Healthy Recipes Healthy Lifestyle Diets Vegetarian Recipes Healthy Vegetarian Lunch Recipes 18 Three-Step Vegetarian Lunches to Help Fight Inflammation By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 4, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Photo: Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food stylist: Annie Probst, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco Make lunch an easier endeavor with these recipes that are ready in just three steps or less. From sandwiches and grain bowls to salads and smoothies, these dishes are made only with ingredients that fit a vegetarian eating pattern. Plus, many vegetarian foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and more are packed with anti-inflammatory properties. These can help you combat pesky symptoms of chronic inflammation like mental fog, digestive issues and joint stiffness. Pack a whole-wheat pita in your lunch box to pair with our Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta. Or, use a microwave on your lunch break to make a satisfying meal like our Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing. 01 of 18 Veggie & Hummus Sandwich Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables, depending on your mood. View Recipe 02 of 18 Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta This delicious and healthy lentil salad comes together in just 30 minutes and makes a wonderful hot-weather meal. Serve with whole-wheat pitas, if desired. View Recipe 03 of 18 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl Photography: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. View Recipe 04 of 18 Strawberry-Blueberry-Banana Smoothie A smoothie with strawberries, blueberries and banana is delicately sweet and entirely kid-friendly, even with a boost of protein from hemp seeds. Freeze the fruits ahead of time for an extra frosty texture once blended. View Recipe 05 of 18 Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Robby Lozano Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and pack them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long. View Recipe 06 of 18 Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one! View Recipe 07 of 18 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables. View Recipe 08 of 18 Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl The ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work. The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies. View Recipe 09 of 18 Gut-Healthy Miso Cup Soup Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless This miso soup is packed with gut-healthy ingredients like miso, a fermented paste that may improve digestion plus reduce gas and bloating. The base of the soup is prepared in advance and stored in separate containers. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water. Cover and let the soup stand for 10 minutes before serving. View Recipe 10 of 18 Crustless Caprese Quiche Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell This light and fluffy crustless quiche is dotted with tomatoes, little bites of melty mozzarella and savory pesto. And the best part—it’s mixed, assembled and baked in a pie plate for easy cleanup. Enjoy as an easy breakfast or brunch option or serve for lunch or dinner with a mixed green salad on the side. View Recipe 11 of 18 Curried Cauliflower Salad Sandwiches Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food stylist: Annie Probst, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco The creamy cauliflower mixture in this vegetarian sandwich was inspired by the flavors of Indian raita. A combination of yogurt, cashews and mustard round out the spices in the curry powder, with pomegranate arils adding a juicy pop of sweetness. Buy cauliflower florets in a bag instead of the whole head and look for containers of pomegranate arils to keep prep simple. View Recipe 12 of 18 Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable Soup Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This vibrant and wholesome soup recipe helps support your well-being. It’s packed with a variety of colorful vegetables, like tomatoes, which contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help reduce inflammation. The base of the soup is prepped ahead of time and stored in separate containers. Simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water. View Recipe 13 of 18 High-Fiber Matcha Green Smoothie Bowl EatingWell Matcha powder and spinach give this healthy smoothie bowl a beautiful green hue. If you don't have spinach on hand, try swapping in another dark leafy green like kale. View Recipe 14 of 18 Green Goddess Wrap Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf A soft and silky green goddess dressing blends with crunchy fresh cucumber and tender greens in this easy wrap. If you prefer, you can ditch the wrap and enjoy the filling as a salad instead. View Recipe 15 of 18 Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco This easy vegetarian wrap makes a great grab-and-go lunch for work or school. Roasted red pepper hummus adds color and a little extra flavor, but any flavor hummus will work well here. Cucumber, sprouts, salad greens or spinach all add a refreshing crunch. For a peppery kick, try using arugula. View Recipe 16 of 18 Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing Brie Passano This healthy vegetarian salad recipe features chickpeas and quinoa for a boost of protein. Cilantro adds color and flavor when blended to make a creamy dressing. Serve this cold salad for lunch or dinner. View Recipe 17 of 18 Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts Sweet strawberries, salty feta and crunchy walnuts jazz up a simple spinach salad. The balsamic vinaigrette is incredibly easy; fresh shallots add more zip than you'll find in any commercial dressing. View Recipe 18 of 18 Avocado Egg Salad This quick recipe takes classic egg salad to the next level with the addition of creamy avocado. Serve it on a piece of toasted whole-grain bread or inside a tender lettuce leaf. Avocados brown quickly, so plan on making it no more than two hours before you plan to serve it. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit