Vegetarian Recipes: Top 12 Best Budget Friendly Vegetarian Recipes 2021

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Being a vegetarian isn’t always easy. Many restaurants don’t provide satisfying options for the meatless—aren’t you so tired of plain pasta and black bean burgers?—and, even worse, vegetarian options can be so expensive. But, meat-free dining doesn’t have to be such a hassle.

JOW makes mealtimes easy for everyone, regardless of their dietary restrictions. Our one-click personal grocery shopper tailors your cart to your needs, from household size to dietary restrictions to cooking appliances.


Once you have a cart filled with vegetarian ingredients, look no further than JOW’s under-30 minute recipes for a little meal time inspiration.


We have lots of budget-friendly, vegetarian dinner recipes that will revamp your cookbook and allow you to have delicious meals without spending too much money.


1. Veggie Couscous

This Veggie Couscous dish is nutritious, easy to make, and reasonably priced, not to mention that it’s packed with delicious flavors. Our veggie couscous is so good, it’s about to become your new lunchtime staple.


With 10 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cook time, this veggie couscous packs 19g of fat, 79g of carbohydrates, and 17g of protein per serving, contributing to your macronutrient needs and satisfying your cravings.


To make our veggie couscous, you’ll need semolina, carrots, chickpeas, shallots, harissa paste, zucchini, ras el hanout, and vegetable broth.


2. Stuffed Eggplant

Nothing is more fun than stuffing pomegranate into an eggplant! Cooking isn’t just a daily chore—it should be fun for the whole family from preparation to consumption. 


Grab some kitchen helpers, and start filling your eggplants with feta cheese, pomegranate, mint leaves, parsley, mixed grains, and garlic. Use JOW’s optimized personal grocery shopper to assemble your ingredients, grabbing the exact amount of food you need for your household in just one click.


Meal prep can easily become a cherished family memory with recipes as fun as our one-of-a-kind vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant recipe. Its fantastic taste, hearty richness, and affordable ingredients make it a star on our list.


Stuffed eggplant will require 12 minutes of prep time and a whopping 35 minutes of cook time, making it on the higher end of time requirements. But trust us, this one is worth it. 


Swap out feta for goat cheese or add some spinach and kale for an extra hit of vitamins. This recipe can be tailored to your family’s preferences—just like our JOW grocery lists—so it’s sure to be delicious no matter what. 


3. Vegetable Cheeseburger

Cheeseburgers aren’t just for meat-eaters—they can be a perfect vegetarian dinner, too! This Veggie Cheeseburger recipe is so simple and budget-friendly that you’ll wish you found it sooner.


This easy vegetarian dinner only requires four minutes of prep time and four minutes in the pan to make it a reality. Use JOW to grab buns, your family’s favorite veggie burgers, lettuce, yellow mustard, ketchup, butter, sliced cheese, and red onion.  


Serve alongside french fries, a big pickle, and a soda pop to feel like you’re in an adorable 1950s diner, or make it at a summer barbeque alongside potato salad, green salad, baked beans, and corn on the cob. 


Veggie cheeseburgers are a versatile option for any household, and the topping possibilities are endless. 


4. Sesame Bowl

If bowls are more your style, this Sesame Noodle Bowl is for you! This bowl takes things to the next level—it’s a vegan take on your favorite noodle dish that will make your stomach as happy as your wallet.


Our Sesame Noodle Bowl recipe provides a meal that’s almost 400 calories per portion. It’s a hearty meal for the whole household, using only six ingredients.


In fact, JOW specializes in recipes with 6 or fewer ingredients that can be made in less than 30 minutes, so you can take all of the stress out of meal preparation.


For this recipe, you need rice noodles, white mushrooms, sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and a knob of fresh ginger. 


5. Grilled Eggplant and Hummus

Eggplant is just too delicious to ignore! This Grilled Eggplant and Hummus dish stands out as a wonderfully delectable dish that looks great and tastes even better. 


With only 5 ingredients, this dish is a budget-friendly option for anyone on a vegetarian diet. All you’ll need is roasted eggplant, feta cheese, hummus, plus some parsley and pomegranate. 


Our grilled eggplant and hummus dinner requires only seven minutes of prep time and ten minutes of cooking time, making it perfect for busy weeknights. 


Our grilled eggplant and roasted hummus dinner is a fantastic vegetarian option that will blow your taste buds away while sparing your bank account. Substitute tofu “cheese” or another vegan alternative to make this recipe vegan-friendly, too.


6. Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry

Perhaps you’re looking for a dish with a little more of a kick? We love spices, too. This Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry is sure to hit the spot.


Our family-favorite Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry is deliciously rich and creamy, only using the finest ingredients at affordable prices—sourced with JOW’s one-click personal grocery shopper. For our curry, you need to gather coral lentils, coconut milk, yams, tomato paste, red onion, vegetable broth, and turmeric powder.

7. Smoked Tofu and Green Beans

There’s a reason tofu is such an iconic vegetarian staple, and a chef who can pull together crispy tofu is lauded as a hero. This versatile and nutritious meat substitute is a fantastic option for any vegetarian on a budget as a valuable source of vitamins and minerals like manganese, phosphorus, iron, and calcium. 


This vegan Smoked Tofu and Green Bean dish should satisfy all your tofu cravings in 17 minutes or less. With 20 grams of protein, this dish is perfect as a healthy snack, a light lunch, or a side dish alongside one of our other vegetarian favorites.


8. Roasted Tomatoes With Feta

This stripped-down, simple, and elegant recipe is deceivingly straightforward. With only five minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cooking time, our Roasted Tomatoes with Feta recipe is so deliciously easy that you’ll be making this dish all the time! 


Use JOW to buy feta, honey, a pinch of fresh rosemary, and cherry tomatoes with the touch of a button. 


Just like our Smoked Tofu and Green Beans recipe, our Roasted Tomatoes with Feta are a delicious poolside snack. You can also serve this dish alongside our Grilled Eggplant and Hummus, our Stuffed Eggplant, or our Veggie Couscous as a nutritious appetizer for your family dinner.


9. Comfort Rice Bowl

Our wonderful summertime Comfort Rice Bowl is a fantastic food choice for a vegetarian looking to save money on a tasty brunch. Why spend $30 dollars on a fancy restaurant grain bowl when you can make your own at home? 


This dish requires six minutes of prep time and only 15 minutes of cooking time for an at-home feast that feels gourmet.


Mix sweet potatoes, eggs, arugula, wild rice, and fresh lemon juice for Sunday brunch any day of the week. 


10. Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich

There’s nothing quite like curling by the fire with a cup of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Take your comfort food to the next level with this inspired Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich recipe.


Comté cheese, onion marmalade, cream cheese, and mixed baby greens melt together in between two slices of soft whole wheat bread for a new twist on a childhood classic. 


While this vegetarian sandwich can stand on its own, it’s even better paired with one of our vegetarian soups like our Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup, our Alphabet Soup, or our Classic Tomato Soup.


11. Mexican Soup

Speaking of soup, our flavorful Mexican Soup is a vegetarian trip South of the Border perfect for a festive summer feast or a cozy winter dinner.


Classic ingredients like avocado, lime, cilantro, and mild chili powder are mixed with sweet potato, tomato sauce, yellow onion, and vegetable broth for a delicious combination of flavors. Top with crumbled feta cheese, and add tortilla chips for some extra crunch.


With only 6 minutes of prep time before leaving this soup to simmer, Mexican soup is an easy and cost-effective meal for lunch, dinner, or a late-night snack. Sprinkle chili powder, Tajin, or Tabasco for an added kick.


Serve this with our Veggie Tacos for a Mexican food feast.


12. Blueberry Cake

Don’t think we forgot about breakfast—it’s the most important meal of the day! This Blueberry Cake recipe can be a delicious breakfast, a quick snack, or a late-night dessert, and this recipe’s versatility is what makes it such a cost-effective choice for a meatless diet.


All you need is egg, sugar, butter, almond flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, and blueberry jam to make this dreamy blueberry loaf come to life. Prep your loaf for 5 minutes, then leave it to bake for 45 minutes.


Pair this blueberry cake with coffee, tea, or hot cocoa, or serve it next to a helping of overnight oats or your favorite cereal.


Vegetarian on a Budget

A vegetarian lifestyle can lead to a high grocery bill, but it doesn’t have to! Vegetarian diets can be great for your health and wellbeing, but they can be difficult to maintain without reasonable, reliable recipes to fall back on.


That’s why these budget-friendly vegetarian recipes could be essential to your daily routine. Don’t want to overspend at a restaurant or go crazy eating boring old salads without any pizazz—use JOW to easily plan vegetarian meals that won’t break the bank.


JOW tests all of our recipes to ensure that we’re giving you the best possible flavors with the least possible effort, so you can make healthy meals the whole family will love.