Whether you’re cooking for yourself or a crowd, whether you’re hurrying to get dinner on the table or taking a long lazy day in the kitchen, we have a stellar vegetable entrée for you. We’ve put together this collection of vegetable main courses to give you some ideas. From richly spiced stews and baked pasta dishes to crisped vegetables with layered sauces and textures, each entrée is designed to stand confidently at the center of the table. Whether you’re cooking vegetarian full-time or simply planning more plant-forward meals, these dishes offer variety, substance, and deep satisfaction.
Ratatouille Shepherd’s Pie
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
France’s signature vegetable stew meets Britain’s mashed potato-topped pie in this tasty hybrid from chef Gabriel Rucker. Add beans or lentils to the mix to make it even more substantial.
Roasted Vegetable Grain Bowl with Chickpeas and Tahini-Ginger Dressing
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland
Choose any grain, protein, or leafy green you have on hand for this versatile grain bowl from cookbook author Emily Nabors Hall. A nutty tahini dressing plus roasted chickpeas and broccoli will complement whatever’s in your fridge.
Sheet-Pan Eggplant Parmesan
An effortless eggplant Parmesan? It’s true. Here, rather than breading each slice, the eggplant rounds are simply arranged on a sheet pan with mozzarella and tomatoes, then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and crisp, seasoned sourdough crumbs before hitting the oven. A touch of fresh basil ties it all together.
Kerala-Style Vegetable Coconut Curry
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This comforting and aromatic veggie curry from chef Jes Thomas is enriched with coconut milk and filled with canned chickpeas, potatoes, and cauliflower.
Charred Cauliflower Tacos with Romesco Salsa
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Chef Sara Mardanbigi makes a smoky, mildly spicy romesco salsa from roasted red peppers and tomato to balance tacos filled with charred cauliflower florets. Pine nuts add crunch and richness to each bite in this dish from 2020 F&W Best New Restaurant Nixta Taqueria in Austin.
Vegetable Pot Pie
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
There’s no resisting this golden puff pastry-topped veggie delight, made extra savory with the inclusion of lentils, portobello mushrooms, and white miso.
Stuffed Butternut Squash with Curry-Coconut Rice
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
Roasted butternut squash becomes a hearty, centerpiece-worthy main when filled with a Lao-inspired crispy rice stuffing flavored with red curry paste, fish sauce, toasted coconut, and fresh herbs. Swap in soy sauce or tamari for the fish sauce to keep the dish vegetarian.
Cacio e Pepe Broccolini with Crispy White Beans and Burrata
Cookbook author Hetty McKinnon uses the flavors of cacio e pepe to build this hearty one-dish meal. Charred and bitter broccolini, crispy and creamy flash-fried white beans, luscious milky burrata, and bright lemon bring the comforting, uncomplicated recipe together.
Rainbow Vegetable Gratin
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
In this pretty gratin, layers of six different vegetables represent the transition from warmer months to cooler ones: tomatoes and summer squash meet sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes. Browned panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese create a crisp topping that contrasts the smooth, soft veggies underneath.
Kale-Artichoke Stuffed Shells
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
F&W’s Ann Taylor Pittman uses lots of shortcuts to keep this jumbo pasta shell dinner simple: jarred marinated artichoke hearts, jarred Calabrian chiles, canned cannellini beans, and jarred marinara sauce. The dish can be prepped ahead, too.
Ginataang Gulay (Filipino Vegetable Stew)
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Chef Lawrence Letrero’s version of this traditional Filipino stew skips the shrimp, gently simmering seasonal vegetables in creamy coconut milk until just tender for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner.
Summer Vegetable Pasta
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
The nooks and crannies of short pasta like orecchiette or penne capture bite-sized summer produce like peas, corn, and cherry tomatoes in this light dinner from chef Emily Luchetti.
Beet Tostadas
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
Chef Steven Satterfield’s sensational veggie tostadas feature hearty heaps of beets braised with chiles and spices. A simple canned black-bean puree and a topping of quick-pickled radishes and green onions offer tangy contrast to the earthy braise.
Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate-Tahini Sauce
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Marinate halloumi and vegetables in an earthy, punchy, sweet pomegranate-tahini marinade with fresh orange juice for a pleasant depth of flavor.
Creamy Polenta with Burst Cherry Tomato and Red Wine Ragout
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
2018 F&W Best New Chef Julia Sullivan’s savory tomato ragout is a modern classic, popping with bright color and flavor. It’s made with a multi-hued mix of cherry tomatoes laced with ribbons of hearty greens. Garlic and basil punch up the delicious factor.
Grilled Vegetable Flatbread with Smoked Almond Muhammara
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This showstopping vegetarian main combines grilled zucchini, peppers, and squash on sangak, a gigantic Persian flatbread. The vegetables are marinated after grilling, which gives you time to whip up the smoky, tangy muhammara and grill the sangak until golden.
Garden Paella
This vegetable-forward paella leans into summer’s bounty: Eggplant, zucchini, and tomato simmer with Bomba rice until it crisps into traditional socarrat, the prized golden crust where the rice meets the pan.
Mushroom and Cabbage Wellington
Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling
In this meat-free version of traditional English Beef Wellington, fresh mushrooms and cabbage are enrobed in buttery puff pastry. Chunjang (Korean black bean paste) and oyster sauce add umami depth of flavor to each bite.
King Trumpet Schnitzel with Mixed Herb Pesto
Thick, meaty king trumpet mushrooms are double-breaded in spiced panko breadcrumbs to guarantee an exceptionally crunchy bite balanced out by a bright pesto made from your favorite blend of herbs.
Rustic Pepper Stew with Jammy Eggs
Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Kate Buckens / Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan
Mixed sweet peppers shine bright in this easy Spanish-style summer stew from F&W editor in chief Hunter Lewis. They’re cooked gently with plenty of garlic, then finished with a splash of vinegar, fresh herbs, and a topping of halved soft-cooked eggs and croutons for a terrific light meal.
Socca with Zucchini and Olives
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
You may have had socca — the iconic French chickpea flour pancake — on your last visit to Nice, but you don’t have to go back to have it again. Even if you don’t have the copper pans used in the South of France, your cast-iron skillet will more than suffice, producing a cake that’s both crisp and tender.
Butternut Squash Steaks au Poivre
Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
Justin Chapple gives butternut squash the steak treatment by scoring and pan-searing thick slices, then serving with a luscious brandy-spiked pan sauce finished with a dollop of Greek yogurt for body. Sautéed spinach makes a fantastic side.
Smoky Beans and Greens in Tomato Broth
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland
The combination of tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes delivers an aromatic broth in record time for this quick, soul-satisfying supper. Use any variety of greens and either canned or home-cooked beans.
Barbecue Jackfruit Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Swap pull-apart pork for shredded jackfruit drenched in a smoky, sweet sauce to make a satisfying and mouthwatering vegetarian sandwich. Don’t skimp on the luscious slaw, pickled red onions, and dill pickle chips.
Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Tomato Butter and Tapenade
David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero
Slice heads of broccoli into 3/4-inch “steaks” and roast until lightly charred alongside tomatoes and onions, which then get pureed in the blender with vegetable stock and butter to make a luscious sauce. Toasted breadcrumbs and store-bought olive tapenade round out each plate.
Charred Vegetable Ragù
Kelsey Jane Youngman makes this tagliatelle pasta with a meatless ragù when she wants comfort food on a weeknight. Charring the mirepoix under the broiler adds smoky flavor that’s enhanced by cremini mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and dry red wine. The pasta and sauce are on the table in an hour.
Cheesy Spiced Cauliflower Steak Pizzas
A quick spice blend of toasted fennel seeds, black pepper, and orange zest lends a sausage-like flavor to this roasted cauliflower recipe. Browning the cauliflower before adding the marinara and melting the cheeses ensures a tender, sweet, and nutty bite.
Crabless Cakes with Hearts of Palm and Corn
Con Poulos
Shredded hearts of palm are remarkably crab-like in these fish-free cakes. They’re combined with onion, corn, and red bell pepper, seasoned with Dijon mustard and Old Bay, and bound with vegan mayonnaise and breadcrumbs — then pan-fried to a delicious crisp.
Maple Root Vegetable Stir-Fry with Sesame
Con Poulos
Star chef and restaurateur David Chang stir-fries an assortment of vegetables, including Jerusalem artichokes and parsnips, then transfers the whole skillet to the oven so the veggies can roast. A maple-soy glaze gives the dish incredible flavor, along with a finishing touch of sesame oil and seeds.
Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine with Parsley Yogurt
Jessica Sample
Chef and television host Aida Mollenkamp’s vegetarian tagine pairs cauliflower with root vegetables, chickpeas, and a host of spices and aromatics for a tasty make-ahead Moroccan meal.
Roasted Veggie Burgers with Carrot Ketchup
John Kernick
Chef Edward Lee’s patty-less veggie burger stacks roasted vegetables with melted cheese, lettuce, and pickles on a bun slathered in homemade carrot ketchup. “It looks like a slice of a rainbow,” he says. To make them vegetarian, substitute the ketchup’s fish sauce and Worcestershire with veggie-friendly alternatives, such as soy sauce.
Enmoladas de Calabaza
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Enmoladas are essentially enchiladas given the mole treatment. Here, tender strands of spaghetti squash are wrapped inside fried corn tortillas and smothered in a smoky kabocha squash mole.
