Tasty vegetarian pasta recipes are among the best that pasta has to offer. Pasta on its own is always a delicious safe bet (especially now that there are plenty of alternatives to suit just about any dietary need). And from there it’s almost impossible to go wrong by tossing some vegetables and other good stuff like fresh herbs into the mix.
In general, pasta is a convenient and budget-friendly way to make a meal that is as nutritionally well-rounded as it is enjoyable to eat. “Pasta is such a lovely, easy way to work in a variety of different foods,” Rachael Hartley, R.D., certified intuitive eating counselor and owner of Rachael Hartley Nutrition, has previously told SELF. That variety of textures, flavors, and nutrients is what helps make a meal truly satisfying. The most filling meals usually include a balance of carbs, protein, fat, and fruit or veggies, Hartley explains—something that’s pretty easy to do with vegetarian pasta ingredients like tomato sauce, greens, root veggies, cruciferous veggies, lentils, peas, beans, nuts, cheese, cream, yogurt, and eggs.
One concern sometimes surrounding vegetarian recipes is that no meat means not enough protein, but there are plenty of affordable ways to ensure a pasta dish meets your protein needs. Take chickpeas, which are packed with protein (and fiber) and make a yummy pasta addition in various forms—whether puréed into a rich, creamy sauce or crisped up in oil to use as a crunchy topping. (You can also just toss a can of beans into many recipes without messing anything up—or take the ultimate easy route and start pasta made from legumes.)
These 50 vegetarian pasta recipes are just a sampling of what you can do with plant-based ingredients and a pot of pasta. From seasonally focused dishes to dinners you can eat all year long, it’ll be hard not to find something to get excited about.