Vegetarians and vegans:What would you like to see at a buffet?

[WallabyWay]

I'm helping to arrange a buffet. There will be a mixture of hot and cold food. What foods would you like to see at a buffet please?

(Vegans and vegetarians and others with special diets will be invited up first, but we'll make sure that there's plenty because people who eat meat can enjoy vegetarian/vegan options too.)

TIA

Not food item specific, but the vegetarian food on a different table to the non-vegetarian food. Allowing vegetarians to go first is fine, but once non-vegetarians have been at it, it is unlikely to still be suitable for vegetarians, so they can’t have second helpings.

I'm not vegi or vegan but have friends who are so I do cook vegan / vegi.

Some things I have done. Apologies if you already have a loads of recipes. And vegi / vegan people feel free to critique.

Filo parcels containing brie and a teaspoon of mango chutney.

Filo parcels with cream cheese and mushroom - cook the mushrooms before filling the parcels.

Soup - I'd do a vegan soup that anyone can have, Courgette and coriander has gone down well and if you make it in summer you can serve it chilled.

I make small quantities so work on about 1 courgette per person and I buy big bunches of coriander from an Indian shop. I then wrap in newspaper and put in the freezer.

Slice the courgettes and 'sweat' in a little oil for 10 mins, once the courgette is coloured add boiling water, a veg stock cube and crumble in the coriander. Cook for about 10 more mins. Serve in cups / mugs.

If you have a rice cooker that can keep rice warm then basmati rice, cashew nuts, a glass of orange juice and top up with water. Add seasonings of choice.

Adzuki bean burgers / balls.

One tin of adzuki beans (obviously more for a buffet) drain the beans and put half in a bowl - with the other half mash or blitz in a blender then put it in with the other half of the beans, season and roll in to balls or make into patties, they can be fried or oven baked.

Leave as they are or add a sauce, if you do small balls they can go in a pita bread with salad.

But this is the fault of the caterers who are too stupid to work out that onion bhajis or cheese sandwiches are normal foods eaten by most people, not special weirdy food only attractive to vegetarians.

Instead of telling people they're not allowed a vegetable samosa, how about making enough for everyone and perhaps dial back a little on 'processed pork five ways'.

Yasss. I'm not veggie anymore but used to love a buffet with fake meat options, particularly burgers.

Vegan sausage rolls
Hummus and crudites
Samosas
Spring rolls
Tofu quiche
Vegan pizza
Cherry tomatoes
Potato wedges
Garlic bread
Bean salad

I’m not a fan but I’d also do Falafel.

Vegan cupcakes and fruit salad.

Good dairy free - no fake cheese because it's disgusting - options for the milk allergy people.

@dinmin have you got a link to the salad thread please I'd love some more ideas!

Completely agree! I hate those vegetable burgers and fingers. Who wants sweetcorn, peas and carrot in a burger bun? Or they get served with a roast dinner so I have vegetables with vegetables! So many other options. A nice portobello mushroom and/or halloumi or a veggie burger please!

Noooo I love a real vegetable / bean burger and hate that they’re being replaced by all these fake meat ones :(

So odd, can’t find it now! I was sure if saved it too and it’s not coming up. Maybe someone else can find it… was in last few days, OP was asking for interesting salad ideas I think to take to an event of some sort. Loads of good ideas

Don't buy wimpy shop hummus. Make three varieties of punchy homemade hummus. And a baba ganoush.

I second this! Also chickpea tuna as a sandwich filling 😍

Ooo yes chickpea tuna. Or Coronation chickpea. Yummy!

OP if you use cheese please check it’s suitable for vegetarians Parmesan never is but vegetarian Parmesan is readily available I like Tesco’s Pecorino as an alternative.

DH is a vegetarian and he likes rice salad, coleslaw, hard boiled eggs cut in half, cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, olives, samosas, bhajis, Margherita pizza, carrot sticks, pepper sticks, cucumber sticks, humus, cheese and onion quiche, pringles, Quorn cocktail sausages, green leafy salad. And cake or cheesecake.

Some of the fake meats are too close to real, like the 'juicy' impossible burgers but some are lovely, lots of seitan fake chicken and pea protein.
A nice slim spicy bean burger is great too, but I've been on the receiving end of burgers where people clearly think vegetarians have no taste buds!

@dinmin I like a bean burger - it's the mashed potato and veg ones that never seem to fit in a meal.
As I also mentioned, mushroom or halloumi are good alternatives if you don't want a meat style burger.

Yep-this!^ as much as the meat eaters will moan there’s no meat, they’ll be sure to take all the vegan food.

That's because meat eaters eat things other than meat. There just needs to be enough.

Caterers need to switch their thinking from “normal buffet for 30 people, plus 5 vegetarians”

That way they only do enough veggie for 5 people, not taking into account in reality it will be eaten by 35 people.

i went to a family event recently and there was no vegetarian food at all. At least 3 close family members of the organiser are veggie 🤷‍♀️.

Tabbouleh salad
Roasted veg salad
Coleslaw
Potato salad
Flatbread and pitta
Houmous
Quiche
Tomato and onion salad
Leaves with a choice of dressings

Yum 😋 can I come please?

Oh I came across a sort of babba ganoush cheat.

Aubergine in the oven for 10 mins, then put in a sieve and allow to drain for 10 mins.

Cut the aubergine open and scrape out the flesh, mix the flesh with vegan mayo, and that's it.

Parmesan isn't vegetarian, it's made with animal rennet. This also makes pesto not suitable for veggies or vegans unless made with a different cheese (or "parmesan style" cheese).