• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Eat Well Spend Smart
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Money Saving Tips
    • Meal Plans
    • Gardening
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Money Saving Tips
  • Meal Plans
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    57 Easy Cheap Vegetarian Meals

    September 3, 2019 by Tara Buss 3 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Cheap vegetarian meals are a great way to stretch the grocery budget. Maybe you are trying to save money on your grocery bill or maybe you are just trying to eat less meat. This list has you covered. All of these meatless meals are family-friendly and use basic ingredients.

    cheap vegetarian meals

    We are meat eaters in our home and don't follow a vegetarian diet, but one money saving strategy that I like to use is to incorporate cheap vegetarian meals into our weekly meal plan. Why do we do this? I find that it gives us a break from meat heavy dishes, gets us out of our normal food ruts by providing variety, and greatly reduces our food costs.

    Beans and lentils, grains, pastas, eggs, soups, potatoes, and ethnic foods are all included in this list. It's important to me to share recipes that are family-friendly.  Yes, many of these recipes are heavy on vegetables, but I feel like they are done in a very kid-friendly manner.  Many of these vegetarian recipes are some of my family's favorite recipes, meatless or not.

    Cheap Vegetarian Meals

    Beans and lentils

    Crispy black bean tacos, a cheap vegetarian meal

    1. Crispy black bean tacos

    Black beans are the star of the show in these crispy tacos. With just beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, corn tortillas and oil, these are a super cheap pantry meal with a fast food vibe. We love them in our house!

     

    chickpea and spinach curry on a white plate beside a green towel

    2. Chickpea curry

    Such an easy recipe that uses only a few ingredients and comes together in about 20 minutes. If you love curry with coconut milk, you will love this one.

     

    close up of a bowl of slow cooker pinto beans

    5. Southern slow cooker pinto beans

    These pinto beans are a great option when you want a set it and forget it option made in the slow cooker. If you love a bowl of comforting beans, you will love this one.

    BONUS points: smash up the leftovers for refried beans or any of these ways to use leftover beans.

    Black bean and corn enchiladas

    6. Black bean and corn enchiladas

    This is one of the first vegetarian recipes I ever made my family many years ago. It has stuck around and become a favorite.

    More bean and lentil recipes

    7. Sweet potato and chickpea stew

    8. Bean burritos

    9. Beans and rice

    10. Lentil sloppy joes

    11. Burrito bowls

    Grains

    Greek quinoa salad in a bowl

    12. Greek quinoa

    Using Greek flavors like tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, olives, cucumbers, and a Greek dressing, this quinoa salad is so delicious. It's an awesome option for meal prep too!

    Lentils and rice topped with onions in a red pot

    13. Mujaddara:  lentils and rice

    The main ingredients could not get much cheaper than this. Lentils and rice should be a staple in every frugal home. This is always on my list if money is tight.

    Pumpkin risotto. A delicious fall dinner.

    14. Pumpkin risotto

    This risotto is such a treat in the fall when you want something warm and comforting.

    15. Roasted vegetable grain bowls

    Noodles/pasta

    Lemon broccoli pastaVegetarian pasta recipes are so simple and truly some of the best comfort foods. It is also probably the best way to get a kid on board with a meatless meal.

    16. Spaghetti: simple pasta with jarred pasta sauce

    17. Creamy mushroom pasta

    18. Pasta with carrot top pesto

    19. Pasta primavera

    20. Vegetable lo mein

    21. Thai noodle bowl

    22. One pot pasta with broccoli and lemon

    23. Roasted red pepper pasta

    24. Cheesy lentil chili mac

    25. Spinach artichoke lasagna

    26. One pot pasta

    Eggs

    Eggs are a great way to still eat a high protein meal even when eating meatless.

    Garden frittata

    27. Garden frittata

    A great way to use red bell pepper, zucchini, and fresh basil from the summer garden. Feel free to use whatever quick cooking vegetable you happen to have on hand though.

    28. Shakshuka

    29. Eggs (scrambled, poached, fried) and toast

    30. Egg sandwiches

    Soup

    Slow cooker creamy tomato soup.

    31. Tomato soup (use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth) and grilled cheese

    A ladle full of kale and white bean soup

    32. Kale and white bean soup

    A healthy meal with white beans, leafy greens, and carrots. So simple yet so satisfying and delicious.

    Slow cooker split pea soup

    33. Split pea soup (omit ham)

    So much better than the stuff from the can. It's simple to make in the slow cooker and delicious!

    Broccoli cheddar soup from scratch. Made with wholesome ingredients.

    34. Broccoli cheddar soup (use vegetable broth)

    This soup is similar to your favorite take out soup but a fraction of the cost.

    Cup of slow cooker black bean soup with tortilla chips

    35. Slow cooker black bean soup

    This is another set it and forget it slow cooker meal. Blend the beans for a creamier soup or leave the beans whole for a chunkier consistency.

    36. Cabbage soup

    37. Vegetarian chili

    38. Butternut squash soup

    39. Egg drop soup

    40. Lentil soup

    Potatoes

    Stuffed baked potatoes

    41. Stuffed baked potatoes

    42. Loaded sweet potatoes

    43. Crispy hash browns

    More vegetarian recipes

    44. Vegan Thai red curry

    45. Homemade pizza

    46. Breaded eggplant

    47. Southwest veggie quesadillas

    48. Vegetable stir fry

    49. Mediterranean quesadillas

    50. Zucchini fritters

    51. Vegetable pot pie

    52. Loaded salad: greens, nuts, seeds, cheese, fruit, any veggies, and a great homemade dressing

    53. Tortilla pizza

    54. French toast

    55. Oat pancakes

    56. Grilled cheese sandwiches

    57. Cheese quesadillas

     

    What are your favorite cheap vegetarian meals? Share in the comments below!

    « Easy Cobb Salad
    16 Canned Tuna Recipes- No more boring recipes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lorie

      April 24, 2021 at 4:00 pm

      Your website is the best for when I went over on my grocery budget and I need a week of catching up! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Tara Buss

        April 26, 2021 at 3:05 pm

        I'm so glad, Lorie. I browse my own site for the same reason as well. haha We all need a little pep talk and fresh inspiration sometimes even if we "know" what to do. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Michael Funkspieler

      June 10, 2022 at 10:59 pm

      Excellent recipes and suggestions! Beans and lentils are so underrated and so healthy, tasty and economical. I was a little surprised not to see more recipes with cauliflower. Not a favorite of yours?

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Tara Buss headshot

    Hi, I'm Tara! Mom, wife, and frugal living expert. I believe you can feed your family well even when money and time are tight. Let me show you how.

    More about me →

    5 SECRETS TO SAVE MONEY ON FOOD

    5 quick lessons delivered to your inbox.

    You can unsubscribe anytime. No spam, promise.

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    .

    Popular

    • How to sauté chicken tenders
    • Crockpot pinto beans
    • Easy Homemade Biscuit Recipe (Without Buttermilk)
    • Homemade Basic Cheese Sauce

    Grab my E-book

    Eat well spend smart ebook

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Eat Well Spend Smart