20 Comforting Vegetarian Recipes to Add to Your Plant-Based Dinner Rotation (2024)

It can sometimes be challenging to find new cozy, comforting main-course vegetarian meals to add to the dinner rotation. We're here to help infuse your usual mealtime routine with a number of options for flavorful, gorgeous vegetarian dishes. Best of all, these meat-free dinner recipes are also impressive enough for casual entertaining when you're hosting friends or family who don't eat meat.

How to go about adding some new vegetarian dinner recipes to your repertoire, you ask? Start by thinking about what your usual dinner recipes are missing. Looking for more one-pot meals? The beautiful Cannellini Beans and Greens Stew that's pictured here is a surefire winner, and the fact that it's vegetarian makes it even more appealing. It's a true one-pot wonder: Even the garlic toasts served on the side are made in the same skillet as the beautiful stew.

Another option is to serve vegetarian twists on the dishes you know and love. Turn your usual gnocchi into your new favorite baked pasta with our Baked Gnocchi with Ricotta and Marinara recipe. Looking for a twist on risotto? Ditch the stirring and try baking risotto instead—our Butternut Squash Baked Risotto is the perfect starting point. The best part about it is that you'll realize that you can bake this traditional rice and still get the lovely creamy texture you expect with far less work. Traditionally, risotto is made with a short-grain rice, such as Arborio. This recipe uses barley instead of rice for a nice change.

Delight friends and family with these Vegan Meatballs made with rice, lentils, and mushrooms. You can stir them into marinara sauce and pile over spaghetti, stuff them into sandwiches, or turn them into Swedish meatballs served over buttered noodles. The options truly are endless. And, while we're on the topic of vegetarian takes on Italian classics, we'd be remiss not to mention lasagna. Our rich Mushroom-Eggplant Lasagna is made with three kinds of cheese as well as umami packed cremini mushrooms and silky eggplant for a hearty dish that even devout omnivores will be thrilled by.

These many dishes will help you bring a little variety to the vegetarian dishes you bring to your table, regardless of whether you are a vegetarian or are simply honoring Meatless Monday.