By carnivores, I mean the diehard meat lovers, of course. The ones who don’t believe dinner is complete without it. My brother is one, and I love him, so I’m not passing judgment here. One of the best compliments I hear on the blog is that your beloved “carnivore” enjoyed one of my recipes so much, he (or she!) didn’t even miss the meat.
I’ve rounded up the hearty recipes that get the most accolades from meat lovers below. You’ll notice a few common threads—they are presented in a familiar form (tacos, enchiladas, lasagna) and include hearty ingredients like beans, lots of veggies, quinoa and nuts. None of them are trying to be a meat dish, mind you, and you won’t find any meat substitutes with funny ingredients here.
One of the most common myths about meatless meals is that they won’t fill you up. When you’re cooking hearty vegetarian recipes made with fiber- and nutrient-rich whole foods, I dare you not to feel full! Protein comes in many forms, such as whole grains, nuts and seeds, eggs, dairy, tofu and even kale. Furthermore, most Americans are consuming more than enough protein in their diets. I’ve been a vegetarian for over seven years now, and I am stronger than ever (no thanks to protein powders)! Let’s get on to the recipes.
1) Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Gluten free and easily vegan (see notes)
“And I made those tacos tonight, it was fantastic although I have to admit that I cheated and bought the chipotle sauce from the store;) My husband who is a meat lover really loved them as well!” – Cecilia
2) Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
Vegetarian
“Great recipe; thank you for sharing with Scott and all the rest of us! My husband and I are just starting to explore a diet with fewer animal products, and this was a great way to kick off a week of meatless meals!… I’m sold on the flavor and the friendlier nutrient profile! I’m so glad we landed on your site, and can’t wait to try some of your other recipes! Thanks, again!” – Melissa
3) Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale
Gluten free and vegan
“I just found this recipe via pinterest! I made the soup yesterday and I absolutely love it!! Never thought of quinoa in soup but this makes so much sense! I am always looking for ways to add protein without adding meat so this is great and my whole family loves it! (I’m a college student by the way, not a mom, in case you couldn’t tell. lol) This soup is great for all ages!!” – Maya
4) Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Gluten free and vegan (see notes)
“Thank you so much for these delicious and easy to make recipes! My husband and two young children really enjoyed the fried rice and mango tofu lettuce wraps. I have bookmarked your site for more help in the future! Your site has really helped me as I navigate a full time career and eating vegetarian and gluten free.” – Erin
5) Kale, Black Bean and Avocado Burrito Bowl
Gluten free and vegan
“Cooked this for my family tonight. Trying to get them to eat less meat and it went down a treat. Especially loved the marinated kale! Going to try the sweet potato and green rice bowl next :)” – Bethany
6) Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas & Herbed Crème Fraîche
Vegan option
“I made these carrots for Thanksgiving, and they were my favorite dish of the day. The sweetness of the carrots with the creamy sauce and nutty flavor of the farro made for a great combination. And overall it was an easy dish to make. I found the farro, crème fraiche and colorful carrots at Whole Foods.” – Rachel
7) Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Avocado-Pepita Dip
Gluten free and easily vegan
“I’m so glad I found your site. Another excellent recipe! I made this tonight for my husband (a big meat fan) and he loved it, too. The feta really made it for me. Will make again and again!” – Erin
8) Spiced Vegan Lentil Soup
Gluten free and vegan
“I made this for dinner a couple of nights ago and it was amazing! My husband is a big meat eater and he always feels unsatisfied with vegetarian dishes. But he loved this and it kept him full for a couple hours. We had this with whole wheat rolls, and it was such a nice combination. We are really picky and most new recipes don’t make it onto our menu rotation, but this will be made over and over again.” – Anastasia
9) Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas
Vegetarian
“I made these tonight for dinner for my family of five. I am vegetarian, my three daughters (ages 7 to 13) and husband are certainly not. My girls devoured this meal and my husband told me he would eat less meat if vegetarian tasted this good. Thank you!” – Amy
10) Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
Gluten free, vegan option
“Delicious! I added mushrooms (using up what I had) and broccoli (for color) and it was awesome. I was even bold enough to serve it to my husband’s parents who do not usually do meatless meals! There was only one spoonful left at the end, so I think it was a hit. Thanks!” – Natasha
11) Spicy Sweet Potato and Green Rice Burrito Bowls
Gluten free and vegan
“Just made this for this evenings dinner. Just awesomly delicious. Even my husband (die hard meat eater) was pleasantly surprised and loved it. He is glad there is left overs for tomorrows lunch. This is a winner.” – Margaret
12) Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano
Gluten free, vegan option
“…My husband’s not usually crazy about most meatless meals I make, but he LOVED this. I will definitely be making it again. Thank you so much, Kate!” – Katie
13) Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili with Avocado
Gluten free and vegan
“This was soooo delicious! I served it to company last weekend and they scraped the pot clean, even though one of them usually prefers meat at every meal. My two modifications: I added one extra can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, and served with sour cream. My boyfriend keeps asking “Are you sure there aren’t leftovers?”” – Julie
14) Roasted Cauliflower, Freekeh and Garlicky Tahini Sauce
Easily vegan
“Just made this for my family. My 16 y.o. vegetarian daughter pointed out the recipe. It is absolutely delicious!!! Really satisfying, without all the guilt of a heavy meal. We loved it and will be adding it to our regular favorites. Super easy too!! This is a must make!!” – Sheila
15) Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
Gluten free and vegan
“Another amazing recipe, perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I pitched this to my meat loving boyfriend as vegetarian general tso’s, and it worked! Every recipe I cook from this blog is so delicious – all I want to know is when is the Cookie and Kate cookbook release date! Thank you, Kate, your recipes have renewed my love of cooking and make breaking bread with loved ones even more special.” – Ailla
16) Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce over Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Rice
Gluten free and vegan
“This recipe is awesome…I made it for my whole family (8 people!) at Christmas and earned some major veggie-friendly brownie points with my mostly meat-eating kin. And then devoured an entire bag of celery eating up the leftover sauce…” – Helen
17) Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
Gluten-free option, vegan option
“This was just delicious! Thank you! Even my boyfriend, who tends to have meat with all of his meals, enjoyed them as an entree.” – Hillary
18) Spicy Kale and Coconut Stir Fry
Gluten free, vegan if you skip the eggs
“I almost never comment on blogs, but after making this recipe for the second time in two weeks I knew I had to. This stir fry is amazing – my husband (a dedicated meat eater) said that he wanted to have it every week! Success! Thank you for your delicious recipes and gorgeous photos!” – Kate
19) Portobello and Poblano Fajitas
Gluten free and vegan if you skip the feta
“Made these tonight and LOVED them! The hubby and I are generally meat eaters, but we’re trying to do meatless Monday this new year, and these will be a new addition to our rotation, meatless Mondays or not! Thanks for the great recipe!” – Dizydes
20) Curried Cauliflower Soup
Gluten free and vegan
“I have made this soup several times and not only do I love it, my husband asks for it regularly. Most men are meat and potatoes, especially mine, so that says a lot! We love Tia food and the hotter, the better. To increase the spice we add jalapeño and red pepper flakes to this recipe but we stick true it. I have made it for friends and they were “wowed.” This recipe is a MUST try!! Love it!! Thank you for sharing!!!!” – Deanna
21) Sweet Potato Burrito Smothered in Avocado Salsa Verde
Easily gluten free and easily vegan
“Made these tonight. They were really good. My hubby even liked them. Great meatless Monday dinner. Thank you.” – Tracy
22) Homemade Vegetarian Chili
Gluten free and vegan
“We had this recipe today and it was delicious. My husband the meat eater loved it. We will have chili for lunch and dinner the whole week.” – Suheyl
23) Quinoa Black Bean Tacos with Creamy Avocado Sauce
Gluten free and vegan
“Wow, had these for dinner tonight and so delicious. My partner said “these taste better than the meat variety”.” – Candice
24) Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Burgers
Gluten free (just choose gluten-free toppings and buns) and vegan
“…I devoured one in a burger bun with cheese, red onion, tomato, gherkins and guacamole. I too love spice so I add a few birds eye chillies to my ‘mole. My carnivore husband also was amazed at the flavour from them and was asking for more! This recipe will be one I’ll use for a long time to come. Thank you so so much for sharing!” – Cat
More resources you might appreciate: 13 make-ahead breakfast recipes, 16 recipes that pack well for lunch and 20 simple weeknight dinners. You can shop my essential kitchen equipment here. Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest for a steady stream of recipe inspiration!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Sarah C
Yep! Those are some of my carnivore husbands favorites, especially the veggie burgers! We will have to try the others :)
Kate
Hooray, happy to hear that! Thank you, Sarah.
Cassie Tran
I’m a meat eater and I already love the look of these recipes! The roasted Brussel sprouts with crispy baked tofu and vegan lentil soup especially look amazing!
Kate
Thanks, Cassie! Great picks. :)
Liz
Thank you for all the lovely recipes. I wish they weren’t so long, but I enjoy them.
Kenzie
These all look amazing! I can’t wait to make some and have my family try them! :)
Thuy-An Thai
Hi Kate, thank you so much for compiling this list. It’s a great idea. I will make sure to try all these recipes. I’ve just tried the “Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Burgers” last week and I liked it so much that I made it again this week.
Kate
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the veggie burgers!
surleen
I’ve been a vegetarian my whole life and not getting enough protein has never been an issue. I think it’s an Americanized way of thinking. Half of the Indian population is vegetarian and they get their protein from their Indian diet which is rich in lentils and beans. great post! xoxo
Kate
Agreed! I naturally started eating more lentils and beans after I gave up meat. I think it’s really easy to get enough protein as long as you’re eating plenty of whole foods. Processed foods all the time would leave me hungry, all the time!
Kari
These look like such flavorful and delicious options!
Lisa | Garlic + Zest
Kate,
This roundup is fabulous! My daughter, who will be returning home from college in a few weeks, has informed me that she wants to “try” going vegan. Gulp! You’ve given me a good head start! Thank you!
Kate
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you both enjoy these recipes!
Amanda Conrad
perfect timing. my father in law is coming to stay for 2 weeks and i’ve been having anxiety about what to feed us that will be healthy, yet appeal to his meat-eating sensibilities. thanks!
Kate
Glad to help. I hope he enjoys these recipes!
Max
Portobello and Poblano Fajitas is my favorite dish. Happy to see that in your list.
Maisie
I have made most of these and they were all delicious! I am vegetarian but my husband is not. He especially likes the quinoa black bean tacos and the sweet potato veggie burger.
Kate
Thank you, Maisie! I’m so glad you both enjoy my recipes. :)
Carol C.
What a great list! I just had to comment to say that you forgot one ;). I’ve found that your West African Peanut Stew is always a hit with friends who generally prefer meat.
It’s rich and spicy – and if I serve it over brown rice, it’s very filling and satisfying. I even have meat-eating friends frequently ask for the recipe. I’m always glad to refer them to your site, because I’ve found that you, more than many vegetarian sites, have a knack for recipes with a broad appeal.
Kate
Thank you so much, Carol! That’s really nice to hear. I’m including an even more hearty version of that stew in my cookbook!
Jessie @ Chasing Belle
I have tried so many of these recipes already! I can’t decide which one is my favorite! I have definitely made the black bean, sweet potato, and kale burrito bowls several times, absolutely smothered in your avocado sauce of course :) I have been meaning to try out one of your enchilada recipes! That spinach and artichoke one sounds to die for!
Kate
Thank you, Jessie! So glad to hear you’ve been enjoying these. :)
Karen
My boyfriend is an extremely picky eater. He won’t touch anything green. I am vegan and he says he wants to be. I have actually gotten him to like vegan desserts. However, those do not make a meal. His go to foods are chicken sandwiches, fries, pizza… you get the picture. What do I do? What are some recipes of things that he will actually even consider eating?
Kate
Hi Karen, that’s a tough situation. Maybe you could show him this post and something will appeal to him?
frustrated and sad
Ah! My husband does not like to eat anything green. Except maybe a green grape, lol. He usually likes to eat chicken/pork with a spicy sauce or a creamy sauce, with white rice. He will not eat brown rice, and he doesn’t like sweet potato and barely touches a butternut pumpkin. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him eat any vegetables raw, ever.
I like to eat whole-foods-plant-based, and I’m trying to cut out sugar oil and salt as much as possible as well. He feels it’s extreme, and I can understand, as perhaps it is extreme! I’m willing to compromise on oil and sugar and salt, but I want it to still be overall relatively healthy. He will cook for me something but it is usually full of oil and salt. I’d really like to be able to cook something I find is healthy and that he will love. He just doesn’t seem to want to try anything that looks remotely like it was just picked from the ground. No salad whatsoever. It’s very frustrating. I feel like there is an amazing world of food full of variety and colour and flavour, and all he sees is not being able to enjoy food ever again. I’m going to try one or two of these recipes in the hope we can find some common ground. The good news is that he will eat cauliflower and some lentils, onions, mushroom, the occasional zucchini and a couple of other things. Says he hates beans. hates risotto. Hates sweet potato. What do I do? I feel like the only way we can live together is if I give in to his way of eating, at least sometimes. Perhaps my diet is extreme! But I don’t want to eat meat and dairy and the high fat and salt makes me lethargic where I feel I have to sleep after every meal.
Vegan
Then your husband isnt taking into consideration your feelings and wants in life. Very selfish of him. and you giving in all the time only confirms his selfishness as an OK attitude.
I make my carnivore hubby food and he eats what I cook. If he doesnt like it or wants something else, he cooks for himself.
Dawn Ingram
I am a meat and potatoes girl, but I’m trying to decrease the amount of meat my family eats. This week I have prepared your Roasted Cauliflower and lentil tacos, Black bean & Kale -avocado bowl, and the Spinach& Artichoke Lasagna. The tacos and the lasagna are now part of my menu rotation! Next, I’m preparing your Butternut Squash Chili. Awesome recipes!!
Kate
I’m so happy you like those, Dawn! Good luck on reducing meat in your diet–the benefits are very much worth it!
Miranda Bradley Stafford
I have been a pescatarian for almost 12 years now and I’ve been trying to get my husband to go vegetarian with me, since I don’t even eat much seafood anyways. Theses recipes seem like a great way to help ease him into it! The fajitas and lasagna are on the list first, I think he’s going to be very happy and surprised, considering he says he “can’t live without meat!” I also love that you include your pup! We are huge animal lovers, which is why I changed my eating habits to begin with! Thank you for sharing these recipes and I look forward to trying them all!
Kate
Let me know what he (and you) think, Miranda! Good luck!
Julie D Grant
I love your recipes and have saved them, especially since I have friends who are vegans. I have severe diverticulitis/ My question is, can any of your recipes be “dumbed down” for my problem and still be presentably delicious for my vegan friends?
Kate
Hi Julie, I’m glad you are loving the site! I wish I had an answer for you, but I’m not an expert with your needs and wouldn’t want to speak incorrectly.
Marlene
Is everyone that commented on this site married to a meat eater. “My husband.” was mentioned in every comment I read. Sheesh. lol That said, I am going to try as many of these delicious sounding meals as I can muster. Wish me luck.
Dwiki
well honestly the term of “carnivores” is sounds rude, i’m is a meat and also veggie lover i eat both of them on the other side my wife is a vegan and i respect her even though sometimes she always forces me to be a completely herbivore. but yeah i like your lasagna & risotto looks great & nice
Kate
Hi Dwiki, I’m sorry that title frustrates you. I appreciate your feedback.
Jason
Sometimes she always i is a bad speller even thou i sounds smarts. Karen and Kyle they Both agree. Thanks, Dwiki for eating on both sides of your wife. I’m sure Julie is too busy for your nonsense.
Kimberly Wimmer
I just purchased your cookbook on Amazon – are all of these recipies in your book? If so, I will save some time (and ink) printing all of them out! :) Thanks! :)
Kate
Hi Kimberly! My cookbook contains a different batch of recipes developed specifically for the cookbook. I hope you love it!
Brittany
My husband is a big meat eater, but one of his favorite meals is West African Peanut Soup. He doesn’t like sweet potatoes or chickpeas, but he loves that soup!!