I am a big fan of dinner parties. I love bringing friends and family together and sharing good food with good people, especially in the comfort of my own house. What is not to love?
Cooking is my love language, and being able to share the food I love with the people I love makes me feel all fuzzy inside. Gathering around the table to share stories, laughs, and enjoying good food is magic.
Being vegan and throwing a dinner party gets people to try new vegetables, step out of their comfort zone, and hopefully be inspired to cook new things themselves. It can also be overwhelming to think of what to cook, timing everything right, and ensuring you enjoy yourself!
I will share some tips that hopefully give you new ideas and help you execute your next party flawlessly.
Key Takeaways
A Selection of Small Plates
First things first, how are you going to serve your food?
There are a couple options. You can opt for a more formal sit-down meal or a family-styled buffet.
I personally like to give people the freedom to choose their own food! I also am a sucker for multiple different small plates, vegetable tapas! It means you aren't guessing portion size, reducing waste.
Also, I love the opportunity to try lots of different dishes when it comes to vegetables. This lends a hand to vegan dining as we do not have to cater for meat options.
Here is an example of something I may make for friends:
Firstly I would serve fresh bread with the zucchini dip I mentioned in a previous article. This can be served as an appetizer or alongside the rest of the dishes I’ll leave this up to you.
A Moroccan-inspired tagine with chickpeas, but not without a selection of sides. Some zaatar roasted carrots served on top of thick plant-based yogurt, couscous with mint, parsley, and lots of lemon, and maybe a tomato and cucumber salad to add freshness to the meal.
Finishing off with a selection of fruits or a vegan tofu chocolate mousse.
I picked 2 to 3 different sides to accompany the larger dish, giving guests a few options to feast from. Not to mention, every dinner party must finish with a dessert. A non-negotiable for sweet tooth people like myself, but as I am no baker, I try to keep it simple.
Deciding on a Theme
As I said, cooking for a group of people can be daunting. It is hard to know where to start and what recipes to use. But, one way to narrow things down is to make a theme for the dinner.
Without a theme, I would be looking through too many cookbooks, wanting to make a crazy array of dishes, and getting overwhelmed!
Pick a cuisine you love or maybe one that reminds you of your most recent family holiday.
Let's say we have chosen to make Mexican food. The next question is what to make? The options are more limited, making it easier to decide.
We could think of our favorite Mexican dish and start to get creative. If we make soft shell tacos, could we make a variety of fillings to go in them and serve them with some salads, maybe a homemade salsa?
The ideas start flowing better when you have a clear focus. Also, the theme can go further than just the food. You could ask people to bring Mexican-inspired drinks or a fun game.
Dine With the Seasons
Another great way to refine your options is to research which fruits and vegetables are in season.
This may even save you a couple dollars because seasonal goods are often cheaper!
Also, seasonal fruit and vegetables taste amazing on their own so don’t worry too much about a fancy sauce or complicated cooking technique.
Moreover, knowing what is in season will hopefully inspire your menu.
For example, in the UK, if I were to host a party in November, I would know I had a host of winter squash to choose from. I could make a squash tart or warming risotto.
Or maybe you are hosting a summer garden party and have grilled broccoli on the barbeque, made a beautiful potato salad with lots of herbs, and tossed some green beans through a mustard vinaigrette. Shopping with the seasons is never a bad idea!
Let's Talk Prep and Timings
Now you have your theme, know what's in season, and have selected several small plates, it is time to talk about preparation.
First things first, it is always good to make a few lists. Start with everything you need from the shop.
When you have everything, it's time to make a prep list.
Go through all your recipes and break down the jobs you need to do and how long they will take.
Some things can be prepared or even made the day before.
Try to get as much done ahead of time and leave some room for error.
If something goes wrong the day before, you have time to fix it, but if it is a few hours before, you may be in trouble! Things that can be done a day before could be making the dessert, preparing vegetables, and making sauces.
If there are things that must be cooked on the day, like roasting a variety of vegetables, make sure that you know the different timings of each vegetable. Some take longer than others- you wouldn’t want to be left with a hard carrot and a mushy broccoli.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Next time you plan a dinner party, ask yourself a few questions first. Do I want to serve family style? Which cuisine will work best? Which fruit and veg are in season? How long does each dish need to be made?
Although daunting to cook for loved ones, it can also be a fun celebration of bringing people together. So cook with love, and step by step I’m sure you will create a beautiful spread for those closest to you.
