5 Marvellous Meat-Free Mid-Week Supper Ideas

Veganism and vegetarianism are, by now, fully mainstream choices. Rare as hen’s teeth is the restaurant that doesn’t have meat-free options on the menu and, indeed, there are many that are temples to the vegetable, where pulses and grains are the stars of the show. But even those of us who hang on to the old carnivorous ways – and there are both nutritional and even ecological arguments for eating some sustainable meat in the divisive debate – agree that reducing quantity and increasing quality is inarguable.

It’s never a bad plan, then, to have a few days a week when we eschew meat. Which also means it’s a good idea to have some good, quick and delicious veggie or vegan recipes up our sleeves for a quick mid-week dinner. These five are tried, tested and tremendously good.

Quick Chickpea Braise With Kale & Harissa

Anna Jones


Anna Jones, queen of the seasonal vegetable, can be relied upon to knock-up a quick supper that makes our mouths water quite as reliably as any meaty fare. Earthy, filling and achingly nourishing, this dish is not only quick and delicious, it also packs in the veg – which is exactly what our bodies require as the temperatures plummet. Find the recipe here.

Stuffed Aubergine In Curry And Coconut Dal

Yotam Ottolenghi


‘Only two ingredients – lemon and milk – are what it takes to make paneer at home,’ the culinary wizard Yotam Ottolenghi tells us. You can, of course, buy it easily in the shops, but if anyone can convince us to try this scientific experiment, it is the king of flavour himself. Any which way, we will be cooking this warming treat of a dish over and over again this winter – always making sure to cook too much and dig into leftovers for a couple of days. Making it for guests? It’s the perfect make-ahead supper. Yotam writes, ‘Both the aubergine slices and the lentil sauce can be prepared the day before, if you want to get ahead. In fact, you can make the whole dish a day ahead, up until before it goes into the oven, chill in the fridge and then just bring to room temperature before warming up.’ Find the recipe here.

Spinach Dumplings and Lemon Rice

Vivek Singh


Spinach and cheese are always easy bedfellows. So too is a fried dumpling entirely compatible with our tastes in winter when comfort food is all. The joy of this dish is that it’s healthy too; the cheese is cottage – dieters’ perennial friend – and the flour is chickpea. Moreover, though, the taste is sublime. The whole tasty bite is offset by the fresh zing of the lemon rice, making this a perfectly balanced dish all year round, but never more so than now. Ours may not look quite as Michelin standard as Vivek’s but we can live with that for flavour like this. Find the recipe here.

Braised Courgettes And Cannellini Beans

Olive Magazine


Olive Magazine is a brilliant repository of tasty ideas of all kinds, but not least those of a plant-based persuasion. It even has a whole section dedicated to one-pot vegetarian meals – and, as washing-up averse cooks, they’re just the kind we like. It is near-impossible to choose, but we’re especially drawn to this hearty and healthy recipe, which is warming thanks both to its earthiness and the kick of chilli. Winter perfection. Find the recipe here.

Chickpea, Lemon And Rocket Pesto

Taste


Pesto is such a classic staple to serve vegetarians – and is easily tweaked for vegans too – that it has become almost a cliché. However, we’ll never not adore it, providing it is made from scratch and just moments before consuming. And whilst we will always return to the Genovese original, our arms can be twisted into a variation if it is good. This one is excellent, thanks to the addition of lemon and chickpeas. Simple, quick, nutritious – and plus, basil is a natural anti-depressant. Hardly a surprise when you consider how instantly it transports us back to summer. Find the recipe here.

By Nancy Alsop
November 2022