Bean and Legume

A bowl of these refreshing noodles—a riff on a Japanese classic that gets topped with silky tofu—is clean and light, yet still hearty enough to make a satisfying meal.

Terry Conlan, of Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas, stuffs a salad between slices of bread.

The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted with permission from Gameday Gourmet by Pableaux Johnson. Fred Thompson, the kitchen wizard behind this project, wanted to make sure to include a recipe for all the bean-loving chili fans out there. His time-tested recipe has seen its fair share of Tar Heel games and Appalachian State University parking lots.

For a substantial vegetarian spin on köfte(a kind of Middle Eastern meatball), we beefed up grated zucchini with fresh herbs and mashed chickpeas. The accompanying pilaf, which uses both beets and their greens, is brilliantly colored and gets a joyous crunch from slivered almonds.

Nuggets of sausage give a little meatball action to this hearty, no-fuss soup chock-full of healthy escarole and lentils.

Puttanesca is usually a pasta sauce, but here the addition of beans to the spicy blend of tomatoes, basil, and olives turns it into a versatile, satisfying side dish.

In this side dish, the veggies are cooked until just tender to retain their fresh-from-the-market flavor. For a delicious finishing touch, a handful of sliced basil is stirred in right before serving.

Yes, fish can be autumnal, too. Fresh wild mushrooms and fennel pollen are the key ingredients in this elegant dish.

This satisfying vegetarian combo—a black-eyed-pea salad with tomatoes; orzo tossed with olives, red onion, and cucumber; and salty crumbles of feta cheese—sings of the Aegean sun.

Honest isn't a word that comes up much when side dishes are being discussed, but that's exactly how these smashed potatoes and peas strike us. Serve them alongside the cornflake fried chicken for a southern-inspired supper for one.

Chunks of chorizo balance the sweetness of spring onions, beans, and peas. A Sherry vinaigrette lends a slight Iberian edge.

The stems of Swiss chard get short shrift way too often; when they're beautiful rainbow chard, they deserve a dish all their own. Blanched to remove toughness, then grilled—yes, we like our chard charred—their earthiness is a natural complement to meaty fava beans.

Of course, you can always take a simple store-bought rotisserie chicken to a picnic, but this Indian spin is way more fun. We love the chickpea layer so much that we make it even when there's no picnic planned.

Summery and light, this vivid salad and its tangy dressing help balance the tuna and its rich glaze. Salting the zucchini slices takes the edge off their rawness while preserving their pleasant snap.

You can practically live on this salad in sultry weather. It tastes bright and fresh and is satisfying without being heavy.

Most veggie burgers must have self-esteem issues, since they're always pretending to be something they're not. But these bulgur burgers don't try to hide their meatless nature and instead celebrate their grain-centric origins with wonderful texture and a hint of Middle Eastern spice.

Indian flavorings give this vegetarian main some extra pizzazz.