bean chili
Don’t want pasta tonight? No problem!
This sweet potato and black bean chili gives you a colorful bowl with orange cubes, dark beans and chunky tomatoes. The lime wedge tucked along the edge is a little detail I’d keep.
Read also: 20 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes and Meal Ideas to Inspire Your Week
tofu pad thai
The noodle fans are going to love this! Golden tofu cubes sit among flat noodles, carrot strips and greens, with chopped peanuts scattered all over.
I especially love the generous toppings. For your own vegetarian version, choose a pad thai sauce without fish sauce, then bring in lime and sliced scallions.
butternut squash risotto
This butternut squash risotto is such a pretty dinner idea. Little orange pieces sit throughout the rice, with sage leaves on top.
If you’re looking for something without a pile of toppings, save this one.
mushroom burger with red onions
Who says a veggie burger has to look plain? This one has a big mushroom cap, dark red onion ribbons and lettuce spilling out beneath a glossy seeded bun.
That tall stack is my favorite part. For a similar dinner, choose a vegetarian cheese to melt over your mushroom.
colorful vegetable quesadillas
How good is this filling? Red and yellow peppers, purple onion and leafy greens peek out from the browned tortilla wedges.
There’s melted cheese tucked inside too.
Try serving your quesadillas with a little bowl of sour cream rather than putting the dip directly on the plate.
lentil shepherd’s pie
I love this thick potato topping with its little forked ridges. Underneath, you can see lentils and carrot pieces in a reddish sauce.
This is a lovely dinner direction if you’d rather have a potato-topped bake than another pasta dish.
tomato and basil flatbread
Don’t want to go overboard with the toppings? This flatbread keeps the main ones simple with tomato slices, melted white cheese and ribbons of basil.
The browned edges look especially good. I’d add a green salad on the side if you want to turn a flatbread like this into dinner.
cauliflower and potato red curry
There’s so much to love in this Thai red curry. Cauliflower florets, little potato rounds and red pepper strips sit in the orange sauce, with greens mixed throughout.
For your own version, check that the curry paste is free of shrimp paste. A bowl of rice alongside would be my choice.
zucchini lasagna layers
Look at all those layers! Thin zucchini slices alternate with pasta and a pale filling beneath a golden top.
I love the green edges showing through the slice, especially with those big basil leaves above.
falafel and hummus bowl
If you are looking for lots of variety on one plate, then this one is for you. There are browned falafel, hummus, a chopped green salad, olives and pickles.
The overlapping cucumber and radish slices are so pretty. Keep everything in little sections like this if you want to follow the same bowl idea.
vegetable egg fried rice
This is another colorful bowl, but it’s a little different from the one above. Broccoli, peas and carrot pieces run through the rice, with yellow egg pieces scattered throughout.
I love the sliced scallions and sesame seeds on top.
black bean stuffed peppers
These stuffed peppers definitely don’t hold back on the filling. Black beans and a chunky orange-red mixture are piled into red, yellow and green pepper halves.
Try mixing pepper colors in your own baking dish. It’s a simple way to follow this presentation without adding another topping.
brown butter sage gnocchi
I am obsessed with those browned patches on the gnocchi. The sage leaves and fine grated topping look so lovely scattered between the golden pieces.
Save this brown butter sage idea if you prefer your gnocchi without a heavy blanket of sauce. Choose a vegetarian hard cheese for your own topping.
golden tacos with avocado
These tacos go all out with the toppings! Golden crumb-coated pieces sit beside avocado slices, shredded purple cabbage and greens, with jalapeño rings on top.
For a vegetarian take on this look, try breaded cauliflower as your filling. Keep the jalapeños on the side if you’d rather choose how much to add.
creamy tomato tortellini soup
Last but definitely not least, we have this creamy tomato tortellini soup. I love the little pasta rings peeking through the orange-red soup, with shredded cheese and basil scattered over it.
For your own pot, choose vegetarian tortellini and vegetable broth. I’d bring some bread to the table too.