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

MerryChristmasToYou I literally came onto say don't make mushroom risotto or beetroot and goats cheese! 😂 If I have to see another bloody mushroom risotto I will scream!

Likewise. It used to be cheese and spinach cannelloni and now it is mushroom risotto, rarely cooked well, or something with goats cheese. Disgusting stuff. Smells like sweaty goaty socks.

@zaxxon, no but it sounds like an unusual combination. I found this so if it's good enough for Nigella ...
Peanut Butter Hummus | Nigella's Recipes | Nigella Lawson

edited to avoid long link

@YetAnotherSpartacus , cauliflower seems to be getting popular.
A local restaurant has the following:
Starters:
Goat's cheese salad - With mixed salad leaves, roasted peppers, pumpkin
seeds.
Breaded cauliflower - Smoked paprika battered cauliflower served with chipotle mayo.
Mains:
Grilled cauliflower - In smoked paprika & lemon crust (just after a cauliflower starter?)

Rainbow plant life's Red Lentil curry.
I hate lentils but this is delish! I make it half lentils, half grated sweet potatoes. Add spinach and leaf coriander just before serving.
It's vegan and my carnivorous DH Loves it.

Red Lentil Curry - Rainbow Plant Life

Looks delicious. You could try different pulses instead of the red lentils but the sweet potatoes sound like a good addition.

I was going to say this, such a crowd pleaser and you can do all the sides ahead of time – baked potatoes, nachos (or microwave some rice packets!), guacamole, salsa, sour cream, jalapeños, a mountain of sharp cheddar cheese. The aubergine melts undetected into it, if anyone objects to aubergine. It just adds a really rich, smoky depth.

Someone else suggested the Dishoom black dal, which we’ve actually got tonight! I’ve made this ahead of time before and kept it warm in the slow cooker.

Anna Jones is an amazing source of veggie recipes.

In my carnivorous house, her lemon and cardamon dal and saag aloo shepherd's pie are staples.

Saag aloo 'shepherd's' pie recipe - BBC Food

We love these at the moment. We used chopped halloumi with veg and it works wonderfully- my non veggie husband loves it too.

Delian’s veggie Moussaka as already recommended, it’s lovely

Anna Jones chard, lentil and bay gratin is delicious and feels indulgent enough to be a special meal. I alter the recipe according to what I have as chard isn’t always available in sufficient quantities and sometimes use breadcrumbs in with the cheese for a crunchier gratin. It’s autumnal but that feels about right for this week’s rainy, chilly weather!

https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/25/the-modern-cooks-year-book-extract-anna-jones-seasonal-food

We had a spicy peanut stew tonight, based on the first recipe here.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jul/24/budget-peanut-butter-cheap-recipes-shivi-ramoutar-west-african-stew-peanut-butter-cups

I used a tin of black-eyed beans instead of chickpeas, added some chunks of carrot and a couple of chillis and considerably more spinach than the amount in the recipe. You could use greens, chard, cabbage or any sort of green leafy vegetable instead of spinach, I suppose, but I like the texture of spinach in things like this. We had it with plain basmati rice. Turned out very well. The mix of colours, flavours and textures is very attractive.