73 vegetarian entertaining ideas

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Vegetarian entertaining ideas

Vegetarian canapés

Crumbed asparagus with saffron yogurt

This asparagus idea is crumbed instead of battered, which helps retain a wonderful texture. The saffron yogurt is a simple version of an aïoli but Middle Eastern style. Make this for an impressive Middle Eastern entertaining recipe.

Baked feta in filo with honey-tahini dressing

Serving up to four as a sharing dish, this baked feta dish with honey-tahini dressing works well as part of a meat-free feast.

Muhammara

Red peppers are the hero ingredient in this traditional Syrian dish. To increase the smokiness, peel the peppers and chargrill them directly on a gas hob or open fire.

Spinach, feta and onion parcels

Spinach and feta are a classic combination and work really well with the zing of preserved lemon. Try it in these vegetarian filo parcels which make a great vegetarian starter.

Potato, goat's cheese and spring onion pies

Check out these veggie potato pies with goat's cheese. These crispy pies are super easy party food for when you have visitors.

Domino potatoes

If you like crispy-edged potatoes, then these are the spuds for you. There's garlic, pink peppercorns, thyme and parmesan in there for a whack of flavour.

Spring onion bhajis with mint and coriander chutney

Check out our crispy spring onion bhajis with a fresh and vibrant mint and coriander chutney. An impressive way to start your dinner party.

Cauliflower fritters

These Ukrainian-style fritters with a dill and garlic mayo dip are super easy and quick to make, ready in just 25 minutes. Serve them as finger food or as starters.

Halloumi fries

Is there anything better than fried cheese?! We don't think so! Ever since we tried street food van Oli Baba’s legendary halloumi fries they’ve been haunting our dreams. This is our attempt to recreate that deep-fried cheesy magic.

Beetroot tartare and ricotta toasts

Mixing marinated roasted beetroot with punchy horseradish ricotta, the colours of this starter will wow guests.

Parmesan and green olive crisps

These cheese crisps are perfect if you have people coming over. Sprinkle chilli flakes, dried oregano or even ‘everything’ bagel seasoning on top. Make sure to use vegetarian parmesan if needed.

Mushroom pâté

Looking for a fuss-free starter? Try our veggie pâté flavoured with mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme and sherry.

Buffalo cauli wings with blue cheese dip

Try our cauliflower 'wings' with creamy blue cheese dip. They'll impress vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.

Sri Lankan spiced grilled cabbage

Elevate your summer barbecue by coating charred hispi cabbage in spices and tomatoes. Also vegan and gluten-free, ensuring everyone can relish the flavours.

Spiced root vegetable fritters with harissa and lime yogurt

Check out these spicy vegetarian fritters with punchy harissa yogurt. They pack plenty of flavour and make for a great pre-dinner snack.

Fried aubergine sticks with sumac and honey

Easy aubergine sticks are designed to impress your friends and family as a quick dinner party nibble. With a minty yogurt dip, this Mediterranean-inspired recipe with sumac and za'atar just needs a drizzle of honey to finish it off.

Halloumi salt and vinegar fries with tartare sauce

Try these quick, easy and moreish halloumi fries as a nibble at your next vegetarian party. Deep-fried for extra crunch, they're an absolute cheese sensation.

Kale hush puppies with lemon aïoli

Hush puppies are little American savoury doughnuts in a polenta batter. These vegetarian kale ones are great with an aioli dip.

Avocado fries

These creamy wedges coated in toasty shards of crunchy corn tortilla are delicious dipped in hot sauce or salsa and served with a cold beer. We have plenty more creative avocado recipes, too.

Green goddess and red devil dips with homemade breadsticks and veg

Our vegetarian green goddess and red devil dips are a great way to brighten up a summer entertaining spread.

Vegetarian starters

Hummus platter with all the veg

If you’re throwing a vegetarian extravaganza, combine hummus with any of your favourite flavours to create this effortless platter.

Fried courgette flowers with honey and vinegar

Packed with sweet and tangy flavour, these courgette flowers with honey and vinegar are a great starter for any summer dinner party. What's more, they look impressive and take no time at all to make.

Burrata, pea gazpacho and vignarola salad

Check out this burrata, pea gazpacho and vignarola salad from Eusebi Deli. The burrata is creamy and soft, and the gazpacho is light and refreshing, making it a great starter.

Purple sprouting broccoli tempura

Check out this vegan recipe for crunchy purple sprouting broccoli in crispy tempura batter. Ready in under 30 minutes, this dish will make an impressive starter.

Beetroot, goat’s cheese and candied walnuts

Earthy beetroot, salty goat's cheese and sweet candied walnuts meet in this stylish veggie dish, brilliant for a vegetarian dinner party. You can find it on the menu at Fenn in London.

Stuffed vine leaves with dill cream

Stuffed vine leaves are fried and paired with a quick and creamy dill sauce for a delicious starter that’s ready in under 30 minutes. Serve with crusty bread for mopping up.

Achari paneer tikka

Check out this paneer tikka from chef Karam Sethi at Indian restaurant Brigadiers. A great vegetarian entertaining dish.

Long-stemmed broccoli, smoked yogurt and peanuts

Check out our crunchy broccoli recipe with creamy smoked yogurt, crispy shallots and roasted peanuts. This easy veggie recipe comes from chef Chris Boustead of new Islington restaurant, Linden Stores.

Romana courgette agrodolce

Make this easy recipe for romana courgettes with a sweet and spicy agrodolce sauce for a vegetarian dinner party dish. It makes for a light starter.

Beer and onion tarte tatin

This next-level onion tarte tatin is easy to make. The recipe comes from Kudu restaurant in Peckham where head chef Patrick serves it as a small plate – we’ve made it a little bigger for sharing at home.

Samosas with kachumber salad

Try this authentic Bengali recipe for veggie-stuffed samosas and kachumber salad from South West chef Romy Gill MBE. It's something a bit different to impress guests at dinner.

Queso blanco with grilled chillies and cumin, with homemade tortilla chips

Queso blanco is a very simple cheese to make that takes flavours from herbs and spices really well. It’s a fresh cheese that tastes best and has the creamiest texture the day you make it. Pop in the middle of the table and encourage everyone to dip in.

Marinated tomato and feta salad

Our recipe for marinated tomato and feta salad makes a quick and easy vegetarian starter. It's colourful and vibrant, so will look lovely on the table.

Burrata with savoury granola

Ever thought of baking a batch of savoury granola? Check out this super simple spiced recipe with cumin seeds, smoked paprika and crunchy pumpkin seeds. We've served ours with creamy burrata.

Baked tetilla cheese with escalivada

This recipe comes from Lobos tapas bar in Borough Market. Tetilla is a Spanish cheese available from delis and online. This dish takes just 30 minutes to prepare, is really easy and vegetarian. It's great as part of a sharing spread.

Grilled melon caprese salad

Our grilled melon caprese salad is a great vegetarian starter for the summer months. This works well with watermelons too, just swap the mozzarella for feta, and sprinkle with a few oregano leaves and rocket.

Vegetarian centrepieces and main courses

Hasselback halloumi traybake

Hasselbacking the halloumi opens up more surface area for maximum crispness. Serve this easy but impressive-looking traybake with flatbreads and a green salad, and let everyone dig in.

Spinach and feta pastry slice

Made big or small, served hot or cold, a classic spinach-and-cheese spanakopita never fails to satisfy and is very simple to make. As many find filo pastry a bit daunting, recipe author Sabrina Ghayour has used puff pastry here.

Asparagus and tomato savoury frangipane tart

Want an easy tart recipe? Make our asparagus and tomato savoury frangipane tart for a summer vegetarian entertaining idea.

Mac ‘n’ greens pie

Put a twist on a classic pasta dish with this imaginative crowdpleaser. Its crisp parmesan topping and oozing, cheesy inside will surely impress at the dinner table.

New potato, pea, asparagus and spinach sformato

This inventive vegetarian centrepiece is sure to raise some eyebrows at dinner. It makes the most of fresh spring produce and is topped with zingy pickled onion.

Tomato tarte tatin

Encase juicy cherry tomatoes in crisp, golden pastry to make this show-stopping savoury version of the classic French tart.

Chickpea stew

Check out our easy vegan chickpea stew packed with dates, crunchy almonds and vibrant turmeric. Slow cooking chickpeas with a heady selection of spices really ramps up the flavour in this frugal dish. Try to get hold of the extra large, chubby chickpeas in jars for superior texture.

Spicy chickpea potato and filo slice

Check out our spiced chickpea bake with potatoes and topped with thin crunchy filo pastry. This easy recipe is veggie friendly, ready in under an hour and serves four. Our filo slice is best eaten on the day, while the pastry is still crisp.

Paneer tikka with pea and mint relish

Check out our seasonal vegetarian recipe using peas and Indian cheese, paneer. For perfectly cooked paneer, make sure you have a crunchy, charred outside with a soft and succulent middle. Divine!

Crusted halloumi tacos with pico de gallo

Sharing is caring, so why not make these vegetarian tacos for everyone to enjoy? Set everything up on the table and let your dinner companions help themselves. Ready in under 25 minutes, they're a really quick and easy tasty dinner idea.

Tomato tart with olive-oil pastry

Check out this vibrant tomato tart with moreish olive-oil pastry. Olive oil pastry can be a bit crumbly to work with but just patch up any holes with extra pastry. It cooks to a much paler colour than classic butter pastry yet the finished texture is lovely and flaky.

Spiral courgette tart with dill dressing

Spiralising is becoming more and more trendy, so try this new take on spiralised courgette in a beautiful vegetarian tart. It's low-calorie, low fat and 5:2 diet-friendly for a healthy entertaining meal.

Mushroom wellington

This mushroom vegetarian serves up to eight, perfect for entertaining or hosting Sunday lunch.

Hasselback harissa roast squash

With sweet, spicy harissa and salty feta, vegetarians will not miss out with this stunning Middle Eastern centrepiece.

Smashed falafel platter with pink pickled onions

Using ready-made falafel, this recipe takes just 30 minutes from start to finish, perfect for effortless entertaining. The quick-pickled onions add colour.

Vegan wellington

Looking for a showstopping vegan recipe? Check out our impressive vegan wellington packed with roasted red peppers, cooked beetroot and kale. Plus, we've made a vegan stuffing and glazed the pastry in marmite to take this wellington to the next level.

Mushroom risotto

Check out our creamy mushroom risotto recipe with zesty lemon. This quick and easy veggie risotto dish is a comforting, crowdpleasing recipe.

Stuffed squash with cider cream sauce

Check out our impressive butternut squash recipe with veggie stuffing and a side of crunchy kale. This veggie main becomes a real centrepiece when carved into slices at the table.

Sweet potato gnudi, lemony cavolo nero, crispy sage and parmesan

Check out this pillowy sweet potato gnudi recipe with lemony cavolo nero and super crispy sage. This impressive dish comes from chef Jess Elliott Dennison's Edinburgh restaurant, 27 Elliott's.

Squash and ricotta croissant wreath

Our epic vegetarian entertaining recipe is perfect for when the relatives descend on your home for the holidays. Using Jus-Rol croissant dough from the can reduce the faff and we've even included a video to help you on your way.

Sage butter-basted roast cauliflower

The humble cauliflower holds its own in this aromatic vegetarian main for four. Our gluten-free recipe only requires six ingredients (most of which are bound to be lurking in your cupboard anyway) so if you're looking for an impressive but easy, flavour-packed dinner then this is the one for you.

Roasted broccoli and feta flatbreads

Our roasted broccoli and feta flatbreads are full of bold flavours and bright colours. Eye-catching and tasty, they're bound to go down really well with your guests.

Mushroom bhaji

The perfect plant-based meal, this bhaji comes packed with chestnut mushrooms, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Dish it up at the table with warm, fluffy naans and let everyone tuck in.

Tomato manchego tart

Treat your guests to this umami-packed tart, flavoured with manchego, thyme, garlic and a paprika crust.

Cauliflower sformato with crispy kale and caramelised pine nuts

Think of a sformato as a little like a cross between a dense soufflé and a crustless quiche. The term literally means ‘unmoulded’ in Italian, which doesn’t sound half as romantic when you translate it. It can be made with all sorts of vegetables and makes a really impressive vegetarian main course.

Spiced green bean and tomato rice

Sabrina Ghayour takes a classic Persian recipe, loobia polow (rice cooked with green beans and meat), and made it veggie for a showstopping meat-free main. Check out more of our impressive Middle Eastern recipes.

Charred onions with balsamic, walnuts and ricotta

Brush sweet onions in a balsamic honey glaze, bake until tender and serve with dollops of creamy ricotta for an easy veggie dish.

Veggie moussaka

We make the most of meaty aubergines in this creamy moussaka, an ideal comforting recipe to feed a group when your next entertaining.

Beetroot and goat's cheese terrine

Use our easy step by step picture guide to make this eye-catching, meat-free terrine for a crowd, topped with candied walnuts and crisp herbs.

Artichoke, spinach and cheese pie

Take your cheese pie up a notch with spinach and marinated artichokes. Serve this crumbly, moreish savoury pie with a simple green salad for an easy midweek meal.

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi

Check out our super vibrant recipe for veggie gnocchi. This flavour packed dish may take a bit of time but your be sure to impress family and friends. You’ll need to start this the day before unless you can source a drier ricotta from a deli – supermarket ricottas are usually packed in a little liquid so need draining overnight.

Korean roasted cauliflower

Check out this punchy vegetarian roasted cauliflower recipe, from Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant, Red Rooster in Shoreditch, London.

Roast carrot and spelt salad with dukkah and preserved lemon dressing

This zesty carrot and spelt salad is fresh, vibrant and super easy to make. The dukkah gives this salad a delightful nutty flavour, perfect for a vegetarian entertaining idea.

Baked mushroom and celeriac torte

This impressive-looking wild mushroom and celeriac torte is seasoned with garlic and thyme. Perfect for entertaining your veggie guests at the weekend.

Butternut and ricotta rotolo with sage brown butter

Make pasta without a machine to create this impressive veggie main that’s taking over from cannelloni.

Salt-baked beetroot, smoked aubergine, goat’s cheese and walnuts

This recipe for salt-baked beetroot, smoked aubergine, goat’s cheese and walnuts comes from Trinity in Clapham Old Town and makes an impressive veggie main, restaurant style.

How about a vegetable curry to entertain your vegetarian guests?

Try one of our 24 best ever vegetarian curry recipes and then add some delicious stuffed naan on the side. The veg adds great splashes of colour and creates lighter and more interesting dishes.