Thinking about eating more plants without giving up meat entirely? The flexitarian diet offers the perfect balance. It’s all about plant-forward meals with the occasional inclusion of animal protein. This way you can enjoy the flavors you love while boosting nutrition and variety. To help you get started, we’ve rounded up eight delicious and approachable recipes that make it easy to put plants first while still enjoying meat, seafood, and other proteins in moderation.
Recipes for a Flexitarian Diet
Beef Bulgogi Bowls
These bowls are a healthy way to include meat in a flexitarian diet by pairing a modest portion of beef with plenty of vegetables, rice, as well as fermented toppings like kimchi. The bowl format is also allows for variety so your meat is only a corner of your meal and the rest are plant-based ingredients.
Easy Pesto Pasta
Herbaceous pesto, tender asparagus, savory Italian sausage, and a touch of cream and lemon, what more could you ask for? Not only is this recipe super simple but it also balances protein with plenty of veggies. Try it as is or lighten it by reducing the meat and adding extra vegetables.
Martha Stewart-Inspired Slow Cooker Tom Kha Gai
This is a fragrant Thai-style chicken and coconut soup that centers on aromatic broth, herbs, and vegetables. There’s just enough lean chicken to meet your protein needs. Bright lime, lemongrass, and galangal build layers of flavor, letting you even swap in tofu if you prefer.
Pork & Shrimp Shumai
This recipe turns traditional Chinese dumplings into a dish that fits into a flexitarian diet. The dumplings combine lean pork and seafood in small, bite-sized portions. Serve them with a big side of greens or a salad to make them a part of a balanced meal.
Garden Herb Cured Salmon Salad
Our Cured Salmon Salad pairs thinly sliced, herb-cured salmon with crisp vegetables and citrusy accents. This light, protein-rich dish keeps the red meat away and also loads up on the fresh ingredients. The cured salmon even adds omega-3-rich protein.
Seafood Escabeche Salad
Skip heaviness and opt for a pickled mix of calamari, shrimp, and mussels. Toss them with crunchy vegetables in a vinegar-olive oil marinade. For a flexitarian diet, it’s a great to lean into seafood alongside plant-rich ingredients.
Bolognese Sauce (Ragù)
Everyone should know how to make a Bolognese Sauce. Slow-simmered tomato and aromatic vegetables let a modest amount of ground meat play a supporting role. Pair it with whole-grain pasta or hearty legumes and also pile on sautéed greens or roasted veggies.
Healthy BLT Salad
We turn the classic bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich into a healthy salad that uses plant-forward thinking. We also recommend adding on beans or whole grains as a small side so the bacon complements rather than defines the meal.
Story by Kylie Thomas
