4 Meat-Free Summer Dishes You Need to Make
By: Kathryn Eytle-Mclean
Tags: Food, Summer, Meals, Vegetarian, Cooking

Many people associate summer and warm weather with backyard barbecues and meat cooking on the grill. However, it’s possible to enjoy these gatherings and still eat summer-inspired dishes with bold flavors and fresh vegetables. Below are four meat-free dishes that should please vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

Veggie Skillet Enchiladas

This enchiladas recipe is packed with summer veggies and has the added benefit of using the stovetop as opposed to the oven, which can heat up an already warm house in the summer. The dish includes vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, and carrots combined with crispy pan-fried tortillas, melted cheese, and sweet tomatoes to create a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors in every bite.

Photo by Alexandra Golovac on Unsplash

Start by whisking 2 tablespoons of oil and all-purpose flour in a pot over medium heat. Let it bubble for one minute and add a 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes as well as 1 tablespoon of chili powder and 1 teaspoon each of cumin, oregano, brown sugar, and pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. In the skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook thinly sliced tortilla strips until brown and crispy. Remove from the skillet and add the following: 1 tablespoon of oil; a handful of small button mushrooms, quartered; 1 onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 1 medium zucchini, diced; 1 bell pepper, diced; and 3 garlic cloves, minced.

Once the vegetables are softened, add 2 cups of corn kernels and place half of the tortilla strips in the skillet. Pour the sauce over the mixture and top with the other half of the tortilla strips and about 1½ cups grated cheddar cheese. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and serve immediately.

Caramelized Eggplant and Onion Orzo

Another appetizing summer skillet recipe is caramelized eggplant and onion orzo. An ideal meal for a busy summer weeknight and a welcome reprieve from grilled dinners, sandwiches, and no-cook salads, this dish also boasts a variety of flavors and textures. To prepare the meal, first add a dash of salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook 1½ cups of orzo pasta for about six minutes to al dente. Drain and drizzle with olive oil.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add in about 1 pound of diced eggplant and sauté for about six minutes. Move the eggplant to the far side of the pan and sauté 2 yellow onions, diced, in the middle of the pan over 1 tablespoon of oil. Add in 4 garlic cloves, minced, after about five minutes and move the mixture over with the eggplant. From there, sauté 2 diced bell peppers and tomatoes. Add in 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to scrape up browned bits from the pan.

Keeping all the vegetables in the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and gradually add the pasta. Let the orzo brown slightly to give it a toasty flavor and remove from heat after about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add in fresh basil and Parmesan.

Tomato Salad with Feta and Pistachios

This easy-to-make recipe can be prepared in fewer than 10 minutes to create a fresh, vibrant dish with multi-colored tomatoes. It looks especially beautiful if you use heirloom tomatoes. To start, toast 3 tablespoons of pistachios on a baking sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about six to eight minutes and chop once cooled. Arrange the sliced tomato wedges on a plate and drizzle with a dressing mixture composed of ¼ cup of lemon vinaigrette, ¼ cup of chopped parsley, and ⅔ of the chopped pistachios. Top with additional parsley leaves, remaining pistachios, and ¼ cup of crumbled feta cheese.

Photo by Taylor Kiser on Unsplash

Grilled Broccoli with Avocado

Not every vegetarian meal needs to be a pasta salad or cooked in a skillet. Make use of the grill this summer by preparing a grilled broccoli salad with avocado and pickled jalapenos. To pickle jalapenos, bring ½ cup of rice vinegar, ¼ cup dry white wine or water, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour the brine in a jar and add 3 jalapenos, seeded and halved lengthwise. This can even be done up to a week in advance of preparing the salad.

When ready, peel the stems off and cut 2 medium broccoli heads in half lengthwise. Toss the broccoli with 1 sliced red onion in 2 tablespoons of oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill for about seven minutes and let cool before chopping into bite-sized pieces and tossing with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and olive oil. Top with chopped avocado, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, and a tahini dressing. For the dressing, purée the following: half an avocado; 5 tablespoons of lemon juice; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; ¼ cup tahini; ⅓ cup cilantro; 4 tablespoons of oil; and 2 tablespoons of water.