Everyday Cooking

Vegetarian meals  are the same kinds of dishes you already know and love. Pasta, curries, stir-fries… just with veg, beans, grains and pulses doing the heavy lifting. Do you love a curry? Switch in some canned butter beans. Love a stir-fry? Throw in edamame beans to keep you full for longer.  

Get more from your cupboard

A well-stocked cupboard is the ultimate kitchen shortcut. Tins of beans, dry lentils, grains, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, spices, pasta and rice can become all sorts of meals with very little fuss.  It’s less about having the right ingredients and more about knowing what to do with what you’ve got. A can of chickpeas can become a curry, a salad, a stew, or a quick dip. A bag of lentils can turn into soup, dal, ragu or shepherd’s pie. Once you start seeing cupboard staples as building blocks, vegetarian cooking gets a lot more interesting. 

Comfort Food, Veg Style

Veggie food isn’t all salads! Creamy bowls of pasta, lush veggie bangers and mash, hearty stews. All veggie, all with intentionally built flavour and texture to make sure every bite feels satisfying and complete. 

Cook once, eat twice (or even 4 times!)

If you’re cooking, you might as well make it count. Cook a big pot of something you love. A mixed bean chilli, a simple dal, a tasty lentil stew…these all portion up and chill or freeze well for later in the week. Less time cooking, less waste, and something good to fall back on.

Protein, sorted 

Boost your nutrition by adding a quick protein boost to your meals. A handful of lentils in a sauce, boiled eggs in a salad, a spoonful of yoghurt, or scatter of nuts on top… it doesn’t have to be the main event, just part of the mix. You’ll soon find your go-to combinations, and won’t need to think twice about it. 

Budget Friendly Cooking

Some of the best vegetarian ingredients are also the most affordable. Beans, lentils, grains, and seasonal veg go a long way and make it easy to cook good food without spending too much. A few well-chosen staples can turn into all sorts of meals across the week. 

Power up with pulses

Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are affordable, filling, and work in all sorts of dishes. They’re also brilliant at taking on flavour. Add chickpeas to something spiced and tomatoey, stir cooked lentils through a rich sauce, or mash beans with herbs, lemon, and olive oil for something quick and properly satisfying. Simple ingredients, doing a lot of good work. 

Veggie Recipe Inspiration

Eating more vegetarian food doesn’t mean overhauling how you cook, or your food cupboards!  It’s just about finding a few simple ways to get more veg into meals you already enjoy. Keep things relaxed, flexible, and doable… For lots of inspiration, dive into our recipe collections!

Recipes

National Vegetarian Week

National Vegetarian Week is a great reason to try something you wouldn't usually cook. Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner, a filling lunch, or an impressive meal for friends, the best veggie meals aren’t always the complicated ones. Discover delicious, fuss-free dishes that you will want to make on repeat. The FREE digital NVW booklet is packed with veggie and vegan recipes from some amazing celebrity chefs and food writers, plus delicious inspiration from COOK! with the Vegetarian Society cookery school. Sign up coming soon!