5 great meatless recipes to work into your rotation

No one is disputing the health benefits of working meatless meals into the weekly rotation.

A diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils and nuts is rich in fiber, vitamins and a host of other nutrients. But what can get lost amid all the nutritional chatter is that it’s also a delicious way of eating.

Recipes and tips abound for living a more plant-based lifestyle, and we found inspiration in a recent batch of cookbooks that offer tasty options, from quick and easy to low and slow.

We devoured “The Monday Pasta Club,” by Ed Barrow, a former pastry chef who made a name for himself with weekly recipe pages dedicated to all things pasta. Pasta is already a source of protein, fiber and iron, according to the USDA, while adding nuts and vegetables can raise its value even further. Barrow’s recipe for Shredded Sprout Orecchiette was tops on our list. The book strikes a balance between meat- and vegetable-forward dishes, satisfying everyone’s tastes.

Chef Jamie Oliver has carved a niche for himself in simplifying home cooking. His latest, “Simply Jamie,” is no exception. While not quite as drilled down as his handy “5 Ingredients” series, it does excel at helping cooks quickly get quality meals on the table. Many of the 130 achievable recipes, which include Upside-Down Noodle Rice Bowl and Crispy Broccoli Panzanella, are vegetarian-friendly. And if his recipes inspire you to cook, that’s the point: Oliver’s mission is to teach 1 million people to cook by 2030.

Winter is also the time when we make the most of slow cookers. While best known for giving soups, chilis and roasts the laid-back treatment, meatless meals are fair game here, too. The new “Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Slow Cooker Cookbook” has an entire chapter dedicated to vegetable-forward dishes, including veggie tacos and a sweet potato-topped cottage pie. Chef and author Poppy O’Toole rose to fame during the pandemic with her cooking videos (her viral 15-hour potato recipe may ring a bell). And there’s no false advertising here, as the recipes are actually delicious.

As we continue to work more vegetables into our meals, here are five great recipes to try — they just happen to be meatless.

Serves 2.

Bored with the same old broccoli? Boil it, squash it, coat it in Parmesan and roast it until crispy. From “Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple Food,” by Jamie Oliver (Flatiron, 2024).

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel away the tough outside of the broccoli stalk, then cut the end in half through the stalk and blanch both sides in a large pan of boiling salted water, covered, for 2 minutes. Drain, leave to steam dry, then use the base of a frying pan or saucepan to gently squash each half to about ¾ inch thick.

Line a roasting pan with parchment, rub with a little olive oil and finely grate over half the Parmesan in an even layer, covering enough space to sit the broccoli halves on top, cut side down. Finely grate over the remaining Parmesan to generously cover the broccoli and roast for 20 minutes, or until golden and crispy, cooking the garlic bread alongside.

Peel the onion and finely chop with the chile, then place in a bowl with the capers. Halve or quarter the tomatoes and add to the bowl, then pit and tear in the olives. Tear in most of the basil leaves, reserving a few for garnish, then dress with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Leave to marinate.

Once done, tear or cut the garlic bread into little chunks, scrunch into the salad, season to perfection and divide between plates. Flip the broccoli, revealing its crispy bottom, and place atop the salad. Sprinkle with reserved basil leaves and leftover crispy Parmesan bits.

Serves 2.

These are Brussels sprouts with a difference. First, they are finely shredded and sautéed in plenty of butter flavored with nutmeg and sage, then they are combined with orecchiette, cream and plenty of Parmesan. From “The Monday Pasta Club,” by Ed Barrow (Kyle Books, 2024).

Directions

Put a large pan of well-salted water on to boil for the pasta.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter along with a glug of oil. Once the butter is melted and starts to foam, add the onion and fry until softened, about 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and fry for another minute before adding the shredded sprouts. Season well with salt and pepper and a little grated nutmeg and add the crushed red pepper flakes. Continue to fry gently for 10 minutes, until the sprouts have started to soften.

After the sprouts have been cooking for 10 minutes, add the orecchiette to the pan of boiling water and cook until al dente according to package directions.

Meanwhile, add the cream and sage to the sprouts, followed by the Parmesan. Mix well and gently simmer over a low heat while the pasta finishes cooking.

Drain the orecchiette, reserving some of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the sprouts pan, followed by a splash of the pasta water. Toss together over the heat until well combined and the sauce coats the orecchiette. Add a little more pasta water to loosen the consistency of the sauce if needed. Taste for seasoning, then divide between two bowls and top with additional Parmesan.

Serves 4.

Note: While made for a slow cooker, it’s also a great one to prep ahead of time and freeze. Get everything all assembled into an ovenproof dish or food storage bag, wrap it tightly in cling film and freeze it for up to 6 months. When you’re ready, defrost it in the fridge overnight, then bake it in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. If you can’t find precooked lentils and don’t want to cook them, substitute black or kidney beans. From “Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Slow Cooker Cookbook,” by Poppy O’Toole. (Bloomsbury, 2024).

For the filling:

For the mashed potato:

Directions

Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, cumin seeds, harissa paste, lentils, chickpeas, stock cube and 1 teaspoon of salt to the bowl of your slow cooker, then stir to combine. Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours, until tender and fragrant. Once cooked, stir in the spinach until wilted, then taste to check the seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.

While the filling is cooking, add the sweet potatoes to a pan of salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 15 minutes, until completely tender, then drain well and mash until smooth. Stir in the olive oil or butter and season to taste with salt.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spoon the mashed sweet potatoes over the top of the filling in the bowl (if your slow cooker bowl is not oven-safe, transfer to an oven-safe dish). Sprinkle top with cheddar cheese, if using. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potato is crisp and golden and cheese has melted.

Serves 2.

Contrasting simple noodles, rice and veg with oozy spiced eggs and tangy Sichuan chili oil is a real joy. From “Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple Food,” by Jamie Oliver (Flatiron, 2024).

Directions

Rehydrate the noodles in a deep 7-inch serving bowl according to package instructions, then drain, return to the bowl and toss in a little sesame oil.

Tip the stir-fry vegetables into a very hot large nonstick frying pan with a little olive oil and the cashews and fry for 4 minutes, or until just tender, tossing regularly. Season to perfection with the soy, then pile the vegetables into the bowl on top of the noodles.

Crumble the rice into the same frying pan, squeezing over the juice of 1 lime. Once hot, layer on top of the vegetables and press down with a slotted spatula to compact.

Quickly wipe out the frying pan and place back on a medium heat. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, crack in the eggs and season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then dust with curry powder. Cook to your liking, spooning over the hot oil as they cook.

Turn out the bowl (like a sandcastle!), top with the spiced fried eggs, spoon over chili oil to taste, and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Squeeze over the remaining lime juice and serve.

Serves 4.

From “Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Slow Cooker Cookbook,” by Poppy O’Toole, who writes: “Tacos are great. They are fun food that you can get stuck in with and getting your hands a bit dirty. That’s my favorite type of food. Who needs a knife and fork to restrict how much food you can shove in your mouth? I want at least a handful every time.”(Bloomsbury, 2024).

Directions

Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, miso, chipotle paste, red pepper flakes, crushed coriander seeds, cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon of salt and some black pepper to the bowl of your slow cooker, then stir everything together. Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours, until rich and tender.

Taste to check the seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve loaded into the tacos.

Want slaw with that? Mix together ½ a small shredded red cabbage, 1 grated carrot, 1 thinly sliced red onion, 1 tablespoon of sour cream, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and a small handful of chopped chives with some lime zest and juice.