18 High-Fiber Vegetarian Dinners to Help Reduce Inflammation

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Updated on October 13, 2023

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

kale avocado salad blueberries

Whether you’re following a vegetarian eating pattern or just want a flavorful dinner that’s packed with veggies, look no further. These mouthwatering dishes highlight fiber-rich foods like dark leafy greens, nuts, legumes and whole grains to help you stay full for longer and maintain a healthy heart. Plus, you’ll find many of these to be anti-inflammatory ingredients like avocado, kale and walnuts to help your body combat symptoms of chronic inflammation like digestive issues, joint pain and mental fog. Recipes like our Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame and our Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives are nutritious and satisfying meals that are perfect for a vegetable-packed dinner any night of the week.

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Creamy Spinach Pasta with White Beans

Creamy Spinach Pasta with White Beans

Here, we whir up fresh spinach and kale with cream cheese and Gruyère for the luscious sauce that highlights this rich pasta dish. Paired with beans, it makes a filling vegetarian meal.

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Lemony Lentil & Chard Soup

Lemony Lentil & Chard Soup — Photography / Nico Schinco, Food Styling / Frances Boswell, Prop Stylist / Paige Hicks

This satisfying lemony bowlful was inspired by the lentil soup served at the now-closed Lebanese restaurant La Shish in West Bloomfield, Michigan. It keeps well but will thicken, so you may want to thin it with a bit of water or broth when reheating. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita.

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Three Sisters Stew

a recipe photo of the Three Sisters Stew — Nate Lemuel

This Three Sisters Stew recipe is easy to make, nutritious and delicious. The Three Sisters are corn, beans and squash, which have been planted together for centuries by Native peoples and have spiritual significance for some. In New Mexico, it is often said that a healthy environment means a healthy culture, which leads to healthy people, and the way these vegetables grow in the garden exemplifies this notion of interconnectedness. The beans climb the cornstalks, the squash leaves shade the soil, limiting weed growth, and the beans fix nitrogen into the soil as well as help stabilize the cornstalks. This stew is perfect for a cold winter day, and wonderful as an encore the next day if you have any leftovers. This recipe is part of our spotlight, There's a Movement to Revitalize Indigenous Cuisines and Knowledge—Here's Why That Matters.

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Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

kale avocado salad blueberries

Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

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Creamy Spinach Orzo

Creamy Spinach Orzo — Photography / Caitlin bensel, Food Styling / Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Styling / Julia Bayless

This creamy spinach orzo pasta dish is light, quick and easy. The fresh basil truly shines through and complements the spinach in this vegetarian pasta dinner.

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Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad

Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad

This cold pesto pasta salad will cool you off on a summer day. Fresh tomatoes and roasted red peppers add a pop of bright color and juiciness here, but any of your favorite pasta-salad veggies, like blanched broccoli and fresh bell peppers, would be delicious too.

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Tofu, Mushroom & Bok Choy Soba Noodle Bowls

Tofu, Mushroom & Bok Choy Soba Noodle Bowl — Greg DuPree

Soba noodles are made with whole-grain buckwheat, upping the fiber count in these brothy bowls and adding nutty flavor. Thick and chewy udon noodles make a good alternative.

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Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale

Chickpea Pasta with Mushrooms & Kale — Greg DuPree

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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Vegan Quinoa Chili

Vegan Quinoa Chili — Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin

This light but filling vegan quinoa chili is packed with fresh veggies, with quinoa and black beans adding protein and fiber. Complete this easy one-pot dinner with vegan cheese, dairy-free yogurt or your favorite chili toppings.

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Spinach Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives

Store-bought spinach ravioli and a handful of basic pantry items are all you need to get a healthy dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Ingredients like oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives and toasty pine nuts help to build big flavor fast. If you can't find frozen artichokes, swap in a 15-ounce can (just be sure to drain and rinse them well).

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Ratatouille with White Beans & Polenta

Tons of lightly cooked vegetables combine with white beans in this hearty vegetarian dinner recipe. It can also be served over bread, like bruschetta.

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Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas — Greg DuPree

A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling.

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Hoppin' John with Orange Bell Peppers

Loads of ham hocks, cured pork belly or even smoked turkey wings are usually key ingredients in this Southern dish. In this healthy Hoppin‘ John recipe, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper bring on the flavor. Ounce-for-ounce, these two spices contain roughly 2 1/2 times the beta carotene of boiled sweet potatoes. Serve as a main-dish stew or serve a smaller portion as a side along with some brown rice.

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Farro Risotto with Mushrooms & Greens

Greens & Groats Risotto — Greg DuPree

Guests who choose to wander around Oak Hill Café in Greenville, South Carolina, know that chef David Porras has his own farm out back. This dish is a tasty way he uses up stems from leafy greens, flowers from bolted herbs, and other odds and ends from his copious beds.

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Mushroom Stew

Mushroom Stew — Will Dickey

This mushroom stew is hearty and flavor-packed, with both fresh and dried mushrooms adding to the rich taste. Quinoa adds protein and a boost of fiber. This flavorful fall soup will be enjoyed by vegetarians and carnivores alike.

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Parmesan Eggplant Pasta

Parmesan Eggplant Pasta

This lightened-up version of the classic eggplant pasta dish swaps out some of the cheese and uses protein-rich lentil pasta.

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Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

Though traditional stuffed cabbage recipes are made with meat, here Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with a combination of rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs for a healthy vegetarian stuffed cabbage recipe. The stuffed cabbage leaves gently bake in a simple tomato sauce. This easy stuffed cabbage recipe can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.

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Vegan Lentil Stew

Vegan Lentil Stew — Fred Hardy

This comforting vegan lentil stew is incredibly satisfying thanks to hearty lentils and sweet potato. The leeks provide a savory allium note while the tomato paste, miso and cumin add bold flavor.

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