Having grown up appreciating the value of eating the whole animal—whether it was a pig or a fish, we always ate it head to tail—I know I’m not likely to abandon eating meat and seafood anytime soon. Frankly, being a carnivore is practically in my DNA, and the idea of never sinking my teeth into a perfectly grilled piece of crispy pork belly makes me rather sad. But I still like to enjoy animal protein in moderation by incorporating more veggie-forward meals and plant-based ingredients into my diet—what some like to call being a flexitarian.
Whether you’re only going meatless a few days a week or eat mainly vegetarian while occasionally enjoying a steak or barbecue ribs, we’ve come up with 14 deliciously satiating and warming recipes to make going flexitarian an easy endeavor. Most are vegetarian or vegan, like our farrotto, lasagna alla Norma, chili, and udon noodle soup, while a couple combine meat with a nutrient-dense legume, such as our lentils with sausage or our Italian chickpea and pork rib stew. Feel free to modify these recipes however you like—top your udon with an egg or your veggie burger with melty cheese, swap in plant-based sausages and vegetable broth, or swirl in some creamy Greek yogurt. Being flexible is the name of the game.
