26 Ways To Cook Dinner For Your Favorite Vegetarian

Roses are red, violets are blue, your vegetarian partner doesn't eat meat, and tonight, neither do you!

1. Sweet Potato Vichyssoise

mynewroots.org

An impressive opener before any entree (serve this with #2, #10, or #18 on this list), this soup is guaranteed to take attention off your bad outfit. Get the recipe here.

2. Lentil "Meatballs" In Lemon Pesto

sproutedkitchen.com

The perfect follower to a vegetable-filled starter (try #1, #4, or #16 on this list), serve over spaghetti (try #5), and have yourself a little Lady and the Tramp moment. Get the recipe here.

3. Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Whipped Goat Cheese

Cedric Angeles / Via bonappetit.com

Start with the onion soup (#15 below), follow with this roasted cauliflower, and watch as you blow the mind of the vegetarian you love. Get the recipe here.

4. Radicchio Salad with Manchego Vinaigrette

James Ransom / Via food52.com

Red and a little bitter, just like your heart. This salad is the perfect preamble to the mushroom tart (#6 on this list), risotto (#12), or a special Valentine's pizza (#18). Get the recipe here.

5. Garlic-Butter Pasta with Spinach and Parmesan

naturallyella.com

It's like someone said, "How do we make butter even better?" Feel free to go the extra mile and make some lentil balls to put on top (#2). Get the recipe here.

6. Mushroom Tart

marthastewart.com

Speak to her heart with a tart. (Serve alongside #8 below, or after any salad.) Get the recipe here.

7. Braised Leeks + Muscovado Lentils

sproutedkitchen.com

This dish works as a starter, or if you make a larger portion, as an entree. Just be sure to serve something carb-y with it (entrees like #10, #12, or #24, OR starters like #11 or #21). Either way, your date will say "Oooooh." Get the recipe here.

8. Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts in Brown Butter

smittenkitchen.com

Not the kind of thing you make for just anybody. Serve it alongside pretty much any entree on this list. Get the recipe here.

9. Chili Roasted Tofu with Minted Pomegranate Relish

sproutedkitchen.com

A great follow-up to the sweet potato vichyssoise (#1). Get the recipe here.

10. Pasta with Fennel, Arugula, and Lemon

sproutedkitchen.com

Because pasta is the right entree to follow any starter, but especially the chard salad (#17 on this list) or the stuffed mushrooms (#19). Get the recipe here.

11. Beet, Cheddar, and Apple Tarts

marthastewart.com

When you're alone, the beet of your hearts might be the only sound. Follow with the squash and spinach pasta rotolo (#24 below) to keep the red theme going.

Get the recipe here.

12. Risotto with Leeks, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Truffles

Noel Barnhurst / Via bonappetit.com

So good it can follow any starter and still hold its own. Get the recipe here. (Up your risotto game with a homemade mushroom stock.)

13. Twice-Baked Goat Cheese Soufflés with Pear, Hazelnut, and Rocket Salad

taste.com.au

If you can master this soufflé dinner, then surely you can master her heart. Get the recipe here.

14. David Lebovitz's Swiss Cheese Fondue

davidlebovitz.com

Fondue is an appetizer that brings together all of the most important things about food: cheese, bread, and dipping. (Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's also perfect for sharing.) Get the recipe here.

15. English Onion Soup with Sage and Cheddar

jamieoliver.com

Usually made with beef stock, onion soup is a rare pleasure for a vegetarian. Keep the bready cheesiness going by serving this with #23, or lighten things up a little with #22. Get the recipe here.

16. Endive and Walnut Salad

saveur.com

Sometimes it's better to take it slow. But other times, you need to just endive right in. A great opener for #6, #9, or #24. Get the recipe here.

17. Chard Salad with Garlic Breadcrumbs and Parmesan

James Ransom / Via food52.com

Cleverly disguise your salad by adding breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Follow this with one of the pastas, pizzas, or tarts on this list. Get the recipe here.

18. Valentine's Day Pizza with Beets and Kale

cookingstoned.tv

If you must incorporate hearts into your dinner, please do so with flare. Serve after the leek-stuffed mushrooms (#19) or cauliflower soup (#25) if you're in a cheesy mood. Get the recipe here.

19. Leek-Stuffed Mushrooms

thejoykitchen.com

Stuffed mushrooms are a food unfairly denied to vegetarians everywhere. Bring a little justice into the world, even if for only one night. (These work as a starter for any entree on this list that isn't too mushroomy.) Get the recipe here.

20. Quinoa, Fennel, and Pomegranate Salad

Jonathan Lovekin / Via bonappetit.com

Serve with the sweet potato soup in #1. Get the recipe here.

21. Wild Mushroom Crostini

Craig Cutler / Via epicurious.com

Easy to make, easier to love, serve this starter before entree #10 or #22. Get the recipe here.

22. Butternut Orecchiette with Arugula, Chickpeas, and Pine Nuts

thefirstmess.com

Pasta + legume + vegetable + Parmesan cheese = "I understand your needs, vegetarian lover." Great on its own on a regular night, better after #4 or #16 on V-Day. Get the recipe here.

23. Caramelized Onion, Apple, and Blue Cheese Naan Pizzas

onceuponacuttingboard.com

The perfect follow-up to a healthy salad starter, this is what romantic pizza looks like. Get the recipe here.

24. Squash and Spinach Pasta Rotolo

jamieoliver.com

RICH and DELICIOUS. Serve with one of the lighter salads on this list. Get the recipe here.

25. Roasted Cauliflower and Cheddar Cheese Soup

naturallyella.com

Start your meal with a hot soup, end it with a hot something else. Have some pizza, pasta, or a tart in between. Get the recipe here.

26. The Perfect Cheese Plate

marthastewart.com

Building a cheese platter is an art, but one worth the trouble: The right plate can be either a starter or a dessert. But come on, not both. Here are some helpful tips.