20 recipes to help you eat 30 plants a week

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Eating 30 plants a week has been touted as the new health rule to live by – but how do you reach that magic number? Plant foods include the obvious fruit and vegetables but also spices, nuts, seeds, grains and herbs. Packing your plate with colour and texture is a great way to start, along with looking outside the fruit and veg you typically pick up on the weekly shop and adding a handful of fresh herbs or sprinkle of nuts to your dish before eating.

Let this list of our favourite plant-packed recipes inspire you on the path to up your intake – with no boring salads in sight!

20 recipes to help you eat 30 plants a week

20 of our best plant-packed recipes

Leftovers gochujang rice bowl
The vegetables left over from your roast dinner build a rainbow bowl of nourishment in this recipe inspired by Korean bibimbap. Sesame seeds, garlic and kimchi all add to the plant count, alongside the leftover veg.

Charred leek, pearl barley and cheshire cheese salad
In this hearty winter salad, pearl barley and chunky strips of caramelised leek are coated in a cheesy buttermilk dressing. Extra plant points for the chives, sunflower seeds and green apples in the mix, too.

Mushroom stroganoff ramen
This vegan recipe from MasterChef favourite Omar Foster mashes up two beloved dishes: Japanese ramen and Russian stroganoff. The guest list for this plant party includes parsley, spring onions, ginger, Tenderstem broccoli, radishes, cashew nuts and two types of mushroom.

Masala baked beans
Make your own spiced baked beans and up your plant count! Haricot or cannellini beans are joined by red onions, green chillies, garlic cloves, ginger, tomato and spices including cardamom, fennel, coriander and cumin seeds. A homemade coriander chutney adds freshness.

Bangladeshi shingara chaat
British-Bangladeshi food writer Dina Begum shares her recipe for a colourful chaat, inspired by a street food favourite: shingara. “Shingaras are Bangladeshi pyramid-shaped samosas filled with spiced potatoes,” says Dina. “This chaat is a deconstructed version, with potatoes and chickpeas topped with mint yogurt and tamarind chutney.” Pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs and plenty of spices add to the plant count.

Herb and walnut frittata
Inspired by Persian kuku sabzi, this verdant frittata is packed full of herbs and onions. There’s no need to remove the stalks from soft herbs – they have lots of flavour and can be chopped up with the leaves. Swap the walnuts for pine nuts, almonds or any other nuts you have to hand.

Green shakshuka with feta and herbs
This ‘green’ shakshuka recipe from cookbook author Ruth Nieman is a lively adaption of the popular Middle Eastern breakfast, made from a medley of greens (including chard, spinach and fennel) and fresh herbs, topped with salty feta, a drizzle of olive oil and coriander leaves.

Crudités with dill mayonnaise
This gorgeous green mayo gets its colour from a simple dill-infused oil (which looks cheffy but couldn’t be simpler to make). Serve with lots of fresh crudités as a great snack or pre-dinner nibble that provides transforms raw veg into a moreish treat.

Spinach, chard and chickpea puff pie
This rich vegan pie is filled with slowly caramelised onions, plenty of wilted greens and creamy chickpeas. Baked in a tray with shop-bought puff pastry, it’s easy to assemble too. Onions, garlic, chilli flakes and ground cumin all add to the plant tally.

Air fryer loaded sweet potato fries
This Friday night-worthy dish packs in plenty of veg. Homemade sweet potato fries (spiced with cumin and paprika) are loaded with a black bean and jalapeño topping. A Tex-Mex-style dish that just happens to be vegan.

Cauliflower steak diane with potato wedges
An indulgent veggie dinner that packs in more plants than you realise. Calling a thick slice of cauliflower a ‘steak’ can be a little contentious – but when it’s roasted with butter, garlic and thyme, it’s a glorious thing no matter what you name it. Served in a retro mushroom diane sauce with spinach and crispy poppy seed potato wedges on the side, this is an absolute treat of a veggie main.

Sprout and harissa hash with tahini yogurt
This seasonal brunch celebrates sprouts with the help of Middle Eastern pantry staples such as fiery harissa, creamy tahini and a crunchy, fragrant dukkah topping (a combo of nuts, seeds and spices).

Black garlic and clementine nut roast
Make this nut roast the pick for your next roast dinner. The tangy umami of black garlic is perfectly matched by the sweet, zesty clementines in this satisfying veggie main, which also includes button mushrooms, lentils, chestnuts, mixed nuts and dried cranberries.

Maunika Gowardhan’s vegetable korma (Navratan korma)
Food writer Maunika Gowardhan’s celebratory vegetable korma is packed with cashews, vegetables, ginger and tangy pineapple. Maunika says: “The literal translation of this recipe is nav, which means nine, and ratan, which means jewels, and this rich vegetarian curry is surely fit for royalty.”

Brown butter pumpkin salad with pomegranate and burrata
This luxurious salad has it all: pumpkin, spinach, tart pomegranate seeds, sharp sumac, crunchy hazelnuts and chewy sultanas – plus a brown butter dressing and sumptuous burrata cheese. Indulgence with substance.

Beetroot baked potatoes with creamy white beans
Baked potatoes take on a Scandi vibe and a delightful purple hue in this fresh, vibrant and super-simple dish. A fresh alternative to baked beans and cheese or tuna mayo.

The best ratatouille
Our perfect ratatouille recipe is the ultimate take on the iconic French summer stew, packed with aubergine, tomato and courgettes and fresh thyme and basil. Bookmark this one now!

Vegetarian paella
Paella is usually a relatively meaty affair (or fishy, depending where in Spain you are), but this vegetarian version is perfect for adapting to the seasons and using whatever vegetables are to hand to adorn the rice.

Tahini and honey-roast cauliflower with jewelled pilau rice
This easy vegetarian dish is perfect to share with friends for a laid-back supper or Sunday lunch. Nutty roast cauliflower with a tahini marinade is served with sweet pops of pomegranate, pistachios and caramelised onion rice.

Veggie shepherd’s pie with cheesy root veg mash
Shepherd’s pie gets a veggie makeover in our easy recipe. Swap meat for lentils and plant-based mince, then top with cheesy root veg mash.