Raise your hand if you're sick of packing your lunch only to find yourself raiding your office's chips and candy stash by three in the afternoon. These recipes, ranging from a hearty soba noodle salad to a food-coma-free creamy broccoli soup (the secret: Greek yogurt), will solve your problem, and they're all vegetarian to boot.
Vegan Mushroom Soup
Cashew cream adds lush texture to wild-mushroom soup [1].
Sesame-Ginger Soba Salad
The same qualities that make this veggie-packed soba noodle salad [2] one of our potluck staples (it's served at room temperature and holds up to being dressed ahead of time) make this a solid brown-bag lunch option.
Quinoa Salad With Cherries and Feta
During the Summer months, cherries add juicy, tart flavor to this stellar quinoa salad [3]. Outside of this fruit's short season, try sliced strawberries, pomegranate arils, or other tangy fruits.
Mediterranean Quiche
Plenty of vegetables — caramelized onions, bell peppers, zucchini, and sun-dried tomatoes — bulk up this crave-worthy Mediterranean quiche [4].
Slow-Cooker Chili
Low effort to make (it's a straightforward, set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe) and great as leftovers, this hearty chili [5] is a no-brainer inclusion to this list.
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Like all pasta salads, this Mediterranean orzo-based version [6] tastes better after the ingredients have a few hours (at least) to mingle.
Slow-Cooker Gigante Beans
Use this slow-cooker white-bean recipe [7] as a template to make a vegetarian version. Simply omit the pancetta and swap vegetable stock or water for the chicken stock.
Millet, Lentil, and Pomegranate Salad
If you can't find millet, substitute brown rice in this satisfying millet, lentil, and pomegranate salad [8].
Creamy, Garlicky Broccoli Soup
Creamy but not heavy, thanks to a Greek-yogurt base, this broccoli soup [9] is a cold-weather favorite.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad With Mango Balsamic Vinaigrette
If you've yet to get on board with the mason jar salad trend, this roasted sweet potato and quinoa option [10] is a great place to start.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad
A generous helping of soy-sauce-glazed pumpkin seeds and hearty greens (shredded brussels sprouts and kale) make for a far-from-wimpy salad [11].
Barbecue Black-Eyed Peas
Bold and saucy, barbecue black-eyed peas [12] make for a solid lunch when paired with millet, brown rice, or quinoa.
Moroccan Style Salad with Chickpeas and Quinoa
Bring this quinoa salad [13] for lunch if you want to brighten up your day with some colorful fruits and veggies!
Bento Salad With Matcha Dressing
Pack the individual components of this tofu, cabbage, and carrot salad [14] in a Japanese-style bento box.
Caramelized Shallot and Mushroom Quiche
Treat yourself to a slice of caramelized shallot and mushroom quiche [15].
Pesto Pasta Salad
Antipasto elements, including olives, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes, enliven pasta salad [16].
Black-Bean Salad
Corn kernels, black beans, and confetti-like diced bell peppers, radishes, and red onion combine into a hearty, salsa-like salad [17].
Vegan Pumpkin Chili
This vegan chili [18] is a year-round option thanks to canned pumpkin.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
One of our favorite ways to eat quinoa is in this fresh Mediterranean salad [19].
Marinated Chickpea Salad
This zesty marinated chickpea salad [20] is basically two recipes in one. It's great as a stand-alone salad, but it can also be combined with roasted bell peppers and olives between bread for a memorable sandwich.
Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
While this sun-dried tomato salad [21] is best in the Summer months, cherry tomatoes are still pretty solid even in the off-season, making this a year-round option.
6-Bean Salad
Six varieties of beans combine forces for a salad that's far from homogeneous or boring [22].
