Gone are the days when vegetarian meals meant soggy side salads. Bulked up by grains like freekeh, quinoa and brown rice, tossed with nuts or baked into a flaky tart, the humble vegetable is primed to take centre stage, with vegetarian meals that are full of substance and flavour.
If you’re entertaining, Woodcut’s roast sweet potato with chickpea miso and seaweed salt will be the showstopper you’re looking for. Or if you’re in need of easy vegetarian meals for dinner, Tony Tan’s vegetarian dan dan mian or our feta and green gözleme will be your answer.
Whether you’re seeking family-friendly staples everyone will love or easy weeknight dinners, these vegetarian recipes have got you sorted.
Feta and greens gözleme
Roll up your sleeves, then roll and fold your way to flatbread heaven.
Vegetable moussaka
Our vegetable-heavy spin on the cheesy Greek classic.
Crisp eggplant schnitzel with yasai itame
Crisp, panko-crumbed eggplants are perfectly paired with a Japanese yasai itame.
Korean cauliflower curry
Sweet and savoury with a splash of spice, this Korean cauliflower curry makes for an easy addition to the weeknight meal rotation.
South Indian coconut and chickpea stir-fry
A quick, easy and aromatic chickpea dish to have on rotation.
Sage and spinach pesto risotto
A vibrant and easy risotto recipe worth committing to memory.
Mixed mushroom and brie tart
Pre-made puff pastry makes this tasty tart a weeknight winner.
Stir-fried udon noodles with mustard greens, tofu and peanut sauce
A fast vegetarian udon noodle recipe that takes little time to make but is big on flavour.
Mushroom and Fontina rigatoni
Make the most of winter produce with a rich pasta bake that pairs a medley of fresh and dried mushrooms with a punchy washed-rind cheese.
Woodcut’s roast sweet potato with chickpea miso and seaweed salt
This vegetarian side makes for a showstopping centrepiece.
Whole roasted cauliflower with rendang sauce
This fragrant roast cauliflower recipe makes for an impressive vegetarian dish.
Pilloni’s eggplant cutlet with spicy tomato sauce
Cotoletta di melanzane in Italian.
Chickpeas with steamed eggplant, almonds and harissa
Steamed eggplant makes the perfect umami addition to this zesty chickpea dish.
Roasted cauliflower salad with yoghurt dressing and almonds
Roasted cauliflower adds extra depth of flavour to this hefty salad.
Yardbird’s mushroom rice
“On a recent trip to Hong Kong I had the most amazing mushroom rice at Yardbird. Can you ask the chef to share the recipe, please?” – William Liu, Redfern, NSW
Woodcut’s whole-roasted cauliflower with caramelised pine nuts and raisins
Roasted cauliflower is a traditional vegetarian showstopper.
Roast onion tarte Tatin with apple and Comté salad
A quick and easy tart recipe for an impressive vegetarian lunch.
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Carrot, fennel and feta fritters
Fritters are a weeknight staple, and any leftovers make for a great sandwich filling the next day.
Lau’s Family Kitchen’s vegetarian sang choi bau
A meat-free take on the Cantonese classic.
Tony Tan’s vegetarian dan dan mian
A meat-free take on the Sichuanese favourite.
Potato tortilla with marinated mushrooms
A speedy dinner idea for the cooler months.
Ricotta gnocchi with cavolo nero and pine nuts
Gnocchi paired with cavolo nero and pine nuts makes for a fresh and breezy weeknight recipe.
Bitter greens, leek and Comté tart
Use whichever cheese you have in the fridge – or keep it interesting by adding a few different types.
Warm mixed bean, chickpea and mozzarella salad
This quick and easy dinner-worthy salad comes together in minutes, making it perfect for warmer weather.
Chilli and soy butter noodles with poached duck egg
A fast noodle dish that’s loaded with flavour and easy to prepare.
Beetroot salad with feta and lentils
We all know someone who thinks salads are boring. Consider them converted with this flavour-packed number.
Berbere-spiced pumpkin with broccoli fatteh
This vegan-friendly dish can be served individually as a main or as a side to share.
Eggplant lines
Miznon chef Eyal Shani is at his finest in this simple eggplant recipe with an unusual presentation.
Chilled pea and coriander soup
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for chilled pea and coriander soup by Rodney Dunn.
The ultimate salad sandwich
Why is it the ultimate? It could have something to do with the generous fillings, pickled carrot and tahini-yoghurt dressing.
Etta’s tamari-roasted pumpkin, sunflower and horseradish
This stunning dish is powerful enough to take a place among the main courses in a banquet or you could serve it as a side to roasted or grilled meat.
Burrata, preserved zucchini, green olives and lovage by Dave Verheul
This light starter makes the most of summer produce while offsetting the creaminess of burrata with a light pickle and olives. It’s a simple yet crowd-pleasing dish.
Tofu with chilli jam and spring onions
It’s hard to turn down crisp, fried tofu.
Red lentil soup with yoghurt and coriander
A lentil soup that’s inspired by shorbat adas, a dish often served during Ramadan, does wonders when you’re in need of a little nourishment.
Smashed cucumber salad
“In Hong Kong, this refreshing much-loved salad is considered the perfect summer dish,” says Tony Tan.
Cauliflower steaks with grain salad and spiced dressing
Slice your cauliflower lengthways and roast it until golden for a new way to enjoy this versatile vegetable.
Grilled eggplant salad with lentils and sesame yoghurt
Australian Gourmet Traveller fast recipe for grilled eggplant salad with lentils and sesame yoghurt.
Nectarine, buffalo mozzarella and rocket salad
A salad that just sings of summer.
Corn and potato quesadillas with green salsa
These tasty quesadillas are vegetarian but meat can easily be added to the recipe to keep carnivores happy. Serve for dinner, lunch or as a party snack.
Roasted carrot salad, pepper sauce, olive oil and curd
A perfect side dish for autumn and winter produce that delivers a pleasantly spicy hit thanks to fermented chilli sauce.
Burnt beetroot carpaccio
“Use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the charred beets. The slicing is when the magic is revealed,” says Eyal Shani. “The beetroot heart has remained untouched. It’s red, full of life. Most of its fluid has evaporated leaving him weightless, but still juicy, sweeter than ever, bearing unique mineral flavours within that are unparalleled.”
Chickpea, quinoa and kale soup with labne
Chickpea, quinoa and kale soup with labne recipe – Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent (4-5 minutes).
Roasted beets and onions with yoghurt, quinoa and walnuts
Recipe for roasted beets and onions with yoghurt, quinoa and walnuts.
Cauliflower, leek and cheddar soup
Cauliflower and cheese, the perfect match.
Mushroom and pine nut brown rice bowl
Pine nuts are a particularly good match with mushrooms – try this with pan-fried pine mushrooms when they come into season, too.
How to make a goat’s cheese and herb quiche
Legendary chef Damien Pignolet shows how to make the ultimate savoury quiche, step by step.
Greg Malouf’s burrata with broad bean and chickpea stew
Greg Malouf’s take on ful medames, with the addition of creamy burrata.
Freekeh and shaved cauliflower salad with herb dressing
While we love cauliflower roasted, using it raw and shaved whisper-thin adds a lovely textural element to salads.
Fred’s pumpkin galette with blue cheese and thyme
“I’d love to attempt the pumpkin galette at Fred’s in Paddington. Can you publish the recipe?” – Jacinta Johnson, Woolloomooloo, NSW
Seared yellow beans ’n’ greens
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for seared yellow beans ’n’ greens.
Smashed beetroot, quinoa, egg and avocado salad
As a native Andes grain, quinoa adds a fluffy, delicate touch to the avocado, egg and beetroot salad.
Chao rubing (Naxi-style fried goat’s cheese, spring onions and tomatoes)
I first ate this delicious dish in Lijiang a couple of years ago. In this version I’ve used haloumi in place of the rubing, but you could substitute another non-melting firm cheese.
Pumpkin pilaf with ricotta and pepitas
Your new go-to dinner.
Roast carrot soup with carrot-top pesto
Recipe for roast carrot soup with carrot-top pesto.
Roasted cauliflower curry with lime and coriander
Some deeply roasted cauliflower and a few curry leaves are all you need to make a fast yet flavourful weeknight curry.
Tomato, ricotta and fregola salad
Tomato, ricotta and fregola salad recipe – Preheat oven to 200°C. Crumble half the ricotta over a baking tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil, scatter with chilli and half the lemon rind, season to taste and bake until golden on the edges (10-12 minutes). Cool.
Zucchini-quinoa broth with feta
A speedy way to use up extra quinoa with in-season zucchini.
Avocado bowl with quinoa, kale and tahini lemon dressing
This meal in a bowl will leave you feeling recharged thanks to a generous serve of raw vegetables and a multitude of herbs. It’s perfect for those times when you may have overindulged.
Chana masala
A comfort bowl that’s ready in minutes.
Beetroot and walnut salad
Australian Gourmet Traveller fast recipe for beetroot and walnut salad
Tomato tart with whipped feta
This tomato tart recipe crowned with whipped feta is summer on a plate.
Tzatziki with zucchini fritters
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for tzatziki with zucchini fritters.
Peter Gilmore’s winter green salad
This simple winter salad compliments a rich beef meal, like a wagyu or well-marbeled Angus rump.
Caramelised pumpkin, corn and lentil bowl
This brightly coloured pumpkin, corn and lentil bowl makes for a picture-perfect lunch.
Red lentil fritters with green yoghurt
These red lentil fritters may be on the diminutive side, but they punch well above their weight in the flavour stakes.
Ross Lusted’s pea salad, curd, pine nuts, blossoms, white asparagus and carrot juice dressing
Recipe for pea salad, curd, pine nuts, blossoms, white asparagus and carrot juice dressing by Ross Lusted from Sydney’s The Bridge Room restaurant.
Simple tomato and onion salad with vincotto dressing
A simple, summer-ready tomato salad.
Rice salad with zucchini flowers, peas, beans and mint
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for rice salad with zucchini flowers, peas, beans and mint.
Pumpkin fatteh
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for pumpkin fatteh.
Pea and fennel soup with parmesan garlic bread
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for pea and fennel soup with parmesan garlic bread.
Wakame seaweed salad
Australian Gourmet Traveller and Tony Tan Chinese entree recipe for wakame seaweed salad
Roasted whole cauliflower with wakame butter and toasted crumbs
It’s salty and buttery in all the right places.
Classic minestrone soup
This classic recipe for minestrone, brimming with beans, vegetables and pasta, always delivers.
