Want to Go Vegetarian? Ease Into It With One of These 5 Recipes

Our goal for 2024 is to become fully vegetarian. No more flexitarian or pescatarian—we're cutting out all meat and fish. As people who haven't had any dietary restrictions for our entire lives, we'll be the first to let you know that it was surprisingly more challenging than we predicted.

However, once you realize there is a world of delicious alternatives, life doesn't seem so bleak without hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders and all those other irresistible guilty pleasure foods.

To introduce you to the versatility of a vegetarian lifestyle, we've pulled together a list of the most delicious starter recipes.

Barbecue Cauliflower Wings by Eat With Clarity

Wings are one of those foods we thought would be impossible to remove from our diets. They're so savory and delicious. But once we tried cauliflower wings, we realized they're not so bad.

Take Eat With Clarity's BBQ boneless wings, for example. They have that irresistible crisp you love in the real thing, and the texture is nearly identical.

(via Eat With Clarity)

 

Broccoli Pasta by Cooking With Ayeh

We know so many vegetarians swear by pasta. It's one of the few dishes from your pre-veggie lifestyle days you can take into your new diet. While most pasta will pass the criteria (especially if you are lacto-ovo), it feels more vegetarian-minded when it has vegetables, like this broccoli pasta by Cooking With Ayeh.

This recipe is quick and simple to make in less than 15 minutes, and the broccoli gives it a boost of freshness that we love consistently having in a vegetarian diet.

(via Cooking With Ayeh)

 

Also read about: 5 Tasty Copycat Erewhon Smoothies Just as Delicious as the Real Deal

 

Cheesy Veggie Potato Bake by Happy Veggie Kitchen

There are so many casseroles that we miss while eating vegetarian, like hamburger and chicken. That said, after trying Happy Veggie Kitchen's Cheesy Veggie Potato Bake, we've almost forgotten about them.

This recipe includes all those ingredients that make the other dishes pop, aka cheese, potatoes and vegetables. It's so complex and flavorful that you don't even need the meat.

(via Happy Veggie Kitchen)

 

Easy Homemade Salsa by The Vegan 8

Another meal we're glad we can still enjoy is chips and salsa. With The Vegan 8's recipe, you'll feel like you're eating at your favorite local Mexican spot. It's got everything you'd expect, like onions, cilantro and jalapeño, but they add extra flair with the inclusion of tomatoes and agave.

(via The Vegan 8)

 

Veggie Stir-Fry by The Pioneer Woman

You might find this hard to believe, but like a casserole, stir fry can be just as delicious without chicken, beef or pork. To really show you, try The Pioneer Women's veggie version, which has everything from bell peppers to zucchini to baby corn. Top it with sriracha, and you'll realize the real star of the show was always the sauce.

(via The Pioneer Woman)

 

Check out THESE copycat recipes from your favorite recipes, so you'll never have to opt for takeout again.