It seems like all the parents I know are looking for vegetarian meals for the family these days to incorporate more plant-based foods into their meal-planning. I mean hey, it’s Veganuary right?
Um, have you heard of Veganuary? I know, it’s one of those Instagram hashtags that feels like it’s trying a little hard.
At the same time I know plenty of people trying to work more vegetarian meal ideas and plant-based recipes into their diets in the new year. It’s good for your health, it’s good for the environment, it’s actually great for your budget, and hey, and I’m all for it!
I have a vegan husband, but I also happen to have four kids who love their chicken tenders. As you can imagine, I’ve become a pro at finding vegetarian meals for families that satisfy everyone’s cravings. So give these extremely satisfying, delicious vegetarian recipes a try.
And of course, you can always add some grilled chicken or leftover steak into any of these too.
At top: double dredged tofu with spicy gochujang sauce at Olives for Dinner; black bean taquitos at Budget Bytes
Related: 5 easy vegetarian comfort food meals for fall.
I love getting some Middle Eastern flavors our your weekly rotation with these chickpea pita sandwiches at How Sweet Eats. Readers… these are so good. They’re absolutely packed with flavor, making them the perfect easy vegetarian meal for families, and they’re filling without giving you that ugh feeling when you’re through.
I’d serve them with a nice Greek salad, some sliced red peppers, and maybe even some veggie (or meat) kebabs on the side if we’re on the hungrier side.
My kids have been raised on regular taco nights, so I was delighted to find out how much they loved these black bean taquitos from Budget Bytes, after my husband switched to vegan eating. Yay for a dish we can all enjoy with no extra work for me!
This dinner is so good, my teenage son regularly requests it — along with pizza night and burgers on the grill. They have the satisfying crunch you want from a good taquito, with a spicy, creamy, hearty black-bean filling.
Related: Delicious vegetarian cookout ideas even meat-lovers will love. Hint: No veggie burgers.
This double dredged tofu with spicy gochujang sauce at Olives for Dinner is one of the most-requested dishes in my house from all four of my kids. And that is the highest praise.
If you want a vegetarian meal for your family that eases them into tofu, this is it. The tofu bites are so satisfyingly crispy and that sauce so delightfully sweet-and-spicy that no one will ever realize they’re eating it, should that be a concern. I serve ours on bibimbap bowls which I’ve written about here, with rice and some of our favorite veggies like carrots, spinach, bean sprouts and snap peas, all sautéed in a little soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. It’s a vegetarian meal that’s wildly satisfying.
Related: Is it realistic to go vegan with the kids? One mom’s tricks.
Jane tested out the viral Speedy Ravioli Lasagna hack for us, and ever since, it’s been a favorite easy dinner of ours. Make it into a whole vegetarian meal just by preparing vegetarian lasagna instead of meat-filled. Easy!
I’ve found that a good package of mushroom ravioli from the refrigerated section at my grocery will trick my kids into thinking it’s meat when I serve it in a dish like this. (No, I’m not tricking them, I just don’t bring it up at all.) But my personal favorite tip is to grab several different varieties of ravioli with flavors that blend well — like spinach, cheese, and mushroom — and use them all together.
I like planning at least one super-easy meal that I don’t even have to think about every single week and for me it’s a delicious tortilla soup like this recipe from Grandbaby Cakes. It happens to be a vegetarian meal families love, and it doesn’t lose anything at all without having chicken in it like a traditional tortilla soup.
At the end of the summer, I cut up the extra peppers from our garden and froze them, so I can use them throughout the winter in soups like this. Even if you just pick up a big stash of bell peppers from the grocery and batch freeze them yourself, its really helpful for quick dinners. Or hey, buy them fresh if that works for you.
I serve ours with a bar of toppings from cheese and sour cream to chopped avocado and corn chips because you know how much kids love food bars. And for extra deliciousness, be sure to make a big plate of cornbread to go with it.
