Meals for a Vegetarian

Vegetarianism is a healthy style of eating for those who choose not to eat meat. A typical vegetarian diet consists of a wide variety of meat-free foods like pasta, bean- and egg-based dishes, nuts, and fresh vegetables and fruit. For the modern vegetarian, inspiration can be taken from the many meat-free dishes found on menus around the world. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Italian Inspiration

The Mediterranean diet is filled with delicious vegetarian meal ideas. Italian pasta is a staple of any vegetarian diet. A tomato and herb pasta bake makes a tasty meal that's easily prepared. Simply add tomatoes, basil, oregano and olive oil to a dish of cooked pasta, cover with cheese and bake. A perfect light meal is the insalata tricolore, a traditional Italian salad of tomato, mozzarella and avocado. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with freshly-torn basil.

Japanese Meal Ideas

A huge variety of mouthwatering vegetarian dishes can be found on the traditional menus of many Oriental countries. Katsu is a tasty fried dish consisting of vegetables covered in a lightly-spiced batter. Tofu is a cheese-like food made from soybeans that is used as the key ingredient in many Japanese dishes. For noodle soups, the sweeter, thinner inari tofu is commonly used. Inari tofu is available from specialty Asian grocery stores and can be sweetened at home using rice wine. Make vegetarian-friendly sushi by using mushrooms and peppers in place of seafood.

Middle Eastern Delights

The Middle Eastern menu consists of many classic vegetarian dishes like vegetable terrine and and spiced couscous -- a loaf dish usually served cold and small grains of pasta, respectively. The dip humus is made by blending ground chickpeas, garlic and lemon and is a staple of the vegetarian diet. Falafel are small spicy patties made from pureed chickpeas, herbs and spices. They make a substantial replacement to meat dishes and are served with cool yogurt-based dips. Koshari is a traditional, easy-to-prepare Middle Eastern dish made from lentils, rice, tomatoes and a blend of spices.

French Cuisine

A classic French dish beloved by many vegetarians is the humble omelet. It is a quick, easy and inexpensive vegetarian dish. It is also extremely versatile and can be cooked with an endless combination of fillings. The potato-based dish, tartiflette, can be adapted to suit your vegetarian diet by leaving out the traditional bacon. Made with onions, peppers and mushrooms, tartiflette blends cheese, cream and potato to create a tasty, if somewhat indulgent, vegetarian meal.