Vegetarian Lunch Ideas

Introduction

I’m a vegetarian and I know how hard it is to find a good lunch when you’re on the go. These vegetarian lunch ideas are simple, healthy, and easy to make. They will keep your belly full for hours!

Yogurt, granola, and fruit

Yogurt: Yogurt is a great source of calcium, but it’s also creamy and delicious. You can buy plain yogurt or add in your favorite fruit. Try sprinkling a little granola on top for added crunch!

Granola: Granola is made from oats, nuts and seeds that have been baked until they are browned and crunchy. It’s an excellent source of fiber (which helps keep you full), healthy fats (like omega-3s), as well as protein and iron.

Fruit: Fruit contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants known to help prevent cancer cells from growing in the body—and it tastes good too!

Cold sesame noodles with veggies

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional)

5 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, or linguine if you don’t have whole wheat spaghetti on hand. If you’re using a different type of noodle, be sure to cook it according to package instructions and drain well before adding the vegetables.

2 cups shredded carrots (about 1 large carrot) – You can shred your own carrots in just minutes by using a box grater. Or you can buy pre-shredded carrots from the produce section at your grocery store. The latter will save some time, since they’re already cut into small pieces and ready to use! Just keep them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready for cooking. This step is optional though; if fresh is unavailable where you live then feel free skip this step altogether!

4 green onions (6 if using leeks instead), sliced thinly lengthwise – We’ll call these “green” because they’re usually sold alongside broccoli florets at farmers markets/grocery stores like Whole Foods Market… but really they’re just regular old green onions 🙂 You could also use leeks instead if desired–they taste great too! I personally prefer these types over scallions because there’s less waste involved when preparing them up front: no need peeling off layers upon layers before chopping up small bits off each stalk one-by-one… things get messy fast so I prefer doing it all at once here instead 🙂

Mediterranean lunch plate

This lunch idea is for the vegetarians who are looking to make a meal of their leftovers. This recipe uses roasted vegetables and a hard-boiled egg, but it could also be made with tzatziki sauce or hummus.

Roasted Vegetables (see recipe below)
Hummus or Tzatziki Sauce (see recipes below)
Hard-Boiled Egg (1 per person)

Leftover grilled vegetables and quinoa salad with feta

This quinoa salad with grilled vegetables and feta is a great way to use up leftover veggies from the weekend. Grilling your veggies gives them a smoky, healthy flavor that isn’t found in fried or steamed versions. Quinoa is an excellent source of protein, so this dish won’t leave you feeling hungry—and if you want to add some extra creaminess, try adding a bit of olive oil to your dressing.

If you’re not into feta cheese (or goat cheese), just substitute it with something else! Avocados are always good in salads and go great with any type of vegetable.

Leftover soup

Soup is a great way to use up leftovers. You can make soup from almost any vegetable, and it’s easy to add beans or chickpeas for extra protein. If you want the soup to be more filling, add some rice or quinoa! Adding herbs and spices will also help give it a unique flavor.

Avocado toast spread with hummus and stuffed with veggies

Avocado toast is a popular vegetarian lunch option, and it’s easy to see why. It’s just bread, avocado and maybe some salt and pepper. But when you add hummus or another spread, it becomes more filling, flavorful and nutritious.
To make this avocado toast recipe your own:
You can use any type of bread you like for this recipe—whole wheat or multi-grain would work well if you’re up for eating healthier; rye would be delicious with the avocados; or sourdough is always good too.
If you want to take things up a notch in terms of protein content (and who doesn’t?), try using tempeh instead of vegetables on top of your sandwich slices! Tempeh has an earthy flavor that makes it perfect for sandwiches like this one because the tempeh will absorb all the juices coming out from underneath it as well as being slightly salty itself due its fermentation process which removes excess moisture before packaging (similarly with tofu).

Rice and beans with fried eggs

Rice and beans are a complete protein, meaning that they contain all nine essential amino acids your body needs to maintain good health. These two foods also provide a good source of fiber and iron, as well as folate, magnesium, manganese and other nutrients. Plus they’re cheap!

Whole-wheat pita pockets stuffed with hummus and veggies

Use whole-wheat pita bread as the base.
Add hummus, a spread made from chickpeas.
Add veggies like cucumber, red pepper and tomatoes. You can also add olives and other ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes or feta cheese to make your pita pockets more flavorful!

Peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich on whole-grain bread

Here’s a vegetarian lunch idea that you can enjoy at home.

Spread peanut butter on two slices of whole-grain bread.
Mash up a banana and spread it over the peanut butter, making sure to cover the entire surface area of the bread (you may want to use two bananas to get a thicker layer).
Drizzle honey over both slices, or just one if you’d rather have less sweetness in your sandwich—or none at all!
Put together your sandwich by putting one slice with banana but no honey on top of the other slice with peanut butter but no banana; then press down gently so that all ingredients stick together nicely!

Hard-boiled eggs with whole-grain crackers, avocado slices, sliced cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and a dollop of hummus or tzatziki sauce

To prepare the hard-boiled eggs, place them in a small container and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove eggs from the hot water with tongs or a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath until cool enough to handle (about 5 minutes).

Do not overcook your eggs! You want them to still be soft so that you can open them easily without peeling. Use a knife or egg cracker to open each one, then remove its shell carefully using your fingers (don’t use a fork!). Do not cut or slice your hard-boiled egg; doing so will cause it to fall apart when you eat it! Instead of using utensils like spoons and forks for eating this sandwich spread recipe, simply bite straight into the sandwich itself for optimal taste sensation!

Quinoa bowl with roasted vegetables, chickpeas, and hummus dressing or tahini dressing

If you’re looking for a vegetarian lunch idea that will keep you satisfied and fueled for the rest of the afternoon, try this quinoa bowl with roasted vegetables, chickpeas, and hummus or tahini dressing. It’s a hearty dish that’s simple to make on any weeknight.

Quinoa is an excellent whole grain because it combines protein and fiber in one delicious package. It’s also gluten-free—which means it can be enjoyed by people who have allergies or sensitivities to wheat—and versatile: You can use it in savory dishes like this one or sweet ones like cookies! In addition to being delicious on its own as part of a salad base (try making a rainbow quinoa bowl), quinoa pairs well with other grains like barley and farro; these additions create something more akin to pilafs than salads.

These vegetarian lunch ideas are yummy and healthy.

Vegetarian lunch ideas are more than just salads. Here are six delicious recipes that you can make in less than 20 minutes.

Tofu Tacos
Bagel Pizzas with Avocado and Smoked Salmon
Grilled Cheese Paninis with Broccoli
Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil Oil Dressing (pictured above)
Carrot Cake Energy Balls

Conclusion

And there you have it! We hope you enjoyed these vegetarian lunch ideas. If you’re looking for more great vegan recipes, check out our posts on vegan desserts and vegan breakfast recipes.

Read more about vegan and vegetarian diets here.