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submitted 13 hours ago by treadful@lemmy.zip to c/cooking@lemmy.world

What are some vegetarian meals or dishes you think people should know about?

I'm pretty guilty of using meat as a crutch in most of my cooking. I'd love to hear about some good meals for inspiration. Ideally things that aren't made to imitate/replace meat but exist well on their own.

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[-] AceFuzzLord@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

I am basic and a lot of people probably already know about it, but I think my absolute favorite is chana masala. I also like things like Thai peanut noodles, and a noodle recipe I don't know the name of.

That recipe uses wheat noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, gochujang hot pepper paste, ginger, MSG, sesame oil, and green onion. I forgot the exact amount of everything, so I use whatever feels right for each ingredient, but you fix your noodles and while they're going, grate your ginger and chop green onions. Then mix everything but the noodles. After the noodles are done, mix them in and enjoy.

I would say tofu stuff, but my diet prevents me from having it often for health reasons. I don't recommend being on blood thinners if you like tofu.

Edit:

Looks like the fish sauce I use uses anchovy, so you'd need an alternative to Squid Brand.

[-] sleepmode@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Mujadara in Lebanese or Syrian style is my go-to

[-] communism@lemmy.ml 3 points 5 hours ago

A lot of South Asian food is naturally vegetarian or vegan. I make chana masala and lentil dahl a fair amount. Lots of flavour from the spices—there's no need for meat.

I also like scrambled tofu, which you can season any way you like. I tend to put curry seasoning on it.

Avocado toast too, but that's infrequent because avocados are expensive.

If you've never made creamy harissa butter beans I highly recommend it. One of the nicest vegan recipes I've made. If you're not keen on spice, make sure to get mild harissa, as the spicy harissa gets quite spicy, speaking as someone who enjoys spice.

Generally I like any tofu dish. Tofu is often meant to accompany meats (traditionally at least) but I find that a lot of tofu dishes that traditionally have meat, work very well without the meat. My go-to lazy lunch is boiling some water with stock cubes and chucking in noodles, medium-firm tofu, a vegetable of my choice, and chilli crisp.

[-] wavebeam@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

Avocado toast? In this economy? I’d like to afford a house some day…

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 hours ago

Another with the Dahl. Guess I can't avoid trying it, then.

[-] Illogicalbit@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago

Sadly I got this idea from chipotle: I like to make a bowl of black beans, rice, caramelized onions and peppers and sprinkle on some shredded cheese. Adding a bit of guacamole is a nice touch too.

[-] prodigalsorcerer@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 hours ago

Why sadly?

Fast food is based on real dishes. If you can make it yourself with better ingredients, then that's a great thing to do.

If I put a soft tortilla around a hard tortilla and make a taco, I can't deny that it's an idea from Taco Bell. But it'll taste a lot better and be healthier.

[-] ShotDonkey@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Lentil dahl. Nutritious and tastyyyy. All Beyond meat products. Dont buy Redefine Meat and Gourmet Garden, they're Israeli.

[-] Zathras@piefed.social 3 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)
[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 2 points 7 hours ago

Not sure I want to try something called "foul" but all this sounds worth trying.

[-] Bluegrass_Addict@lemmy.ca 4 points 8 hours ago

as much as I love meat, if I had to have a meal without it I'd opt for a portabello mushroom burger.

no specific recipes I use, but I do soak/marinate the mushroom in whatever flavor sauce or vinegrette I feel like before grilling.

Not a full meal per se, but my mother would sometimes saute spinach and mushrooms in butter and red wine (plus probably garlic), if I remember correctly. It was pretty fucking good.

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 1 points 7 hours ago

That sounds like great late night food.

[-] banazir@lemmy.ml 13 points 12 hours ago

Lentil curry (daal) is one of my staples. Indian vegetarian food in general is just fantastic.

[-] scops@reddthat.com 1 points 7 hours ago

I've long said that if a doctor told me my next bite of meat would kill me, Indian and Thai food would be the only things keeping me alive

[-] weaselsrippedmyflesh@piefed.social 11 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)
[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 2 points 12 hours ago

psst, that peanut soup isn't vegetarian, but it does look good

[-] weaselsrippedmyflesh@piefed.social 8 points 11 hours ago

Ah, should have clarified, you can make it with or without the chicken (which I usually do) and it'll still be great.

[-] TheChinaman79@lemmy.world 14 points 12 hours ago

A good Dahl over some rice is heaven itself. Add on a side of Chana/Aloo chatt and we're talking some serious food satisfaction.

[-] rudyharrelson@lemmy.radio 8 points 11 hours ago

I love a good black bean burger. It has such a nice flavor profile that's clearly not trying to be a beef substitute. Load it up with lettuce, tomato, pickles, cheese, hot sauce, any condiments or toppings you like on a sandwich.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is always a winner during the colder months.

Can't go wrong with a big tray of roasted veggies. Chop up some potatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, etc. Drizzle of olive oil, lightly salt and pepper, throw it in the oven, bon appétit.

A PB&J or a PB & Banana is a solid go-to.

A basic quiche is mainly eggs, spinach, and cheese.

Ramen and other pasta dishes that don't require meat. Some pasta, tomato sauce, cheese, and seasonings can go a long way. Fettuccine alfredo is another good one.

[-] Drusas@fedia.io 3 points 11 hours ago

Ramen almost always uses fish in the stock.

[-] lectricleopard@lemmy.world 7 points 11 hours ago

Chana masala

[-] Drusas@fedia.io 6 points 11 hours ago
  • Pierogi (and similar dumplings such as pelmeni and varenyky)
  • Mapo tofu (without ground meat--Chinese tofu dish)
  • Various styles of hot pot (meat products are optional)
  • Soondubu (Korean tofu soup)
  • Doenjang jigae (meat products again optional--Korean miso stew)
  • Wild mushroom risotto
  • Wild mushroom cream sauce on (whatever you prefer--pasta, baguette, gnocchi)
  • Moroccan red lentil stew
  • Butter paneer (Indian curry)
  • Baingan bharta (Indian eggplant dish)
  • Various Thai noodle dishes (meat is optional)
  • Plus a huge variety of Japanese side dishes such as nimono (braised dishes; can include eggplant, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, etc), agedashidoufu (fried tofu with dashi), grilled eggplant, aemono (blanched green vegetables with dressing), ohitashi (blanched vegetables with dashi), onsen tamago (lightly poached egg with dashi, etc)
[-] RheumatoidArthritis@mander.xyz 6 points 11 hours ago
[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 2 points 11 hours ago

A good unsweetened peanut butter definitely gets that satisfying fatty savoriness you normally get with meat.

[-] StickyDango@lemmy.world 8 points 12 hours ago

My go-to are couscous salad with sun-dried tomato and feta because it's really quick and you can make a lot, and peanut sauce noodle salad.

Summer time, this is one of my faves: bibim guksu (spicy Korean noodles)

Recently I've been going hard on the lentils, beans, and pulses. Curry soup with chickpeas and potatoes (I add lentils) Any curry, really. Chickpeas and lentils.

Winter is coming. I love this creamy vegetable soup because it is super low Calories and loaded with veg and no lactose if you prefer not. Still so creamy. It's great when you need to clear out the dying veg in the fridge.

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 3 points 12 hours ago

Don't think I've ever had a cold noodle salad. Will try, thanks!

[-] spittingimage@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago

I like the Budget Bytes black bean burger.

[-] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 4 points 11 hours ago

I make a mean vegetarian lasagna by replacing the meat with sautéed mushrooms and spinach.

[-] spittingimage@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago

Good choice. The cafe at my work uses pumpkin and it tastes like the realisation that your mother never loved you.

[-] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago

Report them to The Hague

[-] Ephera@lemmy.ml 4 points 11 hours ago

I think, this would technically classify as a burrito, but like a lazy version of it.

Basically, I get in the shops:

  • Soft corn tortillas
  • Pre-cooked white beans (other pre-cooked beans probably work just as well; I believe black beans are used traditionally)
  • A vegetable spread, e.g. chili or eggplant or the like.
  • A bell pepper.

Chuck the beans with a bit of salt into the microwave. Cut the bell pepper into squares.
Put the vegetable spread onto the tortilla. Throw bell pepper and beans on top. Shove into mouth. Done.

Only difficulty is that the individual ingredients need to be good. There is quite a quality range for tortillas, pre-cooked beans and vegetable spreads...

[-] nocturne@slrpnk.net 6 points 12 hours ago

Mutar paneer is one of my favorite dishes.

I usually use this recipe and then add a lot of peas near the end. I make my own paneer, usually every other week.

The recipe can be made vegan by replacing the paneer with extra firm tofu, the cream with coconut milk, and the butter with vegan butter.

recipeShahi Paneer

Indian

Ingredients:
400 grams Paneer (Cottage cheese) cut into cubes (see paneer prep note below) 2 tablespoons Oil
2 medium Onions finely chopped
15-20 Almonds
24 oz 5 medium Tomatoes finely chopped
1 teaspoon Red chilli powder
1 tablespoon Coriander powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Cream + for garnishing
1 teaspoon Kasoori methi powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
1/4 teaspoon Green cardamom powder

Directions: Heat oil in a non stick kadai. Add onions and cashewnuts and sauté lightly. Add tomatoes and cook for 10-12 minutes or tomatoes are pulpy. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and sauté. Transfer this mixture into a mixer jar, cool and grind to a paste with a little water. Transfer the mixture into the same kadai. Add butter, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Add cream and mix well. Add paneer, kasoori methi powder, garam masala powder, green cardamom powder and mix well. Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with some cream and serve hot.

My family prefers the paneer to be cooked before added to the dish. For that I use this:

paneer prepIn a large bowl, whisk together 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss, taking care not to break the cubes if you're using the homemade kind. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.

Pan fry the paneer before adding to the final dish. This also works with tofu.

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[-] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 12 hours ago

Air fry some tofu seasoned with garlic powder and soy sauce, add cornstarch at 400 for something like 15 minutes, use that in a noodle stir fry (teriyaki is easy enough)

I'm also a sucker for eggplant Parm

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 3 points 12 hours ago

I've been trying to get tofu worth the effort for years with no luck. Mapo tofu being the best so far.

I haven't tried air frying it yet, though. So I'm definitely trying that one.

[-] Aviandelight@mander.xyz 2 points 8 hours ago

My husband who's a resolute meat eater loves my air fried tofu and actually asks for it. I use homemade teriyaki sauce.

[-] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 11 hours ago

Technically I got the idea from here: https://www.kulaskitchen.com/all-recipes/crispy-honey-garlic-tofu-coconut-rice but to make it for any stir fry I've simplified it down to garlic powder and soy sauce

[-] beeb@lemmy.zip 3 points 11 hours ago

Grilled Halloumi cheese burger.

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 3 points 9 hours ago

Just a brick of cheese on a bun?

[-] nickhammes@lemmy.world 3 points 7 hours ago

Grilled halloumi is phenomenal, grilling it changes the proteins in a similar way as cooking meat does, and it's imo the best vegetarian (non-vegan) substitute for meat in a grilling context for that reason. I've also found a lot of meat eaters enjoy it as its own thing too.

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 2 points 7 hours ago

Do you poop within the next 3 days?

[-] cattywampas@lemmy.world 5 points 13 hours ago
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[-] thenextguy@lemmy.world 4 points 12 hours ago

I don’t eat vegetarians.

[-] GottaHaveFaith@fedia.io 3 points 12 hours ago

Risotto it's pretty good, it can be prepared with mushrooms, pumpkin, radicchio, and a lot of other things (just pick a seasonal ingredient and look up a recipe). if it's ok butter and/or cheese can also be added for taste

[-] noodles@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 hours ago

Kenji lopez-alt has a relatively easy recipe that skips a lot of the constant stirring. I've also recently found that mixing in finely chopped or even just squished soft tofu replicates some of the creaminess of cream, while really bumping up the protein and making it vegan

[-] TabbsTheBat@pawb.social 3 points 12 hours ago

My favourite dish of all time technically happens to be vegetarian :3 unless you're one of those vegetarians that only eat dairy or eggs rather than both :3

Anywho, the dish is šaltibarščiai recipe. I was gonna type out the recipe because it's the easiest thing ever, but I figured I'd link it :3. My one note on the linked recipe would be that I personally prefer dicing the eggs and adding them with the rest of the ingredients rather than at the end, so they absorb all the flavours :3

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 4 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

I probably won't like this but it's so unlike anything I've ever had that I'm probably going to make it.

Thanks for linking the recipe.

EDIT: The photo from that article is insane.

[-] TabbsTheBat@pawb.social 3 points 12 hours ago

When I make it, it doesn't look anywhere as fancy as that lol :3. The photo is pretty accurate to how it's served in restaurants tho

[-] treadful@lemmy.zip 2 points 11 hours ago

Still looks insane. lol

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this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2026
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