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    Home » VEGETARIAN MEAL PLANS + TIPS

    Vegetarian Meal Plan: April - Week 1

    Modified: Jun 1, 2023 by Susan Pridmore · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Here's a vegetarian meal plan for the upcoming week, full of easy weeknight dinners, and a bonus recipe that's a great sauce with all kinds of uses.

    This week, the menu includes barley pilaf with artichokes and tomatoes, cheese tortellini with fava beans, sweet potato and carrot soup, and a fabulous asparagus and egg bake perfect for either a weekend brunch or dinner.

    Four dishes from a vegetarian weekly meal plan, including an egg bake, barley pilaf, and stuffed artichoke, with text overlay.

    It's spring! And time for a shift in what we crave. Check out this week's meal plan.

    MEAL PLAN

    MONDAY:  Barley Pilaf with Artichokes, Peas and Mint Pesto

    TUESDAY:  Cheese Tortellini with Fava Beans and Herbed Ricotta

    WEDNESDAY:  Artichokes Stuffed with Lemony Quinoa Tabbouleh

    THURSDAY:  Vegetarian Hamburger Helper

    FRIDAY:  Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

    WEEKEND:  Asparagus Egg Bake with Orzo and Spinach

    BONUS RECIPE: Sauce Gribiche

    This post may contain affiliate links. The Wimpy Vegetarian participates in various affiliate programs, including Amazon. This means I earn money from qualifying purchases, which helps to support the cost of running this blog, at no additional cost to you.

    M O N D A Y

    A plate of barley pilaf tossed with baby artichokes, tomatoes and spring peas, with a bowl of the pilaf in the background.

    Barley Pilaf with Artichokes, Peas and Mint Pesto

    This vegan barley pilaf with artichokes is tossed with sautéed artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, green peas and a mint pesto. And it's ready in about 30 minutes, so it's perfect for a weeknight dinner.

    I use jarred, marinated artichoke hearts to keep this dinner simple, and you can either make the mint pesto, make a basil pesto (in about 10 minutes!), or purchase a premade pesto at the market.


    T U E S D A Y            

    A bowl of tortellini pasta tossed with fava beans, tomatoes and herbed ricotta cheese.

    Cheese Tortellini with Fava Beans and Herbed Ricotta

    Cheese tortellini is tossed with herbed ricotta while still warm. Sautéed tomatoes and scallions are tossed in the mix, and topped with shelled, steamed fava beans.

    If you don't see fava beans yet in your market, no worries, just purchase canned broad beans and fava beans. This is a full meal, and doesn't need anything more than a simple salad of romaine lettuce and avocado drizzled with a lemon vinaigrette.


    W E D N E S D A Y

    An artichoke on a plate stuffed with tabbouleh that's made with quinoa instead of bulgar.

    Artichokes Stuffed with Lemony Quinoa Tabbouleh

    These vegan, gluten-free stuffed artichokes are filled with tabbouleh made with quinoa, parsley, mint, and cucumber tossed in a simple lemon vinaigrette. The instructions include an easy way to scoop out the artichoke for stuffing it.

    The tabbouleh can be made and dressed the day before, or made while the artichokes cook. And these stuffed artichokes can be served warm or at room temperature.

    I like to serve this with air fryer potatoes, because they're so easy.


    T H U R S D A Y 

    A skillet of vegetarian hamburger helper with Impossible meat, pasta, cheese and topped with a little parsley.

    Vegetarian Hamburger Helper

    This vegetarian Hamburger Helper is an easy, hearty, one-pot vegetarian dinner the whole family will love. It's a meatless hamburger helper of the boxed version that many of us grew up with, that uses vegan ground beef. Think of it as a cheeseburger pasta.

    The pasta cooks in the sauce, and there's almost no meal prep required. This is a perfect week-night meal on busy nights, and if you have kids, they will LOVE it.


    F R I D A Y

    A big pot of silky sweet potato and carrot soup, with a few slices of bread on the side.

    Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

    This creamy sweet potato and carrot soup is make silky with the addition of a sweet potato and creme fraîche, for a perfect vegetarian lunch or light dinner.

    Make this soup ahead and keep in the refrigerator, if that's easier for your schedule. And if you don't have any créme fraîche, substitute heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk.


    W E E K E N D

    Asparagus egg bake with orzo and spinach in a bowl with a green salad.

    Asparagus Egg Bake with Orzo, Spinach and Feta

    This asparagus egg bake with orzo is made with spinach and a combination of feta, ricotta and creme fraiche for a delicious vegetarian dish for brunch or dinner.


    B O N U S    R E C I P E

    A small pitcher of sauce gribiche, made with hard-boiled eggs.

    Sauce Gribiche

    Sauce Gribiche is a classic French sauce that starts with hard-boiled eggs, and has an added bit of tanginess from briny ingredients like capers and cornichons.

    This cold sauce is fantastic as a dipping sauce for artichokes, or tossed with potatoes, broccoli or carrots. One of my favorite ways to use it is to make roasted asparagus gribiche.


    Did you miss some of the recent meal plans? Here are 4 meal plans, full of easy dinners, you might need.

    Vegetarian Meal Plan: March - Week 5

    Vegetarian Meal Plan: March - Week 2

    Vegetarian Meal Plan: March - Week 1

    Vegetarian Meal Plan: February - Week 4

    🌱 Or go to my Vegetarian Meal Plans Section for more meal plans! 🌱

    « Barley Pilaf with Artichokes, Peas and Mint Pesto
    4 Ingredient Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart with Cheese »

    About Susan Pridmore

    Susan Pridmore is an award-winning cookbook author and the owner of The Wimpy Vegetarian. She has been featured in Huffington Post, Healthline, BuzzFeed, and has written for and developed recipes for The Food Network and Parade Magazine. She is professionally trained and focuses on easy vegetarian recipes for busy lives, bread-baking, and tips for new vegetarians. Susan lives in the mountains in Lake Tahoe with her husband and mini-labradoodle.

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    Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian

    about the author:

    Susan Pridmore

    Hi there! I'm an award-winning cookbook author, culinary school graduate, professional photographer and recipe developer. My cookbook Simply Vegetarian was named #1 best cookbook for new vegetarians, and I want to make it easier for you to cook fabulous vegetarian meals. Come join me in the kitchen!

    More about me →

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