Planning meatless menus is easy with these quick vegetarian meal ideas.
Vegetarian meals do not have to be any harder to prepare than a meat and potatoes meal. Most can be put together quickly and served in an hour or less.
1. Summer Garden Spaghetti
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 cups zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
Cook spaghetti as directed on package.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add carrots, onion, zucchini (or squash) and garlic, and cook until crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes, peas and basil and cook until all is heated thru. Serve over cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
2. South of the Border Mac and Cheese
6 ounces uncooked pasta, macaroni, shells or spiral
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 red bell pepper, small, chopped
4 ounces green chilies
4 ounces cheese - You can use American, Velveeta or Cheddar
Cook pasta as directed and drain. In the same pot, combine pasta with remaining ingredients and cook on low for approximately 5 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.
3. Quicker Lasagna
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (1 1/2 tablespoon if dried)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 lasagna noodles, pre-cooked
2 jars spaghetti sauce (28 ounce size each)
Mix ricotta, Parmesan, parsley and oregano. In a 13x9x2 pan, spoon 2 cups of the prepared spaghetti sauce. Top with 4 lasagna noodles. Spread half of the ricotta mixture on top of noodles. Spoon 2 cups spaghetti sauce over mix. Repeat twice for addition layers. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly last layer. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, uncover and bake approximately 30 minutes longer. Sprinkle remain mozzarella over top and add extra Parmesan if desired. Let stand 10 - 15 minutes before serving.
4. Lasagna Alfredo
For the sauce:
1/4 cup butter
4 cups milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. In an empty jar, combine milk, flour, salt and pepper, shake to mix. Gradually add milk mixture to butter, heat to boiling, stirring continuously. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
For the lasagna:
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 can diced tomatoes, (14 1/2 ounces) drained
2 medium bell peppers, diced
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (14 ounces) shredded
12 lasagna noodles, pre-cooked
Prepare the sauce. Cut mixed veggies to bite size pieces. Mix all vegetables together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan and egg.
Spread 1 cup sauce in a 13x9x2 baking dish. Top with 4 noodles. Spread half of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles. Spread 1/3 of the vegetable mixture on top of ricotta. Sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Repeat for remaining layers. Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella.
Bake covered 30 minutes in a 350 degree over. Remove cover and continue baking another 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 - 15 minutes before serving.
5. Pita Pizzas
4 six inch pita breads
1/2 cup hummus
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 small onion, sliced
2 cups spinach, shredded
1 large tomato, chopped and seeded
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
Place pita breads on a large un-greased jelly roll pan. Spread hummus on each pita. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 8 -10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Top each pita with onion, tomato, olives and spinach.
6. Black Bean Burritos
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained and mashed
2 teaspoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 six to eight inch tortilla
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 large tomato, chopped
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Cook onion and garlic until onion is transparent and soft. Add beans and peppers, cook until hot.
Place 1/4 of the mixture in the center of each tortilla. Add 1/4 of the cheese and tomatoes to each. Fold up bottom of tortilla about 1 inch. Fold each side of the tortilla to the center and overlap. Serve.
7. Caesar Wrap
16 small romaine leaves (no more than 7 inches in length)
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 bottled Caesar Salad dressing
4 eight inch tortillas, garden or herb flavored
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
Toss together romaine, onion Parmesan cheese and dressing. Place 1/4 of mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each with 1/4 of the tomato slices and eggs. Fold up bottom of tortilla about 1 inch. Fold each side to the center and overlap. Secure with toothpick if desired. Serve.
8. Mediterranean Pasta Salad
8 ounces Rosamarina pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups cucumber, sliced thin
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup bottled Italian dressing
1 medium tomato, chopped
15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
4 ounces black olives, sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Mix pasta with all ingredients except cheese in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight. Top with feta cheese and serve.
9. Vegetable Cheese Soup
4 ounces Velveeta cheese
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups brown or white rice, cooked
16 ounce package frozen vegetables, thawed and drained
Heat cheese and milk in a Dutch oven over low heat until cheese is melted. Add chili powder and stir until mixed. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until hot.
10. Vegetable Scramble
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups cooked potatoes, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
4 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and bell pepper and cook approximated 5 minutes or until hot.
Mix the remaining ingredients and pour into skillet. As the egg mixture begins to set, gently lift up the sides with a spatula to allow the uncooked egg to flow beneath. Cook approximately 4 - 5 minutes or until eggs are completely set but still moist.
