10 great vegetarian recipes Cutting down on meat benefits your health, the environment, and now we're told it even reduces food shortages in the developing world. If you need a nudge towards embracing vegetarianism, start with these delicious dishes

A tasty vegetarian option: Yotam Ottolenghi's honey-roasted 

carrots with tahini yoghurt. 

Photograph: Colin Campbell for the Guardian

Did you get the message that it's a good idea to eat less meat, forenvironmental reasons? Because it's probably better for our health? Or perhaps you've been turned off the animal products because of thevarious problems with sourcing. If not, then have a look at the latest missive, from a group of MPs, saying that we should cut down on meat to help ease food crises in the developing world. And if you feel inspired to embrace vegetarianism, at least once or twice a week, we're here to help with a selection of recipes from good old British scotch egg alternatives, to spicy Sichuanese ways with tofu. Just don't go stampeding for the quinoa, eh?

Felicity Cloake's vegetarian scotch eggs

Veggie scotch eggs by Felicity Cloake.

Now that the weather has finally brightened up, we should be unrolling the picnic blankets. To celebrate, Felicity Cloake perfected some vegetarian scotch eggs – made with spicy chickpeas instead of pork.

Yotam Ottolenghi's meat-free mezze

Yotam Ottolenghi's fried cauliflower with pine nuts, capers and chilli: A spectacular mezze dish that goes well with just about anything Mediterranean. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the Guardian

We can't have a vegetarian recipe collection without Yotam Ottolenghi. Take a look at his mezze mix, which includes fried cauliflower with pine nuts, capers and chilli, and a wonderfully smoky aubergine and parsley pesto, which will work on bruschetta or make a fuller meal paired with pasta. His tomato recipes will liven up any summer dinner table – thetomato and almond tart sounds especially pleasing. Then scoot over for a look at the many marvellous recipes in his New Vegetarian column.

Fuchsia Dunlop's pock-marked old woman's tofu

Fuchsia Dunlop's vegetarian version of pock-marked old woman's tofu. Photograph: Chris Terry

Chinese cookery expert Fuchsia Dunlop took a shine to vegetables in her last book, explaining how to really ramp up the flavours with seasoning and spices. Here, she adapts a classic, pock marked old woman's tofu, which I promise is tastier than it sounds.

Maria Ellis's stuffed tofu

Ginger beer-battered stuffed tofu with Asian mushy peas. Photograph: Jonathan Gregson/Kyle Books

Staying with the spice (and the tofu), this fairly ambitious dish would work nicely for a dinner party: ginger-beer-battered stuffed tofu, from Maria Ellis's Modern Vegetarian book, which makes an interesting alternative to fish and chips.

Sally Butcher's Swooning Imam

'Swooning Imam' stuffed aubergines. Photograph: Yuki Sugiura

Taking a detour to the middle east, Sally Butcher, who runs a popular Persian deli in Peckham, has some interesting recipes, including Swooning Imam – aubergines crammed with tomato, garlic and onion, and Iraqi-inspired cheese baked stuffed tomatoes.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's asparagus, halloumi and new potatoes

Asparagus, halloumi, new potatoes. Photograph: Simon Wheeler

We're just at the end of asparagus season so get a last few dishes in. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall pairs the spears with halloumi and new potatoes here for a quick but filling supper. Asparagus. Halloumi. What could go wrong? Felicity Cloake made a delightful asparagus tart the other week and Nigel Slater does them simply with a tomato and lemon sauce.

The Green Kitchen's beetroot bourguignon

Beet Bourguignon Photograph: Johanna Frenkel

The top five vegetarian recipes from the past 10 years of Observer Food Monthly include an interesting vegan take on Julia Child's classic bourgignon, swapping the beef for beetroot. It looks hearty, warming and delicious and will work brilliantly if we have another cold turn this "summer".

Jane Baxter's stuffed courgette flowers

Stuffed courgette flowers Photograph: Rob White

You can't get much more summery than courgette flowers – Jane Baxter's take on these light crispy fried delights (use a vegetarian parmesan-style cheese). Serve with a lemon wedge, preferably in the garden.

Angela Hartnett's aubergine gratin

Holiday invention … aubergine gratin. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian

Angela Hartnett's aubergine gratin is, she says, as tasty as parmigiana, but a lot less work for a quick supper.

Dennis Cotter's braised turnip galette

Denis Cotter's braised turnip galette of portobello mushrooms and chestnuts with a red wine sauce

And finally, this lovely Irish recipe from Dennis Cotter, who runs the renowned vegetarian restaurant Cafe Paradiso in Cork. Turnip galette, with chestnuts and portobello mushrooms - this one's more strictly speaking for the winter, but it's a goodie, and another good looking dish to impress dinner guests.

http://www.guardian.co.uk