7 Vegetarian Friendly Party Food Ideas | Matchbox

Summer right around the corner? Great. You're planning a party? Excellent! Have some friends or relatives in your guest list who are vegetarian? There's no need to stress. Before you scavenge the Internet searching for the best vegetarian party snacks, we have you covered with some tasty treats that everyone will love.

When entertaining for your loved ones, it's vital to offer a diverse selection of foods — and that includes meat-free or plant based options for your guests. So from fresh appetisers, dips, to a hearty meal that can add to your feast, here are our favourite 7 vegetarian-friendly food ideas for parties.

Contents:

  1. Vegetarian Snack Ideas
    •     Classic Bruschetta
    • Crisp Zucchini Bites
    • Veggie Fritters
    • Pumpkin & Quinoa Croquettes
  2. Vegan Party Dip Idea: Corn and Avocado Dip
  3. Vegetarian Party Food Idea: Eggplant Parmigiana with Crispy Potato Sides

 

Vegetarian Snack Ideas

Classic Bruschetta | 7 Vegetarian Party Food Ideas | Matchbox
Recipe & image via Natasha's Kitchen

1. Classic Bruschetta

Everyone's starting to arrive and making small talk, but the food's not yet ready. Well the good news is, who can say no to a bite of bruschetta? Equal parts filling and refreshing thanks to its fresh tomato topper, you're going to love this authentic Italian bruschetta recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 6 Roma tomatoes, 650g, diced
  • 1/3 cup basil leaves, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, divided
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • balsamic glaze (optional)
  • 1 baguette
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese (optional)

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Slice your baguette diagonally into little pieces, and place the slices on a parchment-lined baking tray.
  2. Finely mince 5 garlic cloves. Mix 1 tsp of minced garlic into 3 Tbsp olive oil. Set aside the remaining minced garlic.
  3. Brush baguette slices with the garlic infused olive oil on both sides of toasts. Optional: Sprinkle tops with parmesan cheese. For a vegan option, simply skip the cheese.
  4. Place into the oven at center rack and bake at 200ºC for 5 minutes. Then, broil on high heat for 1-2 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
  5. Using a food chopper, core and dice tomatoes. Drain any excess juices and transfer tomatoes to a medium bowl.
  6. Stack basil leaves and roll them into a tube. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the basil into ribbons and transfer to the bowl with tomatoes. Add remaining minced garlic to the mixing bowl with tomatoes.
  7. Season tomatoes with 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp balsamic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir gently to combine and set aside to marinate for 15-30 minutes. Serve with bruschetta toasts and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or balsamic glaze.

 

Crispy Zucchini Bites | 7 Vegetarian Party Food Ideas | Matchbox
Recipe & image via Natasha's Kitchen

2. Crisp Zucchini Bites

These savoury & crunchy zucchini bites are extra to die for. Best served with an aioli dip, this budget-friendly vegetarian snack can work for any sized crowd.

Ingredients:

  • 650g zucchini, (or 2 medium/large) cut into 1.5cm thick slices
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging, seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 eggs, beaten, for egg wash
  • 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
  • extra light olive oil, Use a higher smoke point oil for frying
Steps:

  1. Create an assembly line: In the first bowl, mix together: 1/2 cup flour with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. In the second bowl, beat two eggs with a fork. In the third bowl, add 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs.

  2. Dredge one of your zucchini slices fully in the flour mixture, tapping off the excess.

  3. Next, use a fork to dip floured zucchini in the beaten egg mixture, turning to fully coat, and let the excess egg drip back into the bowl before transferring to breadcrumbs.

  4. Move the zucchini to the bread crumbs bowl and coat all sides of the zucchini with crumbs. It helps to scoop the breading on top of the zucchini pieces so they are easier to flip and coat. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remaining zucchini rounds.

  5. Heat a large, non-stick, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add about 1/4" oil (enough to generously cover the bottom). Let the oil preheat to 350˚F on a thermometer or when a bread crumb sizzles in the oil then add breaded zucchini chips in batches in a single layer and saute 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on each side. If browning too quickly, reduce the heat.

  6. Once zucchini is done frying, transfer them to a rack set over paper towels and repeat with remaining zucchini. Serve warm with aioli sauce!

 

Veggie Fritters | 7 Vegetarian Party Food Ideas | Matchbox

3. Veggie Fritters with Mayo

Okay hear us out: What if you can entertain your guests and fill up your daily vegetable intake? Sounds like a win? In that case, try your hand on these super easy veggie fritters! They can be served in parties, picnics, family lunches or more and can be made versatile according to what vegetables you have.

Ingredients: 

  • 12 cherry tomatoes 
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled & grated 
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated 
  • 1 red capsicum, finely chopped 
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels 
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced 
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsely leaves 
  • 1/2 cup plain flour 
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten 
  • 1 cup Praise whole-egg mayonnaise 
  • Vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Steps:

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and arrange the tomatoes on it. Season them with salt and pepper to your taste and roast them for 8 to 10 minutes or until they're starting to collapse (just like your will to live to when Christmas is 2 days out and you still have to buy a leg of ham and a present for your old and cranky Aunt Susan). Set aside. 
  2. Combine the carrot, zucchini, capsicum, corn, onion, parsley and flour in a bowl. Add the egg in and stir to combine. 
  3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 heaped tablespoon of the veggie mixture. Using a spatula, flatten it slightly and repeat the process to make 8 fritters. 
  4. Cook them for 2 minutes each side or until they're nice and golden or cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel (to catch all the excess oil that absolutely no one needs). 
  5. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 24 fritters. Let them cool slightly before placing them on a plate to serve. Dollop each fritter with 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise and add a tomato on top. Now they're ready to serve and eat instantly. 

 

Pumpkin & Quinoa Croquettes | 7 Vegetarian Party Food Ideas | Matchbox

4. Pumpkin & Quinoa Croquettes

Last but certainly not least, croquettes are another scrumptious option if you're looking for vegetarian snack ideas. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp of ground cumin
  • 45g (1/4 cup) of currants
  • 100g (1/2 cup) of tri coloured quinoa, rinsed
  • 250ml (1 cup) of water
  • 2 (470g) potatoes, peeled, chopped
  • 250g of butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped
  • 75g (1/2 cup) of plain flour, plus 2 tbs extra
  • 50g (1 cup) of panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs, lightly whisked
  • 75g of low-fat feta, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup of fresh coriander, chopped, plus extra, to serve
  • Grape seed oil, to shallow fry
  • Tomato relish, to serve
  • Lemon wedges, to serve
  • Salad leaves, to serve
Steps:
  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat before adding the onion, garlic and cumin. Cook this, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until the onion is soft. Stir in the currants for 1 minute. Then, stir in the quinoa and add the water before bringing the mixture to a simmer. Let this simmer, stirring occasionally, for 14 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Set it to the side to cool.
  2. Boil the potato and pumpkin together in a saucepan of boiling salted water for roughly 15-17 minutes until both vegetables are tender. Once boiled, drain them well and return them to the pan. Turn on the low heat and cook them, shaking the pan, for 1 minute until all of the excess water evaporates. Mash the vegetables in the saucepan and transfer them to a bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
  3. Place the flour and breadcrumbs onto seperate plates and crack an egg into a seperate shallow bowl. 
  4. Combine the quinoa mixture, pumpkin mixture, feta, coriander and extra flour in a bowl and season it to your tastes. Shape the mixture into twelve 10-12cm croquettes. Dip each croquette into the flour, egg and then breadcrumbs before placing them on a lined oven tray. 
  5. Add enough oil to a frying pan so that it's roughly 2cm deep. Heat this over medium to low heat, cooking the croquettes in 3 batches, for 4 minutes each, turning them continuously until they're nice and crisp. Drain the cooked croquettes on some paper towel and serve them with relish, lemon wedges and a side salad. 

 

Vegan Friendly Party Dip

Corn & Avocado Dip | Vegetarian Party Food Ideas | Matchbox

We've covered vegetarian snacks that can delight guests in your next party or occasion. But let's not forget about the most foolproof snack there is: Chips and dip! How do we achieve that? Whether tortilla or corn chips, you can make this refreshing (vegan friendly!) corn & avo dip recipe that will be the perfect match. 

Recipe via Cajungrocerscom via Allrecipes

Corn & Avocado Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 2 large avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1 tomato, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped onions
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin 

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Combine corn and oil in a shallow pan.
  2. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Once finished, let it cool.
  3. Mash 1 avocado and coarsely chop the remaining avocado (so we have avocado of two consistencies.)
  4. Combine corn, mashed avocado, chopped avocado, tomato, lime juice, onions, garlic, jalapeno peppers, salt, and cumin in a bowl. Cover and chill for 24 hours and it will be ready for your gathering!

Read also: Five 10-Minute Food Processor Recipes

 

Vegetarian Party Food Idea

Now, if you're ready to kick it up a notch or are planning a bigger feast, then adding these vegetarian-friendly options to your line of dishes will give your guests the best experience.

Say hello to our trustworthy eggplant parma recipe, baked in delicious cheeses and a simple mixture of tomato pasta sauce and basil for a filling meal that can serve up to 4 people in one go. On the side, you can never go wrong with roasted potato slices or wedges! See the recipes below.

Eggplant Parmigiana | Vegetarian Party Food Ideas | Matchbox

Eggplant Parmigiana with Roast Potato Sides Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 400g jar Barilla Olive pasta sauce 
  • 200g piece mozzarella 
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra leaves to serve
  • 16 slices (about 500g) eggplant 
  • 30g (1/4 cup) pre-shredded parmesan 
Steps:
  1. Either preheat a grill pan or a grill plate on high before lightly greasing a small, shallow baking tray (place this in the oven to warm up). 
  2. Place your eggplant slices on the preheated grill, flipping them over every minute or so until the eggplant is very tender and grill marks have appeared. This should only take around 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, spoon pasta sauce into a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a lid. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until warmed through.
  4. While the pasta sauce heats up, thinly slice the mozzarella and shred the basil. 
  5. Once the tray or pan is warm, carefully remove from the oven and place the 4 eggplant slices in the base. Split one-quarter of the pasta sauce over each of the 4 slices, spreading it evenly. Do the same thing with the mozzarella, take one-quarter of the total mozzarella and spread it over the 4 slices, and one-third of the total basil (again spread it over the 4 slices). 
  6. Repeat the layering 3 more times, finishing with some more mozzarella (you can never have too much cheese). Sprinkle with the schnitzel mix and parmesan. Season to taste. 
  7. Bake for 5 minutes or until warmed through and golden on top. Serve topped with extra basil and voila! Enjoy a super delicious hearty meal from only 5 types of ingredients.

 

Roast Potatoes | Vegetarian Party Food Ideas | Matchbox

Roast Potato Recipe 

This recipe serves up to 4 people.

Ingredients:

  • 450g gold potatoes (or sweet potatoes or both) cut into wedges or bite-sized pieces
  • 1 ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
  • ¼ tsp each of Italian herbs seasoning, garlic powder, and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • Finely chopped parsley to garnish, optional
Steps:
  1. Preheat oven to 220ºC.
  2. Add potato slices or wedges into a bowl. Drizzle olive oil & dashes of seasoning. Toss with hands or wooden utensils.
  3. Spread potato wedges out onto a lined baking tray. Ensure they are spread in one layer and mostly lie flat.
  4. Bake in oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown or crispy. Turn over the potatoes once in between.
  5. Bring out of oven, add more seasoning if preferred, and serve immediately!

 

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Need more entertaining inspiration and supplies? Matchbox offers a wide range of servingware, tableware and more to help you serve the most delightful treats to your loved ones.

So however way you like to celebrate and entertain, try the recipes above so you can make the most of your Summer gatherings!

 

Happy entertaining,

The Matchbox Team 

 

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