Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinner Our Best Meatless Casseroles That Are Hearty Enough To Be the Main Dish By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Southerners truly know how to make-do and make good with the produce from their gardens, and these delicious vegetarian casseroles prove just how delectable meatless recipes can be. Our meatless casseroles are hearty enough to be the star of your meal. From a Zucchini Lasagna with a gorgeous woven zucchini-lattice top to the subtle flavors of feta in our Eggplant Parmesan, these casserole recipes all celebrate fresh vegetables. Southerners know that there's no better occasion than the summertime to whip up a Squash Casserole, and our rendition is both easy and satisfying. Our rich recipes for Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole and French Onion Soup Casserole create warm, filling dishes, while the recipe for Butternut Squash Bread Pudding shows how the vegetables in your pantry can become a dinnertime feast. No matter the season, enjoy the bounty of fresh produce and devour one of these mouthwatering vegetarian casseroles today. 01 of 18 French Onion Soup Casserole Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: French Onion Soup Casserole We turned the classic soup into a comforting casserole that also happens to be the perfect meatless main dish for any cold day. You can save time by slicing the onions one day in advance of cooking and store them in the refrigerator overnight. 02 of 18 Okra and Rice Casserole Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole Sautéed okra, sweet corn, Cajun spices, and buttery garlic breadcrumbs give this colorful casserole plenty of flavor. When picking out the okra for your casserole. smaller pods that are 3 to 4 inches long will be the most tender. 03 of 18 Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Creamy Kale and Pasta BakeThis creamy, cheesy dish comes together in just 30 minutes and will convince even the pickiest family members to eat their greens. Pre-chopped kale will help cut down prep time even more. 04 of 18 Reunion Pea Casserole Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Reunion Pea Casserole Even though this recipe calls for Italian sausage, you can make it without for a hearty and veggie-packed casserole that will be just as beautiful as the original. 05 of 18 Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and CheeseVeggies are easier to eat when they're in the company of homemade macaroni and cheese. 06 of 18 Lasagna Roll-Ups Hector Sanchez Recipe: Lasagna Roll Ups Take a great dish, put it in roll form, and it automatically becomes ten times more popular. You can also make this dish your own with the veggie additions of your choice. 07 of 18 Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole The blend of sweet potato, cauliflower, and greens is unique—it's almost as though three of our favorite sides got together to revolutionize dinner. 08 of 18 Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Jennifer Causey Recipe: Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Just skip the last ingredient for a meatless spin and this vegetarian casserole will become your family's new favorite breakfast. 09 of 18 Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese The addition of tomatoes turns macaroni and cheese into an acceptable main dish the whole family will love. Make sure to shred the cheese yourself for the creamiest results. 10 of 18 Green Bean Lasagna Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Recipe: Green Bean Lasagna Top this casserole with crushed buttery crackers and French fried onions and you will wonder how you ever enjoyed your green bean casserole any other way. This will be the update that will become your go-to family classic casserole for years to come. 11 of 18 Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna Van Chaplin Recipe: Spinach-Ravioli Lasagna This top-rated spinach-ravioli lasagna uses convenience items, like store-bought pesto sauce, jarred Alfredo sauce, and frozen cheese-filled ravioli to deliver a delicious main dish with little time and effort on your part. 12 of 18 Eggplant Parmesan with Feta Southern Living Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan with Feta Adding feta to traditional eggplant Parmesan takes the flavor up a notch—scratch that—it takes the flavor up several notches. To lighten up the dish a bit, you can substitute part-skim for ricotta cheese in the recipe, if you'd like. The result will be just as creamy and delicious. 13 of 18 Fresh Vegetable Lasagna Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Fresh Vegetable Lasagna This vegetable lasagna showcases a plethora of fresh veggies from zucchini to mushrooms to red and yellow bell peppers. It's fresh and flavorful, a great twist on a traditional lasagna that's sure to please. 14 of 18 Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta Photo: Melina Hammer Recipe: Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta We'd like to introduce you to the pastatta. It is a comforting, hearty, beyond delicious casserole that's a unique cross between baked pasta and a frittata. 15 of 18 Zucchini-and-Spinach Lasagna Jennifer Davick Recipe: Zucchini-and-Spinach Lasagna Fresh basil, zucchini, and spinach are baked with both ricotta and flavored cream cheese for a hearty casserole that packs a real punch of flavor. No-boil lasagna noodles will help you get this dish on the table in no time. 16 of 18 Butternut Squash Bread Pudding Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Recipe: Butternut Squash Bread Pudding This veggie-packed bread pudding is a great vegetarian side option for Thanksgiving (just substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth). 17 of 18 Easy Squash Casserole Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Sarah-Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Julia Levy Recipe: Easy Squash Casserole Squash casserole is a Southern summertime staple, and this dish is so good you'll forget there's no meat. 18 of 18 Zucchini Lasagna Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna A mandoline slicer will allow you to slice the zucchini into thin strips that resemble noodles. Then just layer and bake. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit