Vegetarians - your favourite dinner party main?

I'm having a few friends over for a dinner party where I'm finally cooking that elusive creature - a Turducken! But one of our friends is vegetarian (who doesn't mind that we're eating 4 animals at once). I want to cook her a lovely meal too. What are your favourite special occasion mains? I'm thinking the kind of thing you would serve at Christmas/Thanksgiving.

Replies

unknown

I would make a badass lasagna. It's something everyone can enjoy too.

My personal recipe includes:
oven-ready lasagna pasta
four cheese tomato sauce by classico
fresh basil leaves
cherry tomatoes
garlic
an egg
ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese
olive oil

my method;
mix cheeses and egg with salt and pepper in a large bowl
on stovetop sautee cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, and a splash of lemon juice until tomatoes start to blister/burst
start layering the lasagna
plain pasta sauce
pasta sheets
small dabs of cheese mixture to evenly coat
cherry tomato mixture
tomato sauce
pasta sheet
etc. until you reach the top. I bake it for like an hour covered and then add parmesan about 10 minutes and remove the foil for browning.

Some other ideas might be; stuffed peppers, warm and hearty veggie soup, a huge Caesar salad, Flatbread with peppers/cheese, Alfredo pasta, pasta salad, finger sandwiches (assortment like egg salad, pb&j, cucumber, etc.).

If you're down with mexican which may be strange accompaniment: Spinach enchiladas, spanish rice and beans, tortilla soup.

unknown

oh, I like the lasagne idea! And the stuffed peppers... cut into pieces, they could be a side for the meat eaters too... I'm doing other sides, like a broccoli bake with parmesan, and garlic and rosemary smashed potatos.

unknown

Some of my favorites.... spanakopita, gnocchi with gorganola sauce, or a lasagna like suggested but with a bechamel sauce and spring veggies.

unknown

Veggie balls from Wells Vegetarian Thanksgiving (or anything from there, for that matter). They're basically lentil balls and are delicious. This is something I make for thanksgiving/christmas. It's not the least time consuming dish I make, but I really love them. They also smell a lot like stuffing when you're making them.

skinnytaste.com has a really good zucchini enchilada recipe that I sometimes make as a casserole (which makes it a bit easier to assemble)

Falafel (which is by far easier than you think and you can bake it, which makes it take less time than frying)

You could do a pad thai without the chicken (maybe tofu instead?). There's a restaurant near me that makes a killer zucchini noodle pad thai, but there's no reason you can't serve regular rice noodles.

As a vegetarian, I'm generally not picky and am often satisfied with substantial "sides" rather than a real main course especially since I know it's my choice. Others don't always feel that way.

unknown

I'm generally not picky and am often satisfied with substantial "sides" rather than a real main course especially since I know it's my choice. Others don't always feel that way.

I am this way as well. Generally i'll eat something before i go out because i'm used to not being accommodated and i don't like to be a burden. I'm also perfectly happy eating sides/desserts.

I actually feel awkward when someone goes out of there way to make something for me ONLY. Like "Oh, Rainbowbow, I made this especially for you!"

unknown

rainbowbow wrote: »

I'm generally not picky and am often satisfied with substantial "sides" rather than a real main course especially since I know it's my choice. Others don't always feel that way.

I am this way as well. Generally i'll eat something before i go out because i'm used to not being accommodated and i don't like to be a burden. I'm also perfectly happy eating sides/desserts.

I actually feel awkward when someone goes out of there way to make something for me ONLY. Like "Oh, Rainbowbow, I made this especially for you!"

I get how it could get awkward. With this group however, I'm the feeder and the vego has made clear she's looking forward to the promised feast

I offered to make her a Tofurkey, but she wasn't keen....

unknown

Eggplant Parmesan, Pasta Salad loaded with veggies, Homemade Spinach and cheese stuffed shells ( you could do Alfredo or tomato sauce), Perogies, Stir Fry, Loaded Baked Potato, Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, Mac and Cheese Casserole... Mmmmm now I'm hungry.

unknown

Because you said x-mas/thanksgiving: my mom always roasted little hens with rosemary and served with wild rice, roasted Brussels sprouts, and this amazing orange-and-raisin sauce. I recreated this for my fiancé and his family and they were wowed. I accommodated my vegetarian self by pressing very well some tofu, then rubbing with the same Rosemary, olive oil, s&p as I used on the other folks' holiday chicken. I pan seared my tofu while the fiancé carved their bird, timing worked out great for everyone to eat at the same time and share perfectly appropriate sides. Highly recommended making a raisin-studded orange beurre blanc

foodie cred awaits!

unknown

Coconut Rice & Roasted Butternut or Eggplant baked in tomato base covered with mozzarella

unknown

I am literally addicted to kale and button mushroom curry with cauliflower rice. You can serve it with vegetable spring rolls and naan bread if she is not calorie counting as well.

unknown

OH yes! Almost anything of Indian cuisine. TONS of it is vegetarian and delicious.

unknown

Mushroom Wellington is a great 'special occasion' veggie option. http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12804/melty-mushroom-wellingtons

The bonus is that it will go great with the other side dishes you are already making.

unknown

This is my family's favorite and I also have made it for dinner parties. Don't skimp on the cheese! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/baked-penne-with-roasted-vegetables-recipe.html

unknown

You can also roast double the vegetables and cut down on the pasta.

unknown

Enchiladas and there are so many variations, it is hard to mess it up.
black beans, spinach, and cheese
Mushroom, onion, pepper, cheese
Black bean, sweet potato, cheese
plain cheese...

unknown

Oh, vegetarian enchiladas! These are the best http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/03/cheesy-zucchini-enchiladas.html?m=1

unknown

Oh yeah zuchinni! You could do butternut squash filling.
Make or buy the sauce...trader joes has some good ones and you can go green or red or half and half for christmas enchiladas!

unknown

- Mushrooms are REALLY satisfying to vegetarians- especially big meaty ones like portobellos. You could do a 'stuffed' mushrooms with garlicky ricotta (if they eat dairy).
- Tempeh in gravy would be nice over a root veggie mash.
- You could do a chickenless pot pie (with veggie shortening and stock) filled with yummy veggies including green peas (protein!)
- shepherd's pie with crumbled tempeh and crispy shallots
-If you are making stuffing for the others, maybe you could make a portion of it with veggie stock instead of chicken.
- Some inventive and beautiful salads- like farro with kale and avocado, or orzo with artichoke, olives and feta
- corn casserole... lots of options!

I second the above vegetarians who would rather eat from the communal side dishes than have a separate dish made specially for me alone.

unknown

Does she eat fish? A lot of vegetarians do. If so, sole or haddock is always one of my favorites and pretty easy to prepare.

There are always the 'meat analogs' to fall back on- those processed products by Morningstar, Quorn, etc. that look like meat but aren't.

And, of course, any kind of pasta.

If you want something homemade, however, I'm with the vegetarian lasagna idea. You'll probably have the meat eaters drooling over it too.