Favourite vegetarian meals that are enjoyed by meat eaters too?

[OMGitsnotgood]

When I cater for a mix of guests, I usually make a meat and a veggie version of the same thing (eg curry, tagine, chilli,fajitas) or make a vegetarian main with plates of chicken, meat or fish to go with it for those that want it - for example mushroom risotto or a vegetable paella. Or something like tapas where there is a variety of dishes with plenty to suit everyone.
We are going to have people staying with us for a few days including a vegetarian. We'll be busy so would like to find some vegetarian dishes that the meat eaters would enjoy too without missing the meat or fish, so that I only have to make one dish. For example, the meat eaters in our family enjoy a lasagne I make with a filling of what is essentially home made ratatouille with a can of lentils mixed in.

Mainly looking for everyday family style meals but also something a bit more special for their last night, that the meat eaters will be enjoy without missing the meat.

Thanks

That’s the one! We have it regularly and it’s always a big hit.

I do a version of Jamie Oliver's one-pan feta and spinach filo pastry pie. It looks spectacular with all the rippled filo pastry on top, and you can mix up the recipe a bit. I add feta, spinach, beaten egg, toasted pine nuts, sun dried tomatoes, fresh dill and mint, nutmeg and some chilli flakes.

Another good one is aubergine and chestnut ragu with spaghetti www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/aubergine-lentil-chestnut-ragu www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/aubergine-lentil-chestnut-ragu]]]]

You could do a Thai green veg curry with lots of baby corn, peppers, sugar snaps, sweet potato, baby spinach and coconut rice.

Or a butternut and chickpea smoky paprika risotto. Fry or roast some chorizo slices to sprinkle on top for the meat eaters - so easy to prep that it doesn;t count as making an extra meal.

Home made pizzas? Lots of pizza base tomato sauce, mozzarella, thin sliced peppers, mushrooms, red onions, olives, garlic etc. You can add sliced salami or pepperoni or lardons or anchovies to the meat ones.

Ugh chick peas, little bullets of nastiness! That's the one thing I absolutely wouldn't eat!

Our family all like chickpeas and I'm pretty sure that that the other family which includes the vegetarian will be ok with them - will check. I think it's a dish I would serve with chicken or salmon alongside. I'm going to try it anyway as so many people rave about it on MN.

I think I'll also make a macaroni cheese with a ham, salad and crusty bread. Alternatively cheese and potato pie.

Not quite the 'one dish serves all' that I was looking for but you've clarified my thinking, so thank you.

My DH and I try to have a meat free meal every now and then so will make my way through the other suggestions, and decide which we might make for vegetarian guests in the future, so thank you.

Not decided what I'll do for the last night which I wanted to be more special before they head home. Am leaning towards tapas or a buffet, any leftovers like the chickpeas could be brought out then too.

Lentil Dahl
Paneer and spinach curry
Bean chilli
Mac n cheese (I top mine with sliced tomatoes and oregano)
Broccoli and blue cheese soup
Shakshouka

We're meat eaters but these are some things that appear on our menu as we don't eat meat every day.

Make your vegetarian lasagne with roasted vegetables in a rich tomato sauce. It's so delicious that you won't miss the meat.

Sorry a couple more came in while I was writing that. Pizza is great but last time they visited we all made our own pizza. I put bowls of toppings out and everyone constructed their own.

Feta and spinach pie sounds fab; I could do that as part of the buffet (guests are out at something they've booked most of their last day so I'll have more time).

I just die a little bit when I read all these recipes. Do none of you have to follow a low Fodmap diet? Obviously not! DH can't have onions, garlic, anything beany or lentils, no peppers. Things like tofu and wuorn are revolting, sorry, they are.

So, sadly, we have meat/fish every night, sometimes in a variety of pasta dishes, or plain with salads or vegetables.

Middle Eastern shops are great for good quality chick peas in jars, such as:

https://myjam.co.uk/pages/contact-us

Btw I think Middle Eastern cookery is fabulous for great sharing recipes for vegetarians. For example, Nigella’s How To Eat has a great recipe for golden root vegetable cous cous. Even better if you can buy all the ingredients at a Middle Eastern shop near to you.

That must be quite limiting for you, must be frustrating. Luckily the only food restrictions I have with this group is one vegetarian.

We have another group of friends where the combination of food requirements creates an even bigger challenge - have posted for help with those many times!

Pie! Everyone loves a pie :-) I've made this several times and enjoyed by all. I don't make the pastry in the recipe, just shortcrust https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/butternut-squash-spinach-and-goats-cheese-pie/amp/

Roasting a gammon joint would also give nice leftovers for the meat eaters to have for lunches.

DH and I are meat eaters but can live without for some meals. My meat free meals end up completely vegan, most of the time, due to dairy and egg intolerance but when I ate eggs, I'd often make a frittata or Spanish tortilla. I enjoy meals based around pulses and occasionally tofu - even DH doesn't mind it if I toss it in seasoned cornflour and roast it before adding it to a dish.

I'd be wary of some of the aubergine dishes suggested because so many people hate them.

any leftovers like the chickpeas could be brought out then too

What with this and all the chick pea related responses you're getting, I'm just getting horrific visions of never ending chick peas 😂 the same dish being wheeled out daily until it's finally finished!

To be fair I know most people do like them. It just always seems to be a common suggestion on threads like this or the saving money ones.

I'm a big meat eater but I don't miss meat in a veggie lasagne. I use peppers, mushrooms, onion, courgette and aubergine.

I also am happy with quorn substitutes. Quorn mince in a spaghetti bolognaise you can hardly tell the difference once it's got garlic and onion and sauce etc.

Quorn nuggets are seriously amazing. Taste like McDonald's. You may not want to serve them to adults! I used them in a katsu curry once and it was delicious.

Sweet potato, chickpea and spinach curry. With coconut milk. I use a spoon of peanut butter as the secret ingredient!

Ratatouille with roast potatoes.

Pasta with mushrooms, garlic and cream or creme fresh sauce.

Lentil daal with plenty of slow cooked onions, garlic, chilli, with roti and rice.

Asparagus, courgette and goats cheese tart using ready made pastry.

Cheese toasties 🧀😍

Egg and veg fried rice. Could add tofu/smoked tofu.

We do eat meat but also have lots of vegetarian meals and sometimes make them for guests who are not vegetarian but they always go down well. Some favourites that I make a lot are:

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-vegetable-lasagne

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/aubergine-halloumi-harissa-skillet-bake

www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/nutty-risotto-with-celery-and-tarragon

rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-tagine-with-chickpeas/

www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/stuffed-peppers-with-walnuts-and-herbs?srsltid=AfmBOopRMeKTM-aDaGvPU3PElFcwjaosBUOntUYdTheEzC5QRG-fkK6s

I'm gluten free with limited dairy, egg and histamine. FODMAP farts are something I can live with just for a bit of excitement!

I use a lot of chickpeas (we're not vegetarian but do have a lot of meat free meals) and chickpeas are so versatile that they can taste completely different according to the recipe. They soak up a lot of flavour so unless the recipe is super simple you don't really taste the chickpeas, really. I like them so I'm happy either way!

This pie always goes down well with meat eaters and vegetarians:

Ingredients
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 onion chopped (or half a bag of frozen onions)
Butter or oil for frying onions
Bread crumbs (equivalent of two slices of bread, you can use any type, plain sliced white will dissolve into the background, if you use something like a pumpernickel the crumbs retain more texture and extra flavour).
1 head of broccoli (if you want posh pie for guests just use broccoli otherwise I throw in any cooked veg leftovers and ends of salad bags).
Grated cheese (amount variable, I like it cheesy so use lots, a couple of good handfuls at least. For posh pie I use a strong vintage cheddar otherwise I throw in whatever ends I have in the fridge, you can use anything, e.g. I’ve used up mixes of feta, cheddar and cottage cheese).
2 eggs beaten
Juice from one lemon
Fresh parsley (again I don’t measure probably one tablespoon or substitute one teaspoon of dried mixed herbs).
Salt and pepper.
Method

• Preheat oven to 200 C.
• Chop broccoli into bite size pieces. Par boil for a few minutes, broccoli should still be bright green.
• Fry onions in oil or butter, I use a couple of dessertspoons of soft butter.
• Mix all the ingredients (don’t forget the eggs, lemon and parsley) and season with salt and pepper (you can conserve a tiny bit of the beaten egg to brush the top of the pie or use milk for this).
• If you are using pre rolled puff pastry this comes on a sheet of grease proof paper so transfer pastry and paper to baking tray. If you are rolling out pastry yourself roll to a square shape for an envelope pie or rectangle for a plait and transfer to baking tray, make sure baking tray is well greased if no paper.
• Envelope pie: with pastry in a square, lying flat on baking tray place filling at centre of pastry, brush pastry edges with egg or milk and fold each pastry corner in so that they meet in the middle, crimp edges together. Brush top of pie with beaten egg or milk. You should then have a square pie with the crimped edges forming an X diagonally across the top.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until pie is golden brown. Can be served hot or cold.
• The envelope pie gives a quite a high pastry to filling ratio. An oblong strudel type plait gives more filling to pastry and divides much more easily between a lot of people. There are lots of videos on You Tube explaining how to do a puff pastry plait/braid.

If I have filling left over I bake alongside the pie in an oven dish and use later. It’s good cold or hot, can be sliced for veggie sandwich fillings.

Although I love aubergine parmigiana, some people are seriously grossed out by aubergines of any description. It’s a risk.
I’d make
seriously cheesy mushroom risotto,
veg. soup followed by a cheese or charcuterie choice with bread
that tik tok baked feta and cherry tomato pasta.

I’ve made vegetarian sausage rolls for a picnic with mushroom chiffonnade. Nobody complained. The same with a basic vegetable mix for Cornish pasties then add cheddar cheese, or Stilton, or cooked bacon.

These. I like vegetables and I like meat. I'm not a fan of beans and pulses with carbs though.
Also things with grilled halloumi.

I don't know anything about Fodmap, sorry, but I sympathise with your DH as they are all the base of so many meals!
Tomatoes as a base with celery and rosemary rather than onions and garlic, grilled halloumi instead of Tofu might be a good alternative for your meat free days?

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/best_vegetable_lasagne_50381

Waitrose or Sainsburys usually. They are called Queen chickpeas.

Sorry, I meant to send that to knitted cardi!