Help! Meatless dinner for guests

feelin31
feelin31 Posts: 360 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Help! I need ideas for a meatless dinner for guests for Good Friday. Any ideas? (There will be kids who don't like fish) & also adults- some of who do like fish. About 10 people

Replies

  • kelleyannclemons
    kelleyannclemons Posts: 71 Member
    Spaghetti. Instead of meat, add lots of veggies - zucchini, eggplant, black olive, chunks of tomato, mushrooms, onion...
  • palmerar
    palmerar Posts: 489 Member
    I would do a grilled fish, a pasta steamed vegetables and a salad with some nice crusty italian bread. This way you have a protein, vegetables and pasta which can feed an army on a budget. Even do the pasta and sauce separately, in case any of the kids are really picky.
  • lindawayne11
    lindawayne11 Posts: 62 Member
    I've had a homemade vegetarian lasangna that was to die for. I'm sure you can find several recipes on the net. Also, I know it's spring, but vegetarian chili is good too...Cabbage rolls, stuffed peppers (just leave out the beef and add extra brown rice). Not sure how formal your trying for, but grilled cheese sammies and homemade tomato basil soup is one my favorite meals at the moment.

    Enjoy :)
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Keep it simple...order salad and pizzas. Most kids are easily pleased with a slice of cheese pizza!
  • otrlynn
    otrlynn Posts: 273 Member
    Spinach lasagna, salad, garlic bread. You could serve some kind of fish in addition to the lasagna, if you think some of your guests would enjoy it. Or do a big pan of homemade macaroni and cheese (contains enough protein for the non-fish eaters) along with a hot vegetable, a salad, and some kind of fish. Any main dish casserole made with beans (black beans, etc) would also work, with a salad on the side.
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    Veggie quiche is normally a crowd pleaser and a cheap way to feed a lot of people, serve it with a side salad and perhaps some jacket potatoes.
  • Lyerin
    Lyerin Posts: 818 Member
    Pretty much any Italian dish can be made vegetarian (lasagna, baked ziti, spaghetti, eggplant parmesan). Vegetarian chili is great too. You can serve any of those (or a combination of those) with a big salad and some bread.

    You can also do appetizers - fruit skewers, veggies to dip in hummus/salsa/other dip, etc. There are tons of options.
  • IHTSM
    IHTSM Posts: 51 Member
    Veggie sheppards pie - soooooooooooooo good!
  • GaiaGirl1992
    GaiaGirl1992 Posts: 459 Member
    Salads with different toppings, pasta salads or pasta anything, any raw veggies as an appetizer.
  • lifesabeach2013
    lifesabeach2013 Posts: 4
    Vegetable lasagne, green salad and garlic bread. That is what I am having in fact! I am kinda "fished out."
  • lauramacaroni
    lauramacaroni Posts: 25 Member
    Here are some ideas for you....

    http://www.cookinglight.com/food/everyday-menus/quick-easy-vegetarian-recipes-00400000057017/
  • feelin31
    feelin31 Posts: 360 Member
    What do you think of this?
    A bed of baby spinach with slivers of strawberries, grapes, blackberries, hard boiled eggs and sliced almonds, dressed with a little Italian dressing with a crab cake or a broiled salmon filet on top (for those who like fish/crab cakes)
    ~ on the side we can have steamed asparagus, broccoli, & rice
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    What do you think of this?
    A bed of baby spinach with slivers of strawberries, grapes, blackberries, hard boiled eggs and sliced almonds, dressed with a little Italian dressing with a crab cake or a broiled salmon filet on top (for those who like fish/crab cakes)
    ~ on the side we can have steamed asparagus, broccoli, & rice

    Sounds delicious and very special. DD makes a similar salad with a dijon honey vinagrette that I just love.

    Will the kids go for this? If not, you might want to consider mac and cheese or similar for them (Skinny Taste has a great recipe). Would also be good for any non-fish eating adults.
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris Posts: 327 Member
    What do you think of this?
    A bed of baby spinach with slivers of strawberries, grapes, blackberries, hard boiled eggs and sliced almonds, dressed with a little Italian dressing with a crab cake or a broiled salmon filet on top (for those who like fish/crab cakes)
    ~ on the side we can have steamed asparagus, broccoli, & rice

    Asparagus! omg, I´m so happy it´s in season again, they´re so yummy. and high on protein!

    sorry, you actually also needed some advice... pasta with a sauce of champignons and spinach a la creme, topped with rocket salad and pine nuts.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    Zuchinni or eggplant parmesan. Otherwise you have received some great ideas.
  • christabel6
    christabel6 Posts: 173 Member
    If you want to feed both meat-eaters and veggies then I suggest a roast dinner. Just make sure the roast potatoes, yorkshires, roast parsnips etc are cooked in olive oil rather than lard. Then you just have to make separate main dishes (ie whatever meat, plus a nut roast) and the rest of the meal is the same for everyone.

    Good recipe for veggie nut roast here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012m7c2 (I make mine with whole cooked chestnuts, mixed nuts and spices all bound together with oats.)

    Bisto chicken gravy granules are tasty and vegetarian :-) but you can also get a veggie version and make it with the water from cooking boiled veg, if you're planning to.

    To substitute pigs in blankets, buy a packet of nice stuffing mix (it's almost always veggie), mix it up and roast that in the oven along with the veggies.
  • salcha76
    salcha76 Posts: 287 Member
    go to the grill! do grilled eggplant, mushrooms, sweet potatoes! go italian or go fajita style! or just get ranch to dip stuff in & than everyone is happy :)
  • Marion_
    Marion_ Posts: 56 Member
    Yesterday I had friends over for dinner, and one of them is a vegetarian. I made a brocoli and hazelnut soup, and then spaghetti with basil, dried tomatoes and feta cheese. I also thought about making roasted veggies (sweet pepper, onion, maybe leek) and potatoes with feta cheese (I had to use that feta cheese lol).

    Since you can cook fish, you could also marinate salmon in lemon + soy sauce + honey + spices and bake it in the oven, it's delicious.

    I also think these italian inspired ideas sound great!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Veggie lasagna, Quinoa bean salad with a veggie side, veggie stir fry with nuts or tofu for the protein (broccoli peanut stir fry is delicious!), black bean soup with a hearty salad, veggie chili, bean burritos or tacos w/ guacamole

    ETA: If fish is an option for this meatless dinner, tacos would be a good idea. You could offer bean and fish tacos
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    What do you think of this?
    A bed of baby spinach with slivers of strawberries, grapes, blackberries, hard boiled eggs and sliced almonds, dressed with a little Italian dressing with a crab cake or a broiled salmon filet on top (for those who like fish/crab cakes)
    ~ on the side we can have steamed asparagus, broccoli, & rice

    For fish haters, you could do a bean/veggie patty -- like a croquette of shredded carrot and chickpeas, or a black bean "burger" type thing....
  • smiller212003
    smiller212003 Posts: 39 Member
    Im not sure that these are great for a crowd and for a first attempt but i have been on a "making meals from scratch" kick, and i love to cook a big bag of beans at the beginning of the week so i did some experimenting and had a few meatless days with these black bean burgers. Very good! Different from meat but i think you get the same satisfaction. We threw some goat cheese in it too!

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homemade-Black-Bean-Veggie-Burgers/Detail.aspx?src=etaf

    Also homemade pizzas topped with veggies has been quite a pleasure in our household ;)
  • feelin31
    feelin31 Posts: 360 Member


    Asparagus! omg, I´m so happy it´s in season again, they´re so yummy. and high on protein!

    sorry, you actually also needed some advice... pasta with a sauce of champignons and spinach a la creme, topped with rocket salad and pine nuts.

    This sounds really interesting! what is rocket salad? and how do you make pasta with a sauce of champignons and spinach a la creme?
  • Marion_
    Marion_ Posts: 56 Member


    Asparagus! omg, I´m so happy it´s in season again, they´re so yummy. and high on protein!

    sorry, you actually also needed some advice... pasta with a sauce of champignons and spinach a la creme, topped with rocket salad and pine nuts.

    This sounds really interesting! what is rocket salad? and how do you make pasta with a sauce of champignons and spinach a la creme?

    Lol rocket salad might mean arugula salad. "Roquette" is how we say "arugula" in French :)
  • feelin31
    feelin31 Posts: 360 Member
    experimenting and had a few meatless days with these black bean burgers. Very good! Different from meat but i think you get the same satisfaction. We threw some goat cheese in it too!


    Also homemade pizzas topped with veggies has been quite a pleasure in our household ;)

    Ok...interesting, now I am thinking maybe garden veggie burgers on whole grain buns with all the toppings, sauted mushrooms, salad and baked steak fries with sweet & regular potatoes. We are celebrating a going away party for my son & my hubby's b-day

Categories