"Sunday Roast" style special occasion vegetarian dinners

[Meggymoo777]

Hi All,

Looking for some suggestions for vegetarian special occasion or Sunday roast style dinners. I find that I'm lacking inspiration or a 'centrepiece' for those lovely family dinners where there's a big spread and everyone kind of helps themselves. I've made nut roasts and served with the yorkies and other trimmings but I can't keep depending on that!

Any other suggestions? Thank you!

Have you made lasagna domes / lasagna wellington before? It’s such a showpiece. I make a sweet version too. I use the recipe below

tasty.co/recipe/lasagna-dome

Delia cauliflower cheese, she puts egg yolks in the cheese sauce and then whips the egg whites and folds in to create a kind of soufflé. Works as a veggie main or side.

@ScrambledSmegs

I had a roasted, stuffed butternut squash with some lovely side dishes at a vegetarian friend's house years ago. I don't think it was an Ottolenghi recipe but she loved the recipes from his books and it was definitely in the same vein.

Mmm... was it a 'full' half of a stuffed butternut squash served on your plate? Sounds yum, Will look up some recipes now 🙌🏻

Jumping on to say thank you !! Definitely going to try roulade ... but maybe not parsnip... thinking beetroot 🙌😎

@IHaveBrilloHair @GrumpyHoonMain @BobaCobb thank you all... I'm gonna look up the Lasagne Wellington right now!!! (😯)
Delia's cauliflower cheese sauce honestly sound like something I want to bathe in!!! 🤣

@Popetthetreehugger

Jumping on to say thank you !! Definitely going to try roulade ... but maybe not parsnip... thinking beetroot 🙌😎

Let us know how it turns out (I'd eat beetroot until I turned purple!!!) 🙈

@Meggymoo777 A full half? Blimey no! Although it would have been great it that was all we'd had I suppose.

She'd done loads of sides so she 'carved' it a bit like a roast at the table and then we all helped ourselves to whatever else we fancied. It was a really nice way to do it, very sociable. There was a lovely sauce as well but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Might have been either tahini or yoghurt based, but genuinely can't remember. It was probably quite garlicky though, she did love garlic.

Toad in the hole using meat free Richmond sausages. Big dish plonked in the middle of the table, stuffing balls, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, steamed greens etc

Oh my. I’ve already saved links from this thread and am now commenting so I can keep all the suggestions! Great thread OP!

I'd actually be tempted to have a go at Delia's salmon coulibiac with perhaps puy lentils in place of the salmon.
I've made it, and it was amazing and looked stunning, and although we do love salmon, I can't say it made the dish iyswim.
Obviously you'd have to flavour the lentils but that's not difficult.

PS this is the veggie haggis that we buy. It isn’t a showstopper and so sorry isn’t what you asked for exactly but it’s an easy side or main. A bit nut roasty, a bit stuffingy.

We get it from Asda or a big Sains.

It would help if I posted a link:

www.macsween.co.uk/products/delicious-every-day-vegetarian/

[quote Snooks1971]It would help if I posted a link:

www.macsween.co.uk/products/delicious-every-day-vegetarian/[/quote]
Ah, I'm not in the UK so no Sainsbury's or Asda 😭 how is it cooked? There must be a recipe online, I'll have a look see 👀

@IHaveBrilloHair

I'd actually be tempted to have a go at Delia's salmon coulibiac with perhaps puy lentils in place of the salmon. I've made it, and it was amazing and looked stunning, and although we do love salmon, I can't say it made the dish iyswim. Obviously you'd have to flavour the lentils but that's not difficult.

Just looked it up, it does look fab and anything wrapped in pastry is A1 in my book! There's surely a bunch of things could be substituted for the salmon too, I'll get thinking 🤔

[quote ScrambledSmegs]@Meggymoo777 A full half? Blimey no! Although it would have been great it that was all we'd had I suppose.

She'd done loads of sides so she 'carved' it a bit like a roast at the table and then we all helped ourselves to whatever else we fancied. It was a really nice way to do it, very sociable. There was a lovely sauce as well but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Might have been either tahini or yoghurt based, but genuinely can't remember. It was probably quite garlicky though, she did love garlic.[/quote]
This sounds fab and exactly the type of recipe I'm after... and I love garlic too

Would def eat a 'whole' half one to myself though I'd say! 🤣

@PhantomErik

Toad in the hole using meat free Richmond sausages. Big dish plonked in the middle of the table, stuffing balls, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, steamed greens etc

Delicious! And you could have a lovely gravy with this too (I love gravy!)

Another vote for Delia’s parsnip roulade! The slightly sweet pureed parsnip layer contrasts beautifully with the herby tang of the sage derby cheese, and the sage and onion stuffing layer. I roll the outside in ground almond to decorate, and serve it to veggie relatives at Christmas.
It freezes perfectly, so you can make it well in advance then just defrost in the fridge and warm through in the microwave before serving.

@Babdoc I didn't even consider freezing it, this recipe will be trialled for sure! Does the outside get a bit soggy if defrosted though? It almost reads like a 'soufflé-esque' type thing?

@Meggymoo777
Aswell as the lentils, I also think you could lighten it up a bit, with perhaps fennel?
I'd look to tapenade type flavours, olives, capers, sundried tomatoes.

Oh my, I need to get my daughter over so I can try it, she loved the salmon version, but has moved out now and I need someone to share it with.

Like a PP, we just go for a veggie toad in the hole. Perfect with gravy and all the trimmings. No faffing.

(Some of these recipes look great though!)

[quote IHaveBrilloHair]@Meggymoo777
Aswell as the lentils, I also think you could lighten it up a bit, with perhaps fennel?
I'd look to tapenade type flavours, olives, capers, sundried tomatoes.

Oh my, I need to get my daughter over so I can try it, she loved the salmon version, but has moved out now and I need someone to share it with.[/quote]
Yum, your suggestion is awesome, a firm lentil mix with those Mediterranean flavours, maybe a splash of citrus and even some little bits of mozzarella for moisture?

@RedRosie

Like a PP, we just go for a veggie toad in the hole. Perfect with gravy and all the trimmings. No faffing.

(Some of these recipes look great though!)

Dunno why I didn't think of this recipe before 🙄 Toad in the hole is such a winner. My creative culinary flair seems to be disappearing with the lack of meat but it's definitely being reinvigorated with all these beautiful recipes!

OMG, yes Meggymoo777, and also stretchy cheesiness.
Im a total cheese addict, but am careful with recommending them to veggies as I'm not sure which are suitable.

The parsnip roulade defrosts nicely, and reheating it deals with any potential sogginess, OP. It’s like a soft fluffy swiss roll in texture, but with a bit of firmness inside from the sage and onion stuffing layer.
I made it the first time for my veggie DD, but non veggie DD adored it too and kept coming back for seconds!

I'm a cheese addict too! I don't eat meat or fish but couldn't imagine a life without cheese!!!