These vegetarian lunch ideas are perfect for fueling your afternoon. They come together quickly and easily – which, in my mind, is one of the most important requirements for lunch! Nobody wants to stand over a stove for 45 minutes just to get a bite to eat at lunchtime. But these vegetarian lunch recipes are wholesome, hearty, filling, AND pretty quick to make.
I recently bemoaned my lack of vegetarian breakfast ideas, but the truth is, meatless lunch ideas often evade me too! I don’t know what it is. If I have dinner leftovers, I’m golden. Reheat, eat, done. But if I’m leftover-free, it’s really hard to make the leap from hungry to lunch-in-front-of-me without involving take-out.
So I thought I’d round up a bunch of vegetarian lunch ideas! This is a selfish endeavor, sure, but I thought it might help you out, too.
From quick soups and chili to easy sandwiches and salads, hopefully there will be a vegetarian lunch recipe or two here – plus lots of ideas – for you to help get you through the rest of your day!
Tips for Vegetarian Lunch Recipes
- Leftovers are king. When I have dinner leftovers in the fridge, I know I’m set. Honestly, sometimes I’ll even double a dinner recipe just to make sure there are ample leftovers for lunches all week long.
- But the freezer is queen. Don’t neglect your freezer! Freeze individual portions of soups, chili, and more then thaw for a quick and easy lunch.
- Plan ahead. Oftentimes on Sunday or Monday I’ll roast a veg, wash some greens, prepare a grain, and/or marinate some chickpeas or lentils and keep them in the fridge so that I have the makings for a hearty lunch salad or buddha bowl. Nothing better!
Okay! Ready for some specific vegetarian lunch ideas? Here we go!
From Start to Finish in 20 Minutes (or Less)
SANDWICHES
1. Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Creamy Chickpea Salad Sandwiches with Grapes & Pecans
This vegetarian spin on chicken salad sandwiches swaps chickpeas in for the meat, and the result is so hearty and delicious! With chickpeas, crunchy pecans, and bites of juicy sweet red grapes. I love serving this chickpea salad on a croissant! Love chickpeas? Try my Chickpea "Tuna" Salad Sandwich too!
Get the Recipe for Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
2. TLT (Tofu, Lettuce, & Tomato Sandwiches)
Veggie BLT
Make up some quick 10-minutes tofu bacon and you're on your way to delicious, toasty vegetarian BLTs! Add some avocado to make it even heartier.
Get the Recipe for Tofu, Lettuce, & Tomato Sandwiches
Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwiches
Not just for tea parties! When I'm craving a light lunch, these cucumber cream cheese sandwiches hit just right. Sometimes I'll add some roasted, salted sunflower seeds for a little extra crunch.
Get the Recipe for Cucumber Sandwiches
4. Grilled Cheese
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Grilled cheese sandwiches are classic for a reason! They're hearty and filling, and perfect with a bowl of soup (especially tomato soup!) I've shared many grilled cheese sandwiches recipes here over the years. We have your classic basic grilled cheese, indulgent white pizza grilled cheese or spinach artichoke grilled cheese, artichoke arugula pesto grilled cheese, brie & pear grilled cheese, and even a butternut squash grilled cheese! Warm up some soup, toast up a grilled cheese, and be happy.
Get the Recipe for The Perfect Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich
More vegetarian sandwiches:
- Grilled Veggie Sandwich
- Egg Salad Sandwich
- Loaded Veggie Sandwich (from PlantYou)
- Tofurky & Cheese Sandwich – I like to buy the prepared Tofurky slices at my local grocery store and make a simple sandwich with Tofurky, a slice of cheese, tomato, lettuce, mayo, and mustard.
- PB & J – the classic combo is completely vegetarian! Try with some homemade almond butter – so delicious!
- Creamy Greek Salad Wrap
Soups
These quick homemade vegetarian soups go great with the above sandwiches or make a hearty meal all on their own. Of course, you can also go with a quick canned soup – I’m partial to Amy’s lentil soups or sometimes I’ll grab the tubs of Panera broccoli & cheddar soup at Costco.
5. Coconut Turmeric Soba Noodle Soup
Coconut Turmeric Soba Noodle Soup
This nourishing soup comes together in just a few minutes and is so filling. I especially love it for when I'm fighting off a cold.
Get the Recipe for Coconut Turmeric Soba Noodle Soup
6. Miso Ramen
Miso Ramen
Not just for college kids – ramen is cheap, delicious, and oh-so easy! I either buy the soy sauce Ramen for a vegetarian version, or I love to create this easy miso-based broth and then top it with my crispy air-fryer tofu or soft-boiled eggs to elevate the protein.
Get the Recipe for Miso Ramen
7. 20-Minute White Bean Chili
20-Minute White Bean Chili
With three types of canned white beans + diced green chiles, this one takes very little prep and makes the most hearty, delicious meal!
Get the Recipe for White Bean Chili
SALADS
Salads can be a great way to get in a good dose of veggies to help power you through the afternoon. Sometimes, salad prep can get a bit fussy, so I like to start with prepped greens (for instance, when I get a bunch of kale home, I wash, stem, and chop it up and store it on a paper towel for quick and easy salads and sautes). Generally, a green base + a few extra veggies + a protein like hard-boiled eggs or crispy baked tofu + a simple vinaigrette + a crunchy garnish like roasted sunflower seeds or sliced almonds work perfectly for me. Oh, and sometimes it’s nice to add something sweet like sliced grapes, diced apples, or dried cranberries.
Here are a couple of my favorite quick and easy salads that are hearty enough for lunchtime.
8. Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad
Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad
Kale massaged with avocado and topped with marinated chickpeas, more avocado, and sunflower seeds. A simple yet hearty lunch that comes together fast!
Get the Recipe for Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad
9. Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Lemon, & Dill
Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Lemon, & Dill
This grain-based salad (well, quinoa is technically a seed but acts like a grain) is excellent for making ahead of time. It has a good amount of protein and fiber and tastes amazing!
Get the Recipe for Quinoa Salad
MORE QUICK LUNCHES
10. Avocado Pesto Pasta
Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta
Pasta + a quick, easy, healthy sauce = an incredible lunch! This Avocado Kale Pesto Pasta comes together in about the amount of time it takes to boil a pot of pasta. Try whole grain pasta or chickpea pasta for more protein or your favorite gluten-free pasta if needed. Other quick and easy pasta sauce recipes include my alfredo recipe or vegan cashew alfredo, cream cheese pasta sauce, puttanesca, or whip up an easy basil pesto or kale and walnut pesto and toss with cherry tomatoes if you like.
Get the Recipe for Avocado Pesto Pasta
11. Fried Rice
12-Minute Tofu Fried Rice
Okay so this one relies on the fact that you hopefully have some leftover rice in your fridge. If you do, you're all set! This tofu fried rice is super tasty and is ready in 12 minutes which makes it perfect for lunch.
Get the Recipe for Tofu Fried Rice
12. Breakfast for Lunch – Savory (Scrambled Eggs & Breakfast Hashes)
Scrambled Eggs with Greek Yogurt, Dill, & Feta
Forget breakfast for dinner, breakfast for lunch is a revelation too! Whip up a sheet pan scramble, an omelette, poached eggs on toast, basic scrambled eggs, or these fancy protein-rich scrambled eggs with feta, Greek yogurt, and dill.
Get the Recipe for Greek Yogurt Scrambled Eggs
13. Breakfast for Lunch – Sweet (Pancakes, Waffles, or French Toast)
Fluffy Banana Pancakes
Nothing says you can't have a fat stack of pancakes (or waffles, or French toast) for lunch! These Fluffy Banana Pancakes are full of banana-y goodness and are great with a big ol' pile of fresh fruit. We've also got pumpkin pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, almond butter waffles, coconut French toast, and so many more breakfast recipes to choose from.
Get the Recipe for Fluffy Banana Pancakes
14. Mashed Beans
White Bean Mash
These white beans are beyond delicious and ready in 10 minutes! Creamy white beans mashed with spinach & garlic are delicious alone or on toast.
Get the Recipe for White Bean Mash
More quick beans for lunch:
- Marry-Me Butter Beans on Toast from Hey, Nutrition Lady!
- 15-Minute Skillet Refried Beans with cheddar cheese & a flour tortilla = elite, really!
Easy Vegetarian Lunches with Just a Little Prep-Ahead Work
These vegetarian lunches require some meal-prep time but you’ll be SO GLAD you got a few ingredients ready and refrigerated for easy lunches all week long.
15. Grain Bowls
Grain Bowls
Grain bowls are my favorite prep-ahead lunch! The individual elements are easy to prep ahead of time, then I just keep the veggies, sauce, protein, and grain in my fridge for easy, fast, nourishing lunches all week long.
Get the Grain Bowl Formula
16. Cottage Cheese Bowls
Cottage Cheese Bowls
You may have seen cottage cheese bowls with ground beef, but I've nixed the meat in favor of black beans. You can take these protein-rich cottage cheese bowls wherever you want to. Go savory like we do in this recipe or just add a few pineapple tidbits, 80s style (it's a classic for a reason!)
Get the Recipe for Savory Cottage Cheese Bowls
17. Tabbouleh Hummus Mason Jar Salads
Tabbouleh Hummus Mason Jar Salads
Mason jar salads could really be a vegetarian lunch category all their own. This one offers up tabbouleh combined with hummus and lettuce and topped with toasty pine nuts. The perfect grab-and-go lunch!
Get the Recipe for Tabbouleh Hummus Mason Jar Salads
More mason jar salad ideas:
- Winter Crunch Mason Jar Salads from Well Plated
- Taco Salad in a Jar from Live, Eat, Learn
- Peanut Crunch Salad from A Virtual Vegan
18. Hard-Boiled Eggs + A Couple of Other Things
Hard Boiled Eggs + A Couple of Other Things
I know hard-boiled eggs are super simple, but sometimes they're forgotten, so I'm here to lift them back up! A couple of hard-boiled eggs with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper + a nice chunk of cheddar + a hunk of baguette + crisp apples are an elite lunch. I like to throw some everything seasoning on my eggs, or even a touch of mayo and a pickled jalapeño (don't knock it until you try it!)When you have hard-boiled eggs in the fridge, a delicious protein source that's the base of a perfect vegetarian lunch is at the ready.
Get the Recipe for Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs
19. Hummus + Pita Wedges + Veggies
Classic Hummus
Whip up a batch of hummus over the weekend and enjoy easy, hearty lunches all week long! I find pita wedges, Kalamata olives, and cucumber slices mandatory for my hummus plates. Or you can buy some hummus at the store – I won't judge!
Get the Recipe for Classic Creamy Hummus
20. Baked Potatoes
Baked Potatoes
It takes awhile to bake up a potato but it's so worth it! If you wash your potatoes ahead of time, you just need a minute to get it ready for the oven. Once it's baked, top it with a variety of goodies like sour cream, tofu bacon, cheddar cheese, or – my favorite – canned or leftover chili. Baked Sweet Potatoes are great too!
Get the Recipe for Baked Potatoes
20+ Vegetarian Lunch Ideas
From salads to sandwiches to soups to more unconventional lunch ideas like breakfast for lunch or beans on toast, here are 20+ vegetarian lunch ideas that are quick, easy, and sure to get you through the afternoon. This white bean mash is just one tasty recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling over the top
- 2 cups packed baby spinach (roughly chopped)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 medium garlic cloves)
- 1 lemon (medium size will do, zested and halved)
- 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (or 1 15-ounce can, drained)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the spinach, garlic, and lemon zest. Saute, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.
- Add the beans, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and a couple turns of freshly ground black pepper. Mash beans with a fork until the consistency of (very) lumpy mashed potatoes.
- Divide between two bowls (or just pile them into one bowl and keep them all to yourself). Squeeze a lemon half over each serving, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once.
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 355kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 325mg, Potassium: 1067mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 2825IU, Vitamin C: 38mg, Calcium: 180mg, Iron: 7mg
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Hi! I’m Karen – I’m a real person with real, vetted recipes – over 900 of them! Since 2009, every recipe on Kitchen Treaty is thoroughly tested and loved before I hit “publish.” I’m a home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m a vegetarian married to a carnivore, and my goal is to coexist deliciously.
