Vegetarian main dish recipes wanted!

[kelliem]

I have a vegetarian* friend coming out to visit in a couple of weeks, and I'm looking for some 'tried and true' vegetarian entree recipes since kidunit and I are in main carnivores and most of my entree recipes contain meat. I could go look up vegetarian entrees on foodnetwork.com or epicurious.com but what I want are your recipes, ones you've made a zillion times and love and would like to share. So please comment to this post with your favorite vegetarian recipe.

Thank you all!

*ETA: Specifically looking for ovo-lacto style recipes-- eggs and dairy are okay but not meat or seafood.

Comments

[mems-derynicat.livejournal.com]

I mostly lurk here, but thought I would add some thoughts, hope that's ok!

First important question should be how vegetarian is your friend? Some vegetarians won't eat eggs or milk or any animal product. Others just don't eat red meat...be sure to ask first!

My sister's husband is vegetarian and when he comes for a visit we often have vegetarian quiche (either broccoli or asparagus are good choices) and often a big pasta dish like vegetarian lasagna (with eggplant is good) or a pasta salad with steamed vegetables.

At home he uses a lot of red beans and vegetarian sausages to substitute in stews and such...

Hope that helps :)

[tinriddick.livejournal.com]

This isn't the most summer-ish recipe, and i'm sure you can make some improvements...
North African Stew

2 tsp olive oil
2 small-medium zucchini, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced (or 10 baby carrots, diced)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp toasted, ground cumin seeds
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 can chick peas
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 lb mushroom caps, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1/3-1/2 cup raisins
1 sweet potato, diced
Heat the oil in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high flame.
Add the onion and sauté until onions are limp and translucent.
Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute.
Add the spices and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the sweet potato, zucchini and carrot.
Stir to coat with the onion mixture and add the vegetable broth.
Stir to combine, Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, chick peas and mushrooms.
Stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the raisins.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Serve with rice or couscous. (couscous makes a nice 'bowl')
Serves 4.

(since i'm not big on mushrooms i usually use squash instead)

[darklock.livejournal.com]

Spinach Mushroom Lasagna

I don't really have a recipe as I just... well, it's all in my head.

I just used a regular lasagna recipe to begin with and instead of meat used fresh spinach, mushrooms, extra tomato, and onions.

*g* I don't suppose it helps without the actual recipe.

It's very delish.

[raine-wynd.livejournal.com]

I had a vegan friend over for dinner a few times, and discovered that there are many good tofu and vegan/vegetarian substitutes in my local grocery store. I have a main dish salad that I love -- cranberry, pecan, spring mix greens, cheese crumbles, and some sort of meat -- that adapts well to being vegetarian simply with the substitution of tofu for the meat. My other option, if they're okay with pasta, is pasta primavera -- such as this one: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pasta-primavera-recipe/index.html. With the latter, *I* don't feel cheated, eating dinner, and it still works as a vegetarian meal.

[crysothemis.livejournal.com]

If they and you like spicy food, I recommend a black bean chili.

sheafrotherdon has a recipe (with pictures!) that sounds delicious over here, although I confess I haven't tried it yet.

I make my black bean chili like this:

1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 or more tsp chili powder (to taste -- go easy if you don't like too much spice)
extra hot pepper if you like it hot
a few shakes of salt

2 cans black beans
2 cans diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce), minced

cilantro for garnish
grated muenster cheese for garnish

Saute the onions and garlic until soft. Add chili powder and stir to coat. Add tomatoes and their juice. Cook briefly. Add black beans. Cook about 20-30 minutes on low-ish heat, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended and the chili is thick. Add salt, a dash of rice vinegar, and/or extra spice to taste.

To serve, put a few spoonfuls of cheese in the bottom of a bowl and ladle chili on top. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and eat.

Goes really well with corn bread.

[aukestrel.livejournal.com]

Do you have my fettucine recipe? Still H's favourite...

Also a fun thing to do is make a giant roesti (in, say, a 9" skillet) and then serve it in wedges with several kinds of cheese (Gouda, Emmentaler, etc.) and some German style red cabbage (the kind you bake with lemon juice and brown sugar and an apple).

Tofu Lasagna

[wordwitch.livejournal.com]

This is a variation of a recipe I found here:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/vegex/msg060022281833.html

TOFU LASAGNA

Ingredients:

• 1 box lasagna noodles
  
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1\2 lb. mushrooms
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• salt and pepper to taste OR favorite no-salt Italian seasonings mix to taste.
  
• 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
  
• 2 tbs dried or one good handful fresh minced basil
  
• 1 1\2 lbs. firm or soft tofu, frozen, drained, and mashed
  
• 1\2 cup grated Romano cheese
  
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided; reserve 1/2 cup
  
• 1/2 cup large curd cottage cheese, drained
  
• 1 large bottle spaghetti sauce (or 4-6 cups homemade)

Cook lasagna noodles, drain and set aside. Saute onion, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix together tofu, cheeses, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Mix together the sauteed vegetables and tofu mixture.
Oil an 8 X 11 baking dish. Place a row of noodles on the bottom of the baking dish. Build layers, alternating the noodles, tofu mixture and spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Bake in a preheated at 350"F for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Bake another 10 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes. Serve.

easy soup

[claire.livejournal.com]

3 packs of frozen butternut squash (a mix of puree and chunks if you can find it)
1 onion
1 can coconut milk
1 can vegetable broth.
vegetable oil
curry powder.

Dice the onions and cook with the oil until translucent and soft and yummy.
Add broth and frozen squash (I try to use 2 packs pureed and 1 pack chunks - also fresh is fine as is canned pumpkin)
Cook until you think it looks doneish. Add can of coconut milk and lost of curry powder
Cook some more.
Eat with lots of yummy fresh bread.

[arallara.livejournal.com]

If your friend likes Greek/Mediterranean food, I often make a meal of spanakopita, lemon-garlic seasoned oven-roasted potatoes, and a Greek salad. If you want to go all out, a tzatziki dip and pita makes a good appetizer. Let me know if you want the recipes on any of these, and I'll see what I can come up with to email you or something.

Also, when my family is grilling meat, I make these delicious tofu/vegetable skewers with marinated tofu and eggplant, mushrooms, green/red/yellow peppers, and sweet onions. I usually make up the marinade based on what I have on hand, but I could come up with a starting point recipe for you if you wanted one. If your friend doesn't mind eating with other people who are having meat, that might be a nice way to do meat for you and the kidunit and a vegetarian option for your friend.

(Edited for, whoah, multiple typos!)

[rhiannon-jehane.livejournal.com]

I've never written this down as an actual recipe, but I make it all the time:

Pasta with Beans and Greens

Cook up some pasta of your choice (I usually use long ribbon-type pasta like fettucine or linguine, but use whatever you like).

Meanwhile, saute some diced onion in olive oil until translucent. Then add some greens and wilt in the pan with the onion. Swiss chard is especially good, but kale and spinach work well too. So does broccoli rabe, if you like bitter greens. Throw in some red pepper flakes if you like things spicy, and then open a can of cannelini beans, drain them, and add them to the pan. You might want to add some vegetable broth if you'd like it a little more liquid-y.

When the pasta is done, toss everything together in a big bowl and serve.


I know this isn't very summery, but I make lentil soup a lot. I usually use chicken broth but you can easily substitute vegetable broth (1 cup lentils + 4 cups broth). I dice up an onion and a potato throw them in the pot with the lentils and then add curry powder and garam masala to taste. I let everything simmer together until the lentils are soft and the house smells heavenly.

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

Boiled or roasted baby potatoes, a jar of red cabbage, and veggie brats, sauteed in a pan or grilled

Mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil sandwiches (spread foccacia rolls or Italian bread buns with balsamic vinaigrette from a bottle)

All-veggie stirfry--if some people want meat you can always cook it/serve it separately

Yakisoba without any meat: noodles and vegetables, cooked in a wok according to instructions on the noodle package (the fresh noodles found in the refrigerated section taste better)

Skewered vegetables cooked on a grill, served in a pita with tzatziki (marinate veggies overnight or at least a few hours in a ziplock bag with olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and minced garlic--or use bottled Italian dressing if you are in a hurry)

Japanese-style curry made from all veggies is really good (follow directions on box of curry mix)

faux shepherd's pie

[sidravitale]

I make what I call a "faux shepherd's pie" using brown lentils. No special prep with the lentils in advance, other than rinsing them and picking through like other beans/legumes.

I bake the lentils at around 350F, mixed with a packet of taco seasoning for flavor, in a casserole dish filled with water. Usually I have to check on the water level once or twice during cooking to make sure they don't cook dry.

Then, I make mashed potatoes, however I like 'em.

When the lentils are cooked, layer with whatever vegetable you feel like layering with (or none at all) and then cap off with the mashed potatoes. Maybe grate some cheese over the whole thing if it pleases you, and stick back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

Also, I've wondered if a similar substitution with lentils in a beef stroganoff recipe would be too weird or not. (Maybe lentils and mushrooms together?)

(And, a friend had me over for polenta a couple months ago, and one sauce was a meat sauce, the other was a creamy mushroom sauce with three different types of mushrooms -- fantastic! And polenta, or its Yankee cousin Hasty Pudding, doesn't have to be super hard.)

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Back when I was a young'un', we'd make a "monster salad" with different kinds of lettuce, carrots, beets, olives, whatever other veggies were in season, both garbanzo and kidney beans, whatever was on hand but always at least one kind of bean and something like olives or marinated artichoke hearts - protein and oil/fat I realize now - we ate a lot of that in the summer when it was too hot to stand anything else.

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I also got hold of a cookbook off Gutenberg, /Foods That Will Win the War/, which is WWII era, and I haven't tried anything yet but there's a section on "meatless" days that you might enjoy going through. (Obviously, "meatless" is not necessarily vegetarian.)

forgot an old fave

[sidravitale]

soba or spaghetti noodles (preferably soba, not somen - too thin) served in a peanut sauce:

peanut butter
garlic
ginger
soy sauce
red pepper flakes (if you've got a pepper oil, try a few drops) or chili paste
sesame oil (just a touch, for flavor) or toasted sesame seeds, crushed

Can't tell you how much of what except go REALLY light on the sesame oil if you use it. You have to just work to taste. I may have worked from a recipe the first time, but have no idea where I might have gotten it from.

I adore the Whole Foods deli

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

Their vegetarian recipes:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/list_veg.html