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  6. 28 Low-Calorie Vegetarian Dinners That Are Packed with Protein

28 Low-Calorie Vegetarian Dinners That Are Packed with Protein

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD April 25, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Crispy Pea Fritter Salad
Credit: Jason Donnelly

Add some filling protein to your day with these recipes that pack in at least 15 grams per serving. Whether you're in the mood for a fresh salad, a bowl of creamy pasta or a simmering soup, these meatless meals include plant-based protein sources, like eggs, chickpeas and lentils, for a filling dinner that will leave you feeling satisfied. Recipes like our Cheesy Marinara Beans and Crispy Pea Fritter Salad are delicious, low-calorie meals perfect for tonight's dinner.

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Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta

Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta Frittata
Credit: Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat
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Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

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Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna

Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna
Credit: Greg DuPree
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Thanks to jarred marinara sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles, this labor-of-love kind of meal can be ready in about an hour.

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Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale

Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale
Credit: Greg DuPree
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Loading up your pasta with vegetables like the kale and mushrooms here is not only delicious, it also makes the meal more satisfying.

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Red Lentil Soup with Saffron

Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
Credit: Jacob Fox
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This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice.

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Cheesy Marinara Beans

Cheesy Marinara Beans
Credit: Photography / Nico Schinco, Food Styling / Frances Boswell, Prop Stylist / Paige Hicks
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This ooey-gooey dish has baked-pasta vibes but features protein-packed beans instead of noodles. Look for dried corona beans, a larger, creamy white bean, at natural-foods stores or online. Cannellini are a good substitute. Serve with a green salad and toasted baguette.

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Smothered Black Soybean Burgers

Smothered Black Soybean Burgers
Credit: Photography / Nico Schinco, Food Styling / Frances Boswell, Prop Stylist / Paige Hicks
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These flavor-packed burgers get tang from kimchi, umami from soy or fish sauce and heat from gochugaru. Topped with caramelized onions and slaw, they're super-satisfying.

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Crispy Pea Fritter Salad

Crispy Pea Fritter Salad
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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We mashed together peas, fresh mint and lemon zest with breadcrumbs to make small pan-fried cakes perfect for topping a salad.

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Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema

Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema
Credit: Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat
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Crumbled tofu spiced up with Cajun seasoning is layered onto these tostadas with a juicy mango slaw. A dollop of sour cream zhuzhed up with beet and lime adds even more flavor. Look for precooked beets in the produce department of your grocery store.

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Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale

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You can make these three-ingredient tomato-simmered eggs with things you probably already have on hand in your freezer and pantry. To make these baked eggs more like eggs in purgatory, look for a spicy tomato sauce and don't forget some whole-wheat bread for dipping.

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Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

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This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers.

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Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

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Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.

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Mushroom French Dip

Mushroom French Dip
Credit: Jacob Fox
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Meaty portobello mushrooms have just the right amount of earthy, savory flavor and the perfect texture to replace beef in these vegetarian French dip sandwiches.

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Caprese Pasta Salad

Caprese Pasta Salad
Credit: Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely
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This light and fresh caprese pasta salad is brought together with a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.

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Winter Greens Salad with Pomegranate & Kumquats

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Kumquats deliver a piquant burst of citrus, especially when eaten skins, seeds and all. Here we toss them with a trio of greens for their vivid orange color as much as their zestiness. Pomegranate seeds and pistachios bring a jewel­like finish.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens
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Dipping tofu in buttermilk makes the coating stick for a crispy pan-fried tofu, reminiscent of fried chicken. Spicing up the collards with paprika coats them with smoky flavor while keeping this dish vegetarian. And this quick, easy and healthy dinner comes together in just 25 minutes, so it's great for busy weeknights.

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Linguine with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

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This easy pasta recipe is an excuse to buy wild mushrooms, available at many grocery stores these days. Or if you prefer white buttons, those will work well too. The creamy linguine is ready in 40 minutes, so it's quick enough for an easy weeknight recipe but it feels fancy enough for entertaining.

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Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

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A light and creamy green-salsa dressing highlights this easy pasta salad with Southwestern flavors.

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Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas

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This meatless dinner comes together in only 15 minutes, thanks to the convenience of frozen chopped spinach and crumbled feta. We've added a flavorful burst of sun-dried tomato tapenade to spread over the whole-wheat pita before nestling the scrambled eggs inside. If you can't find it, basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto also work well.

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Spring Vegetable Lasagna

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No-boil noodles help get this crowd-pleasing vegetarian lasagna in the oven fast. Using a mandoline isn't essential, but will make quick work of producing thin, uniform slices of roots that cook super-evenly and look stunning. Serve with a mixed green salad with red-wine vinaigrette and crusty bread.

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Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

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We love the retro vibe of these egg salad lettuce wraps. Iceberg lettuce makes a perfect low-carb swap for bread to serve the egg salad.

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Couscous & Chickpea Salad

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Cooked couscous and canned chickpeas come together in this quick lunch salad. The basil vinaigrette makes it taste anything but basic! When in season, we recommend adding fresh chopped tomatoes for a spin on tabbouleh.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
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This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
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Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!

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Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

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This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

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Easy Vegetarian Chili

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Canned beans and tomatoes make this quick vegetarian chili recipe ready to go in just 30 minutes. Serve over rice or couscous, or with tortilla chips for added crunch, and add extra toppings as you see fit--sliced scallions, chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sliced jalapeños are all tasty choices.

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Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

falafel salad
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Deep-fried falafel can be a total grease bomb. But these pan-seared falafel still get crispy in just a few tablespoons of oil with equally satisfying results. Be sure to use dried, instead of canned, chickpeas in this healthy recipe--canned chickpeas add too much moisture.

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    1 of 28 Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta
    2 of 28 Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna
    3 of 28 Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale
    4 of 28 Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
    5 of 28 Cheesy Marinara Beans
    6 of 28 Smothered Black Soybean Burgers
    7 of 28 Crispy Pea Fritter Salad
    8 of 28 Cajun-Spiced Tofu Tostadas with Beet Crema
    9 of 28 Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale
    10 of 28 Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing
    11 of 28 Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms
    12 of 28 Mushroom French Dip
    13 of 28 Caprese Pasta Salad
    14 of 28 Winter Greens Salad with Pomegranate & Kumquats
    15 of 28 Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
    16 of 28 Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens
    17 of 28 Linguine with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
    18 of 28 Tex-Mex Pasta Salad
    19 of 28 Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas
    20 of 28 Spring Vegetable Lasagna
    21 of 28 Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
    22 of 28 Couscous & Chickpea Salad
    23 of 28 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
    24 of 28 Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
    25 of 28 Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing
    26 of 28 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
    27 of 28 Easy Vegetarian Chili
    28 of 28 Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

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    28 Low-Calorie Vegetarian Dinners That Are Packed with Protein
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