18 Vegetarian Lunch Ideas That Will Make Your Colleagues Jealous
- Updated on Jan 28, 2016
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Eating lunch in a restaurant every day is often repetitive, probably boring, definitely bad for your wallet and possibly even worse for you.
Even if you stumble across a local that’s unique, exciting and great value, there’s a good chance that as non meat-eaters you’ll still only have the choice between a bowl of tomato soup (the appetizer for others) or a bland salad consisting of lettuce and tomato.
Vegans get it even worse.
So we’re here to put you out of your misery – this round up boasts 18 vegetarian lunch ideas and all of them are…
- quick to make
- healthy
- filling and
- easily storable in a lunchbox!
Talking of lunchboxes!
If you need a new one, we suggest perusing these:
1. Plastic Container Set (BPA free, will do for anything, even liquid)
2. Glass Container Set (BPA free and leak proof. A little heavier, but great, if you don’t want to microwave your food in plastic containers. I have a set, and I’m super satisfied – works excellent with soups)
3. Stainless Steel Lunch Box (lighter, definitely BPA free, but also not truly watertight. I own one though and I love it)
One last most obvious tip: always chuck your lunchbox in a plastic bag to be sure nothing leaks. Better to be safe than sorry 😉
Then without further ado – it’s time to spice up your lunch life.
You won’t believe this tasty bad boy is actually good for you! Ready in 7 minutes, high in protein, fiber and absolutely delicious. Perfect for a quick lunch.
Ready in: 5 minutes
Recipe by: Veggies Don’t Bite
The sandwich that encompasses fall and all its flavors! Smoky tempeh, sweet apples and spicy arugula, a perfect dipper for those winter soups.
Ready in: 30 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes)
Recipe by: TheVegan8
These amazing burritos only require 8 ingredients (plus salt & water), and by repeating some of the ingredients in the avocado cream, it’s incredibly easy to make.
In this superfood salad red lentils and quinoa are jazzed up with crunchy almonds, tangy olives and creamy avocado.
Ready in: 15 minutes
Recipe by: Hedi Hearts
Now how easy is that? So so good for you, basic ingredients and delivers on the flavour too!
Pasta Salad with an unbelievable Peanut Butter Dressing. Did we mention it’s actually healthy too? Ready in 15 minutes, and packed with fiber and protein.
Ready in: 30 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes)
Recipe by: Green Evi
A healthy, light, and flavourful butternut squash and quinoa mason jar salad with arugula and pine nuts.
Ready in: 45 minutes (Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes)
Recipe by: PopSugar
You’re in luck: this addictive, creamy vegan chickpea soup tastes even better the next day once flavors have had time to meld. A perfect vegan lunch you can take to work!
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: Food Hunters Guide
This satisfying salad that makes for a light yet filling lunch. One thing about this salad is that it tastes even better leftover, so I urge you to make extra!
Ready in: 15 minutes
Recipe by: Vegan Heaven
This vegan tofu and kale pesto sandwich with grilled zucchini, carrots, and lettuce, is not only super delicious but also pretty easy to make.
Ready in: 20 minutes
Recipe by: Wake The Wolves
Crisp, hearty, and tangy, this kale caesar salad has to be one of the best “classic salads” out there.
High Protein Kidney Bean Salad. It’s like throwing the Greek and American cuisine In one bowl. A refreshing and satisfying salad ready in just 7 minutes.
Ready in: 35 minutes
Recipe by: Vegan Family Recipes
This sweet potato salad is best served cold but can also be enjoyed warm, easily portable and even more delicious the next day.
This virtually vegan mango curry is refreshing, tropical, super-quick and soooooo easy! Don’t miss out on this one.
Quick and Easy Vegetarian Thai Green Curry (30 Minutes)
Check out the recipe here
Ready in 30 minutes and packed full of taste, spice and a fresh lime kick. Delicious, nutritious and it’s even vegan, yaay.
Ready in: 15 minutes
Recipe by: Katie at the Kitchen Door
The combination of watermelon and feta is all the rage, so Katie took it one step further and added a few more Greek elements – kalamata olives, cucumber, and a tangy vinaigrette.
How to Make a Buddha Bowl – The Definitive Guide. An incredibly satisfying meal – made the way you want, + 20 of the best belly filling recipes out there!
A refreshing and tangy summer veggie wrap that’s easy to make and perfect for on the go – ideal for bbqs, picnics or wherever it’s needed!
Since this is veeeery probably my favourite in this list, let me put the recipe right here. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed! 🙂
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 2 small carrot
- 1 small red onion
- ¼ bell pepper, red (your favourite colour)
- 1 small handful spinach or similar
- 1 thumb ginger, fresh (grated)
- ⅓ cup cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tsp mustard (or try wasabi paste, but less!)
- 2 wraps
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional
- ½ cup bean sprouts (they’re really healthy! And they add a lovely crunch too)
Instructions
For the wrap:
- Roast the sunflower seeds in a pan without any oil/fat until golden brown.
- Peel and grate the carrots. Wash and dice the the bell pepper (get rid of the seeds and white bits).
- Peel the onion and cut in thin rings. Wash and drain the spinach. Wash the bean sprouts with cold water and let them dry.
For the dressing:
- Peel the ginger and grate it into a bowl. Add the cottage cheese, sour cream (or your vegan substitute), lemon zest and mustard and mix it well.
- Spread the dressing mixture onto the wraps, stopping about 1cm from the edge. Lay out the spinach leaves on top.
- Put the carrots, bell pepper, onions and bean sprouts in a wide line down the middle and sprinkle the roasted sunflower seeds on top.
- Season with a dash of salt and pepper and fold the wraps a little on both sides, then at the bottom and roll it as tightly as possible (without squishing the insides out!).
- Cut the wraps into halves and serve. Enjoy!
NOTES
Nutrition
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26 comments
Welcome!
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And now I’m hungry!! Any of these would make the absolutely perfect easy lunch!! So many great choices! Thanks for including my Lentil Quinoa Salad! Sharing!
You’re welcome, Jenn!! 😀
me too Jenn what a mood, vegie besties
Me too I guess we must try out Indian traditional veg recepies which had loy of nutrition Rich values
Thanks for including me Howie! Fantastic Roundup! I scheduled to share on Fb today!
You’re welcome Sophia!!
Nothing better than a great salad in a jar 😀
Thanks for sharing!
What a delicious roundup – every single one of these look tantalizing!
Thanks Sashi!! 😀
Yeess, it was quite easy to pic those haha
Thanks for including my tri-colored pasta salad, Howie! This is such a colorful and healthy roundup. It made me hungry. Sharing on social media now.
You’re salad deffo earned it’s spot in this roundup 😀
Thanks for sharing, Linda!!
What a wonderful list of veggie lunch ideas! Thanks for including my sweet potato salad 😉 I’ll have to give that yummy summer wrap a try! Sharing 🙂
GREAT post!! Quesadillas are my favorite comfort food! There’s something about the crispy tortillas with a gooey gooey center sandwiched between them. Thanks for such a fantastic post!!
Hi Erin!!
So cool you like the post 😀
Yep we became big fans of quesadillas over here as well. I think for a while I even was addicted. You know, similar to when you have the sandwich maker up on the kitchenet, haha
Quesadillas are defffo not even the list!! 🙂
Thank you for the ideas I have a middle school er that have decided going vegetarian I need ideas for school.
Hi Juana,
I assume you are his/her teacher? So cool you’re taking so much care of your pupil! Maybe you also find our “How to make a Salad in a Jar Tutorial” helpful. Deffo quite handy to take to school 🙂
I’ve been looking for some good lunch/dinner recipes that are packed with protein but are mostly vegan. I ran across this in a google search and I can’t wait to try most of these recipes! Thanks so much!
You’re very welcome Te! Glad we could help – go make those colleagues jealous 😀
I am a middles schooler in the seventh grade and I recently became vegetarian this past September. This website helped me get some healthy, yummy, and easy to make lunch ideas that I can bring to school. Thanks so much!
Happy to be of service, Crystal! Really glad to hear your vegetarian way of living is such a success 🙂
Is the app available at the iPhone app store?
Hi Adriana, at the moment not unfortunately 🙁
But we’re working on it!!
im easing my way back into a vegetarian life and these recipes are so flavorful! can’t wait to try each one of them. btw us… I made cauliflower and mushroom tacos tonight with pinto beans and mango salsa and the kids didn’t even miss meat…my picky toddler ate very bite of the cauliflower mix…proof that good tasting vegetarian recipes are where its at!
Haha right on! Absolutely agree – when veggie food is done well then the kids love it. I’m glad you’ve found us – keep enjoying!
Thanks so much for this! Saving my life haha
Haha, happy to help!