If you’re a vegetarian or are simply looking for veggie recipes to cut back on meat, Italian food is the way to go. There are so many vegetarian Italian dishes to choose from that are delicious, healthy, and filling.
We’ve outlined our five favorites here for you to enjoy at home or during a night out for dinner.
1. Four Cheese Pasta
Love cheese? Then you’ll love this Italian recipe filled with parmesan, brie, cheddar, and emmental cheese. It’s like macaroni and cheese but only better and certainly does not come out of a box! It’s healthy and filling and is best served with a green salad and Italian bread.
2. Grilled Veggie Lasagna
Lasagna is one of the most famous Italian dishes. Typically, this dish comes with meat, but there are many vegetarian options you can use to make this a healthy, filling meal for the entire family. In between layers of lasagna noodles, you can add peppers, broccoli, squash or any other vegetables you love.
Like any other lasagna recipe, add lots of yummy cheese (ricotta and mozzarella) along with your favorite pasta sauce, homemade or not. This tasty treat is perfect for lunch or dinner. Serve with Italian garlic bread on the side to scoop up the pasta sauce and other ingredients.
3. Caprese Salad with Pesto Sauce
This recipe is a version of antipasti filled with fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and pesto sauce. It makes for a perfect appetizer or a lunch dish. Did you know that the colors in this recipe actually represent the Italian flag? That’s right! Green, red, and white. Purely Italian.
4. Eggplant Parmesan
Skip the veal and chicken and grab some fresh eggplant for this filling vegetarian Italian dish. Layer this casserole with lots of tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and eggplant. Serve with a salad for extra vitamins and nutrients, along with garlic bread to scoop up the meal. Then sit back, relax, and digest this healthy meal.
5. Panzanella
This popular summer dish comes from the Tuscan area of Italy but is popular throughout the country. It’s a chopped salad consisting of tomatoes and bread. The bread is stale but soaked and goes perfect with freshly picked tomatoes. Add some onions and basil, along with a vinegar and olive oil dressing. Create a small panzanella as an appetizer or side dish to go along with another incredible vegetarian Italian dish listed here.
