Top Vegetarian Recipes of 2011

Here they are! This year's top ten vegetarian recipes on About.com, according to youare the top 10 most popular recipes of 2010, according to you and according to web traffic from all over the world. If you've been wondering what everyone else has searching for, cooking up and eating this year, here it is! Missed last year's picks? Check out the Top Ten Vegetarian Recipes of 2010, or the Top 10 Vegetarian Recipes of 2009, or go way back to the Top Ten of 2008!

1. Homemade Lentil Soup

Here it is, the most popular recipe of the year, according to you: lentil soup! Incidentally, this lentil soup recipe is also one of the highest rated vegetarian recipes, with over 20 five-star reviews. Everyone really seems to love lentil soup, and this recipe is one of the best. It's a simple recipe - lentils, onions, carrots, and a few spices, and perhaps that's why everyone loves it so much. It's not pretentious, it just get's the job done, and you can vary the ingredients without worry. This lentil soup was #10 last year, and it's #1 this year.

2. Chana Masala

Holding still in the second spot, this recipe has long been a favorite. It's a great one-dish meal, when served alongside rice or another grain, and it's one of my regular vegetarian dinner stand-bys, since it's so quick and easy. If you think it won't be filling enough, just toss in a handful of diced tofu to fry up in the mix.

3. Tofu scramble

Tofu scramble means so many things, to so many vegans. It's at once a muse, hangover cure, greasy spoon stand-by, and, for many, it's the first vegan meal or tofu dish new vegans make on their own. No wonder the global internet population finds it so helpful. Heck, even Oprah has a tofu scramble recipe! And you know, if it's good enough for Oprah...

4. Chocolate Fudge Brownies

I'm not quite sure why these brownies made it this far in the top ten best vegetarian recipes this year, but they did! Perhaps it's because there's nothing particularly striking about them that they're so popular. When you just want some nice chewy homemade brownies, nothing fancy, this is a good, reliable place to start.

5. Crispy Fried Tofu

In the picture, I paired my tofu with broccoli, and, if I recall correctly, I slurped up some wide Asian noodles in sauce along with the broccoli and tofu, but this standard crispy tofu can go in just about anything from stir-fries to salads, to curries. You can serve it as an appetizer with a dipping sauce - perhaps a plum sauce or a sweet chili sauce. One guest reviewer said, "They remind me of chicken fingers, but better!" I couldn't agree more. These are savory, addicting and deliciously crunchy.

6. Whole Wheat Spinach Lasagna

Whole wheat lasagna noodles, plenty of spinach and cottage cheese instead of lasagna keep this recipe nutritious, yet still gooey, moist and dense, like lasagna should be - particularly vegetarian lasagna. A guest reviewer named Belinda gave this recipe five out of five stars and wrote: "I have served this lasagne many times - to my meat eating friends as well - and everyone (including me) LOVES it!". Thanks, Belinda! Apparently the rest of the world agrees with you, too! See also: Vegetable lasagna for kids

7. Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe

It was number five last year, and this year, this Greek-inspired quinoa salad is holding strong at number seven. Just like a Greek salad, this quinoa pilaf has kalamata olives, fresh herbs and a balsamic dressing, but with quinoa instead of lettuce or cucumber, it makes for a filling yet still light vegetarian entree. One of the best of the year!

8. Portabella Mushroom Burger

What's a top ten vegetarian recipe list without at least one veggie burger? This portabella burger has been getting more and more popular over the years. The mushrooms are brushed with olive oil and then lightly grilled and topped with grilled onions and an avocado sauce.

9. Quick and Easy Cake Mix Cookies

I love cake mix cookies, and judging from how well this recipe does, so does everyone else! With all the options and flexibility this recipe offers, I wouldn't be surprised to see it climbing even higher on the list next year. A friend of mine always likes to frost her cake mix cookies, since they're soft, and fluffy, almost more like cupcakes, and not hard and crunchy, but I love them soft just like they are. Use any kind of cake mix to vary the flavor - vanilla, lemon, strawberry, they're all fantastic! Add in a handful of chocolate chips or peanut butter chips to make them even more special.

10. Vegetarian Bean and Barley Vegetable Soup

A newcomer to the top ten best vegetarian recipes this year is this hearty kitchen sink barley and bean soup. With seven five-star reviews, this recipe is certainly a keeper, and once you taste it, you'll know why. This soup is a full meal in itself, and, you can add just about any veggies you happen to have in the fridge - green beans, peas or corn would all work well. This recipe makes a lot, so plan on having some leftovers! See also: Low-fat mushroom barley soup

11. More vegetarian recipes

Still salivating? Browse through thousands of vegetarian and vegan meal ideas, including gluten-free recipes, healthy recipes, recipes for vegetarian kids and of course, plenty of tempting desserts, too.

View the original article here