Food & Cooking Recipes Healthy Recipes Vegetarian Recipes 29 Kid-Friendly Vegetarian Recipes to Make for Dinner By Kelly Vaughan Kelly Vaughan Kelly is a former associate digital food editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 18, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Armando Rafael Getting your little ones to expand their palate is no easy feat. If you're looking for kid-friendly vegetarian recipes, you've come to the right place. We've combed through our archives to round up our very best recipes that are both meatless and sure to be approved by anyone under the age of 10. Trying to get your kids to eat more vegetables? Give them something familiar, such as macaroni and cheese, and then introduce one new colorful ingredient—the result will look something like our recipe for Baked Mac and Cheese with Broiled Tomatoes that's pictured here. Kids will adore the topping made of crunchy panko breadcrumbs and the ooey-gooey combination of American cheese, sharp cheddar, and grated Parmesan. They'll also love to taste the juicy, mild-tasting slices of Roma tomatoes scattered on top. It's no secret that young ones love pasta, so we use it as the base of several other kid-friendly vegetarian recipes. Some of our top picks? A vegetable-based "Bolognese" sauce served with spaghetti or bucatini, meatless meatballs, and cheesy pasta recipes that feature seasonal vegetables. They're so good, even the adults at the table will gladly clear their plates. We also have recipes that kids can help to prepare, such as pizza. They'll love the process of kneading the dough, spreading on pizza sauce, and sprinkling mozzarella cheese over the entire pie. Here you'll find a recipe for a classic margherita-style pizza that we're sure they'll devour, but encourage them to try different types of cheese or vegetables on top for an even more flavorful vegetarian bite. For kid-friendly meals that are apt for a weeknight or weekend, turn to these vegetarian dinner recipes. 01 of 28 Cheese-Stuffed Portobello Burger Con Poulos This vegetarian burger takes the meatless patty to new heights. Portobello mushrooms are stuffed with thinly-sliced, super melty provolone cheese, then stacked on brioche buns with baby arugula and our Garlic-Vinegar Mayonnaise. View Recipe 02 of 28 Vegetarian Bolognese with Bucatini Con Poulos When you have a little extra time to cook a kid-friendly vegetarian dinner, make this cremini mushroom-based Bolognese sauce that is just as hearty and delicious as the meat version. View Recipe 03 of 28 Test Kitchen's Favorite Mac and Cheese Armando Rafael What kid doesn't love macaroni and cheese? This recipe is the ultimate kid-friendly vegetarian meal. View Recipe 04 of 28 Tomato Slab Pie Frédéric Lagrange Your little ones will adore the melty duo of fontina and cheddar cheese with sliced vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and cauliflower in this vegetarian dinner. View Recipe 05 of 28 Sweet Corn-Brown Rice Risotto Kate Sears Instead of the usual arborio rice, this vegetarian risotto calls for short-grain brown rice with fresh corn kernels, fresh basil, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. It's a healthy, summery meal that kids will love. View Recipe 06 of 28 Our Favorite Tomato Soup Sidney Bensimon Pair this homemade tomato soup with our favorite grilled cheese for a kid-friendly vegetarian dinner no one will complain about. View Recipe 07 of 28 Test Kitchen's Favorite Grilled Cheese Sidney Bensimon Grilled cheese and tomato soup are the ultimate combination for a kid-friendly vegetarian dinner that's sure to satisfy any night of the week. View Recipe 08 of 28 Spaghetti and Eggplant "Meatballs" Chris Simpson Children will love the fun of twirling spaghetti with meatballs, and this kid-friendly vegetarian recipe will delight the pickiest of eaters. The meat-free meatballs are made from a hearty combination of eggplant, white beans, and panko breadcrumbs. View Recipe 09 of 28 Classic Margherita Pizza Paola + Murray Satisfy a table of hungry little eaters with our take on a classic Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza, which calls for four basic toppings: pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fresh basil leaves. View Recipe 10 of 28 Brown-Butter Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Seeds Paola + Murray When the leaves start to change, make this recipe that's full of fall flavors. The homemade gnocchi are made with sweet potatoes, sautéed with brown butter, and topped with a nutty combination of pepitas, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. View Recipe 11 of 28 Cheesy Asparagus Pasta Chris Simpson Even if your little ones aren't keen on green vegetables, they'll love this decadent pasta made with a combination of cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and Gruyère cheese. View Recipe 12 of 28 Mozzarella Sticks Bryan Gardner Skip the frozen version and pair these homemade mozzarella sticks with roasted vegetables for a complete kid-friendly vegetarian dinner. View Recipe 13 of 28 Vegetarian Chow Mein Justin Walker Chow mein noodles are tossed with grated ginger, broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and store-bought black-bean sauce in this 50-minute vegetarian dinner. View Recipe 14 of 28 Susan's Manicotti Bryan Gardner This vegetarian recipe comes from editorial director of food Sarah Carey's mother, and we think it's a fun and delicious kid-friendly meal. Manicotti shells are stuffed with an indulgent mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. View Recipe 15 of 28 Sweet Potato Home Fries Bryan Gardner If you're looking for a healthy vegetarian side dish to pair with fish, chicken, or burgers, look no further. Diced sweet potatoes are tossed with smoked sweet paprika, onion, green bell pepper, and jalapeño peppers (if your children are open to a little spice) for a bite that everyone will love. View Recipe 16 of 28 Mushroom-Eggplant Lasagna Bryan Gardner For a vegetarian take on lasagna, layer noodles with a combination of cremini mushrooms and eggplant with a triple cheese mixture (ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella) in this kid-friendly dinner. View Recipe 17 of 28 One-Pot Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon Bryan Gardner All you need is penne, broccoli, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, the juice and zest from a lemon, and some grated Parmesan to make this kid-friendly vegetarian pasta recipe. It's a winner for cleanup, too. View Recipe 18 of 28 Grilled-Eggplant Parmesan Sidney Bensimon For a lighter take on eggplant Parmesan that still tastes delicious, make this kid-friendly vegetarian recipe. Instead of breading eggplant, the slices are brushed with oil and grilled alongside tomatoes, then topped with mozzarella cheese. View Recipe 19 of 28 Mushroom Tacos with Charred-Corn Salsa Chris Simpson Sliced portobello mushrooms are sautéed with the juice and zest of lime and chipotle-in-adobo sauce, then used to top corn tortillas. These tacos have just the right amount of heat for kids and adults alike. View Recipe 20 of 28 Grilled Garlic Bread with Herb Butter Lauren Ross Complete your dinner with garlic bread, something that every kid loves. We grilled French bread until it was charred, then smeared it with butter, garlic, and flat-leaf parsley for a flavorful topping. View Recipe 21 of 28 BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich Bryan Gardner If your kids love pulled pork sandwiches, make them this easy, tasty vegetarian take with a zesty homemade BBQ sauce and jarred jackfruit. View Recipe 22 of 28 Creamy Baked Ziti Bryan Gardner For an extra-delicious baked ziti, we added four ounces of cream cheese to the mixture. It's an indulgent vegetarian recipe that kids will love. View Recipe 23 of 28 Grilled Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers Armando Rafael Looking for a colorful, kid-friendly vegetarian recipe that looks beautiful and tastes delicious? This one should do the trick. Bell peppers are stuffed with a hearty combination of couscous, golden raisins, crumbled feta, and fresh herbs. View Recipe 24 of 28 Pinto-Bean Burgers Armando Rafael These kid-friendly vegetarian burgers will go from skillet to plate in just 35 minutes. They're made with canned pinto beans, panko breadcrumbs, toasted almonds, and chopped roasted red peppers. View Recipe 25 of 28 Cauliflower-and-Mushroom Roast Bryan Gardner Whether you serve it as a main course or a side dish, this hearty vegetarian dinner recipe will please your little ones. Sliced cauliflower, shiitake mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and bread cubes are roasted together and topped with Gruyère cheese and cooked until it's melted and bubbly. View Recipe 26 of 28 Broccoli Casserole Martyna Szczesna Beneath a golden brown sprinkle of saltine crackers is a better-for-you combination of broccoli and cremini mushrooms tossed in a mustard cream sauce. View Recipe 27 of 28 Perfect Frittata with Zucchini and Provolone Bryan Gardner Kids love breakfast for dinner, and this recipe sure fits the bill. Seasonal summer squash and fresh basil bring a perky green color to this cheesy egg dish. View Recipe 28 of 28 Cacio e Pepe with Lemon We consider this pasta grown-up macaroni and cheese, but that doesn't mean that kids won't love it too. This vegetarian recipe calls for a duo of Grana Padano and Pecorino cheese, freshly cracked pepper, and aromatic Meyer lemons. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit