7 Delicious Vegetarian Meal Prep Ideas
There are lots of reasons people start plant-based diets. One of those reasons is the health benefits of a vegetarian diet! As long as you’re being mindful of your meal choices and going as high-protein as you can without meat, vegetarian diets can be good for inflammation, cholesterol, blood pressure, and more.
However, no matter how good your reasons for starting a diet or a certain way of eating, sticking to it can be tough. One of the best ways to stay committed to your health goals and actually fall in love with your new lifestyle is to meal prep. When you meal prep, every meal is easy, intentional, and, of course, delicious.
So, today, I am sharing some of my favorite healthy vegetarian meal prep recipes to add to your meal prep plan! If you’re new to this concept, here’s my step-by-step meal prep guide. I promise, it’s pretty simple. Plan ahead, remember your goals, and enjoy what you eat! And if you’re just getting started with a routine of meal prepping, here’s a helpful resource to some of my favorite meal prep containers!
Here are a few delicious vegetarian meals to make daily healthy eating easier:
7 Delicious Vegetarian Meal Prep Ideas
Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry
Ingredients
1 C Quinoa
2 C Low-sodium vegetable broth
1 TB Sesame oil
¼ tsp Garlic powder
1 Onion (diced)
1 Bell pepper (thinly sliced)
1 Carrot (julienned)
1 Zucchini (sliced)
1 C Broccoli florets
1 C Snap peas
3 TB Tamari
½ TB Ginger
1 TB Rice wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Step 1:
Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove any bitterness.(You could also use zucchini noodles or fried rice if you’re not a fan of quinoa.)
Step 2:
In a saucepan, combine the quinoa and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
Step 3:
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and diced onion, and sauté until fragrant and slightly softened. Add the bell pepper, carrot, zucchini, broccoli, and snap peas to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are tender and crisp.
Step 4:
In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, rice vinegar, and ginger. Pour the sauce over the vegetables in the skillet and stir. Add the cooked quinoa to the skillet and toss everything together until well combined. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat through.
Step 5:
Remove from heat and let the stir fry cool before portioning it out into meal prep containers.
If you like, sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions as toppings.
Step 6:
Store the meal prep containers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Stir fries are perfect for meal prep!
Chickpea Salad Wraps
Ingredients
1 Can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
¼ C Red onion (diced)
¼ C Cucumber (diced)
¼ C Bell pepper (diced)
¼ C Carrot (diced)
¼ C Fresh parsley (chopped)
2 TB Lemon juice
2 TB Olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Whole wheat wraps or lettuce leaves
Instructions
Step 1:
In a mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until they are partially mashed but still chunky.
Step 2:
Add the diced red onion, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, and chopped parsley to the bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Step 3:
Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss everything together until well combined.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 4:
Divide the chickpea salad into individual meal prep containers. When you're ready to eat, simply scoop some chickpea salad onto a whole wheat wrap or lettuce leaf, and roll it up.
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
1 Can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Can of diced tomatoes
1 C Low-sodium vegetable broth
1 Onion (diced)
1 Bell pepper (diced)
2 Cloves of garlic (minced)
1 TB Chili powder
1 tsp Cumin
½ tsp Paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1:
In a slow cooker, combine the kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.
Step 2:
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
Step 3:
Once the chili is cooked and the flavors have melded together, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 4:
Let the remaining chili cool before dividing it into individual meal prep containers. Store the containers in the fridge and enjoy the chili throughout the week. This one is perfect for the cool weather!
Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Pepper
Ingredients
4 Bell peppers
1 TB Olive oil
1 Small onion (diced)
¼ tsp Garlic powder
8 oz Mushrooms (chopped)
4 C fresh spinach
1 C cooked quinoa
½ C Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
¼ C Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 tsp Dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 2:
Cut off the tops of the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Set them aside.
Step 3:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant and translucent. Add the chopped mushrooms to the skillet and cook until they release their moisture and become tender. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted.
Step 4:
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the cooked quinoa, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
Step 5:
Stuff each bell pepper with the spinach and mushroom mixture, packing it tightly. Place the stuffed bell peppers in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the bell peppers are tender and the filling is heated through. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and slightly brown.
Step 6:
Once done, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving or packing them for meal prep. Enjoy this delicious and nutritious spinach and mushroom stuffed bell peppers throughout the week!
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Ingredients
2 Large sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 Bell pepper (diced)
1 Tomato (diced)
1 Can of corn
1 Can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 TB Olive oil
1 tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp Paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
8 small corn tortillas
Toppings: diced avocado, chopped cilantro, salsa, lime wedges
Instructions:
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Step 2:
In a large bowl, combine the diced sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomato, corn, and black beans.
Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture and sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together until well coated.
Step 3:
Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Roast in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and slightly caramelized.
Step 4:
While the filling is roasting, warm up the tortillas in a dry skillet or in the oven.Once the filling is done, let it cool slightly before assembling your tacos.
Step 5:
Divide the filling evenly among the tortillas. Wrap each taco tightly in foil or place them in airtight containers for meal prep.
Step 6:
You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. When you’re ready to eat, warm the tacos up in the microwave and top with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Veggie Sushi Rolls
Ingredients
2 C sushi rice
4 nori seaweed sheets
Assorted vegetables like cucumber, avocado, carrot, bell pepper, and radish (thinly sliced)
Tamari
Pickled ginger and wasabi
Instructions
Step 1:
Cook the sushi rice according to the package instructions and let it cool completely.
Step 2:
Place a nori seaweed sheet on a bamboo sushi mat or a clean kitchen towel. Spread a thin layer of sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a small border at the top. Arrange your choice of thinly sliced vegetables in a line across the rice, about 1-2 inches from the bottom.
Step 3:
Using the bamboo mat or towel, tightly roll the sushi from the bottom, applying gentle pressure to keep the roll compact. Wet the top border of the nori with a bit of water to seal the roll.
Step 4:
Repeat the process with the remaining nori sheets and ingredients. Once all the sushi rolls are assembled, use a sharp knife to slice them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 5:
Serve your veggie sushi rolls with tamari for dipping, along with pickled ginger and wasabi on the side. For meal prep, place your sushi in airtight containers and eat cold or warm up when you’re ready to eat!
Lentil Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
1 C Dried lentils
1 Onion (diced)
2 Carrots (diced)
2 Celery stalks (diced)
¼ tsp Garlic powder
1 Can Tomatoes (diced)
4 C Low-sodium vegetable broth
2 C water
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Step 1:
Rinse the lentils under cold water and set them aside. In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat.
Step 2:
Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 3:
Add the lentils, diced tomatoes (with their juice), vegetable broth, and water to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4:
Pour soup into meal prep soup containers (or mason jars) and warm it up in the microwave when you’re ready to eat!
Meal prepping is the best way to stay on track with healthy eating goals!
I hope these meal ideas helped you flesh out next week’s meal prep plan! Each one of these is super tasty and will help keep you focused on your health goals. For more recipes, check out my posts on healthy high-protein meal prep ideas and easy meals for new moms.
And, if you’re worried about the expense of healthy eating, I get it! It can be super intimidating. Here’s how to eat healthy on a budget. For more healthy living tips, advice, and recipes, head over to the Core Life Habits blog! If you need a more personalized approach to changing your eating habits, join me for nutrition coaching. Together, we can get you to your goals!
