Not Your Average Veg: 19 Modern & Exciting Vegetarian Recipes

Whether you're a vegetarian or looking for more plant-based options, it can sometimes feel like the variety is lacking. Let's face it, there's only so much one can enjoy of the same vegetable stir-fries, Caprese salads, and lentil Bolognese.

To reinvigorate your taste buds, we’ve curated a collection of vibrant vegetarian recipes with a modern twist. From beautifully roasted Brussels sprouts and rich, herb-enriched pumpkin sage pies to a tantalising eggplant Parmigiana burger courtesy of Jamie Oliver, our master list is designed to bring innovation to your plate to transform both your diet and your day.

1. Green Bean Tofu Curry

The recognisable fragrance of green curry permeates this weeknight-worthy combination of silken tofu and green beans for a simple, delicious and vegetarian dinner.

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2. Roasted Rice & Pumpkin Curry

This recipe uses coconut milk, both curry and chilli powder, and many spices to create an aromatic family dinner. Instead of using pumpkin puree, we’ve cooked the curry with big slices of roast pumpkin so that it can soak up all the delicious curry sauce.

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3. Chargrilled Ricotta, Chilli & Mint-Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

This creative vegetarian recipe packs the unique zucchini flower with cheeses, mint and chilli for a clever and striking Italian dish. We can’t think of anywhere it would do better than at a barbecue feast with beloved friends and family!

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4. Romesco Sauce With Eggplant & Zucchini

Ditch the fish for tender, flavourful eggplant and zucchini in this tomato-based sauce originating from Tarragona, Catalonia. You may even catch a whiff of garlic, toasted almonds, and pine nuts – magical additions to a chargrilled dish that’s at once light, yet robust.

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5. Cauliflower Parmigiana

A twist on the classic chicken parmigiana, this cauliflower rendition will satisfy both vegetarians and meat lovers alike. Also works like a dime for those looking for a lower calorie, healthier alternative.

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6. Roasted Garlicky Pumpkin & Sage Pies

These roasted garlicky pumpkin pies are the perfect pop of flavour just before digging into a full, well-planned feast. Comes with a spiced pastry crust and sage, pine nuts and more for a complex and satisfying mouthfeel.

Leftovers? You may want to keep them as a light lunch for the next day.

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7. Vegetarian Burrito Salad Bowl

This deconstructed burrito is a fresh and vibrant take on the Mexican staple minus the calories. Simply add your favourite vegetables and a dash of your favourite seasonings for the ultimate healthy and tasty meal.

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8. Zucchini Koftas With Harissa Yoghurt

Vegetarian koftas modelled after the juicy and intensely-flavoured Mediterranean original, except packed with potatoes and zucchini instead of meat. Introduce them to guests as a mouth-watering starter or huddle them up in varieties of flatbread for a light and easy meal.

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9. Spaghetti And Zesty Rocket Salsa Verde

Put aside your marinara and cream for a moment by introducing salsa verde to your pasta sauce rotation. With basil leaves, pine nuts, rocket and lemons, you can expect very fresh flavours in this vegetarian spaghetti recipe, which only becomes heartier with additions of cannellini beans and vegetarian parmesan-style cheese.

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10. Eggplant Parmigiana Burger By Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver’s eggplant parmigiana burger is as delightful as it is fancy. The vegetarian stack features juicy and delicious cuts of egg and parmesan-coated eggplant, alongside sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella and more. One may even tout it as restaurant-ready. This recipe uses Parmesan and mozzarella, which you can substitute with vegetarian-friendly versions.

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11. Summer Tomato Tart

It feels like summer with this savoury tomato tart. Speckled with vibrant hues of red, yellow and green, a bite into gluten-free treat will release fresh, healthy and delicious flavours of quinoa, heirloom tomato, cheese, sunflower seeds and more.

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12. Eggplant, Kale & Lentil Salad

Comprising eggplant, lentil, capsicum and zucchini in a vegetarian salad means your meal is still loaded up despite being low-carb and meat-free. Filled with a variety of flavours and textures, it’s also far from a boring salad – especially when completed with a sweet pomegranate dressing!

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13. Broccoli Steaks With Quinoa & Ricotta

Can’t get enough of vegetables? Not something you hear every day, but we know how that feels – and how it’s so incredibly easy to exhaust your cooking methods when you’re eating them three meals a day. Instead of stir-frying, baking, or even encrusting them, this time, try treating the veg like actual steaks. The satisfying and smoky flavours of roast will seep into your baked quinoa and fresh zucchini, that one almost wouldn’t realise this delish meal is completely meat-free.

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14. Hoisin Baked Eggplant With Soba Noodles & Steamed Greens

Take a plunge into modern fusion cuisine with this simple noodle dish that’s fancy enough to make an appearance at your next dinner party. The unique and striking blend of flavours includes nutty, chewy soba noodles served with baked eggplant doused in a sweet hoisin sauce, plus steamed broccolini, bok choy and a special, umami-laden dressing.

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15. Roasted Sticky Tofu Buns

You don’t need much time to make these delicious roasted sticky tofu buns. Easily the perfect lunch to prepare and pack from home, or a simple but flavourful breakfast, these little sandwiches take less than an hour but are enough for the whole family.

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16. Beet & Black Bean Burger

Freshen up your plant-based repertoire with this vegetarian burger, a succulent combination of black beans, beetroot and red onions. Add on to the restaurant-worthy dish with crisp sweet potato fries, and a delicious smoothie recipe to complete the experience.

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17. Vegetarian-Style Big Breakfast

Manage your big breakfast cravings by turning the delicious platter into a vegetarian-friendly and healthy rendition, which tastes just as great with its inclusion of beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggs and cheese. Perhaps the best part about this recipe is that it’s essentially a one-pot breakfast – simply leave the dishes to steam while you’re getting ready.

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18. Roasted Pumpkin With Pepita Salsa

We love roasted pumpkin for its crisp edges and smoky flavours, but try pairing its creamy texture with feta as well as fitting pepita salsa for some welcome zest. If you’ve got a dinner occasion coming up, this side dish will make a humble but incredible entrance to the spread. Just don’t let it outshine your centrepiece!

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19. Roast Cumin Pumpkin & Parsnip With Hummus Dressing

This is a stunning side dish for a gourmet dinner spread that can easily double as a healthful and ample vegetarian meal, making it extremely convenient if you find yourself with leftovers (but we doubt it). The roast of chickpea mixture with pumpkin and parsnip coated with a range of spices promises a whole host of flavours, even before topping it off with a striking hummus dressing.

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This article was originally published on April 10, 2024 and updated on April 5, 2025.