Vegan Main Dish Recipes

Lime juice and chili-garlic sauce add zing to the peanut sauce that accompanies this tasty vegetarian main dish. The tofu and red bell peppers are roasted on the same baking sheets for easy preparation.

This satisfying stew gets a sweet and spicy kick from red curry paste and brown mustard seeds in a coconut milk broth. Sweet potato, cauliflower, and chickpeas make it a complete meal.

Canned tomatoes, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh cherry tomatoes create layers of flavor in this spaghetti sauce. Minced garlic and crushed red-pepper flakes pack a lively punch.

Kidney beans and rice are blended with ginger, garlic, carrot, broccoli, and cilantro to make these mini burgers inspired by Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. Serve the pan-fried patties on whole-wheat rolls with chili mayonnaise, red onion, and sliced mango.

Nutty, protein-rich quinoa mingles with yellow bell pepper, garlic, scallions, and zucchini in this satisfying main-dish salad. After cooking, stir in toasted almonds and celery to add crunch.

Simmer sauteed shiitake mushrooms in ginger-kissed teriyaki sauce to create an intensely savory, almost meaty-tasting sauce for pan-fried tofu. Serve this vegan dish with peppery watercress and steamed rice.

Tomato paste, green chiles, and chipotle powder make a rich, smoky base for this quick vegetarian chili. Black beans, pinto beans, and zucchini make it substantial and satisfying.

Dress Japanese somen noodles in a snappy medley of grated ginger, lime zest, and rice-wine vinegar, and top with scallions and roasted peanuts. If you can't find somen, you may use vermicelli or thin spaghetti instead.

Using canned black beans and vegetable broth makes quick work of this satisfying 30-minute stew. Red onion and red bell pepper add sweetness and depth, while cider vinegar gives it the perfect touch of acidity.

This version of the classic vegetarian stir-fry combines cubes of firm tofu with broccoli, bok choy, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, and baby corn. Imbue the tofu with savory flavor by marinating it in a mixture of vegetable broth, soy sauce, mirin, and chile paste.

Chewy, nutty-tasting bulgur wheat forms the foundation of this satisfying main-dish salad. Crisp pan-fried chickpeas, roasted red bell peppers, and baby spinach leaves complete the meal.

Punch up the flavor of tofu by marinating it in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Stir-fry a colorful assortment of vegetables with slices of fresh ginger and serve with lime wedges for a tangy touch.

Cumin, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, and cayenne pepper season this rich Moroccan stew. Butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, eggplant, canned diced tomatoes, and chickpeas make it a satisfying meal.

Coat slices of tofu in sesame seeds and pan-fry until deliciously golden and crisp. Serve with sauteed broccoli and, if you like, steamed rice or soba noodles.

Japanese eggplant and shiitake mushrooms are steamed until tender and dressed in a peanut sauce flavored with ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Serve this Asian-inspired vegetarian main dish over jasmine rice, brown rice, or noodles.

Extra-firm tofu takes on the flavor of its zesty marinade: soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, chili paste, and ginger. Serve the satueed tofu with sesame- and garlic-seasoned greens such as bok choy, collards, or mustard greens.

Delight vegan guests with this unique entree. Kale and tofu seasoned with onion, garlic, and rosemary make a colorful and tasty stuffing for sweet potatoes.

This 15-minute dish is a perfect busy-night dinner. Just simmer sauteed tofu, frozen green beans, and sliced plum tomatoes in light coconut milk seasoned with garlic and curry powder.

Stir-fry minced garlic and fresh ginger together to release their fragrance before adding baked tofu to the pan. Red and yellow bell peppers, cooked brown rice, and scallions make this dish colorful and satisfying.

Begin with canned lentils and your favorite bottled tomato sauce to assemble this vegan meal in just 20 minutes. Ginger, curry powder, garam masala, lime juice, and fresh cilantro add lively flavor to the dish.

Marinate tofu cubes and scallions in a refreshing puree of cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, and lime juice before threading onto skewers. Grill alongside summer squash kebabs and serve with the leftover marinade for dipping.

Make the flavor base for these black bean and basmati rice burgers by sauteing onion and red bell pepper with aromatic spices. Serve the pan-fried patties on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, and avocado.

A quick dip in a soy sauce marinade gives savory flavor to carrot sticks and tofu. Broil until nicely browned and season with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and scallions.

Saute diced onion, red potatoes, button mushrooms, and thyme to start this easy soup. Add canned navy beans and fresh spinach leaves, and season the soup with red-wine vinegar if you like.

Whip up an easy peanut sauce and a stir-fry to liven up leftover spaghetti. This vegan dinner takes just 30 minutes to prepare.

Wild rice, amaranth, quinoa, millet, and brown basmati or jasmine rice combine with fresh oranges, radishes, fennel, and dill to create this nutritional powerhouse of a salad. This recipe is from Emeril Lagasse's cookbook "Farm to Fork".

It takes only 20 minutes to whip up this easy vegan main dish of whole-wheat spaghetti, snow peas, carrots, and tofu coated with a sweet and tangy Asian-style peanut sauce.

Asian chile sauce, orange zest, and Panko breadcrumbs create a wonderfully flavorful, crisp coating for pan-fried tofu. Serve on a salad with cool mint leaves and buttery avocado.

These immensely flavorful sweet potato, millet, and chickpea burgers are seasoned with coriander, cumin, and fennel. Pan-fry the patties in sesame oil and serve on toasted buns with tahini sauce.

Toss soba noodles, blanched green beans, and silken tofu in a dressing of lime juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil to make this cool Asian salad. This 15-minute dish is perfect as a light dinner or an office lunch.

Butternut squash, red adzuki beans, tofu, brown rice, and your choice of leafy greens such as kale, chard, or beet greens are perfectly seasoned with a drizzle of miso-ginger dressing. Serve this extraordinarily nutritious Japanese-inspired dish with an assortment of condiments: grated daikon radish, dried seaweed, umeboshi plums, and gomaisho (a blend of toasted sesame seeds and sea salt).

Simmer scallions, ginger, and garlic in water to create a delicately flavored broth to serve over grilled tofu and soba noodles. Cook bok choy, snow peas, and serrano chile in the broth along with the noodles.

Saute mustard and cumin seeds with a puree of garlic and fresh ginger to make the vibrant flavor base for this curry. Add tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, and okra, and serve with white rice and plain yogurt.

Combine chewy Israeli couscous with sauteed mushrooms, scallions, and corn to make this one-bowl vegan dinner. The addition of black beans and avocado make it a hearty meal.

This easy, satisfying meal is created entirely in a rice cooker! Steam brown rice with dried shiitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and a dried chile, then stir in baby spinach, cilantro, scallions, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil just before serving.

Baby artichokes, radicchio, and fresh basil give this Italian stew its nuanced flavor. This recipe begins with dry cannellini beans, which can be cooked up to two days in advance before making the stew.

To make pan-fried tofu that's delicously browned and crisp, first press it between weighted baking sheets for 20 minutes to squeeze out the excess liquid. Combine the tofu with stir-fried broccoli, season with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and red-pepper flakes, and top each serving with toasted cashews.

No ordinary salad, the broccoli and tomatoes in this one-dish meal are roasted with garlic until tender and caramelized. Toss with white beans and baby spinach, and a tangy dressing of Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice.

A light dressing of mirin, soy sauce, and ginger coats delicate silken tofu and crunchy radishes and jicama. The accompanying chilled soba noodles are dressed in a sweet and creamy peanut sauce enhanced with coconut milk and ginger.

This meatless main dish salad gets Middle Eastern allure from toasty cumin and lemon zest. The combination of chickpeas and whole-wheat couscous provide complete protein.

Curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, and a fiery Scotch bonnet pepper give this Caribbean vegetable stew its vivid flavor. This recipe is from "Lucinda's Authentic Jamaican Kitchen" by Lucinda Scala Quinn.

Drained extra-firm tofu is sauteed in sesame oil along with garlic, a fresh Thai chile, snow peas, and bean sprouts to make this flavorful stir-fry. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with brown rice or noodles.