9 Vegetarian Lunch Ideas Everyone Needs To Know
Are you contemplating changing your diet and going green? If so, use these vegetarian lunch ideas as an inspiration for your recipes! No eggs, no dairy…only delicious nutty and soy alternatives. Get creative with these 9 vegetarian lunch ideas!
1. Butternut Squash Pumpkin Soup with Lentils
Start off by washing 250 grams of lentils until the water stops foaming. Then cube 1 pumpkin with skin and add some olive oil to a pan. Fry 1 chopped onion, some ginger, and garlic for 5 minutes. Then add in the pumpkin and fry for another 5 minutes. Pour ½ liters of the vegetable broth into the pan to completely hide the pumpkin pieces, no more. Bring the soup to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add in the lentils to the soup and stir for another 15 minutes. When the soup is done, let it cool off, add some salt and pepper to taste and put it in a blender for a few minutes. Enjoy!
2. Spiced Rice with Nuts
Begin by roasting 2 tsp of almonds and 2 tsp of peanuts in a skillet without adding olive oil; set aside. In a separate pan, fry 1 chopped onion adding olive oil until it is translucent. Add in 250 grams of white rice, some chili, and turmeric; stir and fry for 2 minutes. Pour in 200 ml of almond milk and add 2 tsp of raisins. While stirring, pour in ½ liters of vegetable broth and cook over low heat to evaporate the water until the rice is mushy. Top it off with nuts and add some salt before you dig in!
3. Sicilian Caponata
This is a great vegetarian lunch idea for a family gathering. Cube 2 eggplants, two cm a piece, add some salt and microwave for 10-12 minutes on medium power until soft. Take 3 celery stems, remove all the leaves and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Fry 3 chopped onions, some olives, and capers for 10 minutes in a skillet adding some olive oil. Add in 400 grams of finely chopped tomatoes, celery, eggplant, some salt, and pepper and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve with 3 tsp of vinegar and 1 tsp of sugar and enjoy.
4. Oven-Baked Beet Chips
Start off by peeling and thinly slicing two beets. Use a special knife and be careful not to hurt yourself! Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the slices out onto the paper. Dry in the oven at 180 degrees for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with some olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Quick and easy!
5. Semolina Porridge
Heat up 600 ml of almond milk in a saucepan and add ½ tbsp of almond extract and 1 vanilla pod. Do not bring the milk to a boil and add in 50 grams of sugar and 70 grams of semolina. Stir for 4 minutes and put it in the fridge for an hour (otherwise, keep it there overnight). Top it off with almonds or other nuts to taste!
6. Chocolate Mousse
Perfect vegetarian lunch idea to surprise your partner! Break 100 grams of dark chocolate into squares and them in a saucepan. Add peanut milk and 300 grams of chopped tofu and then stir over low heat until the chocolate is fully melted. Beat the mixture in an electric mixer until a homogeneous creamy consistency is obtained. Pour the mousse into a hemisphere mold, top it up with 50 grams of hazelnuts and refrigerate for 1 hour!
7. Green Bean Salad with Figs
Roast 100 grams of hazelnuts in an oven on 180°C for 10 minutes. Cut the tips off both ends of 750 grams of beans and boil them for 10 minutes. Let them cool off and then slice 6 figs and mix them with the beans and hazelnuts. Add some salt and pepper and 2 tsp of nut butter to enjoy!
8. Spinach and Raspberry Smoothie
Peel one banana, break it into pieces and put them in a blender. Pour in 1 glass of raspberries, 1 glass of spinach and some parsley to taste. Beat for three minutes straight and decorate with extra berries. Pinkies up!
9. Healthy Ice Cream With Berries
Quick and easy vegetarian lunch idea for people who are always on the go. Beat 2 bananas and a handful of raspberries in a blender. Add chia seeds and coconut flakes and enjoy!
