Meatless menus

Fabulous ideas for vegetarian wedding receptions

Mouth-watering menus

Whether you plump for an all- or part-vegetarian spread, for your meal to be a success it must consist of a well-made and balanced selection of dishes. When planning a meat-based meal, traditional combinations make this fairly easy. But when designing a vegetarian meal, you'll need to give more thought as to how you'll achieve a good balance of flavours, textures and colours.

Alternatively, you may want to go for an informal style buffet. Serve up a variety of delicious bite-sized nibbles and you can guarantee that no one will notice that they are meat-free. If any guests are vegan, be sure to cater for them too with no dairy, fish, eggs or meat.

Starter suggestions

Aubergine paté
Fresh tomato soup
Orange and watercress soup
Vegan minestrone
Tomato and mozzarella cheese salad with basil and olives
Onion tart
Grilled portobello mushrooms with herb-tofu aioli and red onion marmalade
Deep fried goats cheese with marinated grilled vegetables
Lettuce and rocket salad served with a vinaigrette sauce
Peppers, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil bruschetta with extra virgin olive oil dressing
Herb risotto cake with grilled corn relish and warm wild mushroom salad

Main course suggestions

Mushroom stroganoff
Wild mushroom risotto
Vegetable moussaka
Pumpkin curry
Vegetarian paella
Stuffed aubergine with green beans amadine and vesuvio potatoes
Crispy angel hair spring onion cake with portobello and shitake mushroom ragu and romesco sauce
Mediterranean vegetable en croute
Spinach timbales with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts
Grilled goats cheese and Mediterranean vegetable tartlet
Grilled polenta with Tuscan vegetables
Vegetable tagine with aromatic couscous
Blue cheese soufflés with steamed chard and asparagus
Warm salad of potato, chestnut mushrooms and butternut pumpkin with stilton dressing

Dessert suggestions

Apple tarts with Calvados cream sauce
Tiramisu
Tarte tatin with caramel sauce and ice cream
Tropical fruit kebabs with melted bitter chocolate sauce
Mixed berry shortcakes and vanilla cream
Chocolate almond midnight with raspberry sauce
Soya ice-cream with fresh fruit and an exotic fruit sauce
Fruit sorbet