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20+ Low-Calorie, High-Protein Vegetarian Summer Dinner Recipes
Add some filling protein to your day with these recipes that pack in at least 15 grams per serving. Whether you’re in the mood for a fresh salad, a bowl of creamy pasta or a hearty quiche, these meatless meals include plant-based protein sources, like eggs, chickpeas and lentils, for a filling dinner that will leave you feeling satisfied. Dishes like our Broccoli, Tomato & White Bean Quiche and Roasted Veggies with Halloumi & Chickpeas are delicious, low-calorie meals perfect for tonight’s dinner.
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Broccoli, Tomato & White Bean Quiche
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Grennwood.
This broccoli, tomato and white bean quiche is perfect for a simple breakfast, brunch or light dinner. Made without a crust, it’s much quicker to prepare than a traditional quiche, saving time without skimping on flavor. The blend of tender roasted broccoli, juicy cherry tomatoes and creamy white beans creates a filling, protein-rich meal that’s both comforting and nourishing.
Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Spinach & Ricotta
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Josh Hoggle.
This five-ingredient spaghetti is a cozy dish that is both comforting and effortless. Earthy mushrooms, spinach and garlic flavor the pasta alongside whole-milk ricotta that creates a creamy sauce. You can elevate the flavor even more by using wild mushrooms for a deeper savory flavor and finishing with a squeeze of lemon to brighten everything up.
Roasted Veggies with Halloumi & Chickpeas
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This sheet-pan halloumi, chickpea and veggie recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner with easy cleanup. Chickpeas and halloumi provide protein to make this dish filling and satisfying. Roasting everything on the same sheet pan creates crispy, caramelized bites that meld beautifully with the creamy yogurt spread underneath.
Roasted Potato Tzatziki Bowls
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist Christina Daley
Our roasted potato tzatziki bowls are the perfect plant-based dinner, with bright, fresh and creamy flavors in every bite. Crispy, golden roasted potatoes are the centerpiece, accompanied by a tangy, herb-packed tzatziki sauce at the base. Loaded with fresh veggies like cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and red onion with a side of chickpeas for added fiber and plant-based protein, these bowls deliver big on flavor and nutrition.
Marry Me White Bean & Spinach Skillet
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
This Marry Me White Bean & Spinach Skillet is a different take on Marry Me Chicken—a dish traditionally made with chicken coated in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce. By swapping in fiber-packed white beans and spinach as the main ingredients, we’ve given it a vegetarian spin. You’ll want to sop up every last bit of sauce, so serve this with a nice hunk of crusty whole-grain bread.
Creamy Caramelized Cauliflower Pasta
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This creamy cauliflower pasta is the ultimate comfort food—rich, velvety and flavorful. With simple ingredients and quick prep, it’s a satisfying dish that feels fancy without the fuss and is the ideal meal for a cozy weeknight dinner. Add a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of chile flakes to elevate this easy, comforting classic even more!
Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta
Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
Crispy Pea Fritter Salad
We mashed together peas, fresh mint and lemon zest with breadcrumbs to make small pan-fried cakes perfect for topping a salad.
Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema
Crumbled tofu spiced up with Cajun seasoning is layered onto these tostadas with a juicy mango slaw. A dollop of sour cream zhuzhed up with beet and lime adds even more flavor. Look for precooked beets in the produce department of your grocery store.
Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna
Thanks to jarred marinara sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles, this labor-of-love kind of meal can be ready in about an hour.
Crispy Sheet-Pan Black Bean Tacos
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
These sheet-pan crispy black bean tacos are the best way to spice up your dinner with bold flavors and satisfying crunch. Baked to crispy perfection on your trusty sheet pan, these tacos are packed with seasoned black beans and melty cheese and served with a creamy chipotle crema, making them a fuss-free meal the whole family will love!
High-Protein Pasta Salad
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This high-protein pasta salad is a satisfying dish packed with plant-based protein from chickpea pasta and chickpeas, with an extra boost coming from fresh mozzarella cheese pearls. Tossed with fresh veggies and flavored with zingy za’atar seasoning, this salad is perfect for meal prep, a quick lunch or a satisfying dinner.
Loaded Chickpea-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
These loaded chickpea-stuffed sweet potatoes are a hearty and nutritious dinner that combines the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes with the satisfying crunch of crispy chickpeas. The chickpeas, cooked on the stovetop and seasoned to perfection, add a boost of fiber and plant-based protein, making this dish both filling and flavorful.
High-Protein Enchilada Skillet
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This black bean and tofu enchilada skillet is a one-pan meal packed with plant-based protein. Crumbled tofu soaks up the sauce, while corn tortillas soften into it for a rich, satisfying filling. Black beans provide protein and fiber, and a sprinkle of cheese on top adds melty goodness to every bite. Quick and nutritious, this skillet meal is perfect for your next weeknight dinner.
Fajita-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
These fajita-stuffed portobello mushrooms are the mash-up you’ve been waiting for! This flavorful vegetarian dish fills roasted portobello mushroom caps with fajita-style veggies and black beans, giving them a boost of fiber and protein. Top it off with melted cheese and Greek-style yogurt for a satisfying dinner.
Baked Pasta & Spring Veggies
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This spring vegetable pasta bake is a comforting dish that celebrates the fresh flavors of the season. Whole-wheat pasta adds a boost of fiber, while green peas, tender asparagus and baby spinach add color and flavor. A creamy blend of mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan melts into every bite. This spring pasta bake is wholesome, flavorful and easy to prepare, perfect for a weeknight dinner or a spring gathering.
Spinach, Feta & Artichoke Tater Tot Casserole
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This egg-based dinner casserole is assembled and baked in a single baking dish, making prep (and cleanup!) a breeze. Potato tots nestled on top add a crispy, golden crust. Be sure to squeeze as much moisture as you can from the frozen artichoke hearts and spinach to prevent the casserole from becoming soggy. If you can’t find frozen artichoke hearts, you can use canned—just make sure to rinse them well to remove any excess salty brine.
Caprese Pasta Salad
This light and fresh Caprese pasta salad is brought together by a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.
Baked Feta & Tomato Chickpeas
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
This simple baked feta casserole recipe turns cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and chickpeas into a hearty, protein-rich vegetarian meal. After baking, it creates a savory-sweet tomato–olive oil sauce ideal for slathering on pita bread. Feta cheese in brine melts more readily compared to dry, crumbled feta, so it’s worth seeking out. For a different take, replace the chickpeas with creamy white beans.
Tofu Scramble with Spinach
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This vegan tofu scramble brings on the cheesiness without cheese, thanks to nutritional yeast—a seasoning that imparts a savory, umami flavor comparable to Parmesan. Turmeric tints the tofu yellow, making it a perfect stand-in for scrambled eggs. Serve this tofu scramble for breakfast over a slice of toast or add your favorite sautéed veggies and enjoy it as an easy dinner with a side of brown rice.
Marry Me Chickpeas
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle, Food Stylist: Renu Dhar
We put a vegetarian spin on Marry Me Chicken, a dish typically consisting of chicken coated in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce, by swapping in fiber-packed chickpeas as the main ingredient. From the creamy chickpeas to the umami-laden sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll want to sop up every last bit of sauce. To riff on this recipe, you could swap the chickpeas for white beans, like cannellini or navy.
Gochujang-Glazed Tempeh & Brown Rice Bowls
If you’re a tempeh skeptic, you’ve probably never had the firm soy-based slabs slathered with a sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce. We give this easy BBQ tempeh combo a punch of umami with tamari and add a little heat courtesy of gochujang.
Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice.
Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms
Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.
Spring Green Frittata
Frittatas are a versatile dish that can be served at breakfast, lunch or dinner. This easy frittata, featuring green spring vegetables accented by chopped tomatoes and parmesan cheese, can be on your plate in just 25 minutes.
