11 Meatless Dinner Ideas That Are Big On Flavor & Savings

“Marry me” chicken went viral on social media in recent years for being an easy but creamy, savory dinner option. Well, Budget Bytes has given us marry me lentils with all the same sun-dried tomato and parmesan flavors for much, much less. Lentils are super affordable, and a great source of both protein and fiber.

Do not sleep on the humble black bean! Honestly, a super cheesy and bell pepper-y burrito, like this recipe from Averie Cooks, is my very favorite kind. Busy moms will love that they’re done and on the table in 30 minutes.

It feels like The New York Times is constantly pushing some new white-bean dish on readers, and all that beansmaxxing is a lot. But honestly, this recipe from Averie Cooks kind of has me convinced to cook with them more. You can make this healthy yet hearty dinner on the stovetop in 30 minutes or in the slow cooker

Entirely Emmy’s recipes prioritize protein, and this crispy sticky tofu bowl is no exception. Even if you’ve never cooked with tofu before, her recipe will walk you through making it flavorful and crispy, and the sweet-and-spicy sticky sauce will make the whole thing taste amazing.

Averie Cooks’ sweet potato and chickpea coconut curry is everything you could want in a weeknight dinner. It’s a one-skillet dish, ready in 30 minutes, and high in protein, fiber, and many other nutrients thanks to all the wonderful veggies inside. Plus, this is the kind of meal that just gets better each day the flavors marry in the fridge.

Exciting work lunch alert! Mexican street corn is the best, and pasta salad is the best. So, I guess that makes All The Healthy Things’ street corn pasta salad... the bestest? We’re talking grilled corn, jalapeño, cilantro, cotija cheese, and more, people.

I know cauliflower is used often in vegan and vegetarian recipes, but as a meat-eating person, I wouldn’t know where to begin in preparing it to sub in. Damn Delicious’ cauliflower tacos would be a great first attempt because the recipe calls for riced cauliflower, which is easier to cook through evenly than the usual florets.

Jessica in the Kitchen’s butternut squash lasagna is completely vegan and a great meal prep recipe if you want to make a meatless meal you can take for lunch all week. It’s as flavorful and decadent as the classic, but loaded with spinach and squash instead of ground beef and sausage.

If you want meaty flavor without the meaty price tag, it’s time to lean on mushrooms. Damn Delicious’ Hungarian mushroom soup is an herby, umami-rich dish that pairs perfectly with a dollop of sour cream in the center and a side of crusty bread.

I love tzatziki sauce, and Entirely Emmy’s tzatziki bowl recipe just gave me an entirely new dish to enjoy it with (bless). With all the chickpeas and yogurt here, this dish is not short on protein despite being a meatless recipe. It takes about 40 minutes all in, so it’s not the fastest weeknight dinner but certainly not a super long recipe either.

As a society, we do not eat enough shakshuka. Princess Pinky Girl’s recipe is a simple one to follow if it’s your first time making this egg-centric dish. It’s delicious as a breakfast or brunch meal, but just as good at dinnertime TBH.