Meatless (& Mostly Meatless) Meals the Whole Family Will Love
- Erika Doty
- 4 days ago
- 10 min read
They say we should all consume less meat. All the research and the doctors say that red meat is the least healthy - for us and the planet. But eating less chicken, pork and even fish is a good idea on some level. We're not here to recommended you go total vegetarian or vegan (those are great options for many, but not everyone). But mixing in a few meatless meals each week can make a big difference in your health, the health of your bank account and the planet.
If you're like me - midlife mom in her 40s with hungry teens at home - most meal prep is focused on protein, specifically lean protein. I need more of it. My kids need more of it. But it can be challenging to get that protein when skipping the meat.
Babble has done the heavy lifting for you and curated the following list of DELICIOUS meatless recipes. We also included a section of "technically meatless" that include seafood. These recipes come from our Babble Panel and online Babble community - which means they've been tried, tested and tasted. We aren't messing around with these recommendations.
So if you're going vegetarian, or vegan...or you just want to eat less meat each week...the following list is a great way to start.
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Totally Vegetarian Recipes:
Sweet Potato Burritos
Ingredients:
1T olive oil
1 onion chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
6 cans kidney beans, drained
2c water
3T chili powder
2t. Cumin
4t. prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne
3 T. Soy sauce
4 c. Mashed sweet potatoes
12 flour tortillas
Shredded cheese
Pre heat oven to 350, sauté onion, garlic, beans (mash together). Gradually stir in water and heat until warm. Remove from heat- mix in remaining ingredients . Divide evenly into tortillas, bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve with tomatillo salsa & sour cream.
Whitewater Veggie Burger
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon + 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon cumin, 1 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
1 19-oz can black beans, drained, rinsed and roughly pureed
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup almonds, roasted and chopped
1 cup sunflower seeds, roasted and chopped
3 cups fine bread crumbs
1/2 cup soy sauce
5 eggs
2 cups carrots, grated
2 cups oats
flour for dredging
In large skillet, saute onions and garlic in 1 Tablespoon oil. Place in large mixing bowl and let cool a little. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well and shape into patties. Dredge lightly in flour. Heat remaining vegetable oil in large pan to brown the burgers on both sides, you may need to do this in batches with a bit more oil. Makes about 12 burgers.
👉This recipe comes from Whitewater Cooks. All of their cookbooks came highly recommended by one of our vegetarian Babble Panel members. Her favorite of the series is their original Whitewater Cookbook, which can be found here.
Shakshuka Bowl from America's Test Kitchen
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 cup roasted bell peppers, chopped
2 large eggs
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, tomato paste, coriander, paprika, cumin and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until rest-colored and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and roasted red peppers and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 2 minutes.
Off heat, using back of spoon, make 2 shallow indentations in the sauce. Crack 1 egg into each then spoon sauce over edges of egg whites so that white are partially covered and yolks are exposed. Bring to simmer over medium heat, cover and cook until yolks film over and whites are softly but uniformly set, 4-6 minutes. Divide among individual serving bowls, then sprinkle with feta and mint. Serve.
👉This recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen's Bowls cookbook, which can be found here.
Stuffed Squash
Ingredients:
Acorn Squash (halved the long way
Chopped 1/2 onion
Chopped celery - a couple of stalks
Cooked Faro - 1/2 C before cooked
Goat cheese
Pepitas
Craisins
Parmesan cheese
This is a less-official recipe as I often just use whatever I have on hand. The above ingredients are my most preferred items to include. And every measurement is a guess.
Directions:
Cook the acorn squash. Halve it the long way, clean out seeds, drizzle with preferred cooking oil and salt and pepper. 400 in the oven for about 40 minutes.
While acorn squash is baking, chop all vegetables and mix together in a bowl.
Once squash is fully cooked, let cool for a little bit. Scoop out the cooked squash and add it to the other chopped veggies.
Distribute the mixture of veggies and farro between the squash peels (not sure if that is the correct word). Put back in oven for about 10-15 min.
Stuffed Mushrooms
If you like mushrooms this is another super easy option - similar to the stuffed squash above.
Scoop out the middle and fill with your favorite ingredients. I always fill mine with pizza ingredients: red sauce, onions, peppers, and top with cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 15 ounce frozen cheese ravioli
24 ounce marinara sauce or if you make your own sauce, 2-3 cups
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Handful of fresh basil
2 cups of your favorite lasagna cheese blend (I used 1 cup mozzarella + 1 cup ricotta)
Directions:
Pour a little sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker and then layer:
Frozen ravioli, sauce, cheese
Frozen ravioli, sauce, cheese
And it never hurts to add a little more cheese. Cook on low for 4 -5 hours.
Taquitos!
Ingredients:
15 oz can refried beans
1 Tablespoon + 1/2 Tablespoon taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar
10 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 Tablespoon olive oil
Suggested Toppings:
Sour cream
Salsa
Guacamole
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl, stir together refried beans and 1 tbsp taco seasoning.
3. Place a few tbsps of beans into the center of each tortilla. Top with cheese. Roll tortilla and place seam side down on baking sheet.
4. Brush tops of tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with remaining taco seasoning.
5. Bake for 15 mins.
6. Top with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Delicious! Kale Salad Options
Start with a bunch of kale - make sure to cut off stems and massage with a little oil for a couple of minutes. That deep green color is what you are looking for.
From there it’s all about the options. I always try to choose a protein + a grain + cheese on top:
Sweet potatoes
chickpeas
Brussel spouts
Farro or barley
Onions (sauteed, picked, caramelized or raw)
Pepitas
Goat or feta cheese toppings
Kale & Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup cooked quinoa
½ cup toasted almonds
Bunch of fresh basil, chopped
Bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup dried cherries or cranberries
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped (or ¾ c shredded carrots)
4 cup chopped kale
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
S&P to taste
Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside and allow to cool completely. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Add the cooled quinoa and toss.
Chickpea Stew
Ingredients:
¼ cup oil: combo of coconut oil and olive oil works best
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 ½ teaspoon Turmeric
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 15oz can chickpeas + 2 c shredded carrots (or 2 cans chickpeas)
2 ¾ cup vegetable and/or chicken stock
1 ½ cans full-fat coconut milk (or 1 can + 3 c stock)
3-4 cup curly-leaf kale, chopped in bite-sized pieces
1 cup minute rice (optional)
Pita bread (optional)
Heat oil in dutch oven/large stock pot. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and cook 3-5 minutes (until onion is translucent). Add turmeric, red-pepper flakes, chickpeas and carrots, season with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes, chickpeas should soften and sizzle. Using a wooden spoon, crush some of the chickpeas to help release their starch and thicken up the stew. Add stock and coconut milk, bring to simmer and cook 30-35 minutes or until desired thickness. About 10 minutes before serving, stir in kale, mix well. Then add rice. Cover and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes until rice is tender. Serve with warm pita bread.
Slow Cooker Italian Soup
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, diced
1 package mushrooms, sliced
1-2 zucchinis, chopped
4 gloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 28oz can tomatoes (diced or crushed)
6 cup vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon oregano
1 Tablespoon dried basil
Dash red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup pasta (macaroni, mini bow tie, etc)
2-4 cup fresh spinach leaves
Cheese for topping: parmesan, mozzarella and/or ricotta
Directions:
Add the first 14 ingredients (all but pasta, spinach and cheese) to LARGE crockpot. Stir to mix. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Once cooking time is done, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to soup. Mix in spinach leaves – stir well and let soup sit 5+mins until spinach is warm and wilted. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese.
Serving note: The pasta will soak up the broth, so I often serve the noodles separately - adding a scoop of noodles to the bowl, then ladling the soup over the top.
Freezing: This soup freezes well, but freeze BEFORE adding noodles. Add noodles after thawed and when ready to serve.
Baked Potato Bar
Ingredients:
Baked potatoes - 1 per person
Favorite Toppings: butter, shredded cheese, diced green onions, chives, sour cream, cottage cheese, salsa, diced tomatoes, cubed avocado, steamed broccoli
We love this as a dinner option in our house because everyone can make theirs just how they want it.
Baking Your Potatoes:
Make sure you scrub them clean, pat dry and cut a slit or two (using a knife or fork) in the skin of each potato to prevent them from bursting during cooking. Rub each potato with olive oil (or high smoke point oil like avocado oil) and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Traditional Oven: Wrap each potato individually in foil. Bake at 425 degrees for about an hour (depending on the size of the potatoes)
You can skip wrapping in foil and place the potatoes right on the oven rack(or foil-lined baking sheet for easier clean up) - this will get you a crispy skin.
Air Fryer: Place the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch to allow hot air to circulate evenly. Cook at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, flipping halfway.
Microwave: Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes, flip and cook for another 5 minutes. The skin will not be crispy when using the microwave to cook them.
Checking for doneness: Stab with a fork to check for softness, or use a meat thermometer - you want the potatoes above 200 degrees internal temp.
Air Fryer Tofu from Love & Lemons
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu
½ tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons tamari
½ teaspoon sriracha
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
Press the tofu (optional step). Wrap the block of tofu in a kitchen towel or paper towels. Place a heavy cast iron skillet on top and let it sit for 30 minutes. This will help squeeze excess water out of the tofu, which will make it more crisp as it cooks.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
In a large bowl, combine the oil, tamari, and sriracha. Cut the tofu into cubes, add it to the bowl, and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu and toss again.
Place the tofu cubes into the air fryer basket in a single layer with a little space between each piece. Don’t overcrowd the basket. Work in batches if necessary. Air fry for 11 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, or until golden brown and crisp around the edges. The exact timing will depend on your air fryer. Repeat with any remaining tofu.
See the blog post above for ideas to use your air fryer tofu.
Technically Meatless: Let's Add Seafood 🐟
Nut & Herb Crusted Fish
This is my go-to not-meat recipe when I need a meal to seem special (guests over for dinner, special celebration at dinner, etc), because it looks and tastes fancy, is healthy, and is fast and easy to make!
Ingredients
½ c almonds, ground
4 Tbsp corn meal
1 tsp paprika
Salt & Pepper
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
4 Tbsp pesto (see recipe below)
4 fish filets (halibut recommended)
Pesto (can use store-bought, but this homemade recipe is easy and healthy!):
4 c fresh basil
1 c fresh baby spinach
½ c nuts (cashews)
1 c parmesan cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ c olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions for Pesto:
In food processor, combine basil, nuts, parmesan, lemon juice and spinach. While the food processor is going, stream in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Directions for Fish:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind almonds in food processor until a fine meal-like consistency, then add corn meal, paprika, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning until just combined. Brush the fish filets with pesto on all sides, then generously cover the filets in almond mixture. Place on a lightly greased baking dish (or parchment-covered cookie sheet) and bake for 8-10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
Air Fryer Fish Sticks from Skinny Taste
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup 0% Greek yogurt
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon chile-lime seasoning salt (like Tajin Clasico)
salt to taste
Mixing all ingredients in small mixing bowl and set aside.
Fish Sticks:
1 3/4 pounds skinless salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
2 teaspoons chile-lime seasoning
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 large eggs whites, lightly beaten
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs, regular or gluten-free
Cut salmon into 16 sticks that are about 4"x1". Season the fish with 1 teaspoon chile-lime salt and all the dill. Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, combine the panko and remaining 1 teaspoon chile-lime salt. Dredge each piece of fish first in the egg whites, then the panko mixture, shaking off any excess as you go.
Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees. Add just enough breaded fish sticks to the air fryer basket to make a single layer without crowding the basket. Cook for 8 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp. Repeat with more batches of the remaining fish sticks. Serve hot with dipping sauce on the side.
👉This recipe is from the Skinny Taste One & Done cookbook. We recommend any of the Skinny Taste cookbooks for fast, easy, healthy weeknight meals.
It's the sauce that really makes this recipe amazing! Check out Babble's Favorite Fish Tacos here.
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