20 High-Protein, Vegetarian Dinners in 3 Steps or Less By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 23, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is the senior nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Credit: Ali Redmond Add these vegetarian dinners to your weekly menu for a flavorful boost of protein! Each serving contains at least 15 grams of protein, a nutrient that helps support healthy weight management, promotes satiety and may also decrease risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure. Not to mention, all of these dishes are ready in just three steps or less to help make mealtime simple. Options like our Melting Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella Pasta or Pea Pesto Gnocchi with Burrata make for a nourishing dinner that everyone will enjoy. Love any of these recipes? Tap "Save" to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell. 01 of 20 Melting Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella Pasta Ali Redmond This simple yet delicious pasta dish combines cherry tomatoes with mozzarella, highlighting their natural sweetness and mozzarella’s creamy, gooey texture. Mozzarella pearls are the perfect size for mixing into the finished dish. If you can’t find them, chopped fresh mozzarella will work well too. View Recipe Save 02 of 20 Pea Pesto Gnocchi with Burrata Jacob Fox Here we pan-fry gnocchi to get them crispy, then coat them with a pesto-like sauce made with sweet peas, spinach, basil and cashews. View Recipe Save 03 of 20 High-Protein Tomato, Mozzarella & Arugula Sandwich Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, prop stylist: LIndsey Lower This vegetarian sandwich is packed with protein, thanks to creamy fresh mozzarella cheese and plenty of walnuts blended into the roasted red pepper spread. The spread, reminiscent of romesco sauce, is versatile and can also be served as a dip or sauce, adding depth and complexity to dishes like grilled meats, seafood and vegetables, or as a topping for pasta. View Recipe Save 04 of 20 Spinach, Feta & Artichoke Tater Tot Casserole Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell This egg-based dinner casserole is assembled and baked in a single baking dish, making prep (and cleanup!) a breeze. Potato tots nestled on top add a crispy, golden crust. Be sure to squeeze as much moisture as you can from the frozen artichoke hearts and spinach to prevent the casserole from becoming soggy. If you can’t find frozen artichoke hearts, you can use canned—just make sure to rinse them well to remove any excess salty brine. View Recipe Save 05 of 20 Baked Feta & Tomato Chickpeas Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell This simple baked feta casserole recipe turns cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and chickpeas into a hearty, protein-rich vegetarian meal. After baking, it creates a savory-sweet tomato–olive oil sauce ideal for slathering on pita bread. Feta cheese in brine melts more readily compared to dry, crumbled feta, so it’s worth seeking out. For a different take, replace the chickpeas with creamy white beans. View Recipe Save 06 of 20 5-Ingredient Brie and Blackberry Jam Grilled Cheese Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco This irresistible sandwich pairs creamy Brie cheese with a sweet-and-savory blackberry jam spread for the perfect ultra-quick lunch or dinner option. You can easily double the recipe using a medium pan, or use a sandwich press if you have one on hand. View Recipe Save 07 of 20 Cabbage Grilled Cheese Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall This warming cabbage grilled cheese has it all from melty cheese, tender cabbage and crispy sweet-tart apple slices. This sandwich is an easy winner for lunch or dinner served with a green salad. A light layer of mayonnaise on the outside of the bread is a great way to toast a grilled cheese to golden brown without having to rely on butter. We love tender, sweet Savoy cabbage, but this recipe would work with red or green cabbage as well. View Recipe Save 08 of 20 Crustless Caprese Quiche Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell This light and fluffy crustless quiche is dotted with tomatoes, little bites of melty mozzarella and savory pesto. And the best part—it’s mixed, assembled and baked in a pie plate for easy cleanup. Enjoy as an easy breakfast or brunch option or serve for lunch or dinner with a mixed green salad on the side. View Recipe Save 09 of 20 Slow-Cooker Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach Pasta Bake Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell This simple vegetarian pasta bake is rich in protein and comes together effortlessly in the slow cooker, for a convenient one-pot meal. The combination of sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato pesto and plenty of veggies delivers a mix of sweet and savory flavors with every bite. Feel free to replace the sun-dried tomato pesto with basil pesto, offering a fresh twist on the dish. View Recipe Save 10 of 20 One-Pot Lentils & Rice with Spinach This hearty vegan dish gets its earthy flavor from cumin and brown rice. If you can handle extra heat, try doubling the crushed red pepper for a bigger punch of flavor. View Recipe Save 11 of 20 The Best Veggie Enchiladas Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek These veggie enchiladas are packed with sweet corn, onion, peppers, zucchini and beans and are coated with store-bought enchilada sauce to save time on prep. Enchilada sauce ranges from mild to hot. We like the earthy flavor of red enchilada sauce, but green enchilada sauce works well too. For a slightly different spin, substitute yellow squash for the zucchini and a poblano for the bell pepper. View Recipe Save 12 of 20 Linguine with Creamy Mushroom Sauce Brie Passano The creamy mushroom linguine is ready in 40 minutes, so it's quick enough for an easy weeknight recipe but it feels fancy enough for entertaining. View Recipe Save 13 of 20 Slow-Cooker Three-Bean Chili Mac Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell Chili meets mac and cheese in this fix-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker dinner. Hot tomato sauce, a Mexican canned tomato sauce that also includes spices and chiles for heat, kicks up the flavor. If you can’t find hot tomato sauce, regular canned tomato sauce with a tablespoon of chili powder mixed in is a good substitute. You can cook the pasta separately and add it in at the end of cooking, or use our alternative method and cook the pasta in the slow cooker with a few adjustments listed below. View Recipe Save 14 of 20 One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless This one-pot pasta dish with white beans, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes is lively and vibrant and leaves you with an easy cleanup. Toasting the orzo before adding the broth adds another layer of flavor. Another dark leafy green like chopped kale or Swiss chard can stand in for the spinach, but may take longer to wilt in the pan. If you use a sturdier green, add it to the pan during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. View Recipe Save 15 of 20 Eggs in Purgatory Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Eggs in Purgatory, an Italian favorite, involves gently cooking eggs in tomato sauce (with some regional variations) and can fit neatly into breakfast, lunch or dinner. Our rendition features anchovies for an infusion of savory flavor, and baby spinach to pack in extra veggies. View Recipe Save 16 of 20 Caprese Pasta Salad Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely This light and fresh caprese pasta salad is brought together with a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite. View Recipe Save 17 of 20 Crustless Spinach & Asparagus Quiche with Gruyère Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Styling / Emily Nabors Hall / ulia Bayless This light but filling crustless spinach-and-asparagus quiche features plenty of vegetables baked with richly flavored Gruyère cheese. Enjoy a slice for dinner with a salad on the side or as part of a simple spring brunch. View Recipe Save 18 of 20 Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale Greg DuPree Loading up your pasta with vegetables like the kale and mushrooms here is not only delicious, it also makes the meal more satisfying. View Recipe Save 19 of 20 Vegan Quinoa Chili Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin This light but filling vegan quinoa chili is packed with fresh veggies, with quinoa and black beans adding protein and fiber. Complete this easy one-pot dinner with vegan cheese, dairy-free yogurt or your favorite chili toppings. View Recipe Save 20 of 20 Green Goddess Grain Bowl This healthy grain bowl packs in the greens with peas, asparagus and a creamy yogurt dressing. Tofu adds protein while keeping it vegetarian, but you could also swap in cooked shrimp or chicken for a satisfying dinner or packable lunch ready in just 15 minutes. View Recipe Save Medically reviewed by Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is the senior nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Explore more: Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused High-Protein High-Protein Dinner Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit