Vegetarian dishes that please meat eaters

Jessi

Jessi

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24 Feb 2014
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While I don't have any plans of going full vegetarian, I do find that I feel healthier when I cut back on meat and dairy products overall. I can enjoy meals without meat just fine.

I'm dating a full on carnivore who needs meat at every meal, however. This includes breakfast the majority of the time, unless he just grabs a snack of poptarts or trailmix to hold him over. There's no avoiding meat at dinner time, however.

I'm looking for some dishes that even a meat-eater can thoroughly enjoy, despite being vegetarian. He loves pasta, so I'm thinking that might be the area to start. Any ideas?
 
I just tried a recipe yesterday that was pretty good - it was a creamy pasta with artichokes. It was actually from a healthy cooking recipe site - so it wasn't your full fat alfredo sauce type dish. Instead the sauce was a mixture of olive oil, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, and a little lemon juice, tossed with some sauteed canned artichokes. Seasoned with salt and pepper of course, and some chopped parsley to garnish. Artichokes are pretty "meaty" in texture.

I saw another pasta dish I've been meaning to try as well, which is a roasted red pepper and feta pasta:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...with-creamy-red-pepper-feta-sauce-recipe.html
 
There are so many vegetarian dishes someone that enjoys meat can love! I'm a carnivore (sorry vegetarians, I just like meat too much!) and there are several dishes I love! I love salads, vegetable soups, pesto pasta, pasta with arugula and cherry tomatoes, tofu dishes (have you tried the tofu at Panda Express? It's great!), and risottos!! I love mushroom risotto, it's something I think both vegetarian and non-vegetarians would love! Quiches are also a great alternative.
You would also be surprised at how good some full on vegetarian dishes are! I went once to a Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant and had veggie Pho, with tofu and soy meat. It was so delicious, I actually think prefer veggie Pho than the regular one!!
 
I had this vegetarian dish that I usually prepared and love to eat most of the time. In a cooking pan put olive oil and saute garlic, onion and tomatoes then put chopped mushroom, potatoes, carrots, tuna flakes and sweet pickles relish, salt and pepper to taste. After cooking set it aside and let it cool. Then beat 2 eggs and put them together and make a vegetable omelette and this is a delicious healthy vegetable dish.
 
ReadmeByAmy said:
I had this vegetarian dish that I usually prepared and love to eat most of the time. In a cooking pan put olive oil and saute garlic, onion and tomatoes then put chopped mushroom, potatoes, carrots, tuna flakes and sweet pickles relish, salt and pepper to taste. After cooking set it aside and let it cool. Then beat 2 eggs and put them together and make a vegetable omelette and this is a delicious healthy vegetable dish.
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By adding tuna flakes, it is no longer vegetarian, but is pescatarian.
Definition of Pescatarian: Occasionally used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. Although the word is not commonly used and a pescatarian is not technically a vegetarian, more and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet.
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I always try to have a meatless Monday meal and my family loves their meat. They were very hesitant at first, but I found that I have won them over when it comes to Indian food! Some good curry and yummy lentils make them weak in the knees. Find some flavorful dishes and your meat eaters will forget that there is no meat on their plate.
 
I often cook vegetarian meals even though we are not vegetarians. On the other hand, my mum thinks any food that does not have meat in is not a meal it is just a side dish. However, she absolutely loves my vegetarian lasagne and I save her a portion whenever I make it. She loves my vegetable curry and cauliflower bhaji too.
 
I'll add another one to this list, considering I ate three of them yesterday, lol - veggie sandwiches.

For some reason, I was in the mood to start making some quick pickled/marinated stuff the other day. So I made a large batch of roasted hungarian hot wax peppers then tossed them with some olive oil, sliced garlic and sea salt to marinade. Then I made a batch of sweet pickles with some seedless english cucumbers, pickling spices, vinegar, sugar, salt, turmeric, dill, and fresh garlic (all diluted with water to taste).

I had some Veganaise in the fridge (even though I'm not vegetarian, I actually like the taste of that stuff) and a loaf of french bread on hand, so I started making sandwiches with the pickles, hot peppers, fresh tomatoes, leaf lettuce and the veganaise. These things were addictive, and it was hard to believe I didn't need any meat or dairy on the sandwich either (let alone soy meat substitutes).

I may make a batch of pickled red onions today, to go along with everything else.
 
Something with mushrooms might be a good option, they are pretty filling and satisfying. Maybe look for a recipe that has mushrooms in the pasta sauce.

I don't recommend using tofu because I don't think most American tofu is fermented, which means it will still have the estrogen imitating properties in it which is not good for men or women. If you do decide to use soy, check the label to make sure it is non-GMO, that can be hard to find to as that vast majority of soy grown in the US in genetically modified.
 
Pasta is a good choice, as there are many varieties and many interesting and tasty sauces you can make. Beans can also be a satisfying substitute for meat. Using several different types of beans in chili rather than adding meat is a good example.
 
Besides pasta, I cook oriental noodles with lots of vegetables and sauces and most people don't even realize there is no meat. Often I introduce people to vegetarian sausages made of quorn and they are surprised and enjoy them. These don't look vegetarian and people are surprised that they can taste good.

I also make vegetable pies as you can add quorn pieces instead of chicken to it and again people don't notice, as long as the dish is well seasoned.
I stay away from the traditional beans and salads, because that's what people expect, not a heart meal.
 
I think mushrooms are the best bet for someone who is a meat eater. I myself am much more used to meat but I still am able to enjoy some sizzling garlic mushrooms on occasion. I've also seen portabelo mushrooms being used by the chefs on TV as a substitute for burger patties but I've never tried it myself so I can't comment on it from experience.
 
Jessi said:
While I don't have any plans of going full vegetarian, I do find that I feel healthier when I cut back on meat and dairy products overall. I can enjoy meals without meat just fine.

I'm dating a full on carnivore who needs meat at every meal, however. This includes breakfast the majority of the time, unless he just grabs a snack of poptarts or trailmix to hold him over. There's no avoiding meat at dinner time, however.

I'm looking for some dishes that even a meat-eater can thoroughly enjoy, despite being vegetarian. He loves pasta, so I'm thinking that might be the area to start. Any ideas?
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There is lots of good dishes out there. The company called Gardein is a good meat replacer, Seitan is another good one. With a little searching online and practice you will be surprised at what you can do with plants. You need plants to eat meat, the seasoning comes from nature.
 
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