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“What should I make for lunch tomorrow that’s plant-based and EASY? What are some good, delicious vegetarian meal preps I can make in a cinch? Could I just pay someone to come up with an easy vegetarian meal preps idea for me?” – Yeah, we’ve also been there! For you, we’ve put together this list of our 34 BEST, easy vegetarian meal preps recipes we have in our recipe index. They’re all over the map: some are easy vegetarian recipes, some are a little more indulgent, some are more suited for meal prepping than others, but they’re unified by their low effort. So here you have it! Our absolute best, easy vegetarian meal prep recipes—all in one place. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Meal Prep Recipes: 34 Low-Effort Vegetarian Meal Prep Recipes Ideas
1. Easy Pasta Salad with Avocado
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
2. Chickpea Quinoa Salad Meal Prep
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
3. Parmesan Spinach Mushroom Pasta Skillet
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
4. Healthy Chickpea Quinoa Salad
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
5. Garlic Butter Mushrooms and Gnocchi in Foil Packets
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
6. Fried Butter Gnocchi with Garlic & Parmesan
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
7. Apple Feta Spinach Salad
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
8. Shredded Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
9. Roasted Sweet Potato, Brussels Sprout & Kale Salad
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
10. White Bean and Carrot Salad
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
11. Crispy Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Fritters
12. Garlic Broccoli Stir-Fry with Pasta
Cooking time: 25 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
13. Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
14. Cheesy Corn Fritters
Cooking time: 8 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
15. One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
16. Mozzarella Pasta Salad with Parmesan Balsamic Dressing
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
17. Spicy Corn Salad
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
18. Zucchini Noodles in Creamy Tomato Sauce
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
19. Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice with Kale
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
21. Baked Swiss Chard Potato Cakes
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
22. Spring Roll Noodle Salad
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
23. Teriyaki Zucchini Noodles
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
24. Tortellini Pasta in Garlic Spinach Tomato Sauce
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
25. Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
26. Asian Noodle Salad with the Best Ever Ginger Vinaigrette
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
27. Spinach Orzo Pasta with Garlic, Parmesan & Cream Cheese
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
28. Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
29. Spinach Mushroom Quinoa Skillet
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
30. Garlic Butter Sweet Potato Noodles
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
31. Quinoa Cucumber Mason Jar Salad
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
32. One-Skillet Mediterranean Gnocchi
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
33. No-Mayo Potato Salad
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
34. Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
Cooking time: 0 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box
34 Low-Effort Vegetarian Meal Prep Recipes: Easy Pasta Salad with Avocado
by eatwell101
Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 min Cook time: 0 min
Pasta salad with creamy avocado slices is so easy to make! the best Pasta salad to add to your dinner table. - One bowl of this healthy pasta salad will delight even the pickiest eaters!
Ingredients you need for the Easy Pasta Salad with Avocado
Directions
1. To make the pasta salad: Cook farfalle pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain.
2. In a large salad bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients together: pasta, corn, tomato, onion, avocado.
3. In a small jar, mix together olive oil, lime juice, chopped cilantro (or basil), salt, pepper, chili flakes, and pour over the avocado corn pasta salad. Season the pasta salad avocado with extra salt and pepper, if desired. Enjoy!
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What is a good vegetable to meal prep?
Vegetables are of course the base for any vegetarian meal prep recipes. Raw vegetables are great because they retain all the nutrients and are highly portable. Here is a quick list of veggies that are ideal for meal prepping for your coming week:
- Asparagus: Blanched, roasted, steamed… You can enjoy cooked asparagus cold or reheated for your meal prep.
- Brussels sprouts: Roasted brussels sprouts are chunky pieces of nourishing goodness that will fill you up!
- Broccoli: Raw broccoli works wells in vegetarian salads, while you can cook broccoli for your vegetarian stir-fries
- Butternut squash: Some like raw butternut squash noodles, but we recommend steaming them beforehand. They are great spiralized in a salad you can pack for lunch.
- Cabbage: Well, no need to introduce the classic coleslaw here…
- Cauliflower: You can enjoy cauliflower raw in salads, or as a garnish: think cauliflower rice. It is very easy to reheat a full of nutrients. The ideal meal prep companion!
- Carrots: Carrots sticks, carrot noodles, carrot slices… if you need something crunchy and filling for cheap vegetarian meal prep, carrot is a great option.
- Celery: Same as carrots. Celery sticks are highly portable and hold very well.
- Cucumbers: you’ll have a lot of cucumber in vegetarian and vegan meal prep bowls and salads. That’s for a reason!
- Fennel: Fennel has a lot of flavors and will complement your salads. You can also sauté it in a pan for a nice stir fry with citruses, pine nuts, and spices.
- Green beans: We prefer cooked green beans, chopped in salads. They tend to hold better this way.
- Kale: The king of nutrition. Raw kale holds very well in a wide variety of salads.
- Lettuce: Think lettuce when you want a light lunch or meal prep. Keep the dressing apart so the lettuce leaves don’t get soggy.
- Peppers: Raw or stir-fried, peppers bring color and vitamins to your vegetarian lunch.
- Potatoes: Potato salads make a wonderful, creamy, and satisfying vegetarian meal. Avoid chopping potatoes ahead of time without cooking them because the starch will change color in less than an hour.
- Sweet potatoes: Pre-chop and pre-cook your sweet potatoes for meal prepping. They are great in salads and quick stir-fries.
How to make vegetarian meal prep easier?
Meal prepping for a vegetarian diet is quite simple. Keep in mind to add a variety of vegetables to your meal instead of relying on only one: This way you’ll feel fuller and more satisfied while drawing from a richer combo of nutrients. Here is a few tips to make vegetarian meal prep easier:
1. Choose meals that are easy to prepare
Look for vegan and vegetarian meals that require minimal prep work, such as salads, soups, stir-fries, and casseroles.
2. Invest in meal-prep containers
Invest in a few good-quality containers that you can use to store your pre-made meals. We tend to prefer glass containers for meal prep because they are safer to reheat compared to plastic, and they are also easier to clean up.
3. Make extra
When cooking vegetarian meals, make extra so that you can store some in the refrigerator or freezer for future use.
4. Invest in a slow cooker
Slow cookers make it easier to make large batches of veggie stews and soups that can be stored for later.
5. Take advantage of pre-cut vegetables
If you don’t have time to cut and chop vegetables, opt for pre-cut and pre-washed options–They are now pretty common in every grocery store chain.
6. Use your leftovers creatively
Vegetarian leftovers can be repurposed into new meals like veggie burgers, burritos, or omelets.
7. Prepare your sauces in advance
Save time by preparing sauces and dressings in advance. Store them in mason jars with tightly fitting lids and keep them in your refrigerator.
8. Use frozen vegetables
Frozen vegetables are a great time-saver, as they are peeled, pre-cut, and require minimal preparation. Frozen veggies work best for stir-fries, soups, and stew, but not so much for raw dishes like salads.
Did you make one of these vegetarian meal prep recipes? Please share on your social media using our hashtag #eatwell101!
