When you want a healthy breakfast that is totally vegetarian-friendly, we've got you covered with nearly two dozen recipes (many of which are vegan!). In some cases, you'll find that we like using plant-based protein sources like tofu or beans to add meat-like heft to a plate of fried eggs or burritos; other times, we'll rely solely on vegetables to bring color and crunch. Some recipes, like overnight oats or banana pancakes are naturally vegetarian, but make them with nondairy milk for vegan diners.
Our Best Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas
Looking to start the day with a vegetarian breakfast that will feed a crowd? Look no further than this golden quiche packed with baby spinach.
2. Kristen's Family Banana Bread
We will always turn to banana bread for a speedy sweet breakfast that's entirely vegetarian.
You can thank Shilpa Uskokovic for these perfect breakfast burritos. She meticulously tested dozens of variations before landing on the best recipe: instead of bacon or sausage, she packs each burrito with canned pinto beans.
4. Cheddar, Potato, and Caramelized Onion Galette
Come summer, we're all about using summer squash however, and whenever, we can. And why wait until dinner? Wake up to this veggie-packed breakfast galette. "Potatoes bring a bit of heartiness, while jammy caramelized onions and bold cheddar bring just the right balance of savory and sweet; thin slices of the season's last zucchini lend a mild sweetness and rich texture that makes a nice counterpart," writes recipe developer Pierce Abernathy.
No matter how tight your schedule is, there's always time for muffins. Make the dry muffin mix in advance and store it in an airtight container. Come breakfast time, quickly combine the dry mix with eggs, olive oil, yogurt, and vanilla and bake a baker's dozen.
Two types of oats — rolled and steel-cut oats — are used for this easy porridge recipe. You'll need equal parts of the oats, water, and milk (we love simple ratios!). Top it with whatever you want, which for me is sliced almonds, fresh raspberries, and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.
7. Extra-Cheesy Breakfast Tacos
For cheesier-than-ever breakfast tacos, add cheddar cheese directly to the pan and then add the tortilla, so the cheese sticks to the outside and gets super crispy. On the inside of the taco, you'll get another cheesy bite with even more cheddar, plus feta.
All pancakes are vegetarian but for an entirely dairy-free recipe, swap in non dairy milk, a little bit of melted coconut oil, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
I don't want to hear that it's "basic," that it's no longer trendy, that it's "not actually good." We will eat avocado toast for breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack, noontime snack…whatever your craving, this vegetarian tartine delivers.
10. Cinnamon-Sugar Crusted Zucchini Bread
This is basically dessert for breakfast. But what kind of friend would I be if I kept all the sweet stuff off of this list?
11. Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Frittata with Arugula
If you're the type of person who loves pie filling but feels kind of "meh" about pie crust, then you'll love a frittata. It has all the eggy, veggie goodness of a quiche, minus the crust. Bonus: It means that there's one less thing you have to prep.
You may have come to this list to look for protein-packed, plant-based breakfast recipes. And we have them. But when you want delicious, dependable, family-friendly recipes, you'll find those too, like these beloved buttermilk waffles.
13. Loaded Scrambled Egg and Mushroom Toast
Go beyond basic scrambled eggs with this meaty mushroom recipe that — surprise! — is totally vegetarian. "To make a great thing even better, mushrooms are sizzled in a separate skillet with enough spice to impart extra verve, then piled high onto the eggs, which of course are spooned onto good sourdough toast for the full effect," writes recipe developer Melina Hammer.
14. Cocoa Coffee Granola and Creamy Cold Brew Bowls
Have your morning coffee and breakfast in one convenient breakfast bowl.
15. Savory Breakfast "Oatsotto" with an Egg
Do you ever wish you could just eat risotto for breakfast? Jammy, soft-boiled eggs lay on a breakfast bowl of savory Parmesan oats for a dream-turned-reality.
16. Olive Oil and Maple Granola
"Granola might be one of those snacks you tend to buy packaged, which is fine, of course, but once I started making my own granola — specifically, olive oil and maple syrup granola — it's very hard to go back to the store-bought stuff," writes recipe developer Nekisia Davis.
17. Açaí Bowl
Accessorize this picture-perfect smoothie bowl with sliced banana, kiwi, berries, shredded coconut, and bee pollen.
18. Sheet Pan Eggs
Making eggs for a crowd seems like a nearly impossible feat. But a sheet pan makes it doable and dare I say, fun? Cook the eggs alongside a bunch of greens like asparagus, peas, ramps, kale, or leeks. Don't forget the hash browns!
19. Bell-less, Whistle-less, Damn Good French Toast
This was voted our readers' favorite French Toast recipe. Need I say more?
When you're crunched for time, you may think that you have to forgo breakfast altogether. This speedy smoothie not only delivers a balanced breakfast in mere minutes, but it will make you feel energized all morning long.
Like previous hot cereal recipes, the beauty of buckwheat is that you can dress it up with your choice of fresh or dried fruit, nuts, natural sweeteners, and fiber-rich seeds.
22. Baked Eggs with Mushrooms and Gruyere
Baked eggs are a transformative, luxurious breakfast. If I had it my way, I'd eat them exclusively while enjoying a staycation at a Four Seasons resort (preferably in Maui or along the French Riviera). But I will also take them from the comfort of my $500 Wayfair couch. If I close my eyes, I can almost smell the salty air (or is that garbage day in NYC?).
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