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Twenty for Twenty: Vegetarian Edition

By: Carl Hanson

What's for dinner? We'll give you twenty guesses.

Essential Pantry

Here are some spices, herbs, condiments and other staples to have on hand:

Bread crumbs
Baking powder
Cornstarch
Sugar
Vegetable oil (olive, peanut, canola)
Vinegar (white and red and white wine)
Dijon mustard
Soy sauce
Hot sauce
Salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Curry powder
Curry paste
Chili powder
Cumin (seed and ground)
Parsley (dried and fresh)
Onion powder
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
Ground nutmeg
Cayenne pepper
Ground turmeric
Dried red pepper flakes
Fresh mint
Fresh basil
Fresh cilantro
Bay leaves

Your Turn

Is there a favorite versatile ingredient you always have on hand? Tell us all about it in the comment box below. We'd love to hear from you!

If you've got the ingredients, we've got the recipes!

The Ingredients

Don't like repeated trips to the grocery store? Stock up on these 20 ingredients, and you can make 20 delicious dinners.

1. Tahini
2. Lemons
3. Limes
4. Canned garbanzo beans
5. Canned black beans
6. Fresh ginger root
7. Tomatoes
8. Tomato puree
9. Celery
10. Raw jalapeno peppers
11. Spinach
12. Onions (white, red, green)
13. Garlic
14. Bell peppers (green, red, yellow)
15. Tofu
16. Lentils
17. White rice
18. Eggs
19. Parmesan
20. Cheddar cheese

The Recipes

We've done the leg work for you, finding 20 delicious and distinct vegetarian meals--everything from lentil stew to tofu burgers.

Comments

Add a comment

MIZZ_D

Jun. 29, 2009 3:28 pm

Thank you sooo much!! This is the perfect kickoff for a brand new vegetarian.

clenn

Jul. 5, 2009 6:32 pm

This is great! More, please.

ROMANOCEAN

Jul. 31, 2009 2:18 am

YuM

VeggieLuv

Aug. 9, 2009 10:57 am

I think I'm going to try the Baby spinach omelet soon, it looks yummmy!

Jaia

Aug. 11, 2009 11:59 am

I completely agree that this is an awesome list for beginner vegetarians. I hate that there isn't much out there for vegetarians that that isn't too expensive to make and has you buying ingredients that you'll only use once. There are also too many recipes out there that are too complicated to make. I'll definitely share this with my college buddies. Thanks!

oconor

Aug. 25, 2009 12:13 pm

The ingredient list is incomplete and cannot make a number of the recipes it says it can.

Leezud

Sep. 3, 2009 3:14 pm

Vegetarian Parmesan doesn't exist. Honestly, google it. If it doesn't contain animal rennet, it can't be described as Parmesan

MCcoolwhip

Sep. 13, 2009 4:41 pm

this is great i caint wait to try them!

birthnight

Sep. 13, 2009 9:58 pm

Thanks! my girlfriend and I are both brand new vegetarians. We needed this!

natalie

Sep. 15, 2009 5:25 pm

Thank you so much. This is such a useful list to bring to the store, especially for those of us who avoid cooking with meat. I'll be bringing it to Whole Foods!

missthebox

Sep. 23, 2009 1:41 pm

@Leezud Parmesan isn't a special cheese that uses animal rennet, there are several cheeses that use it. It doesn't add to it's flavor it is only used for its protease (coagulating) properties. Kosker cheeses have used microbial rennet (non animal) for years and years. And there are plants that have the same properties, thus a vegetable rennet. So, regardless of the rennet, it is still parmesan.

Lisa Van Beck

Dec. 3, 2009 12:14 pm

A good and healthy substitute for parmesan is nutritional yeast flakes. They taste great and have lots of healthy benefits like b 12 and protein. I eat them everyday on soup, pasta, popcorn etc. I buy them in bulk at my health food store, they are expensive but a little goes a long way.

Elly

Jan. 3, 2010 7:17 pm

YAY! I have been struggling to find new things to fix and this was quite helpful!

toast

Jan. 4, 2010 4:01 pm

Thanks for the lists!!!

CindyT

Jan. 9, 2010 10:11 am

Thank you so much! This is incredibly helpful, especially for someone just beginning!

SoJo

Jan. 11, 2010 10:39 am

Love this! Trying ease into trying more vegetarian meals and this list is great for a beginner!

nayla

Jan. 31, 2010 4:35 am

Hi there, lovely recipe & easy ..I decide to be a vegetarian for couple of weeks or month !!! just to clean my mind & body ..so I can be healthy & to lose 20 kg ???!!

ethel

Jan. 31, 2010 4:14 pm

I think most of this food looks disgusting

isabellac

Jan. 31, 2010 6:17 pm

thank you!!! I agree with Mizz_d its perfect for a new vegetarian! now i can cook something other than pasta with veggies hehe