35 Vegetarian Recipes Your Kids Will Love

Updated: Dec. 20, 2022

We all know kids can be picky when it comes to meals. If you're trying to get your child to eat more vegetables, or are switching to a meat-free lifestyle, check out these vegetarian recipes for kids.

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Grilled Bean Burgers

These juicy veggie patties have major flavor with cumin, garlic and a little chili powder. They hold their own against any veggie burger you‘d buy at the supermarket. —Marguerite Shaeffer, Sewell, New Jersey
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Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Bake

This casserole brings together two classic comfort foods: grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. There’s no need for your hands to get messy dipping bread into a bowl of hot soup! Best of all, my picky-eater husband devours every bite. —Megan Kuns, Perrysburg, Ohio

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Marty's Bean Burger Chili

My husband and I met while working the dinner shift at a homeless shelter that served my chili. I’ve revised the chili using bean veggie burgers. —Marty Nickerson, Ellington, Connecticut
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Banana-Hazelnut Pain Perdu Duet

The ultimate breakfast at our house is French toast with warm bananas and Nutella. Pass it around with confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and fresh mint. —Charlene Chambers, Ormond Beach, Florida
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Spinach 'n' Broccoli Enchiladas

I like to top this wonderful meatless meal with lettuce and serve it with extra picante sauce. It's quick, easy, filled with fresh flavor and definitely satisfying! —Lesley Tragesser, Charleston, Missouri
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Muffin-Tin Lasagnas

This is a super fun way to serve lasagna for make-ahead lunches, potlucks or other fun get-togethers. My daughter took some of these to work and by noon was emailing me for the recipe. —Sally Kilkenny, Granger, Iowa
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Quick Bean and Rice Burritos

These hearty and zippy burritos can be whipped up in a jiffy. —Kimberly Hardison, Maitland, Florida
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Provolone Ziti Bake

As easy as it is filling and delicious, this Italian meal appeals to everyone—and they won’t even miss the meat. Serve with salad and hot French bread, and watch it disappear. —Vicky Palmer, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Peanut Butter-Banana Yogurt Parfaits

For a lightning-fast breakfast, I layer vanilla yogurt with bananas, peanuts and multigrain cereal. It’s crunchy, easy and perfect for kids.—Teresa Miller, Hamilton, Indiana
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Tomato & Avocado Sandwiches

I'm a vegetarian, and this is a tasty, quick and healthy lunch I could eat for every meal. At my house, we call these sandwiches HATS: hummus, avocado, tomato and shallots. These are ingredients I almost always have on hand. —Sarah Jaraha, Moorestown, New Jersey
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Triple Cheese Twists

Our stovetop macaroni and cheese is extra special, thanks to the buttery crumb topping. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Blueberry Muffin French Toast

My 13-year-old daughter and her friends asked for French toast at a sleepover, but we were out of bread. I used muffins instead, and they loved it. Double or triple this recipe for a holiday brunch. —Bonnie Geavaras-Bootz, Scottsdale, Arizona

Planning a sleepover at your place? Don’t forget to look at our ultimate sleepover checklist.

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Cheese Manicotti

Cheese manicotti was the first meal I cooked for my husband, and all these years later, he still enjoys it! —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
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Chickpea 'n' Red Onion Burgers

When chilly days arrive and we retire the grill to the garage, I bake a batch of chickpea veggie burgers. Even die-hard meat eaters can't resist them. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
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Buttermilk Buckwheat Pancakes

This buckwheat pancake recipe uses buckwheat flour instead of the wheat-based variety. The light and tender buckwheat pancakes offer a nutty flavor and hearty texture. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Refried Bean Tostadas

For a change of pace, you can substitute purchased tostada shells for tortillas or add more lettuce and use taco salad shells. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Blueberry Crunch Breakfast Bake

Blueberries in season make this a very special breakfast, but I find that frozen berries can work just as well. My grandmother used to make this with strawberries and I always loved to eat it at her house.—Marsha Ketaner, Henderson, Nevada
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Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas

My kids ask for these pita sandwiches all the time. They haven’t noticed that as good as the pitas taste, they’re good for them too.—Kim Holmes, Emerald Park, Saskatchewan
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Porcini Mac & Cheese

This recipe was inspired by a mushroom mac and cheese I had at a local restaurant. I incorporated the fall flavor of a pumpkin ale, and it turned out better than the original. —Laura Davis, Chincoteague, Virginia
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Fruit-Filled French Toast Wraps

Here’s my go-to whenever we have brunch guests. If I have extra berries, I just make a fruit salad for later. —Dawn Jarvis, Breckenridge, Minnesota
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Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas

I love Mexican food, but I'm always looking for ways to make it more healthy. I reworked a dish that I have enjoyed in restaurants to suit my taste and lifestyle. —Christie Ladd, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
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Mushroom Burgers

Ready to turn over a new burger? I guarantee no one will be missing the beef after tasting these vegetarian burgers. They're moist, tender and full of flavor. —Denise Hollebeke, Penhold, Alberta
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Pecan Chocolate Waffles

If you like waffles and chocolate, this recipe is for you. These tender but crunchy waffles are great for breakfast, brunch or an after-dinner dessert. Instead of chocolate topping, top with berries and whipped cream or simply sprinkle with powdered sugar. —Agnes Golian, Garfield Heights, Ohio
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Spinach-Basil Lasagna

In the kitchen, my husband and I like to use classic ingredients in new ways. I came up with this lasagna one day and haven't made another type since. We love it! —Charlotte Gehle, Brownstown, Michigan
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Southwest Vegetarian Bake

This veggie-packed casserole hits the spot on chilly nights. It's a healthy canned vegetable recipe that's perfect any time I have a taste for Mexican food with all the fixings. —Patricia Gale, Monticello, Illinois
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Maple Apple Baked Oatmeal

I've tried a number of different types of fruit for this recipe, but apple seems to be my family's favorite. I mix the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls the night before and combine them the next morning when it's time to make breakfast.—Megan Brooks, Saint Lazare, Quebec.
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Vegetarian Linguine

Looking for a tasty alternative to a meat-and-potatoes meal? Try this colorful pasta dish, which is the brainchild of my oldest son. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs meal that includes loads of fresh veggies as well as basil and provolone. —Jane Bone, Cape Coral, Florida
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Baked Ziti with Cheese

This pasta dish, made with Alfredo sauce, is deliciously different from typical tomato-based recipes. Extra cheesy, it goes together quickly and is always popular at potlucks. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas
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Bean & Cheese Quesadillas

My son doesn't eat meat, so I created this recipe as a way for me to cook one meal for the family instead of two. It's so easy, my toddler grandson helps me make it! —Tina McMullen, Salina, Kansas
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Italian Herb-Lentil Patties with Mozzarella

My family has requested this meatless recipe over and over again. It is simple to prepare and even meat lovers like it. —Geri Lucas, Oldsmar, Florida
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Toasted Ravioli Puffs

I call toasted ravioli a fan favorite because it disappears faster than I can make it. With just five ingredients, this is how you start the party. —Kathy Morgan, Temecula, California
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Stuffed Vegetarian Shells

When my aunt first told me about these shells, they sounded like a lot of work—but the recipe whips up in no time. Sometimes I add a little cooked bacon to the ricotta filling. —Amelia Hopkin, Salt Lake City, Utah