Here’s a curated list of simple, quick, and tasty vegetarian recipes designed with young children in mind—perfect for early learning settings or family meals. These recipes balance nutrition, sensory appeal, and ease of preparation, with options that support cultural inclusion and dietary needs.

Ingredients: 

• 3 Litre sized resealable plastic bag
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 packet yeast (rapid rise or regular)
• 1 cup of warm water
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt (this can be to taste)

Method:

• Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, and yeast packet in a bowl. Pour into a resealable (Ziplock style) bag.
• Add warm water. Seal bag, pressing out air.
• Begin shaking and mixing the bag by hand
• Set bag to rest for 10 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with salt. Pour into the bag along with melted butter.
• Seal the bag again, pressing out air. Shake and mix again.
• Open the bag and add in the last cup of flour.
• Seal bag, and mix for the final time.
• Pull out dough and place on a floured surface.
• With floured hands, knead the dough for 5-10 minutes
• Place dough in a greased loaf pan.
• Lay a towel over the loaf pan and set it in a warm spot.
• Allow the dough 30-45 minutes to rise
• Bake at 190 degrees for 25 minutes.

Hints and Tips: 

• Add herbs and olives while kneading to make herb and olive bread. 
• Enjoy with your fave toppings. 
• Add food colouring for colourful bread. 
• Great experience to get children involved. 

Ingredients: 

FOR VEGETABLE MIXTURE:

• ½ carrot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cabbage, finely chopped
• 4 beans, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp corn, boiled / frozen
• 2 tbsp peas
• ½ capsicum, finely chopped
• 2 potato, boiled & mashed
• ¼ tsp pepper powder
• ½ tsp mixed herbs
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup bread crumbs

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup of water
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Method:

• Firstly, in a large mixing bowl take ½ carrot, 2 tbsp cabbage, 4 beans, 2 tbsp corn, 2 tbsp peas, ½ capsicum and 2 potatoes.
• Further, add ¼ tsp pepper powder, ½ tsp mixed herbs and ½ tsp salt.
• Mix well making sure all the vegetables are well combined.
• Now add ¼ cup bread crumbs and mix well.
• Mash and mix forming a soft dough.
• To prepare cornflour slurry, take 2 tbsp cornflour, 2 tbsp plain flour and ½ tsp salt.
• Mix well with ¼ cup water forming a smooth batter.
• Now pinch a small ball sized vegetable mixture and shape well.
• Dip in cornflour slurry coating uniformly.
• Now roll into panko bread crumbs to get crispy outer covering.
• Deep fry in hot oil keeping the flame on medium.
• Stir occasionally, without breaking the nuggets.
• Fry until the vegetable nuggets turn crispy and golden brown.
• Drain off over kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
• Finally, enjoy vegetable nuggets with tomato sauce.

Hints and Tips:

• Firstly, adjust the amount of breadcrumbs based on the moisture of vegetables.
• Also, if the nuggets break-in oil, do not panic. add a tbsp of more breadcrumbs to vegetable mixture and shape.
• Additionally, add vegetables of your choice to make it nutritious.

Reference:
Vegetable Nuggets, Hebbars Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of cooked pasta
• 1/4 cup (40 grams) fresh peas
• 1 carrot diced
• 1/2 cucumber peeled and diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 1/4 cup (40 grams) steamed corn kernels
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice optional
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

• Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 10 minutes, adding 1 tsp of olive oil to the water.
• Mix the pasta with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and serve at room temperature or cold.

Hints and Tips:

• Get kitchen safe knives for children and encourage them to cut their own vegetables for the pasta. 
• Have children choose the veggies they want for their pasta. 
• Prepare the cooked pasta for children to mix with their vegetables.
• Give children each their own bowl to create their own pasta salad. 
• Select different vegetables for children to try. 

Reference:
Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad, Little Sunny Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 60g butter, chilled, chopped
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp sultanas (optional)
• 2/3 cup mashed cooked butternut pumpkin
• Extra buttermilk, for brushing

Method:

• Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Position oven rack in the top half of oven.
• Sift flour, nutmeg,sugar and salt into a bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in centre of mixture. Add buttermilk and pumpkin. Using a flat-bladed knife, stir until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead gently until just smooth.
• Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll dough out until 2cm thick. Using a 6cm fluted-edge cutter, cut out scones. Press leftover dough together.
• Repeat to make 12 scones.
• Place scones, just touching, on prepared tray. Brush with buttermilk. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and hollow when tapped on top.

Hints and Tips:

• Serve with cream cheese or butter. 
• Add sultanas to the batter as it gives it a sweetness. 
• Omit pumpkin and use grated carrot, or zucchini
• Great for kids to take to school

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 potato, peeled and grated
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1/4 cup onion, grated
• 1, 2 tsp oregano
• 2 egg whites
• salt to taste

Method:

• Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
• Mould 2 tbsp amounts into rissoles.
• Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown or bake in a moderate oven until golden. 

Hints and Tips: 

• Serve with a garden or greek salad and garlic bread.
• Can be added into burgers to make Veggie Burgers.
• Add more vegetables if required.

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 20g unsalted butter
• 4 onions, sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1/4 cup corn
• 1/4 cup zucchini
• 1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 x 375g blocks butter puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the potatoes on an oiled baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, then roast for 15 minutes.
• Heat remaining oil and butter in a pan over low heat. Add onion and cook for 20 minutes until soft and golden. Set aside to cool. Combine onion, carrot, peas, corn, zucchini and potato with cream, thyme and garlic. Season and set aside to cool.
• Roll out pastry blocks on a lightly floured surface to 35 x 20cm rectangles. Place one sheet on a lightly-floured baking tray and spread the mixture in the centre, leaving a 2cm border. Brush edge with egg, place other sheet on top and press together, pinching until sealed. (We used a little extra pastry to make decorative leaves.)
• Brush all over with egg. Make 2 air holes in the top and bake for 25 minutes until crisp and golden.

Hints and Tips:

• Add you're favourite mash as an accompaniment.
• More vegetables can be added such as broccoli, capsicum, mushroom etc. 
• Instead of adding pasty to top and bottom to create the pie, this mixture can be added into a baking dish, the roll of pastry can be added on top and seal around the baking dish. 

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• Vegemite
• Grated cheese

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
• Semi defrost puff pastry.
• Spread with a generous serve of vegemite (depending on taste).
• Sprinkle grated cheese on top of vegemite spread.
• Roll puff pastry lengthways.
• Bake in oven on tray 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown.
• Cut into desired slices.
• Enjoy!

Hints and Tips:

• These can be pre-cut once rolled lengthways before baking in the oven.
• More cheese can be sprinkled on top of the pastry before baking.
• Add other fillings such as tomato paste, cheese and dried herbs.