Vegetarians and vegans: What would you like to be served at a wedding?

[VegetarianWedding]

I'm helping to plan a wedding for a friend.

She's going to offer a vegetarian and a vegan option. Two separate meals so that the vegetarians can have dairy and/or egg.

What sort of dishes would you like?

TIA

@Twoshoesnewshoes I'll go to the same wedding as you, that sounds delicious

Also, thank you for being so considerate to your vegetarian and vegan guests ❤️
It's nice not to feel a nuisance!

Thanks all. This is incredibly helpful. I appreciate all of the great ideas.

Ooh that sounds gorgeous!!

I think from the op they are keen for vegetarians to not be forced to have the same as vegans, which is really thoughtful. I had a vegan wedding meal a few years ago which was a mountainous pile of puy lentils soaked in garlic oil, no vegetables like the chap next to me had, no accompaniment, nowt. That was it. I am veggie. It was such a shite offering I am surprised the venue thought it was acceptable.

Op, I'd love something with protein, vegetables and preferably a crust!

A filo pastry parcel with spinach, ricotta and pine nuts. Accompanied with beautifully cooked vegetables.

(Not quiche, tart, curry or pretend meat)

Some sort of caramel and cream desert not fruit.

This sounds delicious

Artichoke vinaigrette to start, then Tabbuleh, Fattoush, vine leaves etc.. a lovely chocolate/fruit desert.

😋 delicious...

Time for a vote on whatsapp?
I would always choose quiche!

Nothing spicy as some people, like me, hate spice. And nothing with mushrooms. And definitely not what was served at one wedding. A bowl of beetroot. Nothing else. Just beetroot. Or at another wedding that had ordered one vegan burger and someone ate it before our table was called up to the buffet so only a bread bun and nothing else.

I think for me the key things are:

A balance of protein and carbs, with some vegetables - I have really frequently either had no carbs or no protein

A variety across the courses - I have frequently had, for example, a mushroom heavy starter and then mushrooms again for the main

Butternut squash ravioli, mushroom risotto or I actually do love a squash and goats cheese tart even though it's done to death for veggies.

A balance of protein and carbs, with some vegetables - I have really frequently either had no carbs or no protein
I went to a wedding and the risotto was a plate of just rice with about a dessertspoon of veg on top.

A variety across the courses - I have frequently had, for example, a mushroom heavy starter and then mushrooms again for the main
Had that at a Christmas party. At a different Christmas party it was a goat's cheese starter followed by a goats cheese main.

Roast potatoes, roasted carrots, roasted parsnips, cauliflower with vegan cheese and veggie gravy.

Not all vegetarians like the stereotypical tomato, butternut squash, spinach and goats’ cheese.

Ooh, yes please.

Personally I would be happy with a huge plate of Greggs vegan sausage rolls 😂

On a serious note I second whoever said that it doesn’t need to be healthy. Us vegans enjoy junk food just as much as anyone else.

That sounds like my kind of wedding!

My main advice would be to make sure it's actually filling! Like others, I have been given just vegetables/ salad followed by fruit before - it's a long day to get by on that!

At my wedding I had twice baked cheese soufflés with all the roast potatoes/veg from the meat eaters chicken meal.

Recently went to a French wedding with lovely roasted veg plus a massive gratin dauphinoise.

I would be grateful for a veggie but not vegan option and for no fake meat. Personally I love goats cheese and beetroot. I like that someone said veggie shepherds pie that’s what we had at our wedding ❤️

It was such a shite offering I am surprised the venue thought it was acceptable.

Absolutely this with knobs on. Do the venue chefs have no professional pride - or are they all KPs/commis brought in 'on the cheap' for the day (poor buggers) while people like the OP's bride friend&groom friends/relatives shell out £££thousands? It's extraordinary.

Anyway, sorry to derail.

Thank you again, OP. I like all the pie ideas.

It is super thoughtful of you to have different options for the vegetarians and vegans. I would stay away from aranchini, goat’s cheese and mushrooms. Invariably at every British wedding I’ve been to, one (or all three) make an appearance. I would also stay away from any pastry dish because again, while they’re nice they are always present.

If I’m honest, the best wedding food I’ve had was some lovely paneer at an Asian wedding. If you’re going to stay away from spice maybe start with a Burrata, with Stuffed courgette flowers as a main. I second Eton Mess.

For vegans maybe pumpkin gnocchi or a smoked miso aubergine?

I don't like pastry - a lot of fat/bland and claggy refined carbs and I don't like the taste or texture - so I always avoid pies (not easy, if a vegetarian). But I know I'm in a minority.

I'm fed,fed,fed up with sweet potato being offered. It's got a very particular texture and is SWEET ffs. Would meat-eaters like sweet mush as their main course...? Thought not ...

So many other sweet things seem to be offered as vegetarian options - eg caramelised onions, beetroot and even (in a posh Scottish hotel recently) a burger involving sweet potato AND apricots. Horrors.

I do like mushrooms, but perhaps I'm in a minority. Again, perhaps I'm in a minority, but I really like VEGETABLES. So the more of them cooked in inventive ways, the better.

The suggestion of pasta or gnocci is a good one. Difficult to do some pasta dishes for a crowd, but others - with sauce added at last minute or incorporated (eg lasagne) - should be doable.

If I were catering, I'd try to cook these sort of things:

pommes dauphinoise with a very crisp and plentiful green salad - and, perhaps, skewers of well-done barbecued mediteranean veg

leek/courgette/feta/fresh herbs (lots) frittata

blue cheese and artichoke hearts pasta

mini sweetcorn, strong cheddar and red pepper/chilli fritters

mini onion bhajis (made with gram flour) and chutney

mushroom and sour cream green (spinach) gnocchi, again with fresh herbs

very nice green salad - watercress, little gem, micro herbs etc etc

fried halloumi and barely-cooked french beans with vinaigrette and herb/shallot/olive oil dressing - plus warm little new potatoes

any of the following: felafel (warm), avocado dip, potato salad (incl celery, green apple, spring onions, gherkins, mayo), avocado dip - plus really nice bread eg rosemary focaccia - plus olives, carrot sticks, celery sticks, green apple slices, posh cherry tomatoes etc etc

a really nice - parmesan, emmenthal, dijon mustard, cream - cauliflower and broccoli cheese (browned on top) with warm granary bread and either sliced tomatoes and herbs - basil!- or a range of chutneys/pickles for those that like them

Nothing with mushrooms or goats cheese 🤮