Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Whole 30 Dinners

Oh hey there! I'm going to guess you are here because you're doing Whole 30 for the first time. (And if you aren't, well, here's a few reasons to dive in) And maybe you're looking at these meal plans and realizing "hmmmm do I really have to eat meat with every meal? Three meals a day?"

Because the Whole 30 protocol doesn't include most legumes, it's difficult to find meals that are vegetarian and compliant to Whole 30 rules. Eating meat with every meal isn't something that most of us do; many first-timers finding themselves eating far more meat than they would normally. Whether your desire to add vegetarian meals are because of grocery cost, to benefit to the eco system, or for personal reasons, I can assure you it IS possible to avoid eating meat for some of your Whole 30 meals.

This is a list of some easy vegetarian recipes and ideas I've compiled to help you cut back on your meat consumption while completing your month of Whole 30.

1. Eggplant Parmesan over zoodles

This recipe shows you how to make Eggplant Parm without the cheese- I promise you won't even miss it! Use this eggplant recipe over a bed of zucchini noodles cooked with salt, pepper, and a dash of olive oil.

2. Vegetarian Ramen with sweet potato glass noodles

Glass noodles are often made with the starch of sweet potatoes and are SUCH a treat while on Whole 30! But check the label before you buy. Some glass noodles are made with Mung Beans, which aren't compliant with Whole 30.

This Ramen recipe can easily be adjusted for Whole 30 by subbing coconut aminos for soy sauce, sweet potato glass noodles for ramen noodles, and apple cider vinegar for rice wine vinegar. Don't forget to read the labels on your hot sauce- there's often hidden sugar in those bottles. My favorite hot sauce for Whole 30 is original Frank's Hot Sauce.

3. Loaded Baked Potato

Wash, prick with a fork, and bake potatoes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour or until they are soft to the touch (with a hot glove of course!). You can use any kind of white or sweet potato. Slice open your baked potato and top with ghee or spicy (compliant) mayonnaise- my favorite is Chipotle May from Primal Foods Kitchen! Don't hesitate to add mushrooms, avocado, toasted seeds, and anything else that sounds good to you. If you'd like, quickly fry some sliced onions or shallots as a topping. For extra veggie variety, eat a green salad on the side.

4. Add an Egg

This is my favorite way to prepare dinner when I'm out of ideas- add an egg to something easy to prep! You can start by reheating veggie leftovers. Or, chop and roast fresh veggies in the oven, on a stove, in an air frier. Then, poach, fry or boil an egg to top your veggies! Bonus, it feels like breakfast for dinner, which is always a crowd pleaser.

5. Sweet potato toast

Toast is one of the things I miss the most while doing whole 30. It's so comforting to eat. My favorite toast combos are almond butter with cinnamon, and avocado with "everything but the bagel" seasoning. Check out how to make sweet potato toast and four flavor combos here!

6. Nut Butter Smoothie

If you're following Whole 30 really closely then this one technically goes against a whole 30 rule: "Do not consume treats with 'approved' ingredients". And truly, I think for your first round of Whole 30 it's important to follow the rules as closely as possible! You're challenging your habits, cravings, and thoughts regarding food. However, if you don't care about the rules or (like me) you've done several rounds of whole 30 and are now more lenient with the rules, a smoothie is a great meal for lunch or breakfast.

For an 8oz smoothie I use: 2-3 frozen strawberries, 1/2 banana (sliced and pre-frozen), 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1 tablespoon of either flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or sunflower seeds (or a combo of these), and 1/4-1/2 cup of compliant nut milk. For a chocolate flavor, add 1-2 teaspoons of cacao powder (not cocoa!). If you have vegetarian collagen or don't mind regular collagen, this is a great addition for protein! Mix on high for a minute in a blender. Add additional milk if needed to thin the smoothie.

If you have a favorite vegetarian Whole 30 meal, I'd love to hear about it! Leave me a comment!