27 Vegetarian Recipes Even Carnivores Will Love

From dietary restrictions to the animal cause, going through religious issues, there are several reasons that lead someone to become a vegetarian, but one characteristic is common to most adherents of this lifestyle: their food is usually healthier, as it is quite rich in micronutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Among the biggest advantages of such a diet, which leads to a reduction in the consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol, are the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, digestive problems, type II diabetes and cancer, especially of the intestine and stomach.

However, as with any type of eating habits, restrictive or not, it is important to prioritize a balanced diet. Simply stopping meat consumption is no guarantee that all these benefits will be achieved. To this end, corporate nutritionist Danielle Fraga, a member of Sodexo’s Mais Saúde Program, warns that the development of a vegetarian diet requires a lot of research and, in some cases, professional monitoring, in addition to not being recommended for children and adolescents in the growth phase. .

Even if her intention is not to adopt a totally vegetarian diet, nutritionist Alice Amaral points out that the intake of plant-based foods is essential for maintaining health: “it is through them that we acquire essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body”, she says. .

Mouthwatering vegetarian recipes

The best way to introduce vegetables, greens and vegetables into the diet, both for committed carnivores and for those who are really interested in becoming a vegetarian, is still experimenting. Creativity is a great ally in the kitchen and allowing yourself to discover new flavors, combining different ingredients and betting on seasonings is still the best way to consume everything your body needs.

To give wings to the imagination, fill your eyes and make your mouth water, the 30 recipes listed below can serve as guides for a vegetarian diet or, at least, a more balanced one!

appetizers

1. Appetizers board: to welcome and surprise friends, to innovate in small events or to accompany a happy hour, the appetizers board leaves the more traditional options, such as peanuts and cold cuts, aside and lends a lot of color and unusual flavors to the your table by combining vegetables.

2. Tortilla pizza: no secrets, this recipe brings a quick and practical meal idea, ideal for lazy nights. The pizza dough is replaced by ready-made tortillas and the flavor can be the one you like the most. Here, the choice was for mozzarella with tomatoes, olives and basil. The time spent preparing is just enough to melt the cheese in the oven.

3. Zucchini sticks: A daring appetizer is the zucchini stick, which can be made in less than half an hour and is sure to please fans of this vegetable. The sauce used to dip the zucchini before the oven is quite simple and also allows for variations, so you can add or remove ingredients without losing too much of the flavor.

4. Mini tomato bruschettas with basil and oregano: as a starter or as an aperitif, the bruschettas are thin and not too difficult. In this recipe, baguette-type bread is used, but it is also possible to prepare it with Italian bread or even reuse French bread. To increase the flavor, you can also add cheese, hearts of palm and olives.

5. Baked pastry with mushroom and eggplant: to impress at lunchtime, the baked pastry is a good choice. In addition to eggplant with mushrooms, the pasta can also be stuffed with cheese and tomato, heart of palm; and shiitake can be substituted for mushrooms. By the way, the recipe is gluten-free and lactose-free!

Main dishes

6. Gluten-free vegetarian zucchini lasagna: a creative alternative to the traditional pasta, the zucchini lasagna created by blogger Fabiana Pinfildi is stuffed with ricotta and gets a special touch with concassé tomatoes, whose preparation is also taught by her. The recipe can be easily adapted to the desired amount and is great for serving on more intimate occasions.

7. Vegetarian lasagna: for those who don’t give up the good old pasta, this recipe features a super appetizing vegetarian filling, with a combination of pumpkin, spinach and cheese. The preparation has no secrets and the result is very nutritious!

8. Asparagus frittata: alternative to the omelet, the frittata can be served from breakfast to dinner: the purpose of the dish is determined by its accompaniment. Made with several eggs, the recipe combines tomatoes and asparagus, but can easily be prepared with other ingredients of your choice, such as zucchini, cheese, hearts of palm and mushrooms.

pies

9. Eggplant Parmigiana: A healthier version of Parmigiana is taught in this recipe, which is based on slices of grilled eggplant. The vegetable is accompanied by homemade tomato sauce and plenty of cheese. It is recommended that an eggplant be used for each person who is going to taste the dish.

10. Zucchini stuffed with smoked ricotta: forming a kind of rondelli, this recipe shows a different use for the zucchini, which has its core removed to make way for a delicious ricotta cream with curd. The most laborious part of the process is cutting the vegetable and stuffing it, after that, it only takes 20 minutes in the oven.

11. Zucchini Pancakes: with enough yield for four people, this recipe requires only two cups of grated courgette tea. The vegetable is incorporated into the pancake batter, which takes on an appearance that resembles an omelet, and its flavor is enhanced by the sauce that accompanies the dish, ready in approximately 20 minutes.

12. Pumpkin and Ricotta Meatballs: A light alternative to traditional ground beef meatballs, this recipe presents pumpkin in an original and creative way. The binding of the preparation is provided by the combination of pumpkin puree, ricotta and flour and wheat. With a yield of up to 12 servings, the meatballs can still be frozen and baked later. Great option for those who need practicality in everyday life and eventually resort to ready-to-eat meals.

13. Mushroom and Broccoli Risotto: For a mouthwatering, protein-rich main course without meat, invest in mushrooms. In this recipe, a mix of shimeji, shiitake and hiratake was used to complete a broccoli risotto. The preparation takes a lot of time, but the result is worth the effort.

14. Penne with provolone, cherry tomato and leek: a pasta with a drier sauce is the proposal of the recipe by blogger Carola Duarte, who chose the penne type to pair with wine. The preparation is very quick, as the combination of provolone cheese, cherry tomato, leek and basil is ready in about six minutes of fire.

15. Stuffed Gnocchi: It can be hard to imagine a gnocchi without the traditional bolognese sauce, but combining the pasta with a simple tomato sauce is completely possible. If you are afraid of the dish losing its charm like this, a good option can be to fill it with cheese, as this recipe teaches, or even with a vegetable of your choice.

16. Pumpkin cream soup: divided into two parts, the pumpkin cream soup takes few ingredients and can be served with bread or toast. The seasoning is selected according to the taste of the cook and the creaminess of the dish is guaranteed by the cream.

17. Vegetarian chili: another great option for cold days and also a variation on a typical dish from another country, vegetarian chili is made with red beans, tomatoes and lots of seasoning. The original Mexican recipe also uses ground beef, but in the vegetarian version, blogger Joana Macieira chose not to make substitutions, which makes the dish more like a tasty soup.

18. Escondidinho de yam with soy protein: typically prepared with cassava and dried meat, the escondidinho can also be served for vegetarians. In this recipe, soy protein, accompanied by green beans, takes the place of jerked beef and is covered with yam puree, but nothing prevents the traditional cassava from being used.

19. Cassava and leek ravioli: normally stuffed with vegetables or chicken, the ravioli gains a more striking flavor when its dough is combined with cassava. To serve, the pasta can be complemented with sauces of your choice or just prepared in butter.

20. Carrot fettuccini with arugula pesto: this version of fettuccini has a very interesting mix of flavors. The carrot used as pasta gives the dish a slightly sweetened touch that is broken by the reinvented pesto, which uses arugula instead of basil. The preparation is simple and requires just enough time to cook the carrots.

21. Pirão de queijo coalho: traditionally made to accompany the baião de dois, the pirão was adapted for a vegetarian diet and its main ingredient is coalho cheese. The recipe preserves the manioc flour and its creaminess is determined by the amount of milk added. The result is a great accompaniment to everyday rice.

22. Open pie: eye-popping, the open pie is filled with various vegetables – which can be selected according to your taste –, which makes it very nutritious and tasty. The process is a little time consuming, as the filling needs to be made separately and requires about 30 minutes in the oven, in addition to the baking time after the pie is assembled.

23. Vegetable Quiche: stuffed with goat cheese, peppers, broccoli and zucchini (zucchini), this quiche gains a colorful and very attractive appearance. The recipe yields for six people, the preparation takes about an hour and the vegetable mixture can be increased as you wish.

24. Lentil Mushroom Pie: A very simple recipe can make anyone surrender to lentils. Here, the pie crust is made only with mashed potatoes and the filling, which is quite spicy, can take on different flavors depending on the spices you use to season it.

25. Salted watercress cake with gojiberry: for those who love pasta and bread, an interesting tip is to enrich the recipes with nutritious ingredients. In this recipe, the savory cake gains a little color with the leaves of watercress, whose bitterness is broken by the sweetness of the gojiberry.

soups

26. Cream of broccoli with sweet potatoes and gorgonzola: one of the biggest advantages of soups is that you can make them with almost any type of ingredient and, with little effort, you can make them with different textures. Broccoli cream is one of those cases: its preparation only requires the vegetable to be sautéed together with the sweet potato and seasonings can be added according to your taste. In addition to being served as a soup, cream is also a great accompaniment to other meals.

27. Vegetarian green broth: for colder days, Giulia Ciavatta’s tip is to replace the bacon or calabresa in the broth with smoked ricotta cubes, which give a special flavor to the well-seasoned potato soup combined with kale. ..