Looking for thanksgiving vegetarian dishes

[NecroJoe]

Don't shoot! There will still be turkey!!! No tofurkey this year. Thanksgiving is at MY house.

However, because 1/2 of the people coming to our thanksgiving dinner are vegetarian, I'm looking for some suggestions for hearty main-dish-type things that aren't just side-dishes like so many vegetarian recipes I see.

Not completely unrelated, funny clip:

 

[TechZ]

They aren't thankful for meat?

 

[Clockwerk]

Your best source for vegetarian advice on this board is probably LP.

 

[ahpadt]

Pumpkin risotto or soup?

 

[The_Finn]

Pumpkin risotto or soup?

Seconding some form of risotto. I like THIS pumpkin risotto and THIS pumpkin soup recipe also THIS recipe for spicy red pepper risotto

Other options:

Wild rice and mushroom pilaf

Roasted acorn squash with rosemary and shallots (this is more side dishy but is still really really good)

 

[NecroJoe]

The risotto or pilafs could be alright. I know risottos are pretty played out, though, just because that's usually the vegetarian option on a resteraunt's menu.

Also, just ot be clear, the items do not have to be vegan...they can have eggs, milk, cheese, etc.

 

[The_Finn]

Also, just ot be clear, the items do not have to be vegan...they can have eggs, milk, cheese, etc.

Ok so just no meat?

 

[Cobol74]

Welsh Rarebit?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/food/pages/welsh_rarebit.shtml

 

[NecroJoe]

Ok so just no meat?

Correct. No meat. If it needs stock, a vegetable stock has to be able to be substituted. Also, no gelatin.

 

[Cobol74]

Try this resource from the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets/vegetarian

 

[ahpadt]

The risotto or pilafs could be alright. I know risottos are pretty played out, though, just because that's usually the vegetarian option on a resteraunt's menu.

Also, just ot be clear, the items do not have to be vegan...they can have eggs, milk, cheese, etc.

Played out? A perfect risotto will knock anyone's socks off.

 

[Adunaphel]

Made my brother some nice lentils last year for christmas, with mushrooms, figs, apricots and a red wine reduction. It tasted very good.

 

[rickhamilton620]

I don't have much to add but your emphasis on no tofurkey reminded me of this: http://www.freezerburns.com/wordpress/2009/11/22/episode-261-tofurky-vegetarian-feast/

 

[calvinhobbes]

I recently tried out "sugar snap peas", which were absolutely delicious. I roasted them in clarified butter in a covered pan for about ten minutes, added some vegetable stock (powder, which was technically cheating) and that was all they needed. I won't buy them often though since mine were imported from Kenya of all places, but you don't cook a Thanksgiving dinner every day either.

You could make a Mille Feuille of vegetables and cheese for the main "attraction", which should be able to be left alone in the oven for a while - you'll be busy enough with all the cooking.

 

[brydie76]

Something hearty like potato bake (with cheese, cream, milk, etc) is always nice for a wintery-style meal/side. Perhaps also a vegetable casserole (with something like tofu/veggie burger patties substituting for the meat) would be good. I'd also reccommend risotto, but it can be a bit tricky to do if you need to cook lots of other stuff in my experience.

And if you are doing dessert, don't forget about the gelatin thing. Many of my friends are also vegetarian, and the amount of times they have been served jelly/some other gelatin-containing dessert when they requested vegetarian meals is ridiculous. So many people/places over here are ingorant of what animal products (and how they get them) are in certain foods!