37 Scrumptious AIP Meatless Monday Meals
It’s obvious that AIP is a pretty restrictive diet when it comes to food ingredients. However, there are many kinds of meat that are perfectly ok for the Autoimmune Protocol, so that’s not a reason to go meatless. Still, the recipes in this collection are so delicious, you may want to cook them every day of the week!
I like to cook more meat-free recipes when my favorite vegetables are in season. That’s also when they are the cheapest – and most flavorful. I also have several vegetarian friends so I like to surprise them with meals that both, they, and I can eat.
But you don’t have to have a specific reason to go for these AIP Meatless Monday meals. Once you’ve tried them, there’s a chance you’ll want all your recipes to be meatless!
3 Meatless Meals for Next Monday (or any day)
- Breakfast: Whip up some AIP waffles or coconut cassava pancakes. If you’re in a hurry, you’ll love the smoothie recipes.
- Lunch: How about a Waldorf salad? Or a cheesy AIP zucchini soup, that doesn’t actually contain any dairy.
- Dinner: My favorite must be the fragrant coconut curry or the cauliflower pizza with pesto.
Your AIP diet doesn’t have to be boring, and leaving out meat for a day will not make it any harder. Go ahead and check out this video to see how easy it is to prepare AIP vegetable dishes.
Here are just a few of the AIP Meatless Monday Meals we’ve included:
- AIP Breakfast Bars
- AIP Coconut Cassava Pancakes
- AIP Waffles
- AIP Waldorf Salad
- Dairy-Free Cheesy AIP Zucchini Soup
- AIP Broccoli Soup
- Fragrant AIP Coconut Curry
- AIP Cauliflower Pizza with Pesto
If you click or tap any of the links above, it will instantly take you to the recipe below. Or download the entire list by clicking on the green button below.
AIP Meatless Monday Breakfasts
AIP Breakfast Bars
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: tiger nuts, mixed dried fruit, coconut flakes, coconut flour, honey, gelatin, coconut oil, water (lukewarm & hot).
Breakfast bars can really be helpful if you have a school run to do or just find yourself short on time in the mornings. You can rustle up a batch on a Sunday and use them for quick and easy breakfast for the rest of the week. These are grain and dairy free but are packed with fiber, keeping you going right through the morning.
AIP Coconut Cassava Pancakes
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: gelatin, boiling hot water, coconut flour, cassava flour, cinnamon or other AIP flavoring, coconut milk, honey, coconut oil, berries.
Although this is a grain-free recipe, the pancakes are full of flavor and would make a delicious breakfast or even a tasty dessert served with fresh berries and drizzled with honey! Cassava flour goods can be quite filling, so you will find you don’t need many of these for a satisfying meal. Instead of cinnamon, I like to use a little vanilla extract instead.
AIP Waffles
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: gelatin, water, cassava flour, coconut flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, coconut oil, honey, hot water, blueberries.
If you thought that cooking for AIP was going to mean you had to miss out on things like waffles, then think again! This recipe uses gelatin to give the waffles their soft and spongy texture, and they can form a great base for maple syrup and fresh berries for a delicious dessert or a super-easy breakfast. These are family-friendly and go down really well with the kids!
Banana Pancakes
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: bananas, coconut flour, baking soda, coconut oil, raw honey or maple syrup, gelatin, hot water.
As these pancakes are both nut free and grain free, they are ideal for people whose system needs a gentler approach to breakfast. The banana is a great source of magnesium and tastes great. It also releases energy slower than other fruits, so keeps you going till lunch! The banana also helps keep the texture in the middle soft and delicious.
Avocado Green Smoothie
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: avocado, banana, coconut milk (or water), greens of your choice (spinach, kale, chard), ice.
Green smoothies are packed with nutrients and fiber and can be very filling, keeping you going all morning, and this Paleo one definitely will. The consistency will be quite thick, but smooth and creamy as you are using avocado and banana as the base, but you can water it down by adding more coconut milk if you prefer. The banana also adds a natural sweetness, so no need for added sweeteners.
Carrot Apple Banana Smoothie
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: apple, carrot, banana, ice, coconut oil, coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg (omit), cloves.
Smoothies can be a really healthy way to start the day as they are full of goodness from the fruit and vegetables and are normally only sweetened by the natural sugars in the ingredients. This one is such a pretty color and is spiced with cinnamon for a warming feeling. This drink is dairy free and compliant with Paleo and AIP diets.
AIP / Paleo Breakfast Hash Casserole with Butternut Squash & Cilantro
– A Squirrel in the Kitchen
Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, onion, zucchini, butternut squash, sea salt, fresh cilantro.
Although this is described as a breakfast dish, it could also be used for lunch or as a side for dinner along with roast meat. Here though, it tastes great with bacon for a filling Paleo breakfast, getting your system off to a great start in the morning. If you don’t like cilantro, this can be garnished with flat-leaf parsley instead.
Paleo Cinnamon Bun Breakfast Cookies (No-Bake)
– A Girl Worth Saving
Photo Credit: Kelly from A Girl Worth Saving
Ingredients: raisins, coconut flakes, pecans (omit), applesauce, ground cinnamon powder, vanilla extract, coconut flour, coconut cream, maple syrup.
If you thought that cookies for breakfast would be a treat for the holidays then think again! These delicious little-frosted cookies can be eaten for breakfast, or even packed in your lunchbox to take to work. This Paleo recipe uses raisins to give the sweetness, but you can sub them for other dried fruit such as dates or apricots.
Sweet & Salted AIP Granola
– Meatified
Photo Credit: Rach from Meatified
Ingredients: white sweet potato, plantain chips, unsweetened coconut flakes, apple, banana, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, sea salt.
Here is a great recipe for a breakfast cereal that is not just coconut flakes, but is a great combination of flavors and textures. It has the sweetness from the banana and the maple syrup, so there is no need to add any other sweetener. Often when you start on the AIP journey, crunchy foods can be hard to find, so let’s get cooking this fabulous crunchy meal!
AIP Meatless Monday Salads
AIP Waldorf Salad
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: coconut cream (from a can of coconut milk), lemon juice, salt, Granny Smith or another green apple, celery stalk, grapes, romaine lettuce.
Waldorf salad is traditionally made with a creamy dressing and in this recipe, this comes from the coconut cream and lemon juice which keep the dressing dairy free. Aside from the lettuce, this also has the fresh flavors of apple and celery, making this a lovely light and delicious salad to enjoy for lunch on a summer day, or as an appetizer for a dinner party. This is a simple recipe but it gives you a wonderfully tasty dish.
Fenugreek Roasted Vegetables with Coconut Curry Sauce
– Healing Family Eats
Photo Credit: Healing Family Eats
Ingredients: cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, red onion, delicata squash, coconut oil, dried fenugreek leaves, Himalayan pink salt, mushrooms, lime zest & juice, cilantro, ground turmeric, ground ginger, garlic, curry leaves, coconut milk.
You were probably used to fenugreek in Indian cookery prior to the AIP lifestyle, but that was in seed form, so this clever recipe uses the leaves to give the same sort of flavor but without the seeds. Roasted cauliflower has a wonderful nutty flavor and this dish can be adapted by using different vegetables.
Wilted Kale Salad with Golden Beets and Winter Squash
– Savory Lotus
Photo Credit: Katja from Savory Lotus
Ingredients: golden beets, delicata squash, coconut oil, cinnamon, chili powder (omit), kale, pomegranate, salt, pepper (omit), olive oil, orange juice & zest, apple cider vinegar, shallot, honey.
This dish is a beautiful range of colors and tastes that will satisfy your need for a salad even on the coldest days. The golden beets contrast so well with the kale, then the plate is jeweled with the pomegranate. The dressing on this salad is citrusy and fresh, with just a hint of sweetness from the honey. Yum!
Mediterranean Cauliflower Couscous Salad
– Autoimmune Wellness
Photo Credit: Autoimmune Wellness
Ingredients: olive oil, cauliflower, sea salt, cucumber, parsley, dried cranberries, dried Turkish figs, red onion, green onions, fresh & dried dill, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, orange zest, garlic powder.
Traditional couscous is known for adopting the flavors of the ingredients it is cooked with, and in this great recipe, the cauliflower does exactly the same thing, taking on the tastes of the dressing and giving you a really fresh salad to serve as a side with meats or fish. This also makes a good meal on its own and it is compliant with AIP and Paleo diets.
Spring Trifle Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
– Seasonal & Savory
Photo Credit: Angela from Seasonal & Savory
Ingredients: butter lettuce, fresh raspberries, fresh blueberries, chevre (soft goat cheese) – omit, pecan (omit), navel orange, lime juice, olive oil, ground white pepper (omit), salt.
Designed to look like the layers of a trifle, this pretty salad would look fantastic on any dinner table! With the fresh sweetness of the raspberries and blueberries, this would make a great lunchtime dish for the family. The dressing gives the greens a great citrus kick, and the recipe is easy to adapt for AIP by omitting the cheese and nuts.
Raw Beet, Carrot & Apple Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing
– Allergy Free Alaska
Ingredients: lime juice, honey, fresh ginger root, extra virgin olive oil, beetroots, carrots, apple.
Often in warm weather, when you just need something fresh for lunch, we can find raw salads the best thing ever! Not only are they really fresh, but they are also packed with nutrients and natural sweetness, so you don’t need to add any sugars. This is a vegan recipe that is compliant with AIP and Paleo eating plans.
Nectarine and Avocado Arugula Salad
– Cavegirl Cuisine
Photo Credit: Michelle from Cavegirl Cuisine
Ingredients: balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard (omit), pure maple syrup, shallot, sea salt, ground black pepper (omit), nectarine, avocado, arugula.
Here is another handy recipe for a fresh salad with juicy nectarine and smooth and creamy avocado. As we have seen in other recipes, balsamic vinegar really helps to bring out the sweetness of the fruit and boosting the flavors in the greens too. If arugula is not for you, simply swap it out for your favorite salad leaves.
Vegan Super-Green Buddha Bowl
– Rally Pure
Ingredients: quinoa, filtered water, salt, brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, pepper (omit), avocado, baby spinach, red onion, cilantro, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic.
Buddha bowls are traditionally made using brown rice, but swapping that out for quinoa lets us AIP folks still enjoy the bowls of goodness without the inflammatory grains. Once the sprouts are seared, they take on a caramel flavor and together with the crunchy red onion, they provide a lovely contrast with the creamy avocado.
AIP Meatless Monday Soups & Stews
Dairy-Free Cheesy AIP Zucchini Soup
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: coconut oil, onion, zucchinis, water or AIP chicken broth, nutritional yeast, coconut cream.
This recipe uses nutritional yeast, which means that it is also dairy free. This is a hearty soup which is a great way to use up a glut of zucchini and feed the family quite cheaply, yet keep things really healthy. For a more authentic look, you can add a swirl of coconut cream before serving, but this is totally optional.
AIP Broccoli Soup
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: broccoli, chicken broth/vegetable broth, coconut cream, salt, parsley.
There is nothing quite like a big bowl of delicious homemade soup to warm you, but it is also a great way to get more veggies into the family. This is quite a simple recipe, but it gives you a soup that is full of flavor and has the goodness of the cruciferous veggies. You can make a vegetarian version by using vegetable broth as a base.
Pressure Cooker Beet Cabbage Apple Stew
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: chicken broth or bone broth, apple, cabbage, onion, beets, carrots, fresh ginger, parsley, salt.
The first thing that you will notice when you see this dish is the rainbow of colors from the different vegetables and fruit used here, and this would make a very impressive Paleo side dish to serve at a dinner party, or as a main course for a vegetarian meal. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can easily cook this on the stovetop, just be careful to keep an eye on the liquid level.
Leek and Cauliflower Soup with Coconut Cream
– The Coconut Mama
Photo Credit: Tiffany from The Coconut Mama
Ingredients: leek, cauliflower, coconut cream, chicken or bone broth, salt.
Here is another great AIP and Paleo-friendly recipe for homemade soup that is so simple, but emphasizes the goodness of the ingredients. It always makes me feel good making healthy, hearty soups for the family as I know they are getting all the nutrition but with no unwanted added extras! I love to serve this slightly lighter creamy soup with AIP bread rolls.
Instant Pot Roasted Asparagus Soup
– Fed And Fulfilled
Photo Credit: Fed and Fulfilled
Ingredients: fresh asparagus, coconut oil, sea salt, garlic powder, Herbs de Provence, leek, garlic, cauliflower, bone broth, full-fat coconut milk, lemon juice & zest, parsley.
If you like your soup nice and thick, then here is a great recipe for you! This soup is rich and creamy and filled with the flavor of asparagus, but is dairy and gluten free. This makes a wonderful appetizer for a dinner party or a lovely Spring lunch for the family. You can easily make this soup runnier by adding in some extra broth
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Fried Sage
– Slim Palate
Ingredients: cauliflower, AIP fat of choice, yellow onion, garlic, coconut milk, salt, sage leaves, lard.
Roasting the cauliflower for this recipe gives it a slightly nutty flavor and is perfect for anyone who has been missing out on cream-based soups, either for health reasons or for weight loss. Adding the fried sage leaves is not a necessity, but if you give it a try you will find it really adds something special! This recipe can also be made dairy free by using coconut oil instead of ghee.
Celeriac and Pear Soup
– Healing Family Eats
Photo Credit: Healing Family Eats
Ingredients: solid white fat, leek, celeriac, Bartlett pears, bay leaves, chicken broth, filtered water, lemon juice, salt, parsley.
Because celeriac has quite a strong flavor, it makes the greatest partnership along with the sweet pear, and together they give you a creamy soup with a sophisticated flavor. This soup would be an impressive, elegant starter at a dinner with friends. This recipe is dairy and gluten free and perfectly suitable for AIP and Paleo diets.
Roasted Cauliflower Bisque with Wilted Arugula, Toasted Macadamia & Orange Zest
– Grazed & Enthused
Photo Credit: Grazed & Enthused
Ingredients: “cauliflower florets, garlic, olive oil, honey, sea salt, chicken broth, macadamia nuts (omit), arugula, olive oil, orange zest, black pepper (omit).
Here is another lovely soup recipe that is rich and creamy, but totally dairy free. It may seem that you are adding a ton of garlic, but it does not overpower the flavor at all – it simply boosts the taste of the chicken broth. Obviously, if you are eating the AIP way, you should omit the nuts and black pepper.
Thai Pumpkin Soup
– Adventures in Partaking
Photo Credit: Adventures in Partaking
Ingredients: red onion, carrot, butternut, yellow squash, olive oil, basil, garlic, ground ginger, pink salt, turmeric, water or broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, cilantro/ coriander leaves, shredded coconut, lime.
With a lovely golden color, this soup would be perfect for an appetizer for a Thai-inspired meal, or as a tasty snack at Halloween. This great recipe gives you two methods of cooking, stovetop and Instant Pot, which helps if you are short of time. To keep this soup totally AIP, omit the nuts and use some shredded parsley as a garnish instead.
Other AIP Meatless Monday Recipes
Fragrant AIP Coconut Curry
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: avocado oil, zucchinis, white button mushrooms, onion, garlic, ginger, ground turmeric, coconut milk, salt, cilantro, cauliflower white rice.
Here is a vegetarian recipe for a tasty and satisfying curry to give you a warming dish that does not take long to make – perfect for dinner on a busy day! You have the traditional flavors and aromas of garlic and ginger and the earthy turmeric, which adds flavor and color. This dish is filling because you are using meaty mushrooms and zucchini, so you don’t need any meat to bulk it up.
AIP Cauliflower Pizza with Pesto
– Healing Autoimmune
Ingredients: olive oil, basil leaves, garlic, lemon, salt, cauliflower, arrowroot flour, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, olive oil.
Cauliflower can be such a versatile vegetable and can even be used to make paleo pizza crusts! Instead of the more traditional tomato sauce, this recipe uses pesto as the sauce and then it is topped with sliced red onion. This is a simple dish but full of flavor and the toppings can be varied to suit what you have. The pesto sauce can also be used in different dishes like lettuce wraps or over salad as a dressing.
Colorful Vegetable Curry
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: broth, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, turmeric powder, salt.
This is a great vegetable curry which is hearty and delicious and so versatile as you can add in whatever veggies you have! The lovely golden color comes from the turmeric which could help to reduce inflammation. To make the broth into more of a sauce, you can thicken it with arrowroot and either enjoy it straight from the bowl or serve it over Paleo cauliflower rice.
Coconut Oil Baked Spaghetti Squash
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: spaghetti squash, coconut oil.
Spaghetti squash makes the perfect replacement for traditional pasta! This easy recipe shows you how to cook the squash and prepare the strands for serving, so it is a good one for beginners who don’t have much cooking knowledge. So why not try this next time you want some Bolognese or chili!
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
– Grazed & Enthused
Photo Credit: Grazed & Enthused
Ingredients: olive oil, cremini mushrooms, leeks, zucchini, Italian herb seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, coconut milk, homemade chicken broth, cauliflower rice, arrowroot starch, chives, black pepper (omit).
Mushroom risotto is a very popular dish in Italian cooking, but it usually involves a lot of heavy cream, so imagine my delight to find a risotto recipe that is dairy free and fits with the autoimmune way of eating! This dish is full of the traditional flavor of mushrooms and Italian seasoning and still has a creamy texture because of the coconut milk which turns the cauliflower rice creamy too.
Butternut Squash Risotto
– Autoimmune Wellness
Photo Credit: Autoimmune Wellness
Ingredients: butternut squash, solid cooking fat, yellow onion, mushrooms, garlic, sage, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, bone broth.
This tasty risotto recipe tastes as if it is made the traditional way but it does not involve rice which can cause inflammatory issues. The risotto is grain free and so tasty and would make a lovely light but flavorful dish that is ready in under an hour. Butternut squash ‘rice’ can also be a good alternative to cauliflower rice if that’s not your thing, or if cauliflower causes you digestive problems.
Samosa-Inspired Vegetable Casserole
– A Clean Plate
Ingredients: coconut oil, small onions, taro root, garlic, carrots, broth, ginger, cinnamon, cilantro, turmeric, sea salt, water.
This vegetarian recipe is absolutely packed with flavor and has the added health benefit of using turmeric. Even though this recipe does not involve meat, you will find it is still filling and delicious and could be made for even the hardiest meat lovers. This is quite a quick meal to make so would be perfect for a mid-week family dinner.
Live Pasta with Agretti and Lemon
– The Nourished Caveman
Photo Credit: Vivica from The Nourished Caveman
Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, lemon zest & juice, agretti, zucchini.
Agretti is most commonly found growing by the seashore in Mediterranean countries. It has a really fresh taste, and along with the lemon, gives this dish a really lively flavor. If you can’t find agretti, spinach has roughly the same taste, so just use that as a substitute. This dish works really well with fish dishes or on its own as a light lunch.
Garlic Thyme Squash Noodles
– Peace, Love and Low Carb
Photo Credit: Kyndra from Peace Love and Low Carb
Ingredients: zucchini squash, summer squash, chicken stock, garlic, sea salt, black pepper (omit), dried thyme.
If you can’t get spaghetti squash where you live, you might like to try this recipe for vegetable noodles to use as an alternative for your next Italian meal, or if you are fed up using cauliflower rice! These garlicky noodles taste great with a sauce, or you can serve them on their own for a light lunch. To keep things AIP, omit the cheese.
Asian Veggie Noodle Bowl
– Unbound Wellness
Ingredients: zucchinis, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, green onion, coconut oil, coconut aminos, ginger paste, salt, onion powder, garlic powder.
Sometimes when you are following an eating plan, you need something that looks really good as well as being good for you, so now we can use this colorful noodle bowl to liven things up! With an Asian-inspired sauce with garlic and coconut aminos and the kick from the ginger, this would be a tasty dish for any time of year.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
– Flash Fiction Kitchen
Ingredients: sweet potato, Otto’s cassava flour, sea salt, olive oil, salted water, oil for cooking, olive oil, rosemary, cauliflower cheese, sea salt.
Gnocchi are traditional Italian dumplings which can be made using potato, so this sweet potato recipe is perfect as an AIP alternative! These are quite easy to make and can be used in several ways. Serve them with a nomato sauce, eat them as they are, or even place a spoonful onto homemade soup for added texture.
