The first vegetarian dinner recipe is for an easy calzone. Mix together finely chopped artichoke hearts, sliced white mushrooms, minced garlic, chopped baby spinach, grated mozzarella cheese, olive oil, salt, and pepper, until all the ingredients are well-combined. Then, on a lightly greased cookie sheet, roll out pre-made pizza dough and cut into equal pieces. Stretch each piece so it’s just a bit longer than a five-inch square. Carefully spoon an equal amount of the filling mixture into the center of each piece of dough, and fold one corner of the dough over the other one. Using a fork, press together the edges of the dough to seal it shut.

Bake in the oven until golden brown. Not only is this a very simple yet delicious vegetarian dinner recipe, it’s also one that you can experiment with. Try adding pieces of diced tomato, pieces of green pepper, or any other pizza topping you can think of. You can also brush the tops of the cal zones with some additional olive oil and sprinkle with a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan for a cheesy crust. If you have kids, let them create their own cal zone filling and make their own cal zone. Involving kids in making their own meals is a great way to get them to actually eat their food.

Another wonderful option for a delicious vegetarian dinner recipe is to make stuffed mushrooms. Again, just like the cal zone, there are plenty of options of what you can include in the mushrooms to make it unique. The best mushroom to use for a dinner recipe is a Portobello mushroom because it is so much larger than most other mushrooms, and it has a delicious flavor. Clean out the middle of the Portobello, scraping out the scales to give you more room to put stuffing into the mushroom. In your food processor, blend together some diced red onion, celery, chopped mushroom stems, Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture into the Portobello mushrooms and bake until the cheese is bubbling and it’s hot all the way through.

A third wonderful option is to create individual vegetable pot pies. Use oven-safe dishes like ramekins to create the individual pot pies. To create these pot pies, you’ll want to use frozen puff pastry, cut into squares that are small enough to fit inside the ramekin while covering the filling. In a saucepan or Dutch oven, saute some chopped onion in a little bit of butter or olive oil. Once the onions are translucent, add a little bit of minced garlic, and then add some additional vegetables, like mushrooms, carrots, peas, or green beans. In a small saucepan, mix together some vegetable broth or stock with some cornstarch and soy sauce and cook until the gravy is thickened. Combine the gravy and the vegetables, and carefully spoon the filling into the ramekins. Top with the puff pastry and cook according to whatever directions came with the puff pastry.

Vegetarians have their choice of restaurant types in Austin. Relax at a four star vegan bistro, or grab a quick bite in a vegetarian cafe. Your options are nearly limitless.

For a quick lunch, Austin residents love Leaf, a restaurant specializing in gourmet salads. Although some of Leaf’s offerings do contain meat, they offer plenty of vegetarian options such as the Margherita on the Works, which contains fresh greens, mozzarella, basil, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and pine nuts served with a honey-tangerine dressing. If you plan to dine at Leaf frequently, join the Loyal Leafers club. After you purchase five salads, you will receive a free special treat. Leaf is only open for lunch, but Austin has plenty of vegetarian restaurants that are open for dinner.

For breakfast, a snack, or just a cup of coffee, Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse & Café is a relaxed all-vegetarian restaurant. Most of the items on the menu are also vegan. Locals love the quirky, arty ambiance, and this restaurant is a favorite destination for those on a first date. This coffeehouse encourages lingering, and you will find a variety of books and board games to amuse yourself with while you dine. Although this is a coffee house, they have plenty of filling meal options available. The Soul Food Plate and Cosmic Sloppy Joes are perennial favorites.

If you are in the mood for an ethnic dining experience, check out Swad Indian Vegetarian Restaurant?. Diners rave about the taste and quality of the food. Additionally, Aster’s Ethiopian offers many vegan and vegetarian meals, and the Ethiopian cuisine can be a nice change of pace.

For vegans, Austin has restaurants that will cater to your dietary requirements. Vegan diners should check out Bodhi Eco Café, which offers mostly vegan entrees. The chef takes flavor very seriously, and uses mostly local ingredients in order to produce the most delicious meals possible. Bodhi Eco Café is also perfect for the budget conscious diner, as most of their offerings are under ten dollars. Casa de Luz is another vegan restaurant, with a focus on holistic macrobiotic dining. All of the food served in Casa de Luz is organic and locally grown. Individuals who only eat raw foods should stop into DaVine Foods, which offers a wide variety of raw dishes. They also offer many gluten-free entrees.

If you are staying close to the University of Texas, the closest vegetarian restaurant is Veggie Heaven, which serves Chinese food. They also offer brown rice, which is a rarity even in most vegetarian restaurants. Delivery and take out are available, making this the perfect vegetarian option when you feel like staying at home and being a couch potato.