15 High-Protein, Vegetarian Dinners for Better Blood Sugar

By

Camryn Alexa Wimberly

Published on July 25, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

a recipe photo of the One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta — Photo:
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Looking for some tasty vegetarian dinner ideas? We’ve got you covered! These recipes are mindful of carbohydrates and calories while also being lower in sodium and saturated fat, making them good choices for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Each serving has at least 15 grams of protein and is made with nutritious ingredients like veggies and herbs alongside complex carbs like whole grains and legumes to help you digest food more slowly and maintain stable blood sugar levels. For a filling and nourishing meal, try options like our One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta and Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw.

01 of 15

Slow-Cooker Three-Bean Chili Mac

a recipe photo of the Slow-Cooker Three-Bean Chili Mac — Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell

Chili meets mac and cheese in this fix-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker dinner. Hot tomato sauce, a Mexican canned tomato sauce that also includes spices and chiles for heat, kicks up the flavor. If you can’t find hot tomato sauce, regular canned tomato sauce with a tablespoon of chili powder mixed in is a good substitute.

02 of 15

White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta

a recipe photo of the One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo with Lemon & Feta — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

This one-pot pasta dish with white beans, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes is lively and vibrant and leaves you with an easy cleanup. Toasting the orzo before adding the broth adds another layer of flavor. Another dark leafy green like chopped kale or Swiss chard can stand in for the spinach, but may take longer to wilt in the pan.

03 of 15

Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw

Lighten up your burger! Bean patties have less saturated fat and more fiber than beef patties. They're also cheaper and easier to cook indoors—and we promise they're just as satisfying, especially with the mouthwatering creamy slaw on top.

04 of 15

Slow-Cooker Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach Pasta Bake

a recipe photo of the Slow-Cooker Sun-Dried Tomato & Spinach Pasta Bake — Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell

This simple vegetarian pasta bake is rich in protein and comes together effortlessly in the slow cooker, for a convenient one-pot meal. The combination of sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato pesto and plenty of veggies delivers a mix of sweet and savory flavors with every bite. Feel free to replace the sun-dried tomato pesto with basil pesto, offering a fresh twist on the dish.

05 of 15

Chickpeas alla Vodka

a recipe photo of the Chickpeas alla Vodka — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

This Chickpeas alla Vodka is the ultra-quick, fiber-packed dinner you’ve been waiting for! Chickpeas are swimming in a creamy vodka sauce that gets enhancements from sautéed garlic, onion and vibrant green baby kale. Crispy, toasted whole-wheat bread is perfect for dipping. You can customize this dish easily by using chard or spinach in place of kale.

06 of 15

Caprese Casserole

a recipe photo of the Caprese Casserole served in a dish with a wooden spoon dipped in it and tomatoes, basil, and a towel beside it — Sara Haas

This healthy casserole comes together easily, making it the perfect choice for any weeknight dinner. Be sure not to overcook the pasta or it will turn mushy. And don't skip the balsamic vinegar at the end—it's a bright finishing touch.

07 of 15

Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Crustless Quiche

This crustless quiche recipe is a good choice for your next brunch, but it's also nice for a vegetarian dinner served with a side salad and a slice of focaccia.

08 of 15

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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.

09 of 15

Cashew, Chickpea & Pasta Salad with Cilantro-Mint-Shallot Vinaigrette

a recipe photo of the Cashew, Chickpea & Avocado Salad with Coriander-Mint-Shallot Vinaigrette — Sara Haas

In our humble opinion, the dressing makes this salad. Tangy and zesty with a bit of a crunch from the shallots, this cilantro-mint-shallot vinaigrette will quickly become your go-to. Make the dressing and chop up the veggies while you wait for the pasta to cook, then mix everything and enjoy!

10 of 15

Sichuan Ramen Cup of Noodles with Cabbage & Tofu

The Sichuan province in the southwestern corner of China is known for its fiery dishes. Here, the richness of tahini tempers the spicy chile paste in this cup-of-noodles-style Mason jar soup recipe. You can grind the Sichuan peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, or crush them with the bottom of a heavy skillet.

11 of 15

The Best Veggie Enchiladas

a recipe photo of the Veggie Enchiladas — Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek

These veggie enchiladas are packed with sweet corn, onion, peppers, zucchini and beans and are coated with store-bought enchilada sauce to save time on prep. Enchilada sauce ranges from mild to hot. We like the earthy flavor of red enchilada sauce, but green enchilada sauce works well too. For a slightly different spin, substitute yellow squash for the zucchini and a poblano for the bell pepper.

12 of 15

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

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.

13 of 15

Florentine Lasagna Roll-Ups

Florentine Lasagna Roll-Ups — Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Ruth Blackburn / Audrey Davis

Think portion control with these individual lasagna roll-ups. Leftovers are great for lunch the next day.

14 of 15

Basil-Chickpea Flatbread

A flavorful combination of chickpeas, cashews and garlic forms a protein-rich base for this homemade flatbread. Store-bought crust makes prep a breeze.

15 of 15

Tempeh & Mushroom Tacos

Tempeh is a vegetarian protein that crumbles easily; here it stands in for ground meat in this tempeh taco recipe.

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