As someone who didn’t eat out much before college, I thought dining hall food was amazing when I was a freshman, especially at the newly opened West Village Dining Hall. However, as the days went by, I realized how limited my options were as a vegetarian and I often ended up eating the same 3 things in circulation every week. While this might’ve been fine for my first year, I quickly came to the conclusion that if I wanted delicious vegetarian food while I wasn’t at home, I’d need to find another option – and that’s when I began to explore cooking. Here are some of my favorite quick and easy vegetarian recipes that you can make in your dorm/apartments.
1. Vegetable Quesadillas
All you need for this recipe is an onion, any vegetables you have on hand (I like to use bell peppers and spinach), cheese and of course, tortillas. First, fry the onions and then add the other vegetables. Once that’s cooked, you can add it to a tortilla with some cheese, add another tortilla on top and there’s your dinner!
2. Pasta
Pasta is a classic favorite of kids and adults alike and for good reason – it’s so easy to make and so satisfying. When I really don’t have time, I end up just boiling pasta and heating the sauce from the bottle before combining them. However, when I have a bit more time, I like to throw some vegetables in the sauce before adding it to the pasta so make it more nutritious and filling. Whichever way you make it, pasta is sure to be filling and delicious.
3. Ramen Noodles
Anyone that thinks about college and meals thinks about the 1-minute ramen noodle cups you can microwave for a quick dinner. I’ve noticed that a lot of the time though, these tend to have chicken broth or some sort of meat flavoring – so I ended up making my own ramen by boiling store-bought ramen noodles and vegetable broth and even adding some vegetables like broccoli and edamame. While this might not take a minute to make like the microwaveable cups, it does only take 20 minutes and is really nutritious too!
4. Tomato and Avocado Sandwich
This recipe only needs 5 ingredients: a tomato, an avocado, hummus, shallots and of course, the bread. First, spread the avocado over one slice of bread and then add sliced tomato and chopped shallots on top. Then, spread hummus on the other slice of bread, add it to the stack and voila! You now have a protein-packed lunch that’s especially great for when you have a long day on campus away from your dorm/apartment.
5. Cauliflower Soup
One of my favorite comfort foods is this cauliflower soup – it’s perfect for those cold and rainy days when all you want is something warm and satisfying. This recipe takes a little over half an hour but it’s definitely worth it. First, roast the cauliflower in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, add chopped onions and ginger to a pot and let them cook before adding the cauliflower in, followed by some vegetable broth. Finally, blend the soup in your favorite blender. You’ll end up with creamy soup that’ll warm you up from the inside out.
These are some of my favorite recipes to make when I’m in a pinch but want something nutritional and delicious. Sometimes, I vary things a bit by adding different vegetables or using different spices but in the end, I’m left with some great vegetarian meals that satisfy my hunger.