7 One-Pot Vegetable Dinners for Easier Weeknights

Beth Lipton is a writer and certified health coach. She is a contributing editor at Clean Plates.

The last—and we mean last—thing you need after tackling your to-do list and making dinner on a typical weekday is a sink full of dishes. We’re right there with you. So we gathered up some favorite easy vegetarian dinners you can make in one vessel, be it baking sheet, skillet, pot, what have you, so you can eat, clean up and get busy relaxing for the rest of the night.

Photo Credit: She Likes Food

30-Minute Red Beans and Cauliflower Rice

Rice and beans gets a makeover with this veggie-loaded skillet dish. Top it with salsa and avocado, use it to fill burritos, serve it over greens as a salad—it’s versatile and tasty, made with pantry staples and cooked in one skillet. Win-win-win.

Sesame-Orange-Ginger Chickpea Stir-Fry

A zesty sauce made with orange juice, soy sauce, and fresh ginger livens up this simple one-skillet stir-fry. Enjoy it on its own or serve over quinoa or rice (use the premade kind from Trader Joe’s, that’s what we’d do). To make it vegan, simply swap maple syrup or coconut nectar for the honey, and use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.

Photo Credit: Isa Chandra

Smoky Tomato Lentil Soup with Spinach and Olives

Honestly, this one had us at “smoky tomato,” but throw olives in and we’re sold. It’s also quick to put together (most of the time involved is simmering it into deliciousness) and made from ingredients you likely have already on hand. Plus who wouldn’t want to tuck into a bowl of this hearty soup after a long day.

Skillet Spring Vegetable Brown Rice Casserole

This is not your grandma’s casserole (not that there was anything wrong with it; we love your grandma, say hi for us). This one-skillet meal brings together fresh asparagus and mushrooms, plus frozen peas, along with chickpeas, onion, and two different cheese for a comforting meal you can feel good about. Bonus points for having the leftovers for breakfast with a fried egg on top.

Photo Credit: Serious Eats

Vegan Quinoa, Broccoli and Kale Curry

This one ticks all the healthy boxes: It’s a veritable brassicas festival, with kale, cauliflower and broccoli. It has curry powder, which contains spice of the moment, turmeric. It’s made in one skillet and it only takes 30 minutes. Basically this recipe is every story you’ve read in the past year about healthy eating in a bowl.

5-Minute Detox Salad with No-Mix Dressing

If this meal sounds like a magic trick, break out your wand: With just a few hearty and flavorful ingredients (hello kale, radishes, sunflower seeds, avocado and dried cranberries) and a dressing that you simply drizzle on without mixing, it’s a dream come true. Want more protein? Add some beans or that leftover bit of quinoa lurking in your fridge.

Photo Credit: Sweet Peas and Saffron

One-Pan Gnocchi with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and White Beans

Hold the phone—this one-skillet dish also features spinach, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Use traditional gnocchi or try the Trader Joe’s cauliflower kind for even more veggie goodness. The olive oil-red pepper flakes combo on top is classic for reason.

Hungry for More?

• 8 Easy 30-Minute Vegetarian Dinners You Need to Know
• Stay Warm with a Spicy Vegetarian Bowl
• Make This Now: 4 Awesome Yet Easy Plant-Based Recipes