Meat-Free Dinner Ideas with Beans, Pasta and Vegetables
Beans, pasta and mushrooms give these meat-free dinners plenty of different directions. Fill shells, toast quesadillas, simmer chili, toss pasta or make a vegetable tray dinner. Choose a complete recipe that sounds right tonight, with its own filling, sauce and cooking method already worked out.
6 recipes · Ingredients
Illustrative serving idea.
A few ideas for the week.
Plan a dinner from recipes whose listed ingredients omit meat, while checking packaged sauces and cheeses against your dietary requirements.
Choose portions and review ingredients before confirming anything in your pantry.
Spinach, ricotta and Parmesan form a pasta filling, with marinara and mozzarella baked around the shells.
The little job to plan for: Check the draining or squeezing instruction before combining everything. Finish that little preparation step first, so you are working with the ingredient in the form this recipe expects.
How it begins: Heat oven to 375°F.
At the finish: Cover and bake 25 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes until bubbling.
Check the list for: Jumbo pasta shells, Ricotta, Spinach, Mozzarella.
Mashed and whole black beans form the tortilla filling with pepper, salsa and cheddar.
The little job to plan for: The bean-mashing step changes how the mixture holds together or thickens. Do it where the method calls for it, then look at the texture before deciding what to do next.
How it begins: Drain and rinse beans.
At the finish: Cut into wedges.
Check the list for: Black beans, Tortillas, Cheddar, Bell pepper.
Beans and tomatoes provide a pot-based alternative to the pasta and tortilla dinners.
The little job to plan for: The bean-mashing step changes how the mixture holds together or thickens. Do it where the method calls for it, then look at the texture before deciding what to do next.
How it begins: Dice onion and pepper.
At the finish: Divide into bowls and top with cheddar.
Check the list for: Black beans, Canned tomatoes, Onion, Bell pepper.
Tomatoes, garlic and spinach make a sauce finished with Parmesan and reserved pasta water.
The little job to plan for: Put a mug or measuring cup beside the stove before you start. Scoop out the cooking water where the method tells you to, then add it gradually when bringing the pasta and sauce together.
How it begins: Boil pasta in a large pot of water following the package time.
At the finish: Serve with Parmesan.
Check the list for: Pasta, Canned tomatoes, Spinach, Parmesan.
Pesto and Parmesan flavor a milk-based sauce that is combined with macaroni and spinach.
The little job to plan for: Check the draining or squeezing instruction before combining everything. Finish that little preparation step first, so you are working with the ingredient in the form this recipe expects.
How it begins: Thaw the spinach in the microwave, squeeze out the excess water, and set it aside.
At the finish: Add the thawed spinach and sauce, stir thoroughly, and serve immediately.
Check the list for: Uncooked macaroni, Whole milk, Grated Parmesan, Basil pesto.
Portobello mushrooms, potatoes, asparagus and tomatoes give the collection a dinner built around a roasting tray rather than pasta or tortillas.
The little job to plan for: Start with the oven-preheating step in the recipe. Then use the preparation steps that follow to get the food ready for the hot oven.
How it begins: Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
At the finish: Remove sheet pan from the oven and divvy everything up into 4 portions!
Check the list for: Yukon gold potatoes, Portobello mushrooms, Balsamic vinegar, Soy sauce.
These meals are written around their listed ingredients. Pick the bean, pasta or mushroom dinner you want rather than treating it as a swap inside a different meat recipe.
Check the cheese and sauce
Dairy remains in several of these dishes. Read the actual ingredients for your household instead of relying on the collection name for a dietary promise.
Notice the different spinach jobs
Spinach goes into sauces and shell filling here. Follow the form and preparation in the recipe you choose.
Before the shop
Check what is already in the kitchen
Several choices include dairy, and packaged pesto, marinara and cheese ingredients vary. Check product labels for your own vegetarian requirements and allergies; this collection does not make a vegan or allergen-free claim.
A couple of useful questions
How do I choose one for tonight?
Start with the ingredients and cooking job you want. The notes beside each recipe show the preparation to plan for; open that recipe for the complete method before getting started.
What should I check before shopping?
Choose the dinners you want to make, then compare their full ingredient lists with what is already in the kitchen. Keep different prepared products, sauces and ingredient forms separate when checking the amounts.
Make it your kind of week.
Review dates, portions and what is already in the pantry before saving your meals or grocery additions.
