Quick Meatless Recipes

Our noodle-free lasagna substitutes baked eggplant for the pasta and cuts the oil and fat from the bechamel -- but still bubbles with cheese and creamy sauce.

Grilled pizzas topped with avocado, fresh spinach, and goat cheese are a California dream come true. Stretch the dough to whatever shape fits your grill most easily.

Whole wheat spaghetti and peanut butter are both packed with protein, which is what makes this lean and nutty noodle dish so satisfying.

Roasting adds a wonderful char to mushrooms, peppers, and broccoli that permeates each bite of these veggie melts.

Skim milk and reduced fat cheeses like ricotta, mozzarella, and cream cheese aren't always delicious on their own -- but as part of a recipe like this lasagna, they can satisfy as much as the full-fat versions.

Although it makes a delightful breakfast, this frittata of mushrooms, scallions, eggs, and Parmesan cheese could also be served with a green salad for a lunch or light dinner.

Here's a pasta dish where noodles (in this case, buttery gemelli twists) take second stage to tender squash and nibbly peas.

It's often easier to assemble a fresh-tasting, nourishing meal from store-bought items if you go meatless. One example is this hearty black-bean chili, which relies on canned black beans, canned tomatoes, and frozen corn.

Sun-dried tomatoes add a sweet smokiness to this fresh and hearty pasta dish; for a little more, use roasted almonds instead of plain.

The longer you are able to squeeze moisture from tofu, the easier it is to control and brown in the pan. If you can leave it overnight, feel free to prep the veggies and sauce early as well.

Fresh or, as in this dish, roasted with oil and seasoning, cauliflower lends itself perfectly to pasta dishes, where its wrinkled flesh collects even the thinnest of sauces.

Be thorough drying the broccoli when you prep the ingredients for these sunny quiches, as any extra moisture will affect the consistency of the final result.

Baking quesadillas, rather than frying them, gives you more control over the amount of oil being used; it also means you don't have to worry about flipping gooey cheese-filled tortillas in a pan.

The cherry tomatoes cook just long enough to bring out their juice, which blends with the garlic-flavored olive oil to make one of the best-tasting pasta sauces.

For a slightly less rustic look, dice half the roasted cauliflower and carrots for mixing with the couscous and chickpeas, reserving the other half to be served on the bed of arugula.

We recommend prepping our corn relish ahead of time, letting the corn kernels steep in lime juice and scallions, and giving the tomatoes time to steal a little heat from diced jalapenos.

Baking this Spanish-style tortilla of eggs, potatoes, and onions in the skillet saves time and cleanup, and sets up a fun presentation when serving.

Ricotta is famous for its use in lasagnas, but its sweet and creamy texture blends well with a little butter and tarragon, making a sumptuous sauce for loose pasta as well.

Chickpeas are a staple of the Indian diet, where they're served in variety of ways: mashed, deep fried, or stewed, as here with curry powder, ginger, and tomatoes in a tangy stew.

Here's a striking way to serve breakfast without having to flip eggs in a pan: a baked omelet of eggs, spinach, and cheese that's assembled and sliced like a jelly roll.

You won't miss the meat in this earthy pasta dish, which combines porcini, shiitake, and button mushrooms, thyme, and a silky butter sauce.

One trick to frying 10 eggs at a time: stir slowly from the edges in, then the middle out. This gives the eggs time to set without the risk of overbrowning any one area.

Rich and fruity olive oil is an important component in the sauce for this verdant pasta toss. We use a little extra when browning the garlic and red-pepper flakes so that their flavors permeate every bite.

Don't mistake our spicy avocado sauce for guacamole! Mustard and horseradish -- along with a diced jalapeno -- give this similarly green and creamy sauce a whole other kind of kick.

Pasta sauce doesn't always have to be cooked on the stove. Here, onion, tomatoes, and eggplant are roasted in the oven, which gives the dish a sweeter flavor.

How many recipes do you know of that use the phrase "pile of vegetables"? This one does! Colorful roasted zucchini, mushrooms, and scallions are generously heaped on grilled tortillas.

Our revision of the brunch classic replaces hollandaise sauce with crumbled goat cheese, delivering a similar salty appeal with much less effort.

Pumpkin puree straight from the can forms the heart of this autumnal baked pasta, which also includes kale, almonds, and, for a hint of familiarity, sun-dried tomato paste.

Avocado becomes bitter and mushy when cooked, but when tossed with cooked pasta, butter, herbs, and cheese, its natural creaminess becomes part of a thin, delicious sauce.

If you've got a really rich, fruity olive oil stashed away, here's a great recipe to consider: summer squash, tomatoes, and red onions, roasted with oil and tossed with butter, Parmesan, and basil.

Not quite a chili, this quick Mexican-tinged stew combines canned black beans, diced tomatoes, and diced chiles, but gets its creamy consistency from a quick puree.

We recommend cavatappi for this sumptuously green pasta toss, but any similar pasta ziti or gemelli will work -- just so long as our rich pesto sticks generously to the noodles.

Watch as Martha prepares a healthy Mediterranean grain salad.

Your potatoes should be golden but still tender when you combine them with the other ingredients in this Italian-inflected dish. The closer they get to potato chips, the more they will overpower the tart red pepper and subtle hint of rosemary.

Try not to overwork with the rolling pin when forming the crusts for these crowd-pleasing grilled mini pizzas, as air trapped in the dough gives a pizza its lightness and crunch.

Like sour cream in chili, a dollop of ricotta on the top of our Penne alla Norma adds creaminess and gives the sauce a bit more depth.

Don't be afraid to heat your tortillas with a tiny sprinkle of water before assembling these generously stuffed burritos. You'll need a bit of pliability to keep the savory pinto beans, shredded cheese, and white or brown rice in place.

If you're looking for a slightly more authentic flavor to this Asian-inspired dish of tofu, snow peas, carrots, and a potent peanut sauce, consider soba noodles, which are similarly colored and just as nutritious.

An easy sauce of soy, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and garlic glosses sauteed broccoli and tofu with a sour heat in our healthy revamp of Chinese takeout.

Mixed mushrooms offer a variety of tastes and textures but keep your shopping list short. These are yummy straight out of the oven or, wrapped in a foil, as a ready snack or lunch.

Feta and white beans provide plenty of protein in this main-course salad. If you don't have white-wine vinegar, you can substitute red-wine or balsamic vinegar.

Caramelized onions -- a mainstay of the steakhouse -- add a sweetness and pleasantly smoky char to this buttery, meatless tossed-pasta dish.

Baked portobellos have a dark, woodsy flavor and a firm texture that lend themselves to replacing meat in some recipes -- in this case, baking with spinach and cheese as though they were sirloin.

Curry has a reputation for lengthy preparation that's sometimes deserved. Not so with this sharp and creamy stew of ginger, mustard, cumin, cauliflower, okra, and tomatoes; it's ready in just 40 minutes.

Tacos with a Southern accent! Canned black-eyed peas are a perfect stand-in for ground beef or black beans when paired with corn, cilantro, chiles, and your choice of toppings.

The sweet, complex flavors of balsamic vinegar enhance the smokiness of grilled portobellos and bell pepper, making for an ultra-satisfying meatless burger.

Just as with frying, egg yolks will take a little longer to set than whites, so test the whites with a toothpick when you think this vibrant casserole of tortillas, eggs, tomato sauce, and cheese is about done.

Squash and tomatoes are among the juiciest veggies around, but let their liquids reduce and intensify a bit before adding other ingredients, including basil, cheese, butter, and lemon juice.

Don't forget about eggs when looking for a simple, satisfying lunch or dinner! Our Mexican Frittata would be great at breakfast, but we've included a quick side salad for serving any other time of day.

Here's a recipe that celebrates the best that summer has to offer: fleshy plum tomatoes, fresh parsley and oregano, and a peppery olive oil tossed with pasta and cheese.

Think of it as a more sophisticated eggplant Parmesan: baked eggplant slices and tomato sauce, broiled on Italian bread until brown and crunchy.

Lentils are packed with protein and have a nutty, vegetal flavor, so they're ideal for eating as burgers. Mashed with carrots, mint, and scallions and pan-fried, they look and taste right at home on a bun.

Frying rosemary in olive oil not only turns the herb into a crispy garnish -- it also infuses the oil to create a tasty base for the pumpkin sauce.

Got enough breadcrumbs in the house but need to do something with some old bread? Bake it with eggs, spinach, and cheese.

When seeded, acorn squash have a large hole in the middle of their soft, fibrous flesh that seems to have been made for stuffing. Our vegetarian blend of wild rice, cherries, pecans, and sage is one of many possibilities.

Swiss chard is one of the healthiest greens available. It has a crisp, slightly bitter taste that adds dimension and texture to this tart soup of tomatoes and herbs.

Bulgur is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes. It has a light, nutty flavor and, along with the chickpeas, adds protein to this vegetarian dinner.

The combination of lentils and browned onions give this pasta a distinctly Mediterranean flair.

Coconut milk is used throughout Asia to form the basis for stews and curries. Here, simmered with red curry paste, sweet potato, and cauliflower, it brings a floral, dairy-free creaminess to the sauce.

A teaspoon of cider vinegar brings a sour, sugary note to the broth of our quick and easy black-bean stew. Serve with rice, lime, cilantro, and sliced radishes available for garnish.

The core of this pasta's thin but flavorful sauce is four cloves of roasted garlic; consider giving them a quick dice in addition to mashing them, so that they distribute evenly in the pan.

One way to cut down on the effort that goes into risotto: bake the rice once all the ingredients are introduced, rather than stirring it over the stove. This cooks the rice gently alongside the squash, kale, garlic, and thyme, without demanding all of your attention.

Another twist on Asian-noodles, this one inspired by the fat, sweet-and-spicy "pads" of Southeast Asia, with peanut butter, honey, ginger, and red bell peppers clinging to snow peas and pappardelle.

You'll believe rich, complex curry flavor is possible using Western grocery staples like ketchup, cinnamon, and cloves when you taste this one-skillet take on a South Asian staple.

Here's another fun take on pesto, with peas, parsley, and toasted walnuts standing in for basil and pine nuts. The result is nuttier, smokier, and at the same time, more vegetal.

From the looks of this rustic tossed pasta, you'd swear there was meat in it. But after one bite of the light, savory sauce of tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, and oregano, you'll be glad there isn't.

Eggs and asparagus are a classic combination, but rarely are they together in such hearty, continental fashion. Perfect if you've got leftover asparagus beckoning you from the fridge.

The trick to adding spinach to mac and cheese isn't actually a trick. You just have to make a world-class mac and cheese -- starting with flour, butter, and onions, and finishing with gooey Gruyere -- and add sliced spinach.

Pay attention when you're prepping the toppings for this eye-catching tribute to the flavors of spring. One of the key ingredients: the marinade from a jar of marinated artichoke hearts.

Here's one for the hottest days of the summer: a rich and nutritious salad of pinto beans, corn, avocado, and Jack cheese that requires only a bit of chopping and a minute in the microwave.

The crispy freshness of cucumbers and cabbage are a perfect complement to the bready softness of soba noodles, leaving you to dress this dish simply with lemon juice, oil, and parsley.

No garlic? No problem! We've created this recipe to showcase the delicate sweetness of both tomatoes and tarragon.

Watch as Lucinda Scala Quinn makes this crowd-pleasing favorite in a skillet, which cuts down on the baking time.

Skipping the top layer of cheese on a lasagna might enrage purists, but anyone looking for a lighter version of a layered tomato pasta (including ricotta!) will be satisfied.

Our baked tofu comes out browned and ready to be dipped in the fiery peanut sauce, but if you want a little more smoky flavor, add a quick drizzle of sesame oil before serving.