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25+ Vegetarian Lunch Ideas For Lent

Sandwiches are such an easy idea for lunch, but you can’t eat cold cuts on Fridays during Lent. So, what’s for lunch then? Get ideas in our Vegetarian Lunch Ideas For Lent post here.

For more ideas, check out all of our vegetarian recipes.

A pizza with the words "25+ Lent Lunch Ideas" digitally written on top.

Fridays during Lent means no meat, if you’re Christian.

Quick side note, in case that is news to you. The Lenten season starts on Ash Wednesday and runs through Holy Saturday (which is the day before Easter Sunday). On Ash Wednesday and every Friday between then and Good Friday, Christians don’t eat meat. So it’s meatless meals for the win.

Which sounds simple, right? Sure. It is. Until you go to pack your lunch for work and realize you usually make a cold cut sandwich. And you can’t do that during Lent. Default is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which is a great option, but not exactly something that’s gonna fuel you through the work day.

We’re here to help. We put together this list of Lunch Ideas For Lent.

There are a ton of vegetarian meal ideas on Drugstore Divas that are full meal options, if you’re looking for those. But for this round up, we focused on smaller meals that make more sense for lunch.

A bowl of grits with browned garlic and green onions around it and a soft egg in the middle with the words "40+ Meatless Meals For Ash Wednesday" digitally written on top.

These are just lunch ideas. If you’re looking for dinner recipes, check out our Meatless Meals for Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent post.

25+ Lunch Ideas For Lent

Affiliate links are included in this post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.

Grilled Salad on a tray with the words "Grilled Caesar Salad with homemade grilled croutons" digitally written above it.

Grilled Caesar Salad

Salad is a good Lent lunch idea, but salad can be so boring. Not this Grilled Caesar Salad.

Grill romaine lettuce, top it with Caesar dressing, and Parmesan cheese. You can also make the grilled homemade croutons in this recipe, too, to make it even more interesting.

Ten rolls surrounding marinara sauce that's in a bowl with the words "Pizza Bombs" digitally written on top.

Pizza Bombs

Pizza Bombs are such a fun and easy lunch idea, especially if your whole family is home for lunch on a Friday during Lent.

Store-bough dough is stuffed with mozzarella cheese. Heat them up, dip them in some marinara, and you have a bite of pizza without actually having to eat a slice of pizza for lunch.

A Caprese Grilled Cheese sandwich on a plate with chips and the words "Caprese Grilled Cheese" digitally written on top.

Caprese Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese sandwiches are an easy lunch recipe, but kick it up a notch with this Caprese Grilled Cheese.

It’s filled with mozzarella cheese, tomato, and pesto and is such a great grown up grilled cheese that’s perfect if you’re working from home on Lenten Fridays and have a minute to cook.

Garden Tomato Salad in a plastic container with the words "Easy Garden Tomato Salad" digitally written above it.

Garden Tomato Salad

If you’re looking for a light Lenten lunch, this Garden Tomato Salad should be your go to.

Tomatoes marinate overnight to make an incredible salad. Dip some crunchy bread into the olive oil marinade for something super satisfying.

A blue bowl on a table filled with pasta, tortilla chips, and tomatoes with the words "Vegan Taco Pasta Salad" digitally written on top.

Vegan Taco Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a really good light lunch. Most of them are filled with meat and cheese, but not our Vegan Taco Pasta Salad.

It has all of the flavors of tacos — without any meat or cheese, making it perfect for a Friday during Lent.

Bowl filled with beans, carrots, and kale and the words "Vegan Kale And Bean Soup" digitally written above it.

Vegan Kale And Bean Soup

I could eat soup no matter the temperature, although the beginning of Lent is still during winter, so this is perfect for a cold Lenten Friday.

Carrots, cannellini beans, black beans, and kale come together in a vegetable broth to make this incredible Vegan Kale And Bean Soup.

Five portabella mushroom caps filled with mozzarella cheese on a tray with the words "Portabella Mushroom Pizzas" digitally written on top.

Portabella Mushroom Pizzas

Pizza is a go to Lent lunch idea. But, if you want a twist on it, go with these Portabella Mushroom Pizzas.

Instead of using a traditional crust, these use a portabella mushroom as the crust. It’s definitely a different, but tasty way to eat pizza (and mushrooms).

A tuna salad sandwich on a plate with the words "Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad" digitally written on top.

Vegan Chickpea “Tuna” Salad

Tuna salad sandwiches are fine for Lent, if you’re okay with seafood on Fridays.

If you’re not, this Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad Sandwich is a good alternative. Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are mashed and seasoned to mimic tuna fish, without actually being fish.

Couscous with green onions, feta, and tomatoes in a bowl with the words "Vegetarian Couscous" digitally written on top.

Vegetarian Couscous with Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Tomatoes

This Vegetarian Couscous with Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Tomatoes is one of our favorite recipes for any day, but it works really well on a Friday in Lent.

It’s really light and packed with veggies. There are so many fresh flavors in it that you won’t miss meat at all.

Tomatoes and cheese in a puffed pastry tart with the words "Garden Tomato Caprese Tart" digitally written on top.

Garden Tomato Caprese Tart

If you have fresh tomatoes to use, make this Garden Tomato Caprese Tart for lunch. Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil are baked together in a pie crust to make a really tasty dish.

This is one of our favorite ways to use up extra tomatoes from our garden, but of course, we don’t have any during Lent. So store bought it is this time of year.

Greek Orzo Salad in a blue bowl.

Orzo Greek Salad

Greek salad usually has a lettuce base. But, to make this a little more filling for a Friday during Lent lunch, this Orzo Greek Salad swaps lettuce for orzo.

Other than that, the flavors are very similar.

A green burger with purple lettuce on top in a bun with the words "Chickpea and Spinach Vegan Burger" digitally written on top.

Chickpea And Spinach Vegan Burger

If you’re used to a heavier lunch, this Chickpea And Spinach Vegan Burger will replace your fast food burger when you need a vegetarian lunch on a Lenten Friday.

The burger is made from a chickpea and spinach base, which is a nice break from the usual black bean burger options out there.

A small tortilla with mashed avocado, lentils, spinach, and tomato on top of a blue and white plate with the words "Lentin And Cauliflower Vegan Tacos" digitally written on top.

Lentil And Cauliflower Vegan Tacos

Tacos are so good for lunch. But, don’t head out for them. Especially on a Friday when you can’t eat the ground beef.

Instead, go with these Lentil And Cauliflower Vegan Tacos. The filling mixture has the same texture as beef, except, you know, without beef.

Mini Tomato Pies on a tray with the words "Mini Tomato Pies" digitally under them.

Mini Tomato Pies

If we have extra tomatoes, I always use them in this Mini Tomatoes Pies recipe. They’re super easy to make and incredibly poppable.

These are really good cold too, so you could make them on a Thursday then pack them for lunch on Friday during Lent.

A homemade pizza with sauce, mozzarella cheese, sliced grape tomatoes, and basil on top with the words "2 Ingredient Dough Pizza" digitally written on top.

2 Ingredient Dough Pizza

Cheese pizza is the go to Friday night during Lent recipe. And it’s so easy for lunch too. Just run to the local pizza parlor and grab a slice.

Or … you could easily make your own pizza for lunch with this 2 Ingredient Dough Pizza recipe. You don’t have to worry about yeast or the dough rising overnight, so it’s super easy.

Squares of baked eggplant in a bowl of marinara sauce with the words "Breaded Eggplant Parmesan Bites" digitally written on top.

Breaded Eggplant Parmesan Bites

I absolutely love Breaded Eggplant Parmesan Bites as a light lunch for a Friday during Lent.

Tiny bites of breaded eggplant, with Parmesan cheese, that you dip in marinara sauce. It’s such a good meal.

Four pizza bagels on a plate with the words "Pizza Bagels" digitally written on top.

Pizza Bagels

If you want pizza on a Lenten Friday, but a whole slice is too much for you for lunch, go with Pizza Bagels.

They’re all the flavors of pizza, but with a bagel as the base.

A salad wrap on a plate with the words "Salad Wrap" digitally written above it.

Salad Wrap 

If sandwiches aren’t your thing because they’re too heavy, you’ll love this salad wrap for your Friday lunch.

It has all the elements of salad, but in a wrap form. It’s a really good recipe for when you just need something simple.

Egg and cheese between two slices of bread on a blue and white plate with the words "Cheesy Egg Sandwich" digitally written below it.

Cheesy Egg Sandwich

If you’re working from home on a Lenten Friday and have a chance to cook your lunch, go with this Cheesy Egg Sandwich.

When you order it as a breakfast sandwich, it’s served on a nice, crusty bread roll. But for lunch, I serve it on toast so it feels more like a lunch sandwich.

Pasta noodles next to an avocado that's stuffed with pastina and tomatoes and the words "Pastina-Stuffed Avocados" digitally written on top.

Pastina-Stuffed Avocados

There’s something so fun about food stuffed in other food. That’s what these Pastina-Stuffed Avocados have going for them.

Also, it’s pasta and some other veggies stuffed in an avocado — and it’s vegetarian so it works on a Friday during Lent. What’s not to love?

Two halves on an egg salad sandwich on top of each other with the words "Egg Salad Sandwich" digitally written below them.

Egg Salad Sandwich

Egg Salad is such a classic sandwich recipe and it works so easily for a Lenten Friday lunch.

Our recipe is pretty basic. But, I mean, sometimes the easy recipes make the best recipes, right?

Four mini lasagna cupcakes in wonton wrappers with the words "Lasagna Cups With Wonton Wrappers" digitally written on top.

Lasagna Cups

We make a lot of appetizers with wonton wrappers, but the only lunch meal we make with them is this Lasagna Cups recipe.

It’s all the elements of lasagna, but in wonton cups. It’s such a fun lunch for a Lenten Friday.

A cheesesteak made with mushrooms in a roll with the words "Portabella Philly Cheesesteak" digitally written on top.

Portabella Philly Cheesesteak

We saved this Portabella Philly Cheesesteak for last because although it’s delicious, it’s also pretty heavy. Like maybe too heavy for lunch.

But also, it’s mushroom instead of meat, so you really can have it for lunch when you need a vegetarian meal for a Friday during Lent.

Four salads in containers ready to be served at Blaze Pizza.

Order Lunch For Lent Online:

If you don’t feel like cooking, but you need lunch, you can order online with the following delivery services:

Just make sure that you’re ordering something that’s actually vegetarian. So, if you’re ordering soup, you want to make sure a vegetable broth is used instead of a chicken brothe.

Three cinnamon rolls in a tray with the words "25+ Lent Breakfast Ideas" digitally written on top.

More Lent Meals:

If you’re looking for more ideas of what to make during Lent, we have a ton of posts that will help.

Start the day off with our Lent Breakfast Ideas. For easy dinner options, check out our list of the Best Lent Dinner Ideas (with 200 meatless dinner ideas). If you want something more specific, we have a list of Vegetarian Sandwiches and Vegetarian Soups.

If you’re okay with seafood during Lent, we have a few round ups for you as well. There’s our Simple Shrimp Recipes For Lent, Shellfish Recipes For Lent (which don’t include any shrimp options), and Fish Recipes For Lent.

Which of these Lunch Ideas For Lent will you try first? Let us know in the comments.