Our Top 5 Meat-Free Recipes

Choosing meat-free recipes just twice a week could majorly reduce your carbon footprint and prevent harmful emissions. These delicious vegetarian recipes are packed with protein and colourful vegetables to help your gut health too.

Vegetarian food doesn’t have to be boring – these top 5 meat-free recipes are flavoursome, nourishing and easy to prepare, even when you’re pressed for time or not in the mood to cook.

Sunshine lemon dhal 

This delicious protein easy meat-free lemon dhal is like sunshine in a bowl. It’s my absolute favourite go-to when I need to give my body some nourishment. I like to pair it with naan bread to scoop it all up at the end.

Serves: 4

Total time required: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
• 5cm root ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 300g split red lentils
• 1 lemon, grated zest and juice
• 1L vegetable stock
• 1 handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. Begin by heating the oil in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt, and sweat for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, turmeric and garam masala before cooking for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the red lentils, lemon zest and pour over the vegetable stock and simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Cut the lemon in half, juice one half and leave it to soak in the pan too.
3. Take it off the heat, season well with black pepper and stir through the rest of the lemon juice. Add the tomatoes and garnish coriander on top.

Quick and tangy five-bean chilli 

This nutritious chilli is brilliant for batch-cooking and freezing for busy days or those evenings you just can’t be bothered to cook. Our range of Stasher bags are the perfect containers for leftovers as they’re suitable for the fridge, freezer, microwave, oven and dishwasher. I like to add a dollop of soured cream and guacamole to counterbalance the spicy kick.

Serves: 4

Total time required: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 peppers, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 400g mixed beans or taco beans
• 400g mixed black beans, drained
• 300g brown rice
• 1/2 bunch fresh coriander

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions and peppers for 10 minutes over a medium heat. Add the garlic, cumin, ground coriander and paprika and fry for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes, beans and 50ml of water and simmer for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
2. Meanwhile, cook the brown rice as per the pack instructions.
3. Serve the chilli on top of the rice and garnish with the fresh coriander.

Speedy sesame soy tofu stir fry 

Many people wonder how to get protein in meat-free meals, and tofu is a great solution! Vegetables are also a source of protein. This quick and easy Sesame Soy Tofu Stir Fry is loaded with fresh and colourful vegetables and packed with tofu protein.

Top tip: press the tofu to release all of the liquid and place it on a tea towel to soak up the liquid. This will ensure it gets nice and crispy when cooking it.

Serves: 4

Total time required: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g soy sauce
• 30g vegetable broth
• 1tbsp honey
• 450g tofu, drained and pressed
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 red pepper
• 200g broccoli florets
• 130g baby corn
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 garlic cloves
• 200g noodles

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine 30g of soy sauce, vegetable broth and honey. Set aside afterwards.
2. Cook the noodles as per the instructions and set them aside.
3. Once the tofu has drained, slice them into cubes, place them into a large mixing bowl and add the rest of the soy sauce. Sprinkle cornstarch on top and gently toss with your hands to ensure all of the tofu is covered.
4. In a frying pan or wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat to a medium-high heat. Add the tofu and leave it to get crispy for 3-4 minutes. Repeat the process on all sides and set aside once it has crisped.
5. Add the oil, red pepper, broccoli and corn and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a further minute.
6. Add the tofu, noodles and sauce to the pan and cook for 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the tofu is heated through. Top with sesame seeds to serve.

Warming sweet potato, chickpea and spinach curry 

This cheap and cheerful dish is great for when you want to get cosy in the evenings while maintaining a balanced diet. I like to add a dollop of mango chutney and poppadoms to serve. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months – the perfect backup for your future self.

Serves: 6

Total time required: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp rogan josh paste
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• 3cm piece of ginger, grated
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander
• 3 sweet potatoes, chopped into chunks
• 400g of chickpeas
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 400ml coconut milk
• 400g spinach
• 450g rice

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and curry paste, mix it and cook for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.
2. Add the chilli, ginger, coriander stalks and sweet potato to the pan. Drain and tip in the chickpeas and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and 200ml of water, then bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 10-15 minutes. Cook the rice according to the instructions.
5. Remove the lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the sweet potato is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the coconut milk and stir for a couple of minutes. Then add the spinach and cook until wilted.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Mediterranean puff pastry vegetable tart 

When I have lots of vegetables to use up, this is my go-to meal. Ideal for lunch or dinner, this can be bought to work in a Huski Sustainable Rice Lunch Box the next day.

Serves: 4

Total time required: 2 hours

Ingredients: 

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 280g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 200g baby courgettes, cut into chunks
• 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1tbsp of milk
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• 75g goat’s cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Trim the sheet of puff pastry to fit on your baking tray lined with baking paper. Score a 2cm border around the edges and prick the pastry within the margin, using a fork. Leave in the fridge to rest while you prepare the vegetables.
3. Put the courgette, pepper and red onion in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the vegetables in oil and cook on the top shelf of the oven for 15 minutes.
4. Brush the pastry with the milk and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook the pastry on the middle or bottom shelf for 15 minutes. Rotate the trays halfway through to ensure even colouring.
5. Remove both trays from the oven and reduce the temperature of the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Set the vegetables aside. Press the inside of the pastry down and return to the oven for 25 minutes to get a super-crisp base.
6. Take the pastry out of the oven and tip the roasted vegetables on top. Scatter over the cherry tomatoes and goat’s cheese. Increase the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius and place the tart in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through and cheese is colouring at the edges.

See, we told you meat-free is delicious! 

Plant-based diets can reduce emissions by up to 50% and when there are tons of delicious meat-free recipes like these, it makes it easy and enjoyable. I like to think of it as a wonderful opportunity to experiment with new foods and enjoy the process of mindful cooking, knowing I’ve made a positive difference to the planet.

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