Vegetarian Christmas Eve Nibbly Bits

[Springisintheairohyeah]

Looking for nice ideas for a nibbly vegetarian Christmas Eve dinner - want something that can be grazed on throughout the night. I'm open to cooking from scratch, but because of the way the night's going to go I want something that people can dip in and out of as they like, rather than something that we all have to sit down together to eat hot.

Was thinking some nice cheese with crackers, grapes, chutneys etc could be the starting point - but what else to go with? My brain is getting stuck at "not charcuterie" and I can't think beyond that

Really not a fan of the ready made bung it in the oven type stuff (mini spring rolls etc.), and hummus is boring - although it's just grazing stuff, would be nice to make it still feel a bit special.

50% of the people coming do eat fish - but only cooked - so the obvious and easy smoked salmon out of the question.

I'll be making home made mince pies, lebkuchen and mulled cider/hot choc so sweet stuff and drinks taken care of.

Any suggestions to complement the cheese, or am I better off going back to the drawing board?

Nibbly bits?

Asparagus tips with hollandaise sauce
toasts with beetroot and wasabi pate (literally beetroot, crème fraiche, wasabi in a blender)
An antipasti platter - olives, pickled onions, roast red peppers, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes etc
Some sort of chips and dips
mini pizzas
Puff pastry with an interesting topping - something like caremalised onions maybe?
Butter bean purée topped with oven roast tomatoes with pitta breads for dipping

Cheese straws always go down well

cheese and tomato pinwheels

Caramelised mushroom tartlets - bbc good food website have a nice recipe

”sausage roll - again the one in the bbc good food is my go to

Falafel

devilled eggs.

brochette

edit to add - Tesco are doing frozen vol eu vent cases which you can do both meat and veggie ( and are also delicious with a dap of jam and sweetened whipped cream rather like a cream horn )

Some cranberry and brie filo parcels (dead easy to make)
Mini quiches
Walnut and pear tart
Pinwheels
Could do a cheese straws Christmas tree
Or any of these good food vegetarian canape recipes
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegetarian-canape-recipes

I love not boring hummus- spread over a dish and topped with spiced roasted chickpeas and baby plum tomatoes/red onion (I roast it all together) with nice bread.
Caramelised walnuts.
Stuffed mini peppers.

How about a labneh pom bomb with crackers and crudités?

This also goes against the not hot idea - but could you keep a lentil or carrot and coriander soup on the hob v low, with a tray of mugs for people to help themselves as and when?

Lidl do a side of salmon with herbs and orange slices, you just bung it in the oven

I’d go heavily for different chutneys, pickles, olives and veggie/fish pates, and really nice breads to go with all the cheese. Might do devilled eggs too.

Also I usually make a huge cheese and onion quiche.

A large slow cooker or instant pot full of soup or veggie chilli on “keep warm”? Stack of bread rolls next to it? That’s surely a “main”.

Lage side of salmon pre cooked and left on the side

I've just been making a list for myself for a vegetation friendly buffet around Xmas. I've got so far
Cheese and crackers (I now know not all cheese is vegetarian so will source suitable ones)
Red pepper and pesto pastry mini tart things (again I'll get veggie pesto)
Bread
Olives
Grapes
Veg sticks and hummous
Veggie quiche
Artichokes (never done them myself so not sure how to do them tbh)
Slices of tomatoes and mozzarella with balsamic vinegar
I'll follow for more ideas

How about spanakopita (spinach and feta in filo pastry) which works equally well hot or cold
and easy to make in advance. Maybe make two and put salmon in one for the pescatarians, coat the salmon in pesto for added flavour. Serve with watercress, rocket, salad leaves, baby tomatoes etc.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/crispy-greek-style-pie

Re artichokes - get yourself to Waitrose or M & S, grab a couple of jars of artichokes in oil, open, chuck into a fancy dish! Whilst there, I’d get the aubergines, cherry peppers with ricotta etc too, as well as the roasted peppers and some sourdough bread.

hummus is great especially the luxe versions, also guacamole or a variation with tortilla chips

veggie chipolata sausages cooked with cranberry or maple & mustard glaze (Nigella)

quiche or savoury tart

spiced chickpeas, broad beans and nuts

some fruit and a couple of salads

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/shop/browse/groceries/food_cupboard/jarred_goods_pickles_and_olives/antipasti

I make this every Christmas without fail and the family love it. It’s a wee bit fiddly but you can have it made, sitting in fridge uncooked until you need it. Bake it and let it cool a little before putting it out. I never bother with the sesame seeds on top….it’s lovely without them.

Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

lol I’m pregnant and your post title made my stomach growl.

last year I made veggie haggis sausage rolls with a touch of spices chutney inside—really easy and all the guests went nuts for them. Bought the pasty and veggie haggis so was just self assembly/bake.

i wonder if a spanakopita would be nice? Such a beautiful looking pastry dish, can be made in advance.

lovely crusty bread (like really nice quality) olive oil and balsamic. God I’m hungry.

crudites are always welcome amongst an array of heavier dishes.

This sounds really nice.

Since when was salmon vegetarian? What about making a cheese and onion pie or a spanokopita (greek spinach and cheese pie). Rice or pasta salad

I thought it must be a euphemism which I wasn't up to speed on...😕

I’m vegetarian and all of this sounds great. I’d probably do a big green salad with vinaigrette as a counter to all the heavy things, and I’d maybe do something like sweet potato wedges though I guess they might not be as good cold! Nice caper-y potato salad? Pomegranate cous cous salad? Focaccia and good olive oil?

@RaininSummer , 50% of the people coming do eat fish - but only cooked - so the obvious and easy smoked salmon out of the question.
OP is preparing for vegetarians but as half the guests aren't vegetarian but they are pescatarian.

Nobody has said that salmon is vegetarian.

Well the question asked for vegetarian food not for the other 50 percent.

So what? Just read the OP🤦‍♀️

One of my most popular things for a buffet is mini toad-in-the-holes with a bit of veggie sausage in. I also love veggie sausage rolls.

I really like some veggie patés too, as they're not something I'd usually faff around making so feel fancy!

https://www.davidlebovitz.com/faux-gras-foie-gras-vegetarian-lentil-mushroom-pate-recipe/

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mushroom-tarragon-pate

For fish eaters, I really like this one too:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mackerel-pate

I agree someone mentioning brie and cranberry parcels - have a real festive feel.

I think you are the one who needs to read it again. It clearly says that something is wanted to supplement the cheese for the vegetarians as the other fifty percent will eat fish and meat. Crazy snippy about my comment.

You could make your own rolls - cheese and onion or a quiche or puff pastry with basil, mushroom, tomatoes on top ?

I would do homemade humour and veg sticks as that’s just lush even if we do have it every week and nuts of course. You could make a pease pudding and some crackers ?