These vegan and vegetarian foods at the Indiana State Fair could convince you to give up meat Gorge on burritos, smothered potato tots and pasta dinners and more

Liz Biro | IndyStar

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When I went to the Indiana State Fair to find the best vegan and vegetarian fair food, I intended to end the day of healthy eating with my favorite pork chop on a stick.

The problem was I had no room in my stomach for that pork chop.

I found so many satisfying meatless options at the fair, I no longer craved a chop. In fact, I left the fair thinking vegans and vegetarians were the lucky ones.

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Sure, they can have french fries, roasted corn and fried cheese (if they eat dairy), but I skipped the obvious choices to gorge on a surprising range of vegan and vegetarian food. Never once did I feel like I was being denied my guilty fair pleasures.

Black bean and spinach burrito

So much fresh spinach comes wrapped up in a thin spinach tortilla with black beans, rice, corn and cheese, although you could leave the cheese off and it would taste just as good. Pico de gallo and a zigzag squeeze of spicy sour cream go on top.

$9 at Tad’s Bodacious Burrito on Main Street across from Hoosier Lottery Grandstand

Dirty Hippie Tots

Far and away the winning vegetarian option at the Indiana State Fair, the tots were my pick for best overall dish of 2017. Deep-fried Brussels sprouts, jalapeno nacho cheese, green onions and hot sauce cover the tots. Leave off the cheese if you want to go vegan.

$7 for a half order, $11 for a full order at Red Frazier Bison food truck, on the back stretch across from Pioneer Village

Ya Ya’s Tomato Balls

Everything about pizza that tastes good ends up in these little deep-fried fritters that resemble hush puppies but are soft inside. Minced tomatoes and onions are blended with mint, garlic, parsley, Greek oregano, parmesan cheese and a little flour to hold it all together. They may remind you of pizza, but tomato balls come from Greece, hence the tzatziki served on the side. These were featured on the Cooking Channel Show “Carnival Eats” in 2014.

Buy six for $7 at Papageorge’s, on Indiana State Fair Road between the main gate and Main Street.

Deep-fried veggies

A few stands sell deep-fried vegetables, but the green and yellow trailer named Dr. Vegetable does them best. Delicate tempura-like batter coats a variety of vegetables including fried green tomatoes, all cooked in vegetable oil. Dr. Vegetable is on Indiana State Fair Road between the main gate and Main Street and on the back loop between the covered bridge and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Building.

The veggie combo with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini and onion rings costs $8.

Vegetable plate

The aroma of steak on the grill rises from the various stands advertising “sirloin tips,” but all of them hold the beef on vegetable plates. Mushrooms, onions and mashed potatoes are each cooked in their own skillets. Some places will load those veggies into a pita. Find the stands on Indiana State Fair Road near Hook’s Drug Store Museum, on Main Street south of Grand Hall and on the back loop between the covered bridge and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Building.

Prices range from $5 to $7.

Vegan popcorn

Popcorn Creations, on Main Street near the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, pops its plain popcorn in coconut oil, which gives the corn a buttery flavor without the butter. If you’re not vegan, go for the caramel coated in peanut butter and a little bit of chocolate.

Popcorn prices range from $5 to $8 a bag.

Vegan potato chips

Those ultra-thin, spiral cut, deep-fried potatoes are illegally delicious. I think King Taters does them best. King Taters stands are on Indiana State Fair Road near Indiana Arts Building, on the back stretch near State Fair Café and on Main Street near the swine barn.

Cooks fry them in soy oil and a big serving costs just $5.

Lots of pasta

Three big pasta shells come stuffed with ricotta cheese alongside an iceburg lettuce salad and garlic bread, or skip the cheese and get baked ziti. Meatless tomato sauce goes on both dinners, $10 each, at Spaghetti Eddie on the back stretch near Dow AgroSciences Celebration Park.

Follow IndyStar food writer Liz Biro on Twitter: @lizbiro, Instagram: @lizbiro, and on Facebook. Call her at 317-444-6264.