Looking for vegetarian recipes containing ingredients that provide iron? This selection points you to four complete recipes with lentils, white beans or chickpeas. The quantities and cooking steps are on the linked recipe pages. 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.
Ingredients and method: Lentil and spinach curry with 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.
Ingredients and method: White beans in tomato sauce
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.
Ingredients and method: Chickpea and spinach stew with passata
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.
Ingredients and method: Tahini lentil and vegetable skillet
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.
