The best healthy vegetarian recipes and vegan recipes
If you are looking for new Slimming World vegetarian recipes then these unofficial recipes I have may help you. Some of them are suitable for Slimming World vegan recipes too either as they are or with small changes.
I am vegetarian and have been since I was 10 years old. For most meal times I cook one meal for myself and one for Stuart and Ben.
I am always looking for new veggie recipes to make so if you have any healthy vegetarian recipes you would recommend I haven’t listed here do let me know.
Disclaimer: Just Average Jen is not connected with any weight loss plan. Please check nutritional values and/or syns yourself as these are approximate to the best of my knowledge.
Sometimes I cook us all a separate meal. Not because I really have to but because I like cooking! Be sure to check out all the recipes I share.
Some are vegan recipes too or could easily be adapted to be vegan. Some are perfect for day-to-day meals, others you might prefer for a vegetarian Christmas.
Making a recipe vegetarian
An easy way to make a meal vegetarian is to swap the meat for a vegetarian alternative such as Quorn.
If you are looking for vegan Slimming World friendly meals many of these are suitable or can easily be adapted with a change of cheese, or swapping eggs for aquafaba etc.
Other possible swaps are for jackfruit, lentils, chickpeas, mixed beans or just extra vegetables.
For recipes that include Worcestershire sauce, the easiest swap is to Henderson’s relish. They taste very similar but Henderson’s does not contain anchovies.
If you are making a recipe that uses oyster sauce then there are some vegetarian and vegan alternatives available in larger supermarkets.
Alternatively, soy sauce or preferably mushroom soy sauce is the closest alternative. Vegetarian Slimming World recipes should already avoid this anyway.
Making a recipe vegan
These vegetarian recipes are easy to change to be vegan by:
- Substituting any eggs with my suggested egg substitutes.
- Cheese can easily be swapped for your favourite vegan alternative.
- Milk can be swapped for a vegan plant-based alternative.
Surprising things which you may not realise are not vegetarian
Some foods are surprisingly not vegetarian and you will be shocked at some I am sure. I will spare you the details of what part of the animal is actually used for all of these so you can Google if you are intrigued!
So, if you are looking for veggie recipes and see these ingredients you should be cautious and double-check.
Most healthy vegetarian recipes should be ok, I know all mine are but others online may be less so, personally, I would always check to be sure.
Stock – did you know that if a product states “stock” but does not say which sort it could not be vegetarian? Check for it to be marked as vegetarian or choose something which is clearer.
Gelatine – this can be found in many sweets such as Haribo but also in things like the frosting on some cereals!
Pastry – this often contains suet or animal fats such as lard. If it does not say it is vegetarian it probably isn’t.
Tortillas – Some of these are made with lard, check before you buy them. A nice snack but not always veggie!
Cheese – Whilst many cheese manufacturers now use a vegetarian rennet, they do not all so it is always worth checking.
Ready meals – If cheese-topped meals are not labelled as vegetarian this could be the culprit, it is not using veggie cheese!
Red sweets – Some red food colourings are not vegetarian, if it states carmine, cochineal, crimson lake or natural red it is likely to be from animals.
Medicines and vitamin capsules – Capsules can often be made with gelatine too so something worth keeping an eye on.
Vanilla flavourings – Some are artificial and some are from animals, it is less common now to use the animal one but do check.
Healthy meals for a vegetarian
It would be easy to think that to lose weight as a vegetarian, you need to eat lots of vegetables and salad. This, of course, is not the case. There are so many vegetarian healthy recipes you should have no problem with.
Unfortunately, many vegetarian ready meals are high in calories or syns but of course, so are non-vegetarian ones too! Keep an eye out for the Slimming World vegetarian and Slimming World vegan ready meals in Iceland too.
Potato-based dishes
It is easy to think of potato-based dishes as Sunday roasts, Cottage pie and similar meat-based meals or chips as a side dish.
There are so many more potato-based meals you can have as a vegetarian or vegan so here are some you may love.
A tasty potato pie that tastes like it is so naughty but isn’t is Cheesy leek and potato pie or Homity pie both I believe to be syn free if you use the cheese as a healthy extra a choice.
If shepherd’s pie is more the kind of potato-based meal you like then how about this shepherd’s pie recipe?
This Cowboy cheesy potato bake is a firm favourite in our house too or this slightly different recipe for Cowboy pie, both are, I believe, syn-free (using healthy extra a).
For a great vegetarian or vegan alternative to a cottage pie and full of flavour is Gardener’s Pie which is amazing with Henderson’s relish drizzled on top.
There is nothing at all stopping you from using vegan alternatives and still having cottage pie though!
Jacket potatoes are usually syn-free on Slimming World (depending on topping choice) and often forgotten as great easy meal options. I love mine with cottage cheese or cheese and baked beans. Vegans could swap to vegan cheese or similar easily.
This Sausage traybake is, syn free (depending on sausages) and easily made for however many portions you need. This can be easily made a vegetarian recipe with the right sausages and even good for a vegan meal too!
Another easy dish is Aloo Gobi. A great traditional Indian dish made easy with this healthy Aloo Gobi recipe.
Being vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t have something a little different as this Sweet potato and spinach quesadilla has a few more syns or calories but is delicious.
Egg-based dishes
Have you seen my whole post full of tips with eggs? It is definitely worth a read if not! Eggs can be a great healthy basis for a meal and of course, are great on healthy diets such as Slimming World.
Spinach and mushroom frittata is a perfect example.
Similar to quiches, these Courgette bakes are healthy and delicious with a tomato sauce and salad as a starter or with boiled potatoes as a main course.
Quiches don’t have to be made using pastry so why not try these Mini pepper quiches which are low in calories, points and syns?
If you prefer something without a crust then perhaps these Rosemary and caramelised onion mini quiches will be perfect for you.
If you like a soft-boiled egg then you will love this Spanish chickpeas, spinach and egg recipe.
Sweetcorn Fritter is one of our regular go-to meals and is healthy and great with salad and tomato salsa.
A similar meal with different vegetables is this spinach and pea frittata.
Have you ever had Shakshuka? It is a great lunch or quick meal to make with leftovers or when you are on a budget!
Pasta-based dishes
I absolutely love pasta and have written a whole article full of pasta-based meals! Here are the vegetarian and vegan ones I enjoy.
For a pasta bake, why not try Cherry tomato and butternut squash pasta bake which is now of my most popular pasta recipes?
Alternatively how about this Garlic mushroom and spinach pasta also popular?
If you prefer a pasta bake with a bit of spice then this Spicy sausage pasta bake may be perfect. This is one of my favourite veggie recipes and I love it with Richmond meat-free sausages.
Sometimes we just want a super cheesy dish like macaroni cheese. This Leek macaroni cheese is perfect and includes a good share of vegetables too without losing the cheesiness!
Do you like lasagne? If you are bored of using meat replacements like Quorn then how about this Mediterranean vegetable lasagne? It is so full of vegetables it is really healthy and an amazing healthy vegetarian recipe even if I do say so myself.
Spaghetti bolognese is a popular meal and this recipe includes hidden vegetables for fussy kids!
If you have spaghetti to use but want something different how about this Spaghetti primavera which is delicious?
Another really easy pasta dish is pasta arrabbiata which is really easy to make and the sauce can even be made in a big batch and frozen in advance.
For a lighter pasta dish how about this hearty vegetable pasta soup?
For a tasty pasta salad how about my bruschetta pasta salad or tomato and mozzarella pasta salad?
Rice, couscous and quinoa recipes
It is all too easy to use rice and forget about other grains so here is a nice selection of healthy vegetarian recipes with different grains for you to try out.
Recipes like this Wholesome vegetable couscous will give you something different to try and love. Alternatively, how about this roasted vegetable couscous?
Stuffed peppers made with rice are filling and tasty. This recipe uses turkey mince but it can easily be swapped for a vegetarian or vegan mince so why not try slow cooker stuffed peppers?
These black bean burritos are equally tasty and something a little different!
If you like beans then how about trying these Black bean and veggie quinoa burgers?
I love risotto and it is a meal not many people feel confident making but my perfect risotto tips should help you.
I love Butternut squash risotto or Mixed mushroom risotto most. Another I sometimes make is Garlic mushroom risotto.
Do you like Mushroom stroganoff? I love it and it does not have to be full of cream as my recipe shows and it is delicious! I make it in a healthy way and it is one of my favourite healthy vegetarian recipes and most popular with my followers.
Nigerian Jollof rice is delicious spicy rice that you need to try if you haven’t before. Perfect hot or cold you will love it. This is one of those veggie recipes all the family can enjoy even the meat-eaters!
For something really different why not give Quinoa breakfast bowl a try for your breakfast?
Another quinoa recipe you will love is Roast plum, sweet potato and quinoa salad.
Stuffed peppers are a meal I love but never make often enough. As I often do, you can stuff them with rice as in this recipe or couscous. I imagine they would be lovely stuffed with the jollof rice actually too.
This Vegetable and chickpea paella is syn-free and shows you can have paella as a vegan or vegetarian so why not enjoy it?
Asparagus pilaf is a really easy vegetarian and vegan recipe, why not give it a try?
If you want a nice vegetarian rice-based side dish how about egg fried rice.
Curry dishes
There are so many curry recipes I made a whole post about them. They are generally really easy to adapt to vegetarian versions, here are my favourites.
Cauliflower and chickpea curry is a delicious option perfect for vegans and vegetarians alike.
Malaysian red pepper and Quorn curry at 0.5 syns per portion (approx) is a bit different to the usual Indian curry and tastes great.
If you fancy an Indian how about Mixed vegetable biryani, Quorn and mushroom curry, Quorn Keema, Quorn Jalfrezi or Quorn Tikka Masala all of which are healthy?
A quick easy Indian idea, check out my traditional aloo gobi recipe.
We also love Mushy Pea curry which is healthy and a great way of making a basic curry. For a quicker option, you could also make it in an Instant Pot.
Or how about trying this delicious homestyle vegetable curry which is full of vegetables and so aromatic?
Do you like chickpeas? This lovely curry loaf is made of them, or how about this delicious chickpea curry?
Veggie recipes for burgers and fakeaways
There are so many lovely burger recipes out there for veggie burgers there is no reason you should miss out.
I love Black bean and veggie quinoa burgers and Butternut and sweet potato veggie burgers.
Do you like the flavour of KFC but are not too keen on their vegetarian and vegan options? Why not make your own Fakeaway KFC with Quorn or perhaps tofu?
For a Chinese how about this Quorn in black bean sauce which is only 1 syn per portion? Great as an alternative to a takeaway.
Other healthy vegetarian recipes
Have you ever used jackfruit? This BBQ-pulled jackfruit is healthy and amazing, no need to miss out if everyone is enjoying pulled pork.
For a great snack why not try my Curry loaf it is syn free, delicious and even good for the SP plan on Slimming World!
Lentil and vegetable moussaka is a great healthy meal to try if you like aubergines and moussaka. With the lentils in you may even be able to pretend to meat-eaters it has meat in!
Moroccan tagine could be another different choice if you are wanting something you don’t normally have.
We all love Sausage casserole here, it is syn free (I believe) if using syn free sausages and a lovely warming meal that is so easy to make in the slow cooker saving you time for other things.
Check all the best sausages and both meat and vegetarian to keep you on plan!
If you are happy to use more calories or syns then how about trying Sesame teriyaki savoury porridge or Smashed avocado on sourdough toast?
Another option could be marinating tofu or Quorn to make kebabs? Check out these Tofu kebabs with syns depending on the amount of marinade used.
Great vegetarian healthy side dishes
Ratatouille is great for vegetarians as a side dish to any meal.
If you like refried beans as a Mexican side dish then why not make them yourself?
Vegetarian salad recipes
If you want to liven up your salad then here are some tasty healthy vegetarian recipes and options you could try.
Here are some salad dressings you might like to try.
Making recipes with Quorn
It is really easy to adapt recipes to use Quorn, as a vegetarian myself I do it often. It is always worth remembering that Quorn takes less time to cook when substituting it for chicken or mince.
Check out my selection of Quorn recipes, all perfect for all the family whether vegetarian or not, some are vegan too.
More recipes you may enjoy
Check out all my recipes and see which ones you can adapt to become healthy vegetarian recipes. Curries and pasta dishes are particularly easy to adapt.
Check out The Vegetarian Society for more information and ideas on vegetarian foods. You may also like to check out mistakes to avoid making on a plant-based diet.
