What's your favourite vegetarian meal?

[GrouchyKiwi]

We've got a vegetarian friend coming for dinner next week. I usually make a butternut squash risotto but did that last time and think I need to extend my repertoire.

Only caveat is no mushrooms.

Pea and paneer curry
"Mexican" food - nachos and some fill your own fajitas?
Something gnocci based?
Mezze - falafel, hummous, salads, pitta bread, olives?

Had to look up a couple of those things so obviously do need to extend my repertoire!

Would some kind of bean mix be nice with fajitas?

I follow a great veggie food blog which might give you some inspiration - www.thevegspace.co.uk/

Jamie Oliver's Sweet tomato & aubergine rigatoni - can be done as a bake too.
Tomato and goats cheese puff pastry tart - Delia recipe
Potato, rosemary & caramelised onion bianca pizza - recipe adapted from a pizza shop in Melbourne
Red wine, chestnut and sage sauce with gnocchi - adapted from river cafe green
Peas and paneer curry.

I love veggie spag bol. The Sainsbury's brand veggie mince has a good substantial texture, far better than Quorn

Also Shepherd's Pie with a lentil based filling

There are so many delicious vegetarian curries that if you do an Indian themed menu you'll be spoiled for choice

I'm not a veggie but came here to suggest a paneer curry also!

Pasta is super easy and quick and there's so many good recipes, it's also easy to add some meat into for the meat eaters

I love gnocchi with a really tomatoey garlicky Bolognese style sauce with quorn mince.

Dead easy - Lidl even do gnocchi packs so not expensive either.

My heart sinks when I get offered a butternut squash risotto and I bet your friend's does as well. Goats cheese tart always makes me depressed as well.

My favourite meals include a veg crumble, tofu stir fry with spring onion rice, most things with hallumi or avacado.gnocchi with dill sauce. I could go on all night! I love food!

my fave is HFW's beetroot tart tatin I'm not a vege but I love vege food and this dish is delicious with a nice salad and crusty bread.

the dressing is a must thougg

At the moment I love noodles in a nut-based sauce with a fried egg on top and stirfried vegetables.

Thanks for the ideas. The blog had a recipe for pasta alla genovese which looked delicious so I might try that as DH isn't too fond of curry.

Whathaveilost Friend said she was happy with salad and bread so I doubt she'd have been upset with the risotto or a goat cheese tart.

Vegetable tarte tatin?
I base mine on Delia's red onion tarte tatin, but use a variety of 'caramelisable' veg - red pepper, aubergine, courgette, red onion, etc.

There was a fabulous looking Ottolenghi Aubergine upside down cake in a Guardian Vegetarian Christmas article .

A Thai veg curry?

I'm about to chuck aubergines, red peppers and cherry tomatoes (the first cut up, the last not) into the oven to roast with olive oil, then have with couscous and hummus and Bought Felafel. Dry-fried halloumi works well here too.

www.ottolenghi.co.uk/broccoli-and-gorgonzola-pie-shop

This is my go to vegetarian dinner party pie, or

www.nigella.com/recipes/view/courgette-and-chick-pea-filo-pie-155

The second is for people who don't like blue cheese. I've made both repeatedly and had numerous compliments on each- they are both lovely pies with a side salad.

But my honest answer to the question is parsley, garlic and chilli linguine. Best veggie dish ever IMO. Not exactly a dinner party piece though.

With the brocolli and gorgonzola pie, can I just mention that gorgonzola is not suitable for vegetarians (the same for Parmesan and some other Italian cheeses) and the use of these cheeses in 'vegetarian' food is a common midtake. So perhaps use an alternative vegetarian cheese or how about substituting the cheese with nuts/pulses/tofu?

Spaghetti (or rigatoni) primavera! www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/spaghetti-primavera < quick, easy and DELISH

Or maybe a nice homemade pizza if its a casual, round the table tuck in kind of evening? (Jamies pizza dough is great!)

Maybe skip the hard cheese - or make sure the one you use is veggie friendly!

Shakshuka - tomatoes, peppers and onions saluted with garlic and chilli, crack in eggs at the end and cook until set. Serve with green beans and bread

My 'go to' dish for a casual dinner party is a lasagne with artichoke hearts, spinach, pine nuts and pesto sauce.

Spanakopita is my favourite, I use Jamie Oliver's recipe. You have to check the feta or similar you use is veggie though.

Made this for guests last week, big hit. Served nachos with hm guacamole, spicy salsa on side, sour cream, spring onions, plus rice and warmed tortillas.

Not butternut squash or goats cheese please! And if you do pasta, fo an awesome sauce, otherwise it's just very everyday.

If I am doing a veg/non veg meal, DH makes a beef chilli, and we do "build your own tacos" with rice, refried beans, grated cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, a couple of salads etc and pecan pie and ice cream for pudding.

X post ergo.

Yes to curry, ideally two different kinds (eg mattar paneer and a dhal) with all the trimmings.

Otherwise, lots of Middle Eastern-esque picky things.

+1 for HFW beet tart, and like Gileswithachainsaw says the dressing makes it.