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Oven paneer tikka skewers with capsicum, onion, mint chutney and lemon

Vegetarian Recipes

What does vegetarian mean here?

On Nomisto, a vegetarian recipe contains no meat, fish or egg. Dairy is included, so paneer, yogurt, milk and ghee are all fine. We state this plainly because definitions differ: some vegetarians avoid eggs, and some avoid cheese made with animal rennet. For that reason, recipes with egg are never filed here, and cheese choices are flagged. The pesto pasta notes that Parmigiano Reggiano uses animal rennet, so a vegetarian-rennet hard cheese is the right choice.

What is in this collection?

Indian vegetarian cooking is vast, and this hub covers it by course. For breakfast there are idli, kanda poha, besan chilla, rava upma and rava uttapam. For snacks there is oven paneer tikka, onion pakora and classic hummus. Mains include tofu broccoli stir-fry, quinoa chickpea salad and the South Indian meal prep plan. Sweet recipes are rice kheer and mango lassi.

Which techniques help most?

Building flavour without meat relies on tempering spices in hot oil, browning onions properly, and using legumes, dairy and nuts for body. Fermentation, as in idli, adds depth. Our spices guide explains how each spice behaves, and the pantry guide lists dals, flours and staples you can keep in a cupboard.

How do I start?

If you want something quick, make poha or chilla, each ready in under 30 minutes. For a showpiece starter, make paneer tikka. For batch cooking, use the meal prep plan, which gives fridge and freezer limits for each component. Check labels on packaged ingredients, since stock cubes, cheese and sauces may contain animal products, and remember that a dish being vegetarian does not mean it suits every dietary need.

What else should I check?

Allergens are separate from diet. Many recipes here contain dairy, gluten, nuts or sesame, such as the pine nuts in pesto and the tahini in hummus, and check each recipe for its diet labels and ingredients. If you cook for someone with a medical dietary requirement, confirm ingredients yourself rather than relying on a hub page. We do not make health claims for vegetarian cooking; the recipes are here because they are good to eat.

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All vegetarian recipes

Frequently asked questions

What does vegetarian mean on Nomisto?

A vegetarian recipe contains no meat, fish or egg. Dairy is allowed, and honey appears only as an optional ingredient. Recipes that include egg are not labelled vegetarian, so egg-free is part of the definition here.

Is Parmesan vegetarian?

Traditional Parmigiano Reggiano is made with animal rennet, so it is not strictly vegetarian. Our pesto pasta calls for a hard Italian-style cheese labelled as made with microbial or vegetable rennet. Check labels on any hard cheese you use.

Is paneer vegetarian?

Paneer is usually made by curdling milk with acid such as lemon juice or vinegar, with no rennet. Check the label of shop-bought paneer, since methods vary.

Are vegetarian recipes also vegan?

Not necessarily. Many contain yogurt, paneer, milk or ghee. Those labelled vegan are besan chilla, classic hummus, idli, onion pakora, quinoa chickpea salad, the South Indian meal prep plan, tofu broccoli stir-fry and the watermelon mint mocktail. Check each recipe's diet labels.

Where do vegetarians get protein from these recipes?

Lentils, chickpeas, tofu, paneer, yogurt and nuts. Protein varies by recipe, so check the estimated per-serving figure on each page. For example, tofu broccoli stir-fry has about 32 g.