Veggie Blog

The featured image above is an AI-generated illustration, not a photo of dishes from the blogs below.

Looking for vegetarian food blogs that help you make dinner instead of just adding more recipes to your bookmarks? A few thoughtfully chosen sites can give you reliable cooking inspiration, from simple vegetable-forward meals to completely vegan comfort food and internationally inspired dishes.

Veggie-Blog first shared a vegetarian and vegan food blog showcase back in 2007. This refreshed guide keeps the same idea but makes it more useful: five recipe blogs, a clear explanation of what each one offers, and practical ways to turn inspiration into meals you will actually cook. These are editorial recommendations, not a paid ranking.

What makes a vegetarian or vegan food blog worth following?

A good recipe site does more than showcase beautiful food. Look for recipes with clear ingredient quantities, realistic steps, helpful substitutions, and an honest indication of whether a dish is vegetarian or fully vegan. Recipe notes and comments can help you spot common problems before you start cooking.

It also helps to choose blogs with different strengths. A general vegetarian blog may be ideal for everyday lunches, while a dedicated vegan blog can teach you how to make dairy-free sauces, egg-free baking, or tofu dishes. If you enjoy cooking with spices, a cuisine-focused site may help you build confidence with new ingredients.

Five vegetarian and vegan food blogs to explore

1. Cookie and Kate — approachable vegetarian everyday cooking

Best for: people who want vegetable-focused meals, salads, soups, and practical weeknight dinners.

Cookie and Kate, written by Kathryne Taylor, focuses on fresh vegetarian recipes and makes vegetables, beans, grains, and seasonal produce feel approachable. It is an easy starting point when you have ingredients in your fridge but need an idea for turning them into a complete meal. Its recipe categories make it useful for breakfast, lunch, and dinner planning.

Try this approach: choose one grain-based bowl, one soup, and one vegetable side to cook during the week. Check individual recipes if you need them to be vegan, since a vegetarian recipe can contain cheese, eggs, or other dairy products.

Explore Cookie and Kate’s vegetarian recipes

2. Love and Lemons — seasonal vegetables and fresh flavors

Best for: home cooks who shop by season or want appealing ways to use a specific vegetable.

Love and Lemons celebrates fresh produce and offers both vegetarian and vegan recipes. Its ingredient-focused approach is especially helpful when you have a bunch of carrots, broccoli, squash, or tomatoes and need ideas beyond the same familiar side dish. You can use its recipe filters to narrow your search to vegan meals. The site is vegetarian-focused, but a few older recipes in its archive include fish or seafood, so check the ingredients if that matters to you.

Try this approach: start with one ingredient that is in season where you live, then pick a main dish and a simple sauce or dressing that uses it. That creates variety without buying ingredients for five unrelated meals.

Browse Love and Lemons

3. Vegan Richa — Indian-inspired vegan meals and more

Best for: anyone interested in flavorful vegan curries, dals, chickpeas, lentils, and weeknight meals.

Vegan Richa features fully plant-based recipes, many of them inspired by Richa’s Indian upbringing, with plenty of gluten-free, soy-free and oil-free options. You will also find ideas from other cuisines, plus recipe collections sorted by course and dietary needs. It is particularly useful if you have pantry staples such as lentils, canned chickpeas, rice, or spices but are tired of preparing them the same way.

Try this approach: build a dinner around one bean or lentil dish, add rice or flatbread, and serve a vegetable side. If you are unfamiliar with a spice, read the recipe notes before substituting it; changing several seasonings at once can change the result dramatically.

Find vegan recipes at Vegan Richa

4. Rainbow Plant Life — bold flavors and vegan cooking techniques

Best for: vegans and curious beginners who want to develop their cooking skills as well as find new recipes.

Rainbow Plant Life, by recipe developer Nisha Vora, focuses on vegan dishes with big flavor and attention to cooking methods. It is a helpful option when you want to learn why browning, simmering, seasoning, or balancing acidic and rich flavors makes a difference. You will find substantial main courses, tofu dishes, plant-based sauces, and vegetable sides.

Try this approach: select one recipe that teaches a technique you can reuse, such as building a flavorful sauce or cooking beans until they are richly seasoned. Keep notes about what worked so you can apply that method to your own vegetarian or vegan meals.

Discover Rainbow Plant Life

5. The Korean Vegan — Korean-inspired food and plant-based storytelling

Best for: home cooks who want Korean-inspired plant-based meals and personal stories connected to food.

The Korean Vegan, created by Joanne Molinaro, shares vegan recipes alongside writing about family and culture. Its recipes include plant-based versions of Korean dishes as well as breads, desserts, and other comfort foods. If your idea of vegan cooking feels limited to salads, this is a reminder that vegetables, tofu, grains, and fermented ingredients can build deeply satisfying meals.

Try this approach: choose one Korean-inspired dish and pay attention to sauces and seasonings. Check ingredient labels carefully: traditional versions of ingredients such as kimchi and some sauces may contain seafood, even when the finished dish looks vegetable-based.

Explore recipes from The Korean Vegan

Vegetarian versus vegan recipes: how to tell the difference

Vegetarian meals exclude meat and fish, but many contain dairy products or eggs. Vegan meals exclude animal-derived ingredients, including dairy, eggs, and honey. When browsing a vegetarian blog, do not assume every recipe is vegan. Use the site’s vegan filter where available, then read the ingredient list.

Look out for cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, gelatin, honey, fish sauce, and stock made from meat. If a substitution is important to your diet or allergies, check both the recipe and the product packaging. A recipe labeled plant-based may also need checking, since that phrase is used in different ways.

How to use food blogs without getting overwhelmed

Instead of collecting dozens of links, try a simple weekly routine. Pick one familiar meal, one new recipe, and one flexible pantry dish. That keeps shopping manageable while still introducing variety.

1. Choose your goal. Do you need a quick vegetarian dinner, a vegan meal-prep recipe, or an unfamiliar cuisine to explore?
2. Search by ingredient. Start with lentils, chickpeas, spinach, mushrooms, or another ingredient you already own.
3. Read the full recipe before shopping. Check cooking time, equipment, soaking requirements, serving size, and substitutions.
4. Make a short shopping list. Buy shared ingredients for several meals rather than unusual extras for one dish.
5. Save what worked. Record your adaptations and which recipes you would happily make again.

Three easy plant-based dinner ideas to try this week

You do not need to visit five sites to get dinner on the table tonight. These flexible ideas use common ingredients and can be adjusted to your taste:

• Chickpea and vegetable skillet: sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic; add canned chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, and a splash of water. Simmer until hot, then serve with rice or toast.
• Ginger-garlic tofu bowls: cook tofu until golden, add a simple mixture of soy sauce or tamari, ginger, garlic, and a little water, and serve over rice with steamed greens.
• Tomato and white bean soup: soften onion in olive oil, stir in tomatoes, white beans, and vegetable broth, and simmer until the flavors combine. Finish with black pepper and fresh herbs.

These are quick meal ideas rather than full tested recipes, so adjust cooking time and seasoning to the ingredients and amounts you choose. For more cooking inspiration on Veggie-Blog, see our easy veggie omelette recipes and tips for better vegetarian chili.

Questions readers ask

Are vegetarian recipes always healthy?

No single label guarantees that a meal is balanced. Vegetarian recipes can be rich in vegetables, beans, and whole grains, but they can also be high in salt or contain few vegetables. Look at the complete meal and your overall dietary needs rather than a label alone.

Can I make a vegetarian recipe vegan?

Often, yes. Dairy milk may be replaced with a suitable plant milk, butter with plant-based fat, and cheese with an appropriate alternative. Eggs can be harder to replace in dishes where they provide structure, so use recipe-tested substitutions when baking.

How can I find recipes with ingredients I already have?

Search by your main ingredient and add a term such as vegan dinner, vegetarian lunch, or one-pot. Use ingredient filters where offered, check what you can substitute, and keep a small list of recipes you repeat regularly.

Your turn: what vegetarian or vegan blogs do you read?

We would love to hear about the food blogs that have made vegetarian or vegan cooking easier for you. Share a favorite blog and the kind of recipe you discovered there in the comments. Please keep recommendations relevant and avoid promotional link drops; comments may be moderated.

If you are planning a trip to Thailand, do not worry about finding vegetarian food to eat. Thailand has a lot of vegan and vegetarian food, and this is a short guide to how to find it.

How easy is it to find vegetarian food in Thailand?

The old version of this post said that Bangkok has about 175 vegetarian restaurants and 72 vegan ones. I cannot verify those counts, but the point stands: dedicated vegetarian and vegan places are easy to find in the big cities. One well-known example is May Kaidee, which began as a street cart in Bangkok in 1988 and now serves fully vegan Thai food. Outside the cities, ordinary Thai restaurants will often cook a dish without meat if you ask clearly.

What is jay food?

Look for yellow flags with a red Thai character, เจ, which is pronounced “jay.” According to Wikipedia, the flag shows that a stall or restaurant serves food that observant participants of the Vegetarian Festival can eat. It is stricter than ordinary vegetarian food: no meat, poultry, seafood or dairy, no fish sauce or eggs, and often no garlic or strong spices. The festival is held in Phuket and other places for nine days every year, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand lists it for 10 to 18 October in 2026. It comes from the Hokkien Chinese tradition of Phuket and follows the Chinese lunar calendar, so the dates change from year to year.

Are there different kinds of vegans in Thailand?

The old post said there are two groups: people who are 100 percent vegan, and people who eat animals but avoid big ones such as cows. I could not find research that confirms this, so treat it as one writer’s observation. What I can say is that you should not assume a dish is meat-free just because it looks like vegetables.

How should you order?

Say you want to eat vegetarian or vegan food, and ask whether the dish contains fish sauce, shrimp paste, oyster sauce or egg, because they are common in ordinary Thai cooking. If you want to cook the dishes yourself afterwards, our post on Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott is a good place to begin.

If you are headed to “The Bell” soon, you will be happy to know they have updated their nutrition guide and they boast about having an (unarguably impressive) “27 items under 10 grams of fat” and that they now “use zero grams trans fat canola oil”. The guide is listed in their website for you to check out.

The vegetarian fast food items they carry include:

• 1/2 lb cheesy bean & rice burrito
• mexican rice
• pinto’s n cheese
• bean burrito
• cheesy fiesta potatoes
• cheese quesadilla.
• dessert items include cinammon twists and a caramel empanada

Now you can enjoy them with less fat than ever, “Say Fresco” is a new diet helper they are introducing wherein you request that they replace “cheese and sauce” with “Fietsa Salsa” (diced tomatoes, white onions, and cilantro) and “you can reduce the fat by 25% on most menu items”, including the vegetarian items i mentioned above. They also have a hotline you can call to ask any questions you have about their product ingredients or nutritional content. The hotline number is 1-800-822-6235.

There is something reassuring about a pot of soup. It can be tomato-red and familiar, golden and gingery, chunky with lentils, fragrant with coconut and lime, or smoky with beans and peppers. And the best part? You do not need meat to make a bowl that feels like a complete meal.

So, what vegetarian soup flavor are you? Take our original, just-for-fun quiz, find your result, and make the matching recipe below. Every recipe uses everyday ingredients, and all five can be vegan when you choose suitable packaged ingredients and toppings.

A little history: In 2007, Veggie-Blog shared a link to a commercial soup-flavor quiz. This new edition is an independent quiz created for our readers—not that company’s quiz, and not an advertisement for any soup brand. The featured image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photo of these recipes.

Take the vegetarian soup personality quiz

This is a playful way to discover what sounds delicious today, not a scientific personality test. Pick one answer for each question and keep track of the letters A, B, C, D, and E. At the end, the letter you picked most often is your soup flavor. In a tie, choose the soup whose ingredients you would most enjoy eating tonight.

1. What makes a bowl of soup irresistible?

• A. A familiar tomato-and-herb flavor with a spoonful of comfort.
• B. A smooth, sunny bowl with gentle ginger warmth.
• C. Plenty of vegetables and lentils that actually fill me up.
• D. Aromatic coconut, fragrant herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
• E. Deep smoky spice and lots of hearty beans.

2. Which ingredient would you grab first?

• A. Ripe tomatoes or good canned tomatoes.
• B. Carrots and fresh ginger.
• C. Brown or green lentils.
• D. Coconut milk and mushrooms.
• E. Black beans and bell peppers.

3. Pick a flavor mood.

• A. Classic and cozy.
• B. Bright and soothing.
• C. Rustic and satisfying.
• D. Fragrant and adventurous.
• E. Bold and comforting.

4. Choose your ideal finishing touch.

• A. Fresh basil and black pepper.
• B. Toasted seeds and a little coconut cream.
• C. Parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
• D. Fresh cilantro and lime juice.
• E. Avocado, lime, and crunchy tortilla strips.

5. What sounds good alongside your soup?

• A. Toasted bread or a vegetarian grilled-cheese sandwich.
• B. Warm flatbread and a crisp green salad.
• C. A crusty whole-grain roll.
• D. A small bowl of jasmine rice.
• E. Corn tortillas and a simple cabbage slaw.

6. How do you like to cook on a busy day?

• A. Simmer a few pantry staples and keep things simple.
• B. Cook vegetables until soft and blend until silky.
• C. Let a hearty one-pot meal bubble while I tidy up.
• D. Build flavor with ginger, curry paste, and citrus.
• E. Add smoky spices, simmer, and mash a few beans to thicken.

Your soup result

Mostly A — Tomato-Basil Comfort: You are in the mood for uncomplicated comfort. A rich tomato base, garlic, and basil make an easy weeknight favorite.

Mostly B — Golden Carrot-Ginger: You want something bright and gentle, with a smooth texture and a little fresh ginger to wake up the flavors.

Mostly C — Hearty Lentil Vegetable: You want your soup to work hard at dinnertime. Lentils, carrots, celery, and leafy greens make a satisfying bowl.

Mostly D — Thai-Inspired Coconut Vegetable: You like fragrant, layered flavors: ginger, a carefully chosen curry paste, coconut milk, mushrooms, and lime.

Mostly E — Smoky Black Bean: You prefer robust pantry cooking, with cumin, smoked paprika, beans, and colorful toppings.

None of these descriptions defines your personality. They are simply five delicious directions for dinner. Ready to cook?

Five easy vegetarian soup recipes

These are original editorial recipes designed for home cooks; they have not been kitchen-tested by the Veggie-Blog team. Cooking times are estimates, and you should adjust seasoning, texture, and heat to your taste. Each recipe makes about four servings. Use vegetable broth and check labels on packaged ingredients to keep the soups vegetarian; choose vegan toppings and products if you want the finished dish to be vegan.

1. Classic Tomato-Basil Soup (Result A)

Yield: About 4 servings
Time: About 30 minutes
Style: Vegetarian; vegan with suitable broth and garnishes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large can (28 ounces / about 800 g) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to serve
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste depending on the broth
• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving
• Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar if the tomatoes taste especially sharp

Method

1. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, oregano, pepper, and a little salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add the optional sugar only if needed.
4. Turn off the heat and add basil. Blend carefully using an immersion blender, or leave partly chunky. If using a countertop blender, allow the soup to cool slightly and follow the blender’s hot-liquid safety instructions.
5. Adjust salt and pepper. Serve with basil, toast, or a grilled-cheese sandwich made with your preferred vegetarian or vegan cheese.

Why it works: Canned tomatoes make this soup easy to prepare year-round, while basil adds fresh aroma just before serving. For an extra creamy vegan version, blend in a small spoonful of unsweetened cashew cream if nuts are suitable for your household.

2. Creamy Carrot-Ginger Soup (Result B)

Yield: About 4 servings
Time: About 35 minutes
Style: Vegan when ingredients are vegan

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound (450 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into small rounds
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Lemon juice to finish
• Optional: pumpkin seeds or chopped parsley

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4–5 minutes until translucent.
2. Add carrots, ginger, garlic, and cumin. Stir for about a minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 18–22 minutes or until carrots are completely tender.
4. Remove from the heat. Blend cautiously until smooth (see the hot-liquid tip in the tomato recipe), then stir in coconut milk.
5. Warm gently, taste, and season with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice. Top with pumpkin seeds if desired.

Make it your own: Use less broth for a spoon-coating texture, or add more to create a lighter soup. If avoiding coconut, try an unsweetened plant milk that is suitable for cooking; the flavor and texture will change slightly.

3. Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup (Result C)

Yield: About 4 generous servings
Time: About 45 minutes
Style: Vegan when ingredients are vegan

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup (about 145 g) dry brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 can (14–15 ounces / about 400 g) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable broth, plus extra as needed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
• 2 handfuls chopped spinach
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Soften onion, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 6–8 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic, thyme, and paprika for 30 seconds, then add rinsed lentils, tomatoes, and broth.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook partly covered for 25–35 minutes, until the lentils are tender. If the soup gets too thick before they soften, add more water or broth.
4. Add spinach and cook for 2 more minutes until wilted. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste.
5. Ladle into bowls and finish with parsley or additional lemon.

What makes it filling? Lentils add substance and plant protein, while vegetables provide texture. The precise nutritional content depends on ingredient brands and portion sizes, so this article does not claim a fixed protein amount.

4. Thai-Inspired Coconut Vegetable Soup (Result D)

Yield: About 4 servings
Time: About 30 minutes
Style: Vegan if the curry paste and all other ingredients are vegan

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, checked for shrimp paste and fish-derived ingredients
• 1 can (13.5 ounces / about 400 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
• 7 ounces (200 g) firm tofu, cubed
• 7 ounces (200 g) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 1–2 tablespoons lime juice
• Fresh cilantro, optional

Method

1. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat. Stir in ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add curry paste and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
2. Add coconut milk and vegetable broth, whisking until the paste is dispersed.
3. Add tofu, mushrooms, and pepper. Simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the tofu is heated through.
4. Stir in spinach until wilted. Remove from the heat and add lime juice a little at a time.
5. Taste before adding salt—curry paste can be salty. Serve with cilantro and a small side of rice if you like.

Important ingredient check: Some red curry pastes contain shrimp paste, and some sauces contain fish. Read the package rather than assuming a Thai-style paste is vegetarian. This is a Thai-inspired home recipe, not a claim of traditional authenticity. It contains soy if made with tofu; coconut may also matter for your household’s allergies.

5. Smoky Black Bean Soup (Result E)

Yield: About 4 servings
Time: About 30 minutes
Style: Vegan when ingredients and toppings are vegan

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cans (15 ounces / about 425 g each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (14–15 ounces / about 400 g) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, chopped red onion, tortilla strips

Method

1. Warm oil in a soup pot. Cook onion and bell pepper for 5–6 minutes until softened.
2. Add garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika, and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add black beans, diced tomatoes, and broth. Simmer for 12–15 minutes.
4. Mash about one third of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon, or briefly blend a portion of the soup, to give it body.
5. Add lime juice, taste, and adjust salt and pepper. Serve with the toppings you enjoy.

Flavor tip: Smoked paprika makes the soup taste deeper without needing meat. For a milder bowl, use less paprika; for extra heat, add chili flakes a pinch at a time.

How to choose a soup when you are not in the mood for a quiz

Vegetarian soup vs. vegan soup: what should you check?

A vegetarian soup does not contain meat or fish, but it may contain milk, cheese, cream, or other animal-derived ingredients. A vegan soup avoids all animal-derived ingredients. If you are cooking for someone with dietary restrictions, do not rely on the word vegetable in the product name alone.

Check the vegetable broth, stock cubes, curry paste, toppings, croutons, noodles, and prepared sauces. For example, cheese toppings are vegetarian only when made with suitable ingredients, and regular dairy cheese is not vegan. A product described as plant-based may still require label checking. If someone has an allergy, read full allergen and cross-contact information separately from vegan claims.

Storing and reheating homemade soup safely

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers rather than leaving a large hot pot on the counter. The USDA leftovers guidance advises refrigerating perishables within 2 hours (within 1 hour when exposed to temperatures above 90°F / 32°C). Refrigerated cooked leftovers are generally best used within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers thoroughly to 165°F / 74°C; for soup, USDA suggests bringing it to a rolling boil. Freezing in meal-sized portions can help reduce waste; add fresh herbs or crunchy toppings after reheating, not before freezing.

Creamy or blended soups may separate slightly after freezing, and vegetable pieces can soften; a gentle stir or quick blend can help restore texture. When in doubt about safe storage, discard the food rather than judging safety by smell alone.

Questions readers ask

Is vegetable soup always vegetarian?

Not necessarily. A soup labeled “vegetable” may be prepared with meat-based stock or other animal ingredients. Check the ingredient list or ask the cook.

Can all five soups in this article be made vegan?

Yes, with appropriately selected vegetable broth, plant-based toppings, and sauces. The Thai-inspired soup needs special attention because some curry pastes contain shrimp paste or fish-derived ingredients.

How can I make vegetarian soup taste richer without meat?

Sauté aromatics before adding liquid, use spices in small amounts, include umami-rich foods such as tomatoes or mushrooms, and finish with a little lemon or lime juice. Season gradually and taste before serving.

How do I make a vegetarian soup creamier without dairy?

Blend tender vegetables or some of the beans or lentils into the broth. Unsweetened coconut milk or other suitable plant-based creams can also work, depending on the flavor and allergies.

What to serve with your soup

Whole-grain toast, a fresh salad, rice or flatbread can round out the meal. If you eat eggs, an easy veggie omelette works alongside soup; for a vegan side, try our vegan croquettes. For a thicker one-pot option, see our vegetarian chili tips, and for more pulse-based meals, our lentil and chickpea dinners.

Share your soup personality—and your favorite recipe!

Did you score mostly A, B, C, D, or E? Tell us your result in the comments, along with the vegetarian or vegan soup you make most often. You can also suggest a soup from your country or family tradition. Please share your own recipe rather than copying a recipe from somebody else’s website.

A pot of soup can be nostalgic, colorful, practical, or adventurous. Whichever result you got, the best soup is the one you enjoy making—and sharing.

When I first wrote this post I had just found an online tool that analyzed everything I ate in a day: calories, grams, fat, protein, carbs, sodium, cholesterol and fiber. It did all the math, compared my day with the suggested amounts and gave me a nutrition grade. I got a B+ that day and was pleased. The site I linked to in the original post no longer works, so here is what I would use now.

Do you need to count calories?

Not forever. Tracking for a few days is a useful experiment, especially when you are new to vegetarian eating and want to know whether you get enough protein, iron and other nutrients. Once you know your usual pattern, you can stop. If tracking makes you anxious about food, skip it and talk to a dietitian instead.

Which tools can you trust?

USDA FoodData Central is the U.S. government’s food composition database. You search for a food and open its page to see the calories, protein, fat, fiber and many vitamins and minerals. To find out how many calories and nutrients you are aiming for, the USDA’s DRI Calculator asks for your age, sex, height, weight and activity level and returns estimates. Many free food-diary apps are built on similar data, but their entries come from users, so check unusual numbers against FoodData Central.

Which nutrients should vegetarians watch?

Three get the most attention. The NIH says that the requirement for iron is 1.8 times higher for people who follow vegetarian diets, because iron from plants is absorbed less well. Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal foods, so vegans need fortified foods or a supplement, and vegetarians who eat few dairy products or eggs may too. Protein is the third, although it is easy to reach on a varied diet; see high-protein vegetarian meals for ideas, and vitamin deficiency and who is at risk for more on iron and B12.

How do you read your results?

Look at the pattern across several days instead of one meal. A grade like my B+ is only a rough guide. If your numbers are always low in one nutrient, look for foods that fix it, and if you feel tired or unwell, see your doctor instead of trying to solve it with an app.