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Valentine's Day
Dana Velden
Dana Velden
Dana Velden's first book, Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook (Rodale Books) is available where ever books are sold. She lives in Oakland, CA.
updated Feb 2, 2021
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With many of us staying at home this Valentine’s Day instead of dining out, it’s the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen. Many traditional menus involve animal-based proteins, like oysters, lobster, and steak, but if you’ve got your sights on a romantic vegetarian dinner, we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you create a special meal.
You could start out with a potato-parsnip rosti, or roasted shish*to peppers, and move on to herbed couscous and goat cheese stuffed tomatoes. There’s no need to spend all night cooking, especially if you’ve got a busy schedule. Consider a hands off slow cooker mushroom and lentil bolognese or one-pot cacio e pepe for a delicious a meal that doesn’t require much from you.
No matter what you’re in the mood for, here are 25 perfect vegetarian recipes for a cozy Valentine’s Day dinner at home.
Appetizers
The vegetarian appetizers are the perfect start to a romantic dinner at home.
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Vietnamese-Inspired Rice Crisps
The rice crisps are similar in texture to Vietnamese shrimp crackers but entirely vegetarian.
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2
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Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms
Who doesn't love a good stuffed mushroom? These ones are packed with veggies, topped with cheese, and then grilled.
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The potstickers are the perfect little one-bite package: mild at first nibble and then bursting with satisfying umami flavors.
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Roasted Shish*to Peppers
Roasted shish*to and padron peppers are an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer. Savory, salty, and occasionally spicy, it's hard to stop at just one!
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12
Creamy Coconut Cauliflower Soup
Answer the call of creamy comfort food with this nourishing, Whole30- and Paleo-friendly soup.
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Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce
The Brie’s woodsy richness is complemented by the tart, slightly astringent cranberries, and it’s baked until it’s bubbling and oozey then scooped up with crackers.
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Goat Cheese Rapini Toasts
A successful appetizer is one that keeps people nervously eying their neighbors to make sure they won’t finish the entire plate. With the winning combination of bright lemon, mild goat cheese, crispy toasts, and slightly bitter greens, this is one such appetizer.
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Hassan’s Easy Eggs with Za’atar and Lemon
Serve these simple soft-boiled eggs with plenty of warm bread or pita to mop up the olive oil.
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9
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12
Potato-Parsnip Rosti with Caramelized Onion Sour Cream
If you’re looking for a starchy Hanukkah dish that’s *like* latkes but doesn’t require the patience of frying, flipping, and keeping them warm, say hello to the rosti.
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12
Cacio e Pepe Farinata
Whether you call it socca or farinata, this gluten-free chickpea flour flatbread is the perfect appetizer or snack, especially when showered with Pecorino cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
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Super-Crispy, Oven-Baked Asparagus Fries
The crispiest, crunchiest, tastiest asparagus I've made to date — and folks, it's all done in the oven.
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Baked Vegetable Wontons
These baked veggie wontons are so quick, easy, and versatile that you’ll never have to scramble for a vegetarian appetizer again.
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Main Dishes
From delicious veggie tarts to simple stuffed shells, these entrees are sure to wow whoever you make them for.
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One-Pot Cacio e Pepe
With its one-pot cooking method, the chicken broth and the Parmesan rind, this rendition of cacio e pepe might not be the most traditional you’ll ever make. But it’ll be one of the quickest and most delicious ones you’ve ever had, not to mention the version with the least amount of dishes.
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Marcella Hazan's Eggplant Parmesan
Hazan's recipe is the silkiest, most perfect eggplant Parmesan — and really, the only recipe you need.
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Goat Cheese Tart with Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Caramelized Onions
A vegetarian dish that involves grilled vegetables and goat cheese isn’t anything new. This tart, however, is the farthest thing from boring. It’s fun, surprisingly delightful, and a surefire crowd-pleaser.
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Creamy Broccoli Soup with Cheesy Macaroni
This soup is bright from broccoli, fennel seed, and fresh basil and the cheesy macaroni is cozy and familiar.
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Saucy Coconut Collards with Crispy Sweet Potato Rounds
This big plant-based bowl packed with textures and colors and flavors is delightfully saucy and incredibly satiating.
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13
Lemony Brussels Sprouts Pasta
This flavor-packed Brussels sprouts pasta cooks in less than 20 minutes and is made with only a handful of ingredients.
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Adas Polo
This Persian lentil-and-rice dish is mixed with plump raisins and sweet dates and cooked until a crispy bottom forms.
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One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca
This certainly isn't your Italian grandmother's pasta puttanesca, but it is one of the easiest versions you'll find.
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Slow Cooker Lentil and Mushroom Bolognese
In this "meaty" vegetarian alternative to classic bolognese, baby bella mushrooms and protein-packed green lentils stand in for ground beef.
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The whole dish takes minutes to assemble, and once in the oven, everything just roasts together, the tomatoes releasing their sweet, tangy juices into the couscous salad.
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Matar Paneer
Matar paneer is the definition of a party dish. It’s the sort of thing that you can serve to anyone—it looks really pretty and is always a crowd-pleaser.
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Cheesy Vegetarian Lasagna
There’s so much to love about this recipe: It’s as comforting and cheesy as any meat-filled lasagna, yet feels so much more wholesome thanks to the serious dose of vegetables stuffed inside.
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The Easiest Stuffed Shells
A pan of cheese-stuffed shells covered in marinara is always a good idea. Just don't forget the garlic bread.
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