Looking for vegetarian recipes containing ingredients that provide iron? This selection brings together four complete recipes with lentils, white beans or chickpeas. All quantities and cooking steps are included below. You do not need to be in a particular cycle phase to make them.
Which meal fits your day?
| Meal | Everyday use | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Lentil and spinach curry with quinoa | A warm meal for one | Weigh the lentils and quinoa dry |
| White beans in tomato sauce | Two one-pot portions | Use drained weight; choose a suitable replacement for optional Parmesan |
| Chickpea and spinach stew | Cook with canned chickpeas | Drain and rinse the chickpeas |
| Tahini lentil and vegetable skillet | A warm skillet with sesame dressing | Tahini contains sesame; check packaging |
1. Lentil and spinach curry with quinoa
Red lentils form the base, with spinach added towards the end. Cook the quinoa alongside the curry. The quantities make one serving; multiply them if you are meal prepping. Add lemon juice to taste at the end.
Lentil and spinach curry with quinoa
Ingredients
- 70 g red lentils
- 50 g quinoa
- 100 g fresh spinach
- 100 ml coconut milk
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- 1Cook the quinoa in water according to the packet instructions, about 12–15 minutes.
- 2Finely dice the onion and garlic and sauté in the olive oil.
- 3Add the red lentils, curry powder, turmeric and cumin and toast briefly until fragrant.
- 4Add the coconut milk and 150 ml water. Simmer for about 12 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- 5Stir in the fresh spinach and let it wilt.
- 6Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice and serve with the quinoa.
2. White beans in tomato sauce
A practical option when you want minimal preparation. The beans cook with tomatoes and spinach. Use the drained weight, not the total weight of the can. For a vegetarian version, leave out the optional Parmesan or choose a cheese made with microbial rennet. For a vegan version, also leave out or replace the honey.
White beans in tomato sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
- 100 ml vegetable stock
- 2 cans cannellini beans, each 240 g drained weight
- 1 tsp honey
- 100 g baby spinach
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ bunch parsley
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 30 g Parmesan, optional
Instructions
- 1Dice the onion, slice the garlic and finely chop the rosemary leaves. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, rosemary and chilli flakes and cook for another minute.
- 2Cook the tomato purée for a minute, then add the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.
- 3Rinse and drain the beans and add them with the honey. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Mash a few beans against the side of the pan with a spoon to thicken it further.
- 4Stir in the spinach until wilted. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and scatter over the chopped parsley. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.
3. Chickpea and spinach stew
Ready-cooked chickpeas from a can or jar keep preparation short. Dried chickpeas cannot be substituted without additional soaking and cooking. Bread is one possible accompaniment; choose an amount that suits your appetite.
Chickpea and spinach stew
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas (240 g drained weight)
- 200 g fresh spinach
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 400 ml passata
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté in the olive oil until translucent.
- 2Toast the cumin briefly until fragrant.
- 3Add the passata and drained chickpeas and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 4Fold in the spinach and let it wilt. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Tahini lentil and vegetable skillet
Tahini is sesame paste. Mixed with liquid, it makes a creamy sauce. Stir it thoroughly in the jar before use. Choose a different recipe if you have a sesame allergy. This recipe needs cooked lentils, so check that before you start.
Tahini lentil and vegetable skillet
Ingredients
- 50 g tahini
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 yellow pepper
- 200 g green beans
- 1 courgette
- 100 g kale
- 250 g cooked lentils
- 50 ml water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
Instructions
- 1For the dressing, mix the tahini with the lemon zest, lemon juice and cold water. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- 2Heat the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chopped red onion with a pinch of salt for about 2 minutes.
- 3Add the crushed garlic, sliced pepper, green beans and sliced courgette. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes.
- 4Stir in the shredded kale and cooked lentils.
- 5Pour over the tahini dressing and keep stirring for a few minutes until the kale has wilted and everything is coated in the creamy dressing.
Iron values: what the numbers mean
The following reference values come from Table 2 of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements iron fact sheet, accessed for the German source article on 13 September 2026. They apply to the stated portions of individual foods, not to a serving of the recipes above.
| Food in the source | Reference portion | Iron |
|---|---|---|
| Lentils, boiled and drained | ½ US cup | 3 mg |
| Spinach, boiled and drained | ½ US cup | 3 mg |
| Chickpeas, boiled and drained | ½ US cup | 2 mg |
| White beans, canned | 1 US cup | 8 mg |
We retain the source’s volume measures. Without a food-specific weight, these cannot reliably be converted to a value per 100 g. Variety, product and preparation affect the values. Raw and cooked ingredients are not interchangeable; water changes their weight.
Iron content is also different from the amount your body absorbs. Vitamin C can support absorption of plant-based iron, while other components of a meal can affect it. This does not guarantee a particular iron status. This context also comes from the linked NIH fact sheet.
Planning your shopping
Start with two meals and add up the quantities of shared ingredients. Spinach, onions and lemon can be used in several recipes. For cans and jars, compare the drained weight with the amount the recipe needs. For more meals during the week, explore the menstrual-phase recipes and breakfast ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Do all four meals provide a specific minimum amount of iron?
We do not have a verified iron calculation for the complete meals here. The table gives sourced ingredient values. It is not a nutrition analysis of the recipes or a promise that they meet your individual requirements.
Can these recipes treat iron deficiency?
A recipe collection cannot replace diagnosis or treatment. If iron deficiency is confirmed or suspected, seek individual medical advice. Do not take iron supplements on the basis of a recipe list.
Why are there no new calorie or protein calculations?
We do not add estimated totals without a traceable calculation. We have not reproduced unverified nutrition totals for these recipes; ingredient substitutions and different serving sizes would change them.
Do I have to eat these meals during my period?
No. They are vegetarian meal ideas for everyday life. To explore recipes by cycle phase, read about the recipes and cycle-tracking features on the Bauchgefühl app information page.
