35 Quick Easy Vegetarian Lunch Ideas

We’ve selected 35 of our best healthy vegetarian meals – most of which you can even serve for dinner. Browse through this list to find your favorite recipe. Choose from meat–free meals, salads, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, and more. Plus, most recipes are ready in less than 20 minutes, making them perfect as a lunchbox or office lunch.Whether you’re a beginner vegetarian, omnivore, or flexitarian, you’ll find your new lunch favorite on this list!

Vegetarian lunch ideas video

Meatless meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner

More vegetarian lunch ideas

For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page. It’s the perfect replacement for tuna in a sandwich, to fill a baked sweet potato, and perfect as a quick lunch. Enjoy this crunchy and easy recipe as a summer side dish, or add protein, such as chickpeas or fried tofu, to upgrade it to a quick and healthy meal.

3. Pasta alla Norma (eggplant pasta)

Our pasta alla Norma (eggplant pasta) is a classic Sicilian dish with a rich and creamy tomato sauce, tender roasted eggplants, and fresh basil. Combining roasted eggplant, marinara sauce, and al dente pasta makes an excellent vegetarian lunchbox idea.

4. Sweet potato salad

Have this sweet potato salad for lunch or a quick and healthy make-ahead dinner, or bring it to potlucks and picnics. Roasted sweet potatoes paired with leafy greens, avocado, and a creamy maple syrup dressing make it a wholesome and happy lunch salad. It’s excellent for meal-prepping for the week and as a potluck meal, as it keeps well in the fridge for days. It’s a quick way to make a healthy vegetarian lunch sandwich.

6. Fried tofu steaks in mushrooms

Pan-fried tofu with mushrooms is a quick and delicious recipe for everyday, last-minute lunch, or dinner. Make it in 15 minutes with simple, fresh ingredients and a refreshing lemon vinaigrette. It’s also great to make in advance to have as a ready–to–eat meal at any time.

9. Couscous salad

Couscous with chickpeas is a meal-prep-friendly lunch salad ready in 20 minutes. Make a big batch, store it in the fridge for the upcoming week, and serve it with tahini sauce or yogurt tahini dressing. It’s perfect for picnics and as a light lunch with parmesan and a slice of bread. It’s low in calories but still satisfying with plant-based protein from air fryer tofu.

12. Avocado Toast

Learn how to make the creamiest, most delicious avocado spread to eat in sandwiches and on toast or serve as a dip with warm pita bread and veggie sticks. Add fresh tomatoes or roasted chickpeas for a colorful and nourishing lunch toast. It’s an easy vegetarian lunch idea; you can add your favorite plant-based protein. You’ll be impressed by its flavor, creaminess, and simplicity.

15. Black bean salad

Black bean salad with sweet potatoes and quinoa is a wholesome and vibrant grain bowl that works well as a vegetarian lunch. Mix in some boiled quinoa or whole grain rice; use it as a filling for a wrap, and drizzle with chipotle sauce, tahini sauce, or avocado spread. Packed with protein from chickpea flour, this frittata is tasty, satiating, and gluten–free. Serve it with a 5-minute couscous bowl or slices of toasted bread for a wholesome lunch idea.

18. Piadina with rucola and melted cheese

Piadina is a thin, yeast-free Italian flatbread that you can fill with fresh leaves, pesto, and dairy-free melted cheese and enjoy for a light lunch, snack, or dinner. You can also stuff it with guacamole, black bean salad, and rice for a Mexican-inspired lunch like a burrito.

19. Cheesy zucchini pasta

Zucchini pasta, as in pasta with zucchini, is a creamy and easy one-pot recipe for a quick lunch or dinner for the whole family. The cooking method is simple, and with grated fresh zucchini, fresh lemon, and pine nuts, you can create a spring–friendly and crowd–pleasing meal. Perfect as lunch on a slice of toasted bread or spaghetti. It’s without meat and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Serve it with hummus, baba ganoush, or avocado spread with toasted pita bread and fresh vegetables. Mix it with bowtie pasta, and sprinkle it with almonds and fresh basil leaves for a restaurant–worthy lunch idea.

24. Quick aglio e olio in 15 minutes

This is the original garlic and oil pasta recipe, a delicious Italian meal called spaghetti aglio e olio. It’s a perfect vegetarian lunch idea as it’s without meat and ready in just 15 minutes.

25. Red lentil soup

You will love our red lentil soup as it’s easy to make in one pot in 30 minutes. It’s excellent as an easy weeknight dinner, a protein–rich lunch idea, and delicious with a thick slice of toasted bread. Serve as an appetizer, or make it a meal by adding rice noodles. Kids will love this recipe, and picky eaters will devour it straight from the pan.

28. Orange tofu ‘chicken’

This easy vegan dish is the best alternative to orange chicken. We use crispy oven-baked tofu coated in a sticky, sweet, sour orange sauce. It’s tasty, tangy, and delicious. Mix your cream cheese with fresh herbs or a veggie of your choice for a colorful lunch or appetizer idea. We combine falafel, pickled red onions, fresh vegetables, hummus, and pita bread for a wholesome vegetarian meal.

31. Red pepper pesto on toasted bread

Red pepper pesto is rich, creamy, tangy, and easy as it’s made with jarred bell peppers. Serve this 5-minute pesto as a red sauce with pasta, a spread on bread, or a sandwich with leafy greens. You can use the pesto with your favorite pasta, spread it on a sandwich, or as a pizza topping. It’s a quick and creamy vegetarian lunch idea. It’s a simple yet incredibly delicious and flavorful vegetarian lunch idea.

34. Microwave sweet potato

Microwave sweet potato is quick, healthy, and delicious. Eat it as is or load it with one of our toppings, such as black bean salad or quinoa salad, to turn it into a tasty lunch meal. It’s one of the most satiating and wholesome vegetarian lunch ideas. As with any other diet or lifestyle, ensure you get a healthy dose of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. For even more inspiration, see our favorite collections here:

Breakfast: get breakfast ready in 5 minutes with this scrambled tofu or overnight bircher muesli. Or check out our best vegan breakfast recipes. Brunch: missing weekend brunch ideas? You’ll love this vegan French toast and vegan crepes. Brunch can be fun and vibrant; see our brunch ideas here. Lunch: Try this Moroccan carrot salad, cauliflower lentil salad, or 10-minute chickpea salad for a nutritious on-the-go lunch. Or get inspiration from our vegan lunch ideas. Dinner: you can easily make an inviting and meat-free dinner for your family! Try our vegan fish, tofu curry, vegan orange chicken, or cheesy eggplant parmigiana.

For many, a great place to start when cooking vegetarian is with familiar dishes, such as pasta, meat substitutes, and chicken replacements. For inspiration, take a peek at some of our favorite recipes:

Easy pasta recipes include vegetarian meatballs, bolognese, and Alfredo sauce recipes. Replacing chicken and beef with different Tofu recipes Replacing eggs with various chickpea recipe ideas Add creaminess to salads and protein with these top vegan sauce recipes. Satisfy sweet cravings by making these indulgent vegan cakes

Give yourself time to try new herbs, flavor combinations, and ingredients. Slowly, you’ll find your favorite meals and learn new tricks in the kitchen.

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30 Easy Tofu Recipes

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients. Easy right? Comment * Name Email Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me when Louise or Nico reply to my comment.

Δ Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.