Vegetarian dishes are not common served at gatherings generally. If you are a vegetarian, you will look for some vegetarian dishes. You probably worry if there will be anything for you to eat at holiday gatherings. It’s a common point of fear for vegetarians when they eat meals in unfamiliar places. This holiday season, why not make things easier for yourself and your hosts by bringing some vegetarian dishes to share?

You should definitely get permission from your hosts before bringing vegetarian dishes to their holiday gathering, but most hosts would be happy to have some help with the cooking. If you explain to them that you want to help, you can avoid stepping on any toes when you show up with your arms full of food. Consulting with your hosts about their tastes and the tastes of the other guests will help you decide which vegetarian dishes to bring.

What to Make

To appeal to a large crowd, the easiest vegetarian dishes to bring to a gathering are vegetable platters or a large platter of appetizers. Vegetable platters are sort of cliché for a vegetarian to bring, but they are healthy, simple, and delicious. Spinach dip served in a fresh bread bowl can really spice up an ordinary vegetable platter.

If you are looking forward to really wowing everyone who eats your cooking, some of the best vegetarian dishes to cook are those that are appealing even to non-vegetarians. Spring rolls and stuffed peppers are two traditionally well-received vegetarian dishes that get high marks for presentation as well as taste.

If the people you’ll be serving are a little more adventurous, vegetarian sushi is among the best vegetarian dishes to win over a non-vegetarian crowd. Filled with avocado, carrots, cucumber, and just a hint of wasabi, vegetarian sushi is an outstanding appetizer or main course. You can even adjust the fillings to make it just how you (and the host or other guests) like it.

Desserts are another area in which vegetarian dishes excel in taste and presentation. Technically, most desserts are vegetarian in the sense that they don’t usually contain meat. However, strict vegetarians also avoid eggs and dairy, which are also found quite frequently in desserts. Vegan cupcakes are simple, delicious, and make for a beautiful presentation. Who can resist an adorable frosted cupcake?

In addition, vegetarian dishes that you may want to avoid are anything that clearly features tofu (historically hated by nearly every non-vegetarian in America), anything that looks like stereotypical dull vegetarian food (no matter how wonderful it tastes), or food that collides with the overall theme of the food that the host is serving. If you follow these very few rules, your vegetarian dishes should be a success at any gathering. For more information, please check out links at this Vegetarian Code site.

Vegan pumpkin pie is one of best pie you can use to celebrate your holidays more fun. Actually, pumpkin pie is certainly an American staple for holiday meals. The traditional pumpkin pie is full of dairy and eggs, not to mention the lard that is typically present in flaky pastry crusts. This has made it off-limits to vegans and even strict vegetarians since time immemorial. However, the widespread availability of vegan baking substitutes has now made it possible to have delicious and tasty vegan pumpkin pie at all of your holiday gatherings!

Get Started

There are many ways to make vegan pumpkin pie, but they all start with the pumpkin. Some people prefer to get their pumpkin from a can, which is the fastest and easiest way to make a vegan pumpkin pie. Be sure to read the label, though, since some of these cans contain a “pumpkin pie mix” which sometimes includes dairy.

If you would prefer to use fresh pumpkin, it’s easier than it might seem. You simply wash the pumpkin while preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place the halves, cut sides down, into a lightly oiled roasting pan and cover with a lid or with kitchen foil. Bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours or until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork. Remove the pumpkin, let it cool, and then scoop the flesh from the rind.

You’ll need to puree the pumpkin using a blender or food processor to make it smooth enough to use in recipes. When using your fresh pumpkin, remember that it is much moister than the puree from a can. You will need to strain the pumpkin flesh through a cheesecloth or very fine strainer prior to using it in a recipe.

Making the Crust

Many premade crusts in the supermarket are made with lard, which is an animal product. Obviously, lard has no place in a vegan pumpkin pie! There are also plenty of premade pie crusts that don’t contain any animal products; finding them just takes a little determination and the ability to spot animal products in a list of ingredients.

Making your own crust for your vegan pumpkin pie is easy. There are plenty of recipes to be found online or in cook books. In fact, many of the traditional pie crust recipes used by generations of bakers are unintentionally vegan. They can be made with just a few ingredients and make the perfect flaky base for your vegan pumpkin pie.

The Filling

Many bakers are secure with making a vegan pie crust, but when it comes to making vegan pumpkin pie filling they are at a loss for ideas. Luckily, there are many choices for this part of the pie and none of them are very difficult. The most popular option is pureed tofu. The tofu gives a nice firm texture to the finished pie without adding much of its own flavor. There can be a slightly bean-y aftertaste, so be sure to taste the pie filling as you go along to make sure the spices are effectively masking that aftertaste.

You also can skip the tofu for your vegan pumpkin pie and there are plenty of other options. In fact, you’d be surprised how many vegans can’t stand tofu. You can combine soymilk, molasses, and brown sugar to create an incredibly rich and complex tasting vegan pumpkin pie. Even vegan “cream cheese” can be used to make a silky and decadent vegan pumpkin pie. A wealth of recipes can be found online for many different kinds of vegan pumpkin pie. Please check out links at this Vegetarian Code site.