Tasty vegetarian main....help!

[Fuckitydoodah]

I've got friends coming over at the weekend and want to cook something delicious. It needs to be vegetarian.

I really need some inspiration. Please share your delicious vegetarian recipes.

Thanks

I like aubergine parmigiana - you can buy vegetarian parmesan. Nice interesting side salads and maybe some bread/garlic bread.

Wild mushroom risotto with parmesan & thyme?

Wholemeal pasta with a rich tomato, garlic & black olive sauce?

Cajun bean soup with chunky wholemeal bread?

Are you on TikTok? That’s where I get lots of showstopper food inspo…

I like ratatouille, with extras in it.

Aubergine, tomatoes, courgettes, mushrooms, peppers, (and onions & garlic if everyone can eat them), seasoning; plus herbs, jalapenos, and black olives.

Dish up with pasta or rice, with a green salad or green beans, mandolined cheese, and bread of some sort.

You don't need to go all Ottolenghi on it if you're new to it.

Roast Carrot and Feta Strudel is a good one, it was originally a Simon Rimmer recipe I think, but I've made it so often I just wing it now...

Mexican food is great for a dinner party. So many veggie options and it's generally quite easy to cook.

The one I always recommend is also a Simon Rimmer recipe originally, though I can't find the original online anymore. It's butternut and leek cannelloni, looks good, tastes great. This is the same recipe:
https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/leek-and-butternut-squash-canneloni/1258977

Vegetarian chilli
Vegetable lasagne
Arrabiata pasta
Ratatouille
Halloumi in a wrap with garlic fries
Salt and pepper tofu

Or a lovely mix of vegetarian Indian dishes?

This is delicious and really easy, especially if you use fresh lasagne sheets.
https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegetarian/butternut-squash-spinach-and-mascarpone-lasagne/

Agree a vegetarian curry (possibly with paneer) would be a great option

Spanakopita

Tartiflette but with mixed mushrooms in place of bacon

Shallot tarte tatin https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/shallot-tatin with soft goats cheese added last minute

Roasted vegetables lasagna. It's delicious and actually better than the meat version IMO.

I usually use peppers, large mushrooms and courgettes (but you could add/remove whatever you like). Everything slices in length about 0.5 cm thick, grilled in the oven with olive oil/salt/herbs.
Then layered with homemade bechamel and pasta sheets.

This looks quite delicious

www.foodandwine.com/vegetarian-cassoulet-8603660

I'd maybe make a veggie lasagne, who doesn't like lasagne?! This is a nice recipe and pretty simple: www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/best_vegetable_lasagne_50381/amp

Orrrr a big pot of chilli? You could make guacamole and salsa too, and serve it with tortilla chips and sour cream, and rice.

Or this curry is absolutely delicious, really tasty sauce (I never seem to be able to do a home made curry which is actually tasty, but this recipe is brilliant): www.thecuriouschickpea.com/vegan-malai-kofta-indian-dumplings-in-curry-tomato-cream-sauce/
I actually don't make the dumplings as I find that's too much work by the time I've made the sauce too. I just fry some paneer and chuck that in and it's delicious!!!

I spotted this recipe on the Guardian website today and thought it looked delicious and spring-like - planning to try it with visitors at the weekend: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/apr/15/rachel-roddy-spring-vegetable-stew-recipe-scafata

Or did you want something fancier?

I made a lovely dish the other day. It was goats cheese and spinach rigatoni. I just found it in the box the pasta came in - Napolina I think?

I always recommend this. It's vegan, as it happens. Tastes great, not too difficult or time-consuming, looks beautiful. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/09/meera-sodha-recipe-tomato-pistachio-saffron-tart-vegan

Enchiladas !

Porcini risotto with roasted tomatoes and a balsamic reduction served with homemade focaccia. Really simple, risotto is gf and could be vegan if needed (I use dairy hard Italian cheese, obviously choose a vegetarian one.

This is lovely

I made this Nigel Slater recipe this evening:

Wild Garlic Cheese Pudding

I couldn't find any wild garlic, so I used a mixture of leeks and spring onions, and a couple of cloves of garlic, finely chopped.

It was really lovely.

I like to make arancini.

Rissotto is a pain for guests as it needs constant stiring also for me at bit more of a weekday dinner also simple pasta dishes. The thing about vegetarian food is it requires a bit more work and imagination than meat dishes. I'd suggest tartiflette as above or a selection of vegi curries and breads. Meze is nice and can be mainly vegetarian, tagine if well cooked goes down well. Don't be afraid of using pulsles.

Ratatouille with tagliatelle pasta
Spinach and ricotta lasagne
Veg stir fry with egg noodles
Quinoa, onion, kidney beans and lentils to form a veg burger with rocket, tomato and salsa in a toasted bun

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/baked-ratatouille-goats-cheese

This goats cheese ratatouille is lovely and looks great on the table. Serve with fresh bread and a green salad.