Maybe you’re a Meatless Monday regular, but have you ever gone veggie for a full week? It’s more energizing (and tasty) than you’d expect. We’ve rounded up seven dinners to cook this week that star plant-based ingredients, and luckily for you, they go far beyond humdrum salad. We’re talking unconventional pizzas, quick-cooking pastas, a tofu-based twist on the bánh mì and more.
Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (February 27 – March 5)
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Published Feb 24, 2023
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Shopping List
Produce
1¼ pounds baby spinach
13 garlic cloves
1 pint white mushrooms
1 pineapple (or canned pineapple packed in juice)
1 red bell pepper
2 red onions
8 ounces kale
1 orange
1 large yellow onion
1 lemon
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
2 ounces baby arugula
2 medium carrots
3 Persian cucumbers
4 jalapeños
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch radishes
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch basil
1 bunch scallions
Meat
18 eggs
Dairy
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
3 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 ounce crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon whole milk
Grains
1 pound long pasta
1 large store-bought flatbread
6 ounces toasted buckwheat oats (kasha)
Crusty bread, for serving
4 mini baguettes (or one large)
Canned and Packaged Goods
Vegan pasta or pizza sauce
Sliced black olives
5 ounces dried cranberries
4 ounces walnuts
One 7½-ounce block tempeh
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas
32 ounces vegetable stock
1 pound firm tofu
3 ounces panko breadcrumbs
3 ounces sesame seeds
Pantry Ingredients: kosher salt, extra-virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, everything bagel seasoning, balsamic vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, avocado oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, sweet paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, rice wine vinegar, all-purpose flour, vegetable/coconut/peanut oil, flaky salt, mayonnaise, sriracha
Monday: Mark Bittman’s Spinach Carbonara
It only takes eight ingredients (most of which are pantry staples) to make this pork-free carbonara. The one-pan sauce is still super silky and rich, thanks to eggs and Parmesan cheese.
Wednesday: Instant Pot Cranberry Kasha Pilaf
This salad-pilaf hybrid is equal parts colorful and comforting. There are lots of flavors and textures in every bite (sweet-tart dried cranberries! crisp kale! crunchy walnuts! tender kasha!), so you’ll stay intrigued ’til your plate is clean.
Thursday: Gena Hamshaw’s Balsamic Tempeh
Friday: Garlicky Spinach and Chickpea Soup with Lemon and Pecorino Romano
This one-pot wonder takes inspo from North African and Italian cuisines to create an impeccably seasoned soup for the books. Adding aquafaba to the broth and partially mashing the chickpeas easily thickens the broth without the help of cream.
Saturday: Mediterranean Sheet Pan Eggs
Breakfast for dinner? Don’t mind if we do. Fresh produce and feta cheese are enough to satisfy your guests, but feel free to add olives, leftover rice or quinoa, cubed potatoes or pickled onions to the eggs too. Serve a slab on toast, rolled in a tortilla or atop dressed greens.
Sunday: Crispy Tofu Bánh Mì
You seriously won’t miss the pork belly once you sink your teeth into this sesame seed-encrusted masterpiece. Pickle the veggies, wash and dry the herbs and press the tofu ahead of time so you can assemble the sammies in a flash.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
