10 Vegetarian Dinner Ideas to Lighten Up Your Summer Meal Rotation

Summer is the best season of the year to dive into your favorite vegetarian meals. With so many fresh produce items, it is easy to get creative in the kitchen. Here are 10 of the best vegetarian summer meals to include in your meal rotation for the months ahead.

Cheesy Zucchini Quiche

Looking for a way to use up the bounty of zucchini in your garden? This cheesy zucchini quiche has you covered. The crustless quiche is stuffed with fresh zucchini and leeks and then topped with a light custard. The addition of feta and fontina cheese add a creamy goodness and a bit of zip to this classic quiche recipe. This quiche makes a great brunch or main meal option. Serve the quiche with a fruit salad and some crusty bread and you have the perfect summer meal. At less than 300 calories per slice, the recipe is also a good choice for those watching their waistline this summer.

Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

One of the best parts of summer is all of the fresh vegetables that are in season. You can lean on some of these flavors with this gnocchi with summer vegetables recipe. Zucchini, summer squash, and grape tomatoes are tossed with frozen gnocchi. All of this is topped with butter, fresh basil, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese for a delicious Italian-inspired summer dish. This gnocchi pairs well with a green salad and a glass of white wine. Best of all, you can pull it all together in about 30 minutes, making it a good meal option for those busy weeknights when you do not have a lot of time to put dinner on the table.

Cilantro Lime Spicy Black Bean Burgers

Craving a burger from the grill but want to keep it vegetarian? Even carnivores will love these cilantro lime spicy black bean burgers. A bit of jalapeño and crushed red pepper add a kick to the patties. The addition of lime adds another flavor profile. These burgers freeze beautifully so be sure to double the recipe and throw some in your freezer for a quick meal later. The patties can also be made gluten free or vegan by using panko crumbs or flax eggs. Top the burgers with all the usual condiments and you will not even miss the beef.

Thai Quinoa Salad

There is no shortage of variations of quinoa salad recipes. You would be smart to try this unique Thai quinoa salad, bursting with nutrients and flavor. In addition to the base quinoa, the salad includes kale, edamame, shredded cabbage, red pepper, carrots, mango, cilantro, green onions, and cashews. The rich peanut dressing brings all of the flavors together, coating the crunchy vegetables and adding a layer of sweetness to the dish. Don’t forget to rinse your quinoa under cold water before cooking it so that you eliminate the bitter coating.

Vegan Eggplant Gyros

Chances are, you have never tried eggplant as the base of a gyro before. You will appreciate all of the distinctive flavors in this vegan eggplant gyro recipe. Za’atar seasoned eggplant is combined with tomatoes and cucumbers and stuffed inside a warm pita to deliver the perfect summer handheld sandwich. The star of the recipe is the homemade hummus-dill sauce. Prepared hummus is mixed with fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and dried dill for the sauce that sends this gyro over the top. This gyro is light yet filling, making it a perfect choice for this time of the year.

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

Spice up your taco Tuesday with these roasted cauliflower tacos. Cauliflower florets are tossed with olive oil, taco seasoning, and lime juice before being roasted in the oven to perfection. The finished florets are stuffed into a tortilla with shredded cabbage and cilantro. The secret ingredient in these tacos is the avocado crema, made with avocados, garlic, sour cream, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. These tacos are a fantastic way to get your Mexican fix while still nourishing your body with a healthy meal. Serve these tacos with rice and beans and you have the complete Mexican feast.

Green Goddess Salad

This crisp green goddess salad is an explosion of flavor, featuring cabbage, cucumber, chives, and green onion. While that may sound plain, it is the goddess dressing that elevates this salad into a dish that you will want to eat all summer long. The dressing is made with lemon juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, garlic, shallot, chives, walnuts, spinach, basil, salt, and nutritional yeast. You can add more protein to this salad with the addition of tofu or salmon.

Chopped Chickpea Salad

This flavorful chopped chickpea salad includes bulgur wheat, a rainbow of crunchy vegetables, salty feta cheese, and a zesty honey lemon vinaigrette. The Mediterranean flavors taste even better on the second day after everything has had time to meld. With a variety of textures and tastes, you get a little bit of everything in this salad. The salad goes great with a fish filet or as a stand-alone entree with some fresh fruit and bread. You can also swap out the bulgur wheat for rice or quinoa. This versatile salad gives you lots of options to explore.

Easy BBQ Tofu Sandwich

You have never tasted tofu quite this delicious. This easy BBQ tofu sandwich will be a hit at your next gathering. Tofu is marinated in a mixture of the barbecue sauce of your choice, apple cider vinegar, and hot sauce. This is pan fried and then topped with a creamy tahini coleslaw to add a bit of tang and some added texture. This meal is also vegan, helping you to satisfy a variety of dietary requirements. Lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and onions all make great toppings for this sandwich.

Basil Pesto Pasta

Do not overthink your dinner routine. Sometimes the beauty is in the simplicity. This basil pesto pasta is bursting with flavor. The sauce is made with loads of fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, garlic, toasted pine nuts, salt, pepper, and a good quality extra virgin olive oil. You can make extra of this sauce and pop it into ice cube trays to freeze for later use. Serve the sauce tossed with your favorite pasta noodles. Or use it to top zucchini noodles for an extra nutritional punch.

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