Vegetarian Recipes for Entertaining

Whether or not there will be vegetarians in the mix at your next gathering, these special-occasion recipes will delight and satisfy everyone at the table.

Gruyere cheese sauce forms the creamy base for this souffle, which is mixed with sauteed spinach and egg yolks. Beaten egg whites are folded in just before baking, giving the souffle its distinctive light texture.

A Parmesan pastry crust encloses zucchini, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, basil, and miniature balls of fresh mozzarella (known as bocconcini). Serve this savory summer tart with a green salad for an elegant lunch or light dinner.

Mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onion, and flecks of goat cheese top store-bought puff pastry to make this savory vegetarian tart. You may use any variety of mushrooms you like, including cremini, shiitake, portobello, or a mixture of wild mushrooms.

Make a quick, spicy sauce in the blender, pureeing canned tomatoes with jalapeno, onions, and garlic. Cornmeal thickens the black bean and pepper Jack filling of the peppers.

Butternut squash and kale cook along with the toothsome Arborio rice, making this risotto extra hearty and sweet. After sauteeing for a few minutes on the stove, this dish goes into the oven -- unlike most risottos, there's no need to stand and stir!

A cornucopia of roasted vegetables converges in this comforting potpie: cauliflower, carrots, turnips, beets, brussels sprouts, and zucchini. Top this mixture with Parmesan-tarragon biscuits.

Rich, nutty brown butter, sage, Parmesan cheese, and plenty of fresh parsley make a knockout sauce for roasted cauliflower and linguine. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts or almonds for extra crunch.

Show off summer produce at its height for your next brunch get-together! Creme fraiche adds a creamy tang to this quiche.

Ground coriander, fresh mint, and pistachios enhance the filling of these savory little pies. Serve the pies as a first course, or as a light main course with a green salad.

Chanterelles are wild mushrooms with a golden color, a woodsy, peppery flavor, and an aroma reminiscent of apricots. Here, the mushrooms show off their divine flavor in a simple pasta preparation with just a little bit of garlic, parsley, and Parmesan cheese.

Season slabs of portobello mushrooms, zucchini, and red onion with oregano and roast until browned and tender. To assemble these satisfying vegetarian tacos, fold the roasted vegetables into corn tortillas with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and fresh salsa.

Lasagna noodles are rolled around a mixture of butternut squash and sauteed shallots. The stuffed pasta is surrounded by a creamy ricotta sauce and baked under a layer of Parmesan cheese.

Yukon Gold potatoes and sauteed leeks are wrapped in puff pastry and baked until golden and crisp. A mixture of thickened cream, garlic, and nutmeg is poured into the pie vents through a funnel during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Stir shredded cheddar cheese and a bag of frozen corn kernels into hot polenta, then spoon into red bell pepper halves and allow to thicken. This dish can be prepared up to two days in advance, and warmed in the oven just before serving.

A creamy, flavorful aged goat-cheese sauce enriched with egg yolks forms the base of this vegetarian souffle. Beaten egg whites are gently folded into the mixture and the souffles are baked until golden and fluffy.

Honey-glazed roasted delicata squash and caramelized onions are spread over a rich ricotta filling and supported by flaky pastry. Serve this savory vegetable tart as a vegetarian main dish or cut into small slices for an appetizer.

Why choose just one kind of cheese for your pasta when you can have mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, Fontina, Gorgonzola, and ricotta? This recipe is courtesy of George Germon and Johanne Killeen, chef-owners of Al Forno restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island.

Get your eggs and hash browns together in one elegant package with this rich brunch dish. Using frozen potatoes is a great shortcut.

Toss hot pasta with goat cheese and grated Parmesan, followed by your choice of toppings, such as sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, olives, or fresh basil or parsley. This is a quick and flexible recipe, perfect for busy nights.

Roasting intensifies the flavor of the mushrooms in this vegetarian lasagna. Saute canned artichokes with lemon zest, chives, and thyme to dial up the flavor but not the calories.

Cauliflower bakes in a creamy Parmesan and Gruyere cheese sauce topped with breadcrumbs. This is comfort food at its finest.

Make the filling for this frittata by sauteing zucchini, onion, and thyme until the liquid in the pan evaporates, ensuring the frittata won't be soggy. Pour a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, and shredded cheddar cheese into the pan and top with a decorative arrangement of sliced tomatoes before baking.

Jumbo pasta shells ("conchiglioni" in Italian) are stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, and blanched spinach, then baked in an easy from-scratch tomato sauce. To make quick work of stuffing the shells, spoon the filling into zip-top plastic bag, snip off one corner, and simply squeeze.

Use a springform pan to give this layered pie its structure. Simmer black beans with onion, jalapeno, cumin, and beer, and layer between flour tortillas with corn, scallions, and cheddar cheese.

Beets lend their brilliant scarlet hue to fresh pasta dough in these light cheese ravioli. Brown butter is the only sauce this dish needs.

Roasted leeks and frozen spinach alternate with rich bechamel sauce in this hearty vegetarian lasagna. Save a step in preparation by using no-boil lasagna noodles.

This richly seasoned Indian rice casserole is fragrant with saffron, cardamom, ginger, and cumin. Chickpeas, green beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, peas, and cashews make this a hearty one-dish meal.

Stuffed acorn-squash halves make a beautiful presentation at the table. The filling of wild rice, dried cherries, and pecans is substantial enough to serve this as a vegetarian entree, but it also makes a festive side dish.

The ideal centerpiece for a spring brunch, this quiche combines sauteed asparagus and leeks with Gruyere cheese in a buttery pastry crust. Serve the quiche with fruit salad and muffins for a lovely morning meal.

Flaky mushroom-stuffed pastries are an easy vegetarian main dish or an elegant addition to a holiday buffet. Thanks to frozen puff pastry, these are quick to prepare.

In this take on baked pasta, ricotta and eggs are mixed together to make a creamy, custardy sauce for ziti, spinach, and roasted red pepper. The "cake" gets its shape from a springform pan.

Heavy cream and Pecorino Romano cheese make this quiche exceptionally rich. Edamame (young green soybeans) add a nutty dimension.

Make quick work of the Gruyere crust of this savory vegetarian pie by blending it in the food processor. Choose cherry tomatoes in assorted colors and mix them with lots of fresh basil and sauteed onion and garlic to make the filling.

Roasted leeks and frozen spinach alternate with purchased pasta sauce in this hearty vegetarian lasagna. Save a step in preparation by using no-boil lasagna noodles.

Red wine, cream, and a spoonful of tomato paste give the mushroom filling luscious depth. Egg yolks enrich the polenta topping and beaten egg whites give it lightness.

Add the asparagus to the pot of boiling water with the fettuccine during the last five minutes to cook both vegetable and pasta at once. Goat cheese melts into the hot pasta with grainy mustard and dill to create a creamy, tangy sauce.

In a simple and flavorful vegetarian main dish, portobello mushroom caps are stuffed with spinach, leeks, and goat cheese. The mushrooms can be baked in the oven or grilled.

Creamy bechamel sauce stands in for the more typical tomato sauce in this elegant casserole. Roasting the mushrooms before adding them to the lasagna gives them a rich, intense flavor.

Swiss chard adds texture and color to a creamy quiche enhanced with half-and-half and cheddar cheese. Made on a rimmed baking sheet, this family-size quiche serves 12 to 15 people.

Parsley and walnuts replace the traditional pesto ingredients of basil and pine nuts, to make this fresh-tasting pasta sauce. Wilted baby spinach adds an extra burst of green.

The flavors of dried porcini and fresh chanterelle and oyster mushrooms resonate throughout this creamy risotto. Add the finishing touch with a generous handful of grated Parmesan cheese.

Canned pumpkin puree and jarred sun-dried tomato pesto create an easy sauce for gemelli pasta and sauteed kale. This vegan main dish is topped with sliced almonds and baked until golden.

Escarole sauteed in butter and garlic takes on a silky texture and is paired with nutty whole-wheat pasta and Gorgonzola cheese. Serve this sophisticated vegetarian pasta dish at your next dinner party.

The classic Greek spinach-and-feta pie in phyllo dough is assembled in a springform pan for a decorative presentation. This savory pie can be frozen for up to three months and put straight into the oven when you're ready to bake it.

A light bechamel, instead of the usual tomato sauce, enriches the layers of this carrot, pea, and spinach lasagna. This dish freezes beautifully so you always have dinner for a crowd at your fingertips.

Leeks sauteed in olive oil provide a sweet, tender complement to hearty Swiss chard in this savory tart. The vegetable-packed filling is bound together with a small amount of cream sauce and an egg, then baked with a topping of Gruyere cheese.