The top 10 vegetarian ready-meals

How to avoid the mush

Vegetarians who are dead on their feet and in need of a quick fix supper don\'t have to resort to munching on a carrot. There\'s a good range of ready-meal options to choose from in their local supermarkets. But while some of the dishes on offer could pass muster if they were served up in your local restaurant, others are just unidentifiable mush, swimming in overly creamy sauces and saturated with salt. For some of the tastiest choices on the market click through our gallery of the top ten quick vegetarian meals around

By Catherine Moore

Tesco Healthy Living Vegetable Curry

A really well put together curry, in a spicy but not too fiery masala sauce which allows the taste of the peppers, potato and cauliflower (the main ingredients) to break through. There\'s rice to give the dish some extra body, and the vegetables retain their texture in this dish which doesn\'t fall into the trap of drowning the ingredients in a gloopy sauce.

Tesco Healthy Living Vegetable Curry, £2 www.tesco.com

Waitrose Roast Vegetable Risotto

A real winner with a creamy taste but a light touch. Roasted courgettes, onions, aubergine and peppers give this risotto its bite; and it is easy to identify the taste of each vegetable - some ready risottos really do come out as just a big mysterious sloppy mess. If this was served up as a pub lunch you\'d have thought it was whipped up on the premises.

Waitrose Roast Vegetable Risotto, £2.49, www.waitrose.com

Asda Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Korma

It always bodes well to be able to actually see the contents of your ready meal before you buy, so the clear packaging on this dish is a great idea. Pilau rice comes in a separate compartment and has a fresh, light taste. The sweet potato and red pepper are joined by cauliflower and spinach in a creamy coconut sauce; and the tang of the spinach in particular makes this dish stand out from the crowd.

Asda Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Korma, £1.58, www.asda.co.uk

Waitrose Deliciously Different Roasted Beetroot and Butternut Squash Warm Salad

What an absolute treat! This dish looks appealing through the window in the packaging and easily lives up to its promise. The beetroot is perfectly crunchy and matches the sweetness of the squash so nicely. Peppery rocket provides a fabulous contrast and sunflower seeds and feta cheese give delightful changes in texture. It feels clean and light to eat and despite containing just 322 calories, fills you up nicely.

Waitrose Deliciously Different Roasted Beetroot and Butternut Squash Warm Salad, £3.99, www.waitrose.com

Quorn Toad in the Hole

If you want to whip up a speedy something for the family, this toad in the hole is a great choice. The five sausages in light and crispy batter (light and crispy) will give three or four people a quick light meal wnen combined with a vegetable side dish. You do have to cook this one in the oven, not the microwave, which won\'t suit everyone, but it only takes 20 minutes.

Quorn Toad in the Hole, £2.69, available from www.ocado.com

Tesco Finest Stuffed Mushrooms

These stuffed mushrooms are a real find. Stuffed with creamy spinach and cheese and topped off with a crispy herb crumb, they make a perfect starter, and you could just about trick dinner guests into thinking they were all your own work. Alternatively, try them as a main with something like the Tesco Finest Cauliflower Cheese (£1.72 for 300g), which has to be one of the best around (the cauliflower really retains its bite and flavour).

Tesco Finest Stuffed Mushrooms, £2.99, www.tesco.com

Sainsbury\'s Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta

Fresh and crisp-looking in the clear packet, this free range egg penne pasta comes with a wonderfully tangy tomato sauce as a base that makes it taste just about home made. The addition of extra vegetables in the form of chargrilled yellow and red peppers, cherry tomatoes and baby leaf spinach, together with a sprinkling of Regata cheese make it a perfect quick, light lunch.

Sainsbury\'s Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta, £2.9, www.sainsburys.co.uk

Sainsbury\'s Root Vegetable Bake

A great alternative to the Italian recipes which dominate most vegetarian ranges, this is a filling, warming dish that makes a meal in itself, though it\'s sold primarily as an accompaniment to serve two. The carrots, parsnips and swede are crisp and sweet and are served in a creamy spinach and white wine sauce, topped off with a crunchy breadcrumb topping - a very satisfying combination.

Sainsbury\'s Root Vegetable Bake, £2.49, www.sainsburys.co.uk

Waitrose Vegetable Curry

With a firm, medium hot kick to it, this is a great vegetable curry which could easily pass for having been delivered by your local curry house. A varied mix of clearly identifiable vegetables including courgettes, cauliflower, mushrooms and potatoes are served in a creamy tomato sauce, making this perfectly fine as a substantial dish on its own, if you haven\'t got the time to cook rice to go with it.

Waitrose Vegetable Curry, £2.49, www.waitrose.com

Marks and Spencer Butternut Squash and Goats Cheese Lasagne

Everyone seems to include some kind of veggie lasagne in their range of ready meals but this one really stands out because of the sharp flavour of the goats cheese contrasted with the delicate sweetness of the squash. The actual lasagne emerges with a good texture - there is a danger that a pre-cooked lasagne can end up somewhat slimy. It serves two people and would make an ideal supper with a side serving of green salad.

Marks and Spencer Butternut Squash and Goats Cheese Lasagne, £3.99, www.marksandspencer.com

More on allaboutyou.com...

Our celebrity chef interviews

Our country walks