Looking for vegetarian meal prep ideas that go beyond the same salad? Think glossy tofu bowls, stuffed peppers and pasta jars with colorful layers.
There’s even a berry-topped breakfast jar if your mornings could use a little planning too.
You can keep things simple or pile on the toppings. Start with a few combinations you like, then choose which ones belong in your next round of lunch boxes.
These pictures give you plenty of inspiration without needing to plan every meal at once.
Vegetarian meals worth saving
chickpeas and broccoli bowl
We’re starting off strong with this gorgeous chickpea bowl. I love the browned broccoli beside the quinoa and sliced avocado.
That pale dressing runs right over the top.
If you want to follow this combination, finish your bowl with chopped herbs and a lemon wedge like the one tucked along the edge.
glazed tofu and rice
How good does this tofu look? The browned squares have a glossy coating with sesame seeds scattered over them.
Rice, green pea pods and zucchini rounds fill the rest of the box.
Try this arrangement if you like keeping your vegetables beside the main part of your lunch rather than mixing everything together.
sweet potato burrito bowl
This is actually one of my favorite combinations here. The sweet potato cubes look so good next to the black beans, rice and big slices of avocado.
There’s chopped tomato and lettuce too. For your own packed version, you could keep those toppings separate from anything you plan to reheat.
orange curry and cashews
If you love a saucy lunch, this one is worth saving. The thick orange curry fills most of the container, with a pale, finely chopped side tucked at the top.
The cashews and scattered herbs are my favorite little details. Try adding those to your own lentil curry for a similar finish.
layered pasta jars
I am obsessed with these colorful layers. Green dressing sits at the bottom, followed by chopped peppers, cucumber, chickpeas and a generous layer of penne.
Want to borrow the idea? Use cooked, cooled pasta for your version and leave a little room at the top so you can mix it, or tip everything into a bowl.
golden patties over salad
Who says a salad has to be just a pile of leaves? These golden patties sit over cucumber, thin radish slices and red and yellow tomatoes.
The pale drizzle ties the whole box together.
Choose your favorite vegetarian patties to recreate the idea. I’d keep those colorful tomatoes in the mix.
sweet potato chili
This sweet potato chili looks like a lovely change from a grain bowl. There are big orange chunks and kidney beans throughout, with avocado and a white topping on the finished serving.
Try a spoonful of sour cream or plain yogurt on your own portion if you want a similar finish.
saucy noodles and pink onions
Okay, those bright pink onion rings are so pretty! The noodles sit in a pale sauce with browned tofu pieces, cucumber slices and thin carrot strips.
There’s plenty going on here already. I’d borrow the cucumber and carrot pairing for a noodle lunch, then add a favorite vegetarian sauce rather than trying to guess this one.
little vegetable cups
Can’t decide on just one vegetable combination? This picture gives you several, from zucchini and feta to broccoli and cheddar.
I especially love the little roasted pepper and corn cup.
Use the labeled combinations as inspiration for your favorite savory muffin or egg-cup recipe. Choose vegetarian cheeses when putting your version together.
quinoa with olives and hummus
If you’re looking for a bowl with lots of little extras, then this one is for you. There’s quinoa, browned chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes and red onion, plus dark olives tucked beside a scoop of hummus.
I love that everything gets its own little space. Keep that arrangement if you’d rather choose your next bite than toss it all together.
cheesy stuffed peppers
These stuffed pepper halves may just be a favorite here. The red and yellow peppers hold a pale filling with leafy greens and browned cheese on top.
Cherry tomatoes sit around them in the baking dish. You could serve your own stuffed peppers with rice if you want something extra alongside.
loaded bowl with tortilla chips
Don’t want to hold back on the toppings? No problem!
This bowl has beans, rice, corn, orange vegetable cubes and browned strips of peppers and onion.
That big swirl of green sauce is hard to miss. Keep the tortilla chips separate when packing your version so they aren’t sitting in the sauce.
sesame cubes and broccoli
If you are looking for something simple to build on, this one is for you. Brown rice, glossy golden cubes and broccoli sit in three neat sections, with sesame seeds over the center.
For a similar vegetarian lunch, try glazed tofu or tempeh. You don’t need a long list of toppings to follow this idea.
berry oats in a jar
Breakfast deserves a spot in your meal prep too. I love the raspberries and blackberries on this oat-and-chia jar, especially with that thick tan drizzle over the top.
Try a spoonful of your favorite nut or seed butter if you want the same finishing touch.
tomato and mozzarella pasta
Don’t want lots of separate toppings and little containers? This pasta salad is a lovely option.
The spirals are mixed with halved tomatoes, small mozzarella balls and torn green leaves.
Read also: 20 Cold Sandwich Ideas for Lunch With Plenty of Variety
Keep your own version simple with basil and a dressing you already like. Choose mozzarella labeled suitable for vegetarians.
spinach lasagna rolls
I love this little twist on lasagna. Instead of stacked sheets, the pasta is rolled around a white filling flecked with leafy greens. A layer of red sauce waits underneath.
If you want to try the same shape, look for a vegetarian spinach-and-ricotta roll-up recipe to guide the filling and baking.
saucy chickpeas and rice
Sometimes a simple bowl is exactly what you want. These chickpeas are coated in a thick red sauce beside white rice, with chopped herbs scattered across the top.
Save this arrangement for your next chickpea curry or tomato-based stew. There’s no need to add a whole salad’s worth of toppings.
mixed bean quinoa salad
This is another quinoa idea, but it’s a little different from the bowls above. Chickpeas, kidney beans and dark beans are mixed right through the grains with chopped vegetables and white cheese crumbles.
The green pumpkin seeds are my favorite finishing detail. Add a sprinkle to your own mixed salad if you’d like to try them.
vegetable fried rice
Looking for vegetarian meal prep ideas without lots of separate components? Take inspiration from this fried rice. Orange carrot cubes, green peas, broccoli and yellow scrambled pieces are mixed throughout.
I love the sliced green onions on top. For your own version, choose egg or crumbled tofu to go with the vegetables.
mushroom barley soup
Last but definitely not least, we have this mushroom barley soup. I love how you can see the sliced mushrooms, carrot rounds and barley right in the spoon.
Choose a vegetable-broth recipe for your own vegetarian batch. A little chopped parsley would give it the same green finish shown here.