Food and Recipes Dinner 30 Meatless Mains For Weeknight Meals By Patricia S York Patricia S York Assistant Food Editor Pat is an Assistant Editor at Southern Living and has been a part of the team since 2006. She works with the Senior Food Editor to plan monthly print food features and stories that will highlight Southerners making a difference through food, share delicious recipes that utilize seasonal produce, and offer exceptional reader service. Pat also writes digital content on a variety of topics including cooking, gardening, and pets.One of the reasons Pat enjoys living in Birmingham is because it is centrally located between the mountains and the Gulf coast. She spends her free time gardening, hiking with her dogs, and pursuing her goal of becoming a better horsewoman. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 7, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke If you want to incorporate meatless meals into your weeknight supper rotation, take a look at this fabulously delicious lineup. Adopting a vegetarian, environmentally-friendly diet isn't as challenging as you think, with recipes for tender veggie burgers, grilled kebabs, and even main-dish mac and cheese. Did we mention the French Onion Soup Casserole? Your family will be begging for more meatless meals, and with the numerous options, there is something to satisfy even your pickiest eater and most ardent meat-lover. If that isn't convincing enough, the best part might be that most of these recipes are quick and easy, on the table in under an hour. Proof? Try the Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna, which comes together with 10 minutes of prep work, thanks to the help of frozen cheese ravioli. Round out the meals with a simple dessert, and you'll find that any sort of meat is a distant memory compared to these hearty, vegetable-laden alternatives. 01 of 30 Burrito Bowls Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Burrito Bowls A dash of lime and chopped cilantro keep things fresh, while chili powder and cumin provide the spice. Creamy avocado, sour cream, and queso blanco tie everything together, and the beans provide the hearty protein. You won't miss the meat! 02 of 30 French Onion Soup Casserole Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: French Onion Soup Casserole French onion soup as a casserole? Yes, please. This iconic dish gets a Southern makeover as a casserole, meaning there's more bread to go around. The soup base we know and love is layered over baguette slices and baked. Near the end of the cooking time, you'll broil the cheese for a bubbly, crispy exterior. Strict vegetarians and others will want to sub the beef broth for a vegetable one. 03 of 30 Okra and Rice Casserole Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole Roll two Southern staples right into a casserole and you can't go wrong. Generous amounts of okra dance with a mixture of tomatoes, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Everything is well-flavored by the garlic and Cajun seasoning, and the rice becomes the vehicle by which you soak up the homey broth. 04 of 30 Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake This cozy dish gets a kick from a little hot sauce, while the kale keeps it light. Serve it up as a side, or let it shine as your main weeknight dish. 05 of 30 Zucchini Lasagna Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna Replacing some of the lasagna noodles with zucchini strips lightens an otherwise classic dish. You'll stuff the layers with whole-milk ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and good parmesan — so much cheese, you won't miss the meat. 06 of 30 Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese A beloved pasta dish gets a little makeover with the addition of roasted broccoli florets. Chunks of cheddar cheese, dispersed throughout the dish, create surprise cheesy pockets. The best thing? It's a make-ahead meal. 07 of 30 Spinach Lasagna Alison Miksch Recipe: Spinach Lasagna Layers of noodles are bursting at the seams with fresh baby spinach, ricotta cheese, and red bell peppers. Meet a fun variant of the traditional lasagna that will win over even the staunchest carnivore. 08 of 30 Green Bean Lasagna Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Recipe: Green Bean Lasagna Bet you haven't thought about green beans in your lasagna before. This recipe combines French-cut green beans with mushrooms and the usual lasagna culprits, but with the addition of buttery crackers and fried onions. It's green bean casserole with an Italian flair. 09 of 30 Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna Van Chaplin Recipe: Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna Hello, easiest meatless dinner ever. With the help of frozen cheese ravioli and pre-made pesto, you're well on your way to dinner with just 10 minutes of prep. 10 of 30 Eggplant Parmesan with Feta Southern Living Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan with Feta The meaty eggplant fills the void in this comforting dish, so much so that you won't even miss the chicken. The feta adds a nice tang that helps brings brightness to the dish. 11 of 30 Fresh Vegetable Lasagna Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Fresh Vegetable Lasagna If you love a good farmers market haul, you absolutely need this recipe. Let your vegetables shine in this lighter lasagna that also substitutes regular ricotta for a fat-free version. 12 of 30 Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta Melina Hammer Recipe: Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta What is a pastatta, you ask? The marriage of a frittata and a baked casserole, and in this case, spinach, herbs, and a medley of cheeses take the starring roles. 13 of 30 Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole Who said meat was required for a filling casserole? Not us! The sheer abundance of vegetable goodness (which also includes cremini mushrooms and the salad of your choice — kale, collards, mustard greens) swimming in an easy cheese sauce will have you forgetting about any idea of meat (though there are beans for protein). 14 of 30 Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes This pasta salad is hearty enough for a main dish during warm summer months. If you want to add some bulk, chicken or seafood are both delicious choices. 15 of 30 Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls Here is a Test Kitchen tip on cooking with plantains: Plantains are ready to cook when their peels turn black on the outside, so buy them black or let them ripen before cooking. Many grocery stores sell heat-and-serve frozen plantains too. You'll love the sweet crunch the plantains give this colorful dish. 16 of 30 Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili Packed with fresh veggies, from zucchini to sliced mushrooms, this easy slow-cooker meal requires less than 30 minutes of hands-on cooking. Thanks to the low and slow cooking method, this chili develops a rich flavor without adding any meat. 17 of 30 Spaghetti with Meatless Ragù Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Spaghetti with Meatless Ragù Ragu is traditionally a meat sauce, but we developed flavors and textures in this sauce using plant-based ground-meat. While any pasta shape will work with this hearty vegetarian dish, we prefer slurping up long strand of spaghetti with this rich sauce. 18 of 30 Eggplant Rollups Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Eggplant Rollups This hearty dish only requires five ingredients, plus a few everyday pantry items. Add a tossed green salad to these tasty rollups for a satisfying meatless meal. 19 of 30 Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio Recipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese For the smoothest, creamiest results, let the white sauce cool slightly before whisking in the shredded cheese. For best results, skip the pre-shredded cheeses available at the grocery store and shred the cheese yourself. 20 of 30 Three-Cheese Pasta Bake Southern Living Recipe: Three-Cheese Pasta Bake This delicious variation on traditional macaroni and cheese is easy to prepare and perfect for weeknight family dinners and weekend entertaining alike. Add a green salad and fresh vegetables for a hearty, meatless meal. 21 of 30 Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto A dollop of pesto takes this vegetable soup to a whole new savory level. Feel free to mix in whatever seasonal vegetables you might find, from peas in the spring to hearty parsnips in the winter. 22 of 30 Lasagna Roll Ups Hector Sanchez Recipe: Tomato-Basil Lasagna Roll Ups Canned artichokes give the rich filling its meaty heft. Feel free to sub sautéed mushrooms or spinach. 23 of 30 Old-Fashioned Tomato Pie Iain Bagwell Recipe: Old-Fashioned Tomato Pie Old-Fashioned Tomato Pie is summer perfection thanks to garden fresh tomatoes and herbs. 24 of 30 Vegetarian Skillet Chili Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Recipe: Vegetarian Skillet Chili Like traditional chili, this meatless version gets its bold flavor from ingredients like cumin, tomatoes, garlic, and onion. This recipe wastes nothing, incorporating the cilantro stems you would usually discard into the base for added flavor. 25 of 30 Rigatoni With Grilled Veggies and Mozzarella Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Rigatoni With Grilled Veggies and Mozzarella This pasta dish borrows flavors from the Italian dish caponata, blending grilled eggplant, mozzarella, and tomatoes over rigatoni for a great vegetarian main dish that can be served hot or cold, as a pasta salad. 26 of 30 Tabitha Brown's Vegan Mac and Cheese Greg DuPree, Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Tabitha Brown's Vegan Mac and Cheese This mac and cheese is not only meatless, it's dairy-free. Don't worry, it's still ooey-gooey and creamy even without the cheese and cream. 27 of 30 Sweet Potato-Carrot Soup Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel Recipe: Sweet Potato-Carrot Soup Most soups simmer for hours, this vegetarian soup comes together in only an hour. Not only is it a vibrant color, but it's also endlessly customizable––this simple two-step recipe can be used as guide for turning any root veggies you have on hand into a satisfying soup. 28 of 30 Terry Sargent's Vegan "Boneless Ribs" Robbie Caponetto Recipe: Terry Sargent's Vegan "Boneless Ribs" Shredded jackfruit is the secret ingredient that makes these vegan ribs mimic the look and texture of pulled pork, while smoked paprika and liquid smoke help give them a barbecued meat flavor without the smoker. 29 of 30 Black Bean Burgers with Comeback Sauce Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Black Bean Burgers with Comeback Sauce A meatless option to make at the next cookout or tailgate. To make them vegetarian, omit the bacon and swap the chicken broth for vegetable when slow cooking the beans. 30 of 30 Creamy Vegetable Pot Pie Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe:Creamy Vegetable Pot Pie A vegetable pot pie so rich, you won't even miss the chicken. Enriched with heavy whipping cream, crème fraîche, whole-grain mustard, and fresh thyme, you'll get all the flavor of the classic and a double serving of vegetables in one dish. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit