What to cook for a group of 10 when you’re not a great cook?!

[TheChosenTwo]

Got a bunch of girls coming round Saturday night, usually I will order a takeaway but decided I might cook this time - I do a good pulled pork but there are a couple of vegetarians (no other dietary requirements).
So pulled pork, spicy wedges, I’ll make a coleslaw, get some buns… but what about the veggies? Is there an alternative that can also be provided that matches the theme?
or do I scrap the idea and make something else entirely?
The pulled pork is easy because I marinade it overnight and then it goes in the oven for 8-10 hours and looks after itself.
When I say I’m not a good cook, I’m not bad but I never do it as dh does the majority of cooking for us, he loves it and I don’t. I can follow a recipe fine, I guess I’m just not an instinctive cook.
Any other ideas or thoughts?

And what business does bloody AI have suggesting thread titles ffs? Piss off!!!

I’ve seen jackfruit in a ‘pulled’ recipe. Can you use the same spices/marinade. Or, if your husbands a great cook, get him to prepare it all and you relax. He can disappear when they turn up.

I would avoid making two separate meals and perhaps cook something veggie, or something whereby leaving out the meat still gives a full meal. Trying to make something that’s the pork replacement/alternative will be a faff.

Personally I’d do a pasta dish where I could make up the sauce in advance then cook the pasta and add the sauce at the time. Or if you want something that can slowly cook itself, a veggie curry or bean chilli. Lots of nice easy sides you can do that go with them (naan, poppadom and rice or rice, tortillas, soured cream, cheese).

Or, swap your pork for chicken and do it more Greek style, then you can fry off some halloumi for the veggies to have instead of the chicken. Serve with flatbreads, tzatziki, pickled red onions, fries

Jackfruit is a good vegan alternative for pulled pork

Pulled pork and marinated halloumi for the veggies.

I've had the pulled jackfruit thing and it's not great.

Seeing a few recommendations for serving halloumi, is it not just a bit… boring? Isnt halloumi in a roll just all a bit… I don’t know, kind of chewy and gummy? and does it go with coleslaw?
I do appreciate the suggestions though!
Dh isn’t around otherwise he’d happily have cooked for us and buggered off 😂

Other issue is that I’m in and out doing other things during the day so don’t have an enormous amount of time, will have an hour or so here and there but not loads which is why the pork was perfect because it just takes care of itself and I wouldn’t need to be cooking anything when everyone is here, just literally serve up and go.
Bloody veggies (not really, I love my friends!!)!

Try those large mushrooms

I’d do a veggie chilli In the slow cooker, pork for the meat eaters, then crusty bread, potatoe wedges and coleslaw I think that all sounds great.

Like the portobello mushrooms? Or something else? And marinade and slow cook? Interesting idea, could work.
I don’t own a slow cooker (too many awful memories of the slop my mum used to produce from hers, everything came out tasting the same and the textures were all wrong 😭) but I don’t think the planned sides go well with veggie chilli either 🫠 - would end up having to do rice too!

I would do 2 veggie curries (e.g roast cauli and chickpea, and spinach and paneer, or an aubergine curry and a dhal), rice, chutneys.

But not as easy as your pulled pork on the day.

I would do this. Minimal effort and very tasty. https://share.google/JqmhTMmm7wEFsUFdF

@TheChosenTwoVeg lasagne? Pretty easy to prep in advance and cook up when you need it? Serve with green salad. Veggie cheese for the sauce. Agree Halloumi is a bit chewy. Agreed!

In place of pulled pork some big roasted stuffed mushrooms as suggested earlier. plus some good veggie sausages?

Pulled pork and a bean chilli. Then you could put some Chipotle paste on the pulled pork and serve it with the rolls and wedges, with sour cream, grated cheese etc so it's all one meal.

How about veggie burgers, buy or make

Veggie chilli would work with pulled pork as the sides all fit.

We did pasta once for a larger crowd. Tomato sauce can be prepped and just heated. I did meatballs, again, prepped and just put into the oven for 20 minutes. Add a tray of roasted vegetables as well.
It may sound simple but if you do the flavours right it is amazin.

Five bean chillli for everyone in the slow cooker or a big pot
lentil shepherds pie

Falafel
halloumi
plus all the other things you were doing?

Although I’d probably do flatbreads or pitta bread than rolls.

I would do a veggie tagine with veg ( carrots, sweet potato etc), plus green olives, chopped apricots. Use some Belazu tagine paste as the base. Really easy. You can make it the day before. Serve with couscous (again really easy - pour boiling water over, leave for a minute, et voila!). I also serve it with guacamole as I like the hot/cold contrast.

I've done this in the past when friends came round and it went down well.

Go with the pulled pork if you are confident with that, we tried Miso glazed aubergines last night - BBC good food recipe, so tasty and I will happily do this again for my veggie mates.

this!

I made this Pulled Jackfruit for a veggie friend once. It was really tasty and quick. https://thehappypear.ie/plant-based-and-vegan-recipes/pulled-jackfruit-and-slaw-brioche-burgers/

If you're looking at something easy, tasty and catering for all. Id go Mediterranean mezze style, falafel, halloumi cheese, water melon, mint and feta salad, flat breads, wedges, cous cous. Chuck in some skewers if you want to bulk with meat or Aubergine, Courgettes, mushrooms. Olives, dips etc. And add a shakshuka if time permits.

Get slow cooker, you don't make slop if you use it properly, and your pulled pork will go up a notch.

Vegi chili is easy, you can use tinned beans and frozen veg, put in your slow cooker a pan add a pack or two of passata and your spices.

While you are out buying the slow cooker get a rice cooker. I only got a rice cooker because I was replacing a kettle and toaster and there was a 3 for 1 offer so I got the rice cooker.