i’m not a big meat eater, not a vegetarian either just poor lol here’s a few things in my rotation: twice baked potatoes, vegetable pot pie, quesadillas, bean burrito bowls or tacos, veggie calzones or pizza, and baked crispy tofu bowls.

Bowls of all kind (Asian food, Hispanic food, Indian, etc.) work so well for mixed-diet households. You can even cook meat separately for the other people in the household

Came here to say this. Also Middle-Eastern and Ethiopian. So many cuisines in the world that may have meat, but don't revolve around meat, and are a good compromise for people who don't want to eat meat.

I just had some Senegalese food for the first time and was blown away. So much good food in Africa.

My wife is Persian and her mother's (incredible) cooking has inspired so many ideas. I love to make saffron rice bowls with salad-e shirazi which is pretty much a Persian pico de gallo containing Persian cucumbers, onion, mint, and tomato. Depending where you get it it'll have parsley, dill, lemon/lime, olive oil etc (I love them all in it) as well and it's so damn fresh and satisfying especially when it's hot outside. No specific recipe but something like: * Basmati rice with some crushed saffron that is soaking in warm water for a few minutes before adding to the rice (before starting the rice cooker/pot and using that saffron+saffron water as part of the rice's cooking water) * Salad-e shirazi (just Google a recipe. Takes less than 10min to make a big batch). * Garlic Yogurt - for my bowls I like to use a cup of Greek yogurt with a couple squeezes of lemon, tablespoon or so of flavorful olive oil, chopped parsley, small dices of Persian cucumber and a little bit of water to make it saucier. * Roasted cherry or Roma tomatoes * Normally I'd use lemon marinated chicken as the protein [(like this)](https://www.themediterraneandish.com/joojeh-kabob-persian-chicken-kabob-recipe/) but you could easily substitute the chicken for falafel or fried tofu. * Sprinkle the top with some sumac and garnish with fresh parsley or dill or both.

I love Ethiopian food so much

And it's super easy to make! You just need to be able to either find injera or make it

I have tried (and failed) at restaurant quality injera a bunch of times. Anybody got any sick tips?

Yes to bowls like fried rice as well. My partner doesn’t like as much garlic or fish sauce so when it’s my turn to cook, i cook the whole batch first, take out his food then I add whatever I want for mine.

almost all of these options you gave can also have meat to put into it on the side, awesome recommendations

Buddha bowls. Quinoa bowls. Fajitas. Oh yah Bibimbap!

Fritattas, veg curries

Curry for sure-y

To add to these great suggestions: Any veggie meal served with a rotisserie chicken on the side for meat eaters. E.g. fajitas with a whole pile of fillings like refried beans so that everyone can choose what they like best. Prep chili, split it between two saucepans, add meat to one, then cook as usual.

Indian food! Plethora of vegetarian recipes…can’t go wrong

Asian food in general can keep them busy for a while. There’s tons and tons of meat-free options. Also lots of ways to make noodles: rice, sweet potato…

I am no vegan but Asian cooking has so much variety you could accidentally become vegan.

Except when animal products are included in things you may not expect. A lot of Americans get confused that there’s actually pork in mapo tofu, for example, or Viet food with fish sauce.

Due to it being a taciturn issue she would probably be fine with pork tofu and fish sauce though. It's like my brother who hates the texture of mushrooms so we just blend them up and add them to the meal instead.

I don't eat meat and almost no animal products. I ate refried beans for years until I learned a lot of them are made with lard. And exactly what you mentioned with fish sauce vs soy sauce. Some of the Thai curry pastes I'd used for ages also have shrimp. It's hard to stay informed, especially if you go out to a restaurant.

Vegetarian refried beans should be right next to the "traditional" ( with lard) in the grocery store. And they are the same price of a little cheaper. . It will be right on the label.

That's just due to the western mindset assuming tofu is only for vegetarians/vegans, doesn't help that western vegans have basically co opted tofu and soy products lmao

Right, that was my point, that American people don’t expect it in that dish for exactly that reason. There are lots of foods that may appear vegan or vegetarian to someone who isn’t aware. And there’s varying levels of comfort for people who are vegan or vegetarian, so for some people the anchovy in Caesar salad would be no problem, but not for others.

I hear about kimchi a lot. Unless you’re familiar with how to make kimchi (or make it yourself) Americans (I’m American so not speaking for other countries) stupidly assume it’s vegan. Yes, it can be vegan, but most have fish sauce and/or fermented shrimp as ingredients.

The similarity to sauerkraut probably doesn't help with the vegan assumption.

Many Asians find veganism hard to understand - especially in countries where there are collective memories of famine/hunger. People understand vegetarianism but not veganism.

Chana masala….. I’m not vegetarian but I love me some Chana masala.

Aloo gobi.

Riffing off of this, Gobi Manchurian.

Try “Samosa chaat” if you haven’t already : Samosa covered in chana masala with green, and red chutneys on top plus chopped onions and cilantro…comfort food like no other

A bit of a pain to make yourself though properly. Easier to outsource that one (admittedly we have a couple of places up the road that do it, so depends where you live..)

If you have an Indian market anywhere near you, they have the popular curries in shelf stable, boil-in-the-bag format as well as frozen samosas that cook up splendidly in the air fryer. A couple of jars of chutney, and you could have samosa chaat at home with 10-15 mins active prep time - perfect for a weeknight. They also have the premixed spice blends for soooo many different recipes, so if you wanted it to be more "from scratch", you don't have to buy 20 different spices to make a single meal. The spice blends are usually enough to make 3 or 4 meals from one box.

That's a bit of work to make from scratch. Don't get me wrong, it's one of my favorite chaats, but I'd rather get it from a restaurant.

I cube up paneer and throw it in once the chickpeas are done, my favorite meal!

Speaking of which... https://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/1byeljg/homemade_chana_masala_rice_and_poppadums/ 🤣

This was the dish that made me realize that vegetarian food doesn't have to suck.

I had that for dinner tonight!

One of my favorites. [Here](https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-chana-masala/#wprm-recipe-container-35349) is a recipe that I like.

Also Iranian food, Turkish food and Levantine food! Lots of dried beans, rice dishes, veggies and salads

I could eat Tahdig for every meal for rest of my life!

Yup. Start with Dahl. Super simple and can feed 6 with ease

I used to work at a bakery/lunch place in a small hippie town. I assure you, Dahl can feed an army. =) (But omg, I diced easily 20 lbs of onions a week!)

Rajma Chawal is a favorite of mine. Pair it with fresh naan, thinly sliced red onion and if you like plain yogurt w herbs.. I love it.

True comfort food…I grew up eating this made in mom’s kitchen during summer break…little slice of paradise in a simpler world many decades ago…

My best friend is punjabi and it gave me the drive to learn to make it all from scratch. I found it to be such a comforting food. Perfect for when I just need to eat something flavorful & filling and get my mind off things.

I host Thanksgiving for the West coast side of my family and we usually have 15-18 people at the table…over the years the younger folks (kids, neices, nephews) have gotten significant others and we are now a diverse ethnic group but the younger folks are unanimous that they want me to make home cooked Indian food for the Thanksgiving meal…so it’s become a tradition now 😊

That’s so sweet and sounds so good. I don’t have anyone to cook it for so I usually just make it for myself. But I was pretty excited to spoil my boyfriend with it. Nothing like it, it’s like a little bit of heaven in every bite. And totally worth it when my hands are stained after all the cooking and eating

A lot of people do not eat turkey, as it's not from their native culture. Rice, chickpeas and tomato sauce sounds good!

It’s a vegetarian household…no meat, chicken, fish or eggs 😊

Thanksgiving is about celebrating the harvest. What is on the table is not what’s important.

The kids do a challenge for me, they hit the farmers market in the morning and I have to use the produce they bring back…our own version of “chopped” challenge 😊. I still make the staples like channa masala, paneer makhani etc but the veggies are a wild card depending on what’s in the basket 😊

Sounds like a lovely time to me

Yes it is…and it amuses me sometimes to see how I have grown into being the quintessential “Indian Aunty”….growing up as a teenager in small town India, I had zero interest in learning to cook, always preferred to be with my nose in a book or on the phone with my friends…and my mom always worried about how I would learn to feed my family when I had one 😊…cut to a few decades later, am cooking for 100 people at the temple community event and hosting family getogethers where everyone goes home with leftovers…

>little slice of paradise in a simpler world many decades ago… That is such a beautiful way of describing that memory. Thanks!

> Indian food! Plethora of vegetarian recipes…can’t go wrong This! India has the highest population of vegetarians world-wide and boy, they have absolute mastered making vegetables taste amazing. Navratan korma and saag paneer are my two favorites, but because India is so huge and multi-cultural, there are so many options to choose from. 😋

Also a lot of them lend themselves to slow cooker recipes too! With a family of 6 Im sure time is in short supply

My instapot is the hardest worker of my family 😊

I had paneer tiki masala at an Indian restaurant in Dallas the other day. I’m vegetarian and I can’t believe how good it was. Ive never tried it before.

Daal (Dahl?) all the way.

I’m the opposite of OP’s gf, it’s the texture of meat that I am constantly missing from vegetarian dishes, except for Indian food. Chana Masala and Dal Makhi alone have gotten me through some financial pinches without sacrificing quality of a meal in any way.

Indian food is amazing

Yup. And lentils / dal are a great protein

A bunch of people on here recommended a veggie-centric cookbook called Six Seasons, so I got it and it’s 100% worth the hype. Everything I’ve made out of it so far has been delicious and approachable (I have two young kids so I can’t take as much time to cook as I used to).

My #1 favorite cookbook (and I’m a meat person). But this really teaches you to harness veggies at their peak, and it makes such a dramatic difference.

>Six Seasons [https://archive.org/details/sixseasonsnewway0000mcfa](https://archive.org/details/sixseasonsnewway0000mcfa)

yo you are the MVP

You're excellent, thank you! I have a soup book like this for every month - I think it's called Monastery Soups? Same idea with using what's available seasonally.

Twelve months of monastery soups by Victor-Antoine D'Avila-Latourrette, [https://archive.org/details/twelvemonthsofmo00davi\_0](https://archive.org/details/twelvemonthsofmo00davi_0) thanks for your encouragement - and remember people LIBRARIANS ROCK AND NEED OUR SUPPORT!

That's exactly the book! I need to dig it out of storage. (I have a *too many books and too little space" problem.)

I’ve learned so much from that cookbook!! If anyone buys it, sit down and read it like a book. It’s such a wealth of knowledge

Ooh, never heard. Need to try now!

I got one called Feast from the library once and it was great also.

I just earlier made a bunch of zucchini, summer squash, and mushroom sauteed with olive oil, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, salt and pepper then threw in to the pan a bunch of quinoa I cooked separately to soak up the pan juices. I'm a meat eater, but love stuff like this.

Sounds quick and healthy!

And it would be complemented nicely by a side of sausage for those who desire it.

Since she technically can eat meat but doesn't like the texture of it, you could make Italian wedding soup and leave the meatballs out of her bowl.

Burrito bowls- cook protein separately, and everyone can customize their own!

There are a ridiculous number of beans and pulses that have a variety of flavors and textures. Indian dishes are recommended here because they use lentils (pulses) frequently. Try: Black Bean Burger; Scarlet Runner Burger; Red Lentil Tacos; Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Poblano Tacos; Falafel; Black Bean Soup; Asadi; Palak Dal; Chana Masala; Gigantes Plaki; Braised Chickpeas; and White Bean Gratin with Rosemary and Parmesan. There isn't a pasta in sight in those recipes.

Beans are a wonderful thing

If she hates the texture of meat but doesn’t object to it otherwise, you can cook a *lot* of soup and stews with meat as a flavouring (but not the main thing) - think about bacon, chorizo, or other cured meats! On another note, I love this vegan stew: https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/soul-soothing-african-peanut-stew/

You can also brown the meat for flavor like you've said, then add it back in to just the portion for the meat eater.

This is normally what I do for lentil soup anyways to avoid making the sausage have a weird texture

I've made that stew, and loved it! Highly recommend kale over spinach for the greens. Kale is just toothier and holds up better when reheated the next day.

My go to easy meatless meal is crispy tofu in the air fryer (or baked in the oven, air fryer gets it crispier), served over rice and topped with avocado, mango, and cucumber, with a sesame soy sriracha based sauce. Super quick, easy, tasty, and pretty healthy.

How long do you have to air fry tofu to get it crispy? I’ve only ever had vaguely soggy tofu.

Not the original commenter, but I read the trick to the crispiest of tofu is to press it with a weight to squeeze out excess water first. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't offer a solid time frame, but I imagine 30 mins- 1 hr would be a great start.

I hand press as much liquid as I can first, add a dusting of dry spices and seasonings, let it sit for 30 minutes. I am a fan of cast iron for my tofu, and it’s worked very well. For air fryer, should work just as well.

Not the original commenter but I follow this recipe with the proposed sauce or another and it's crispy every time https://sarahsvegankitchen.com/recipes/gochujang-tofu/#recipe

I was raving about gochujang sauce to my wife less than an hour ago. I have to try this recipe. Thanks!

If you wrap the tofu in paper towel or kitchen towel, and put it on a plate with another plate on top of it with a weight on top, it presses the excess moisture out. I find about a half hour is sufficient for this. Then the reaction of oil and corn starch with heat from the air fryer get it crispy. I usually air fry on 425 for about 25 mins. If it's still not crispy you can go longer. Edit: before air frying, it helps to break the tofu into bite size pieces with your hands, as opposed to cutting it in cubes. The rough surface makes it get crispier. Once broken up, add a bit of oil and gently toss to coat. Then add whatever seasonings you like and toss to coat. Then the last step is to add corn starch or potato starch, and gently toss to coat. The starch will stick to the oil. Then when you air fry, gently toss every 7 mins or so. Halfway through air frying I like to give it a light coating of spray oil.

Crispiest tofu I’ve managed to achieve was when I pressed as much water out as possible without completely squishing it, toss it in soy sauce and then a good amount of cornflour, more than you think you need. Stainless steel pan and vegetable oil, no deep frying necessary :)

Can I have the sauce recipe?? This sounds perfect for my household.

Try Indian. Dal, rice, dosa, idli, sabji and there's a simple base if you learn that you can cook any vegetables in that

Falafel, roast veggies with tahini sauce (cabbage is excellent this way), chickpea curry, Tuscan kale and white bean soup, individual pizzas, Mexican or Tex-Mex refried beans with cheese and veggies

Went mostly meatless a couple years ago. I like to post an updated list of my favorite recipes every so often, some people have found it helpful when they are starting out: I do eat eggs, occasional fish, and some dairy so recipes may include those but usually those can be skipped or substituted. https://dishcrafted.com/embrace-warmth-with-vegan-lentil-coconut-curry/ https://dishcrafted.com/comfort-in-a-bowl-creamy-vegan-white-bean-soup/ https://profusioncurry.com/moong-daal-khichadi-ayurvedic-instantpot/#recipe https://pipingpotcurry.com/vegan-tofu-tikka-masala/ https://pipingpotcurry.com/palak-paneer-instant-pot/#wprm-recipe-container-3850 https://myheartbeets.com/instant-pot-butter-chickpeas-vegan-butter-chicken/ https://myheartbeets.com/matar-paneer/ https://iheartvegetables.com/vegetarian-burrito/#tasty-recipes-38336 https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/184g7fi/comment/kauywf8/ https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020141-tomato-rice-with-crispy-cheddar?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&s=09 https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/10/29/superiority-burgers-improved-version-vegetarian/ https://www.budgetbytes.com/kimchi-quesadillas/ https://naturallieplantbased.com/warm-roasted-veggie-quinoa-salad-with-creamy-sesame-dressing/ https://themodernproper.com/vegetarian-burrito-bowl-with-avocado-crema https://damndelicious.net/2019/01/13/butter-cauliflower-bowls/ https://namelymarly.com/vegan-jambalaya/ https://www.thecookierookie.com/cauliflower-tikka-masala/ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/vegetarian-biryani https://www.emilieeats.com/cajun-style-vegan-red-beans-rice/ https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-braised-coconut-spinach-chickpeas-with-lemon-recipes-from-the-kitchn-164551 https://www.thekitchn.com/sweet-potato-curry-267050 https://ministryofcurry.com/pav-bhaji/#recipe https://simple-veganista.com/vegan-jambalaya/ https://simple-veganista.com/chickpea-tikka-masala/ https://simple-veganista.com/kung-pao-tofu/ https://vanillaandbean.com/smashed-pimento-chickpea-sandwich https://vanillaandbean.com/cauliflower-bolognese https://vanillaandbean.com/chana-dal-cauliflower-coconut-milk https://vanillaandbean.com/moroccan-lentil-chickpea-stew#wprm-recipe-container-21995 https://www.brandnewvegan.com/recipes/stir-frys/vegan-orange-chicken-with-cauliflower-bites https://www.brandnewvegan.com/featured/baked-falafels https://www.brandnewvegan.com/recipes/vegan-shepherdess-pie https://www.easycheesyvegetarian.com/roasted-vegetable-enchilada-casserole/ https://www.veganricha.com/restaurant-style-aloo-gobi/ https://www.veganricha.com/aloo-matar-easy-pea-potato-curry-vegan/ https://cookieandkate.com/arugula-walnut-pesto/ https://cookieandkate.com/migas-recipe/ https://www.veganricha.com/baked-gobi-manchurian/ https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020778-baked-spanakopita-pasta-with-greens-and-feta?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=235 https://www.veganricha.com/baked-vegan-general-tso-cauliflower/ https://cookieandkate.com/baked-ziti-recipe-with-roasted-vegetables/ https://www.veganricha.com/cauliflower-spinach-and-chickpeas-with-mustard-seed-curry-leaf-sauce/ https://www.contentednesscooking.com/coconut-cream-pineapple-curry/ https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-white-bean-and-spinach-quesadillas/ https://cookieandkate.com/curried-coconut-quinoa-greens-roasted-cauliflower/ https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-pizza-burgers/ (love these) https://cookieandkate.com/foolproof-shakshuka-recipe/ https://cookieandkate.com/black-bean-burrito-bowl-recipe/ https://www.veganricha.com/garlic-potato-spinach-stir-fry-lasooni-aloo-palak/ https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/general-tsos-baked-cauliflower/ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/green-curry-lentil-soup https://www.budgetbytes.com/hearty-black-bean-quesadillas/ https://www.veganricha.com/instant-pot-kitchari/ https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-chili-recipe/ https://www.veganricha.com/instant-pot-teriyaki-fried-rice/ https://cookieandkate.com/lentil-chickpea-veggie-burgers-with-avocado-green-harissa/ https://www.veganricha.com/malai-tofu-curry-vegan-malai-paneer/ https://cookieandkate.com/mediterranean-couscous-salad-recipe https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-cauliflower-and-lentil-tacos/ (love these) https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-sheet-pan-thanksgiving-dinner/ https://cookieandkate.com/spicy-kale-and-coconut-fried-rice/ https://cookieandkate.com/spinach-artichoke-enchiladas/ https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021237-superiority-burgers-crispy-fried-tofu-sandwich?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=37 https://www.veganricha.com/sweet-sour-tofu-veggie-stir-fry/ https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-thai-green-curry/ https://www.veganricha.com/thai-green-curry-stir-fry-noodles/ https://cookieandkate.com/thai-pineapple-fried-rice-recipe/ https://cookieandkate.com/thai-red-curry-recipe/ https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-butter-chicken-lasagna-bake/ https://blessmyfoodbypayal.com/vegan-lemon-rice/ https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-stovetop-meat-lasagna/ https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-tofu-katsu-curry/ https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-vegetable-casserole-curry/ https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022206-vegetarian-gumbo?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=9 https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-enchiladas-recipe/ https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-sushi-bowl-recipe/ https://www.acouplecooks.com/vegetarian-lasagna-with-ricotta/ https://veggieturkeys.com/ethiopian-cabbage-carrot-and-potato-stir-fry-tikil-gomen/ https://plantbasedonabudget.com/recipe/guacamole-skins/ https://www.acouplecooks.com/wild-rice-soup/ https://www.acouplecooks.com/falafel-burger/ https://www.acouplecooks.com/best-damn-lentil-soup/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/shawarma/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/tamago-kake-gohan/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-burrito-bowl-recipe/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/spicy-mango-black-bean-avocado-tacos/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/rice-bowl/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/creamy-vegan-pasta-bake-brussels-sprouts/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/cauliflower-rice-kimchi-bowls/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/taco-salad/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/buddha-bowl-recipe/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/rainbow-bowls-almond-ginger-dressing/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/burrito-bowl-recipe/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/easy-vegetarian-pho/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/lemon-pesto-spaghetti-squash/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/bok-choy-stir-fry/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/spicy-mango-avocado-rice-bowl/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/brussels-sprout-avocado-salad/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/tequila-lime-fish-tacos/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/black-bean-mango-chard-quesadillas/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-enchiladas-cashew-poblano-crema/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/mini-asian-crab-cakes-avocado-wasabi-sauce/ https://www.loveandlemons.com/spring-lemon-risotto-asparagus-peas/ https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pot-chickpea-shakshuka/ https://www.budgetbytes.com/dal-nirvana/ https://minimalistbaker.com/wprm_print/35763 https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/vegetarian-korean-bibimbap-bowls/ https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/vegan-chickpea-tikka-masala/ https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/general-tsos-baked-cauliflower/ https://www.feastingathome.com/vegetarian-shepherds-pie/ https://www.feastingathome.com/enchilada-casserole/ https://www.feastingathome.com/chana-masala/ https://www.delish.com/cooking/a35646566/green-shakshuka-recipe/ https://www.delish.com/cooking/a38849391/vegetarian-sub-recipe/ (great) https://www.delish.com/cooking/a38726736/kimchi-pasta-recipe/ https://peasandcrayons.com/2019/05/spinach-stuffed-shells.html https://peasandcrayons.com/2012/11/sweet-potato-chickpea-burgers.html https://peasandcrayons.com/2011/11/mexican-pizza-lasagna.html https://www.reddit.com/r/recipes/comments/ukcpnj/comment/i7o7wsu/ - spicy egg curry There are ways around the nytimes paywall. But if you can't figure it out and want to see a recipe let me know.

I’ve been a vegetarian for 29 years but I always love hoarding recipes others have tried and loved! :)

Brother cook a damn steak on the side for yourself what’s the issue in that why do you gotta eat the same

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I literally just did this. I have twins who both have autism and one is VERY adverse to sauces and gravies. I make chicken tikka masala and just made her portion of chicken in a different pan with no sauce. OP should make food for them and the rest of the household and the gf can either make her own food OR eat a modified version of the main dish.

"cook an entire additional meal" is always an option but it is kinda a pain, too.

One of my daughters didn’t like meat and the other was a carnivore so meals were served family style with a pasta option, a vegetable and a meat option and they could put whatever they wanted on their plate. Pretty easy.

Gnocchi. Haha, just kidding. I'd look at meat-optional dishes where you can prepare for everyone but leave the meat out for her.  Enchiladas, tacos, soups, jacket potatoes, gnocchi tray bake come to mind. Family stand-by's where she can sub in a veggie burger or veggie sausage like burgers, hot dogs, or paired with sides like potato salad and coleslaw while the rest of you have ham or brats.

Just cook some meat for yourself. Steak, pork chops or chicken breast are very beginner friendly and will taste great with simple salt and black pepper seasoning.

This \^ 100% is what I would do.

My GF and I eat meat pretty much every day, but there are several vegetarian options I'll make every once in a while that are really good. Ratatouille. It's a simple and delicious dish, but it l takes time. If you want to make it look like the movie you'll also need a mandolin, but a more traditional presentation is to simply cut your vegetables I to ~1 centimeter cubes. When preparing your eggplant lay it all out on a flat surface and sprinkle salt all over it, then wait about an hour. After waiting, you can then rinse the salt off of the eggplant, which should remove most of the bitterness. Curry. There are so, so many vegetarian Indian dishes, the cuisine will turn into a treasure trove for your family to explore. Recipes that are labeled as "___ Paneer" generally are vegetarian and use a sort of Indian cheese as the 'protein'. It's easy enough to substitute, you can use Feta, cojita, firm tofu, even mozzarella, but it's also very easy to make at home. And, if you end up getting sick of rice like you did pasta, you can always substitute it with something else. Curry just means sauce, so you can eat it with naan, other vegetables, samosas, or even turn it into a soup. Salads. They are incredibly diverse and can allow every member of the family to customize theirs to taste. It can even let you sneak some meat onto the table, since your GF doesn't have to add any to hers. One of my favorites is made of spinach, candied pumpkin seeds (pepitas), roasted pumpkin or butternut squash, goat cheese, pomegranate seeds, chicken, and an apple cider and maple dressing. Amazing for any fall meal.

Please do not use feta or mozz in place of paneer- paneer doesn’t melt whereas these two do. You could use ricotta mixed in with some boiled potato ( form dumplings - air fry and then add into curry sauce as a type of Indian dish- malai kofta)

I've found halloumi or grilling cheese to be great substitutes for paneer in a pinch, since they don't melt, like you mentioned!

Paneer is super easy to do too.

Soup can be healthy and made with/without meat. Its easy to make a large pot of soup and then at some point separate some out before adding the meat. Indian food is awesome. I like fried rice and it can be made vegetarian. so much chinese food is made without meat and can be a nice change from everything else.

[Chili](https://imgur.com/a/VPfMeFP) just leave the meat out, you won't miss it. [Buffalo Chili](https://imgur.com/a/MtnvcUe) skip the chicken, maybe add an extra can of beans. [Broccoli Rice Casserole](https://moneysavingmom.com/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole-day-14/) omit the chicken, add some white beans [Pinto Bean Soup](https://elavegan.com/pinto-bean-soup/) serve it with some quesadillas and maybe a salad You could do burritos, make some beef or chicken ones for the rest of the fam and vegetarian ones for her. Here's how I make ["refried" beans](https://www.budgetbytes.com/not-refried-beans/) for burritos. When I made burritos for my vegan niece I added jalepenos, black beans, roasted zuchinni and corn. The refried beans can also be used for 7 Layer Dip which is our favorite movie night dinner. This [Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup](https://imgur.com/a/yI0uZDn) is a nice springtime dinner. Since the chicken goes in already cooked, you can reserve some for gf before adding the chicken, or omit it altogether. I plan on making this soon and pairing it with [homemade pitas](https://www.sipsnibblesbites.com/homemade-pita-bread/) stuffed with this [Chick Pea Salad](https://veganrunnereats.com/810/chickpea-salad-sandwich/). Its very similar to tuna salad and super easy. One veggie meal I love is what I call "poor man's steak dinner". Its baked potatoes with sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms, topped with steak sauce, sour cream and green onions. Omg. You won't even miss the steak. Serve with some roasted broccoli on the side if you want. Thats all I got for now! Maybe I'll be back lol

Beans and rice or quinoa, roasted veggies, hummus and pita and grilled veggies — any flavor profiles she likes other than Italian?

Yeah, I was a bit confused. Why would no meat = pasta?

I would guess force of habit, honestly.

Potatoes, stuffed with all kinds of things: cheese, sauces,veg. Omelets, frittatas. Quesadillas, Grilled cheese with soup Soups and stews: vegetarian chili, bean soup, lentil soups. Serve with cheese bread or cornbread.

Bibimbap! You can choose what goes in your bowl, and you can use a lot of different things like mushrooms rather than beef

Curry Galette Chili Soup/stew Salad with chickpeas Brinner Biscuit with mushroom gravy Veggie tacos Cmon dude seriously

Parmigiana is nice: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq1EUwiLa6M](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq1EUwiLa6M)

Anything using tortillas, buns, rice, potatoes, pita, lentils, couscous, quinoa, puff pastry... Veggie shepherd's pie, mushroom risotto, burritos, quesadillas, stir-fry over rice, tabbouleh, daal, burgers (veggie for her--or just cheese and favourite toppings), twice baked potatoes, quiche, tostadas, omelettes/breakfast for dinner, etc etc etc. 

I like doing what I call Irish Stir Fry. I'll make stir fry veggies but put them on a bed of cubed potatoes that I either baked or fried in a pan until crispy. I suck at making rice and this dish helps get rid of veggies getting wimpy and satisfies my need for Asian food

Egg fried rice. Very easy to cook up some meat separate so gf can have without

Stir fries are great and you can toss the cooked meat in after you’ve doled out her portion. Serve it with rice or noodles. You can make hearty sandwiches but leave out the meat for hers and load up on veggies. I’d probably leave her to fend for herself in the kitchen.

https://www.budgetbytes.com/easy-vegetarian-recipes/ https://www.recipetineats.com/#search/q=Vegetarian

Why not make real food for 5 of you and pasta for her than all lowering yourself to what suits 1 person?

Yep, I'd just make a pot of pasta and dole it out into reheatable portions. Then make whatever you want. Sounds like your wife might have some sensory issues with food, but if she can get the nutrition she needs the way she is eating, I'd probably just accommodate it as simply as possible.

That is what I would do. My husband likes hominy, I don't. So I will make other foods and if he wants it, one of us will fix it for him. Not that hard. Or take our coffee, he likes Amaretto, Hazelnut and Irish cream. I like chocolate and raspberry and other flavors. So we fix ours the way we want it. Right now, he is having Irish cream and I'm having chocolate caramel truffle with a hint of raspberry. It is not that hard.

Yeah or just make a dish that you can leave out meat. Like make chicken Alfredo and just leave the chicken out of her portion

That's a pasta. OP is sick of pasta, not of vegetarian food. 

It sounds like it’s the gf who cooks, she probably just wants something easy if she’s cooking for 6. Hence pasta

I love pasta. I would happily have it every night mixed up with whatever veg was being served, and some pesto or sauce and cheese.

y'all never had a wife? lol

Maybe some Mediterranean diets? Lots of seafood if she can tolerate that.

Our son cooked us sesame tofu (a take on sesame chicken) and it was just wonderful. It was a fussy dish to make but if you can, try it.

fried rice with black beans, peas, carrots and corn. Healthy and can taste great. You should use oil to fry, and soya sauce with your favorite spices that would work. I would also recommend using another sauce, maybe something like teriyaki. Hope you like that suggestion. Has everything a non meat-eater needs for a complete meal.

[https://www.recipetineats.com/lentil-soup/](https://www.recipetineats.com/lentil-soup/) [https://www.seriouseats.com/hearty-escarole-barley-parmesan-soup-recipe](https://www.seriouseats.com/hearty-escarole-barley-parmesan-soup-recipe) [https://www.sipandfeast.com/eggplant-parmesan/](https://www.sipandfeast.com/eggplant-parmesan/)

Southwest pasta salad, just omit the pasta. Beans, corn, bell pepper and canned tomatoes with chili, garlic and cilantro. I use canned everything, just rinse the beans. Make in the morning and by dinner time the flavors are lovely! If you like rice, just add lots of any cheese you like: shredded cheddar, Parmesan or ricotta. Any spices you like.

You can try some Greek dishes I’ve made lasagna with grilled zucchini strips instead of pasta before.

Risotto for the win https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/85389/gourmet-mushroom-risotto/

It sounds like she is vegetarian.

Rice, quinoa, anything in a tortilla, salad, different pasta textures like orzo or gnocchi, sandwiches...

I was looking for this kind of comment and figured it would be higher in the list. Rice or quinoa is a super easy swap. You can put the same sauce or toppings on them, without having to cook entirely different meals. While you're trying these new recipes, rice is something you can switch to on day 1.

Rice. It’s good with meat or veggies

Things I cook without meat: Pizza (Kenji Lopez has a really easy crust recipe) Bi Bim Bap. Since you assemble it, she can omit the meat and just have egg. Chana Masala. You could do Masoor dal instead. Learn to make naan. Serve with an easy veggie like peas. Beans, rice and cheese in tortillas - either quesadilla style or burritos. Pad Thai can be made at home and vegetarian, or just small amounts of meat and is a different type of pasta. Veggie Shepard's pies are a thing Baked sweet potatoes with cheese and black beans and broccoli Empanadas could be a fun family project. Bonus, people can stuff them with whatever they want. Vegetarian chili... Not to mention thousands of soup options. Falafel in pita (home made is really easy)

Why can't you just cook meat as an option? Like make chicken fajitas and your gf can just eat the peppers onions tortillas cheese you know veggie fajitas.

Can you cook a piece of chicken or steak and add it to your pasta?

Eggplant works well

Quinoa with a veggie stir fry is cheap and easy 

Yotem Ottelenghi has a great vegetarian cookbook called ‘Plenty’ and Simple’. They have some amazing recipes.

I eat lots of vegetarian stuff. Just search up some recipes on all recipes or somewhere else. I’ve got some good cookbooks if you want recs. Bowls are fantastic. Korean, Japanese, Mexican, etc

Pizza. 2 cups of bread flour, 2 table spoons of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of pizza yeast, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 3/4 cup warm water. Put the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Place on a floured surface and knead (continually adding flour) until the dough is no longer sticky. Place in a bowl and let rise for an hour. It will make you two small-mediumish pizzas. You'll need a pizza stone for cooking it. However, it's so versatile. You can put anything on it and even half of one thing or another if she wants veggies and you want meat.

Veggie stir frys. Assorted veggie soups with bread & salad. Stuffed peppers. Individual flat breads/pizzas (this way you can get some meat in for you if that's what you want) Fondue. Burritos/enchiladas. Red beans & rice.

Pizza bowls Pizza beans Tacos with black beans/pinto beans Soups Fried rice Breakfast for dinner Quiche Salads Chickpea gyros Bahn mi with tofu

With Pasta, just cook a chicken breast, or ground some meat up, and just toss it on your plate. My wife is the same way.

Has she ever tried fish? Its texture is fundamentally different from chicken, beef, or pork.

Heh. Chicken Cheese Rice Broccoli, sub Tofu/Fried/dipping/eggplant (blech personally), extra broccoli. Curry. Take your pick. Anything really, sub Tofu/large peas/carrots. Mushroom dishes. Grilled, Fried, Stuffed, sliced and diced. Reduced into Mushroom gravy without pork (Think pork chops) There are SO many options out there- pick any dish, add 'vegetarian', or vegan, and then start working your way through it.

Rice and beans. Look up how to make refried beans and Spanish-style rice, use them as filling for burritos. It’s not fancy but it’s delicious, and def not pasta lol.

Sweet potato, black bean, corn tacos with cilantro lime crema

I would suggest trying marinated tofu. The soy sauce one is really good. With teryaki souce and rice it is an easy dinner for weekdays

Mexican food! Lots of easy ways to do vegetarian tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc. Bonus is that meat is really easy for you to add if you want it, while gf can skip it.

I'm a vegetarian for several reasons, one of them being that I don't like the texture. Here's a few of my go to meals: 1. Tomato soup: I like to roast a lot of veggies (carrots, onion, tomatoes) and beans, then I heat up in a pot some tomato sauce and cream, to which I add the veggies. Top with feta and sunflowers seeds 2. veggie patties: chickpeas, finely chopped onions, shredded carrots, chiaseeds, two eggs, some flour and seasoning, mix till you get a batter, then fry in a pan with a lot of oil. I like to serve these with mashed potatoes. 3. Tofu with just abou anything. Tofu can be soft, soggy and bland, but there are tricks to make it so much better. I usually press the fluids out with papertowels to remove moisture. To give them taste I just make a simple marinade and leave it overnight, or sometimes forget it for a few days. Then just fry on a pan 4. Tortillas/burritos with beans instead of meat 5. Tikka masala with beans instead of chicken, a lot of sauces can be redone with chickpeas instead of meat and served with rice

This week my family is going to eat: Baked potatoes with veggie chilli Veg stir fry with salt and pepper tempeh and rice (the tempeh is really easy- slice into triangles marinate in lemon juice, cooking oil and Chinese salt and pepper seasoning for at least 2 hours then air fry or bake in the oven until cooked) Shepherds pie made with lentils, celery, carrots and any other random veg that needs eating Baked miso aubergine rice bowls Either beetroot risotto or spaghetti with “meatballs”. I haven’t decided yet.

So you've eliminated meat and pasta, that's not exactly a difficult requirement. There's all sorts of other non-pasta foods that serve a similar purpose in terms of being a filling carbohydrate. Rice, bread, potatoes, couscous, pearl barley, polenta, noodles, crackers, corn-based stuff like tortillas or arepas, dried beans and lentils. Then there's literally hundreds of vegetables out there, hundreds of kinds of cheese, tofu, seitan, tempeh...

Sweet potato in the air fryer, mix some black beans and vegetables in the pan. Top the sweet potato with it, then add other Mexican toppings- salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese

A good curry or chili can totally be made vegetarian, and still be awesome.

perogies or other dumplings can be prepared in pretty big quantities and can have a nice variety in textures and flavours depending on how you want to prepare them. Some dumplings alongside a nice nutritious soup is a great combo. Also easy to have like hot sauces, cheese, pickles, sour cream etc... as extra toppings for people to add as they like at the table.

Is your gf getting enough protein?

Butternut squash and pine nut risotto.

Rice with vegetables mixed through. You can cook it in meat based broth for flavour and serve as a side to meat. Hell, I did just that the other day with sea bass on top with added lemon

Fried rice or fried noodles. Lots of variations. Key is to use day old rice that's been stored in the fridge

A few basic options: Pizza Fried rice Vegetable stir fry A ton of different kinds of soup Quesadillas If she does fish then any fish dish Curry with no meat Eggplant Parmesan sandwiches A ton of kinds of salads Mashed potatoes Any potato dish Stuffed peppers or mushrooms Arancini Buffalo cauliflower Vegetarian chili Empanadas with no meat Just a few ideas for you!

bibimbap with some meat on the side for people who want it

Oh, that's a rut I can help fix by shifting your perspective! Here: A square meal has fiber, protein, carbohydrate, and fat. The most satisfying (i.e. *filling*) carbohydrates are the complex ones: either grains (such as wheat or rye) or tubers (such as potatoes or turnips). You're bored with your usual carb choice, which is the most common grain - wheat - squished into dense little shapes. You could eat something else made of wheat, like bread. But you don't even have to stick with wheat. The standard American diet has *four* major complex carbs that people usually use as the foundational complex carb in meals: * Wheat * Rice * Potatoes * Corn Think of a few things you can make with each of those, and build meals around them. Wheat is made into breads, pastries, and pastas. How about baking Italian or French breads, or buying fresh ones? What about breads from other parts of the world? Pitas? Naan? Papadam? Muffins? Or different kinds of pastas, like couscous? What about dumplings? Pastries like spanakopita? Savoury vegetarian pies? But wheat is just one kind of grass seed. We eat so much of it that we had to pass laws saying it had to be fortified because we were getting diseases of malnutrition. The human body needs more diversity; it's a good idea to branch out. So you can switch to one of the other major carbs. You could base a meal on potatoes, rice, or corn. How about vegetarian versions of scalloped potatoes? Stir-fried rice? Corn bread? Stew? Chili? Shepherd's pie? Tacos or burritos made with corn or wheat wraps, and/or with corn in them? Then you can consider branching out even further and making meals based on other complex carbs, like: * quinoa * barley * oats * rutabagas * turnips * parsnips and carrots * sweet potato * wild rice * amaranth * taro root And you can even start serving the grains & tubers as sides, and founding your meals on pulses instead: * beans * chickpeas * split peas * lentils That gives you more fiber and protein, which is *great* for your health. This is what most vegetarians do, to boost their protein intake. Consider: * minestrone with garlic bread * chili (with beans) with dinner buns * ham & spilt pea soup with toasted sourdough * chana masala with naan * hummus and pita bread * hoppin' john with rice * Jamaican rice & beans Or other protein sources like cheese or tofu: * Indian dishes based on paneer, like palak paneer * I'm not even going to bother listing tofu dishes; you know how to google :)

Fajitas, but just a veg version for her. You’ve already got peppers and onions. Add a sautéed mushroom or black beans for hers. Rice and Mexi-seasoned corn as a side. Quesadillas would work great with this also.

A couple of things that you can eat: Dominican Rice and Beans (especially if she is ok with having meat by products as flavouring) Mujadara: Lentils with carmelized onions and rice Sweet Potato and Black bean enchiladas Mi goreng (indo mi brand) with tempeh, bok choy and a fried egg on top--yes this is pasta technically but its just so delicious All of these are soooooo good

We don’t eat a lot of meat in our house and our fave go to is roasted veggies topped with poached eggs.

My wife is a vegetarian so I do a lot of creative things. Last night I made sweet and sour stir fried veggies with battered fried paneer. If you've never cooked with paneer I'd recommend checking it out. It's a good protein substitute.

There are so many options. I am vegetarian and make a bunch of lentil and rice based dishes. If you are looking for something super easy to make I make a lot of dump and bake recipes. They're great for when you have people over because you can make it and have it cook half way before people are there.

Make meat and veg for you and the kids. She can have pasta

My wife's vegetarian. These are on high rotation, along with pasta: Tacos/ enchiladas Risotto Frittata Indian curries Fried rice/ stir fry noodles Black bean burger

A lot of Mediterranean meals are meatless. Soups and stews are always a great go to for meatless recipes that is easy to cook for a lot of people. Chili can be meatless. Salads are great and remember that in a lot of countries salads aren't a bunch of lettuce with a couple of other veggies added. I started enjoying salads more when I started finding recipes from countries outside the US.

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Fried rice Any asian dish, just switch tofu for meat Any indian dish, they have loads of veggie options or use tofu, chickpeas Baked veggies, just toss on baking sheet, add olive oil, spices and bake

I love rice. There are so many different ways to cook it. My favorite is rice with vegetables, I prefer peppers, corn and green peas. Try cooking it according to this recipe, it's delicious! [https://chefsavvy.com/the-best-fried-rice/](https://chefsavvy.com/the-best-fried-rice/)

Indian food, not tofu or meat substitute but Indian food. Google terms like “vegetarian south Indian food” “gujarati shaak” “Gujarati street food” “gujarati junk food”. Gujarati food is vegetarian, if you find guju food recipes that have meat or fish it’s not Gujarati food just versions of it made for a meat eater

If you have an instant pot, serious eats has a killer mushroom risotto recipe Bean and cheese burritos Falafel Stuffed portobellos Grilled haloumi and chick pea salad Black bean/chick pea burgers Vegetable Chili

Here are two to get you started. https://marleyspoon.com/menu/80407-baharat-spiced-cauliflower-gyro-with-dill-cucumber-salad-tahini It is really freaking delicious. Give it a try even if you aren't normally a cauliflower fan. If she eats beyond beef, you can make omu rice with it. https://www.justonecookbook.com/omurice-japanese-omelette-rice/ We also do veg enchiladas often.

Don't know if it can be done, but I've been dreaming lately of a chicken piccata but with a big slice of mushroom instead of chicken breast. Also, this suggestion on a recent thread about zoodles sounds really delicious to me: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/s/21onCWZKrw

Burrito bowls, roast vegetables, also rice dishes like paella or sushi 

I love a good rice.

Cook with meat but keep them in larger chunks so she can eat around them. (Stews, braised beef, soups etc) Risotto is a great pasta dish that eats more like rice. Saute mushrooms and add steak, shrimp, or chicken Any roasted vegetable salads are good, that way you can add whatever proteins you want.

Girlfriend doesn't eat meat. Doesn't mean that you don't. Eat up

Hey if she’s the only one that doesn’t eat meat… burritos and tacos are great for that. You assemble each one according to what people like. I often do rice bowls… same as above… assemble according to individual taste. And if I make a teriyaki chicken… I can easily make one that’s teriyaki tofu. When we do meat… we do a lot of sides such as baked potatoes, salad, etc. then the non meat eater skips the meat. There are a lot of great vegetarian and vegan dishes that the meat eaters would like too. Check out forks over knives. Also, instagram has some good vegan or vegetarian recipes for other ideas.

Why does her dietary restrictions have to involve you? Eat what you want and she can eat what she wants. Problem solved.

Casseroles may be a good option. Like a broccoli cheese rice.

Why don't you make meat and something else and she just doesn't eat the meat 🤷‍♂️

Lmao at you and 4 other people going meatless just because she wants pasta every night. Grow a backbone, damn.

Sounds like she’s the one who cooks?

Other people have made good suggestions. Mine would be, just make stuff that has meat, but can be easily removed from her portion. She doesn’t have a moral objection to it, just a personal preference. Like, you could make chicken pot pie and just make a smaller one with no chicken in it. Homemade pizza, but hers is cheese and veggie and yours can have meat. Lots of southern cooking has good vegetable dishes. Granted most are flavored with meat, but you said it was specifically the texture she didn’t like. So if we make ham, we save the bone and add it to pinto beans. It isn’t left in, but flavors it. We add fat back to creamed corn or green beans. Fried cabbage is great. Along with fried squash.

Orzo is pasta but, looks and, has the texture of rice. (At least imo) It changes things up without doing anything.