Easy Vegetarian Dinner Party Recipes for Autumn Evenings

Autumn is the season that flatters home entertaining. The curtains are drawn by five, the candles earn their keep, and nobody expects a chilled white wine on the terrace. It is also the easiest time of year to cook without meat, because the vegetables themselves do the talking: squash, cavolo nero, parsnips, chestnuts and orchard fruit all arrive at their sweetest just as the evenings draw in. The trick is to build a menu that feels generous rather than worthy, and to make most of it in advance so you are not chained to the hob while your guests are pouring the first drink.

Nibbles That Buy You Twenty Minutes

Guests arrive at staggered times, so put something warm and unchallenging on the table before anyone sits down. Two items is plenty. Roast wedges of squash or pumpkin at 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 6) with olive oil, thyme and a pinch of chilli flakes for 30 minutes, then finish with crumbled feta and a drizzle of honey. Serve with torn sourdough and let people help themselves.

Alongside it, whip 200g of feta with a roasted garlic clove, a spoonful of Greek yoghurt and plenty of black pepper, and pile it into a shallow bowl with toasted hazelnuts and a slick of olive oil. Both can be made earlier in the day; the squash reheats in five minutes and the dip is better after an hour in the fridge. A bowl of good green olives and a handful of salted almonds complete the picture without any further effort.

A Centrepiece That Convinces the Sceptics

If your table includes committed meat-eaters, give them something with structure and a crust rather than a bowl of vegetables. A root vegetable, lentil and porcini pie does exactly that. Roast 700g of peeled carrots and parsnips in chunks with two sliced onions, a head of garlic and a generous glug of olive oil until caramelised at the edges, roughly 40 minutes. Meanwhile, simmer 150g of green lentils in stock with a handful of dried porcini that you have soaked and chopped.

Combine everything in a wide pan with a tablespoon of miso, a tablespoon of tomato purée, a teaspoon of dried thyme and enough of the porcini soaking liquid to make a thick, glossy gravy. Bubble it down for ten minutes. The filling must be completely cold before it meets the pastry, otherwise you will have a soggy base. Tip it into a pie dish, top with all-butter puff pastry, brush with beaten egg and bake at 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 6) for 30 to 35 minutes until deep gold. You can assemble it in the morning, or weeks ahead and freeze it unbaked.

Grains and Greens That Do the Heavy Lifting

One substantial grain dish means you need fewer sides. A pearl barley bake with leeks, chestnuts and a mustard and cream sauce sits happily under a crumble of stale bread and grated cheese, and reheats beautifully. Wild rice or spelt pilaf with dried apricots, pistachios and shredded sprouts is another option that holds its texture for hours and travels to the table in the dish it was cooked in.

Then choose two greens, cooked simply:

• Cavolo nero or spring greens shredded and wilted in olive oil with sliced garlic, a squeeze of lemon and plenty of salt.
• Red cabbage braised slowly with apple, balsamic and a spoonful of redcurrant jelly — start it in the morning and let it sit.
• Whole roasted onions or wedges of hispi cabbage, charred cut-side down in a hot pan, then finished in the oven with sage butter.

Serve everything in warmed dishes, and put the pie in the middle so people carve their own portions.

Make-Ahead Puddings for Cool Evenings

Dessert is where autumn cooking really romances a crowd. A pear and almond tart made with ready-rolled puff pastry takes fifteen minutes to assemble: poach halved pears in white wine, sugar and a vanilla pod, arrange them on pastry spread with frangipane, and bake at 200°C until puffed and bronzed. It is excellent at room temperature with crème fraîche.

If you prefer something spoonable, a salted honey and oat crumble can be baked in the afternoon and reheated gently, or baked pears with star anise and a jug of hot custard will never disappoint. For a pudding that improves overnight, make a chocolate and beetroot loaf cake — the beetroot keeps it damp for days and nobody will guess it is there — and serve it in thick slices with whipped cream. Remember that vegetarian guests may avoid gelatine, so set any panna cotta or posset with agar or use an egg-based custard instead.

A Timetable That Keeps You Out of the Kitchen

The day itself should be calm, which means working backwards from the moment your guests arrive.

• Morning: braise the red cabbage, poach the pears, roast the squash for the nibbles, make the feta dip.
• Early afternoon: assemble the pie and the grain bake, and set the table.
• An hour before: bring the pie to room temperature and slide the grain dish into a low oven. Light candles, put a wool throw or two within reach of the sofa, and warm the plates.
• Twenty minutes before: put the pie in, dress the greens, and pour yourself something.

If you want a wine match, look for a light red such as a Loire cabernet franc or a Beaujolais, both of which flatter earthy root vegetables and lentils far better than a heavy Bordeaux. Decant it before the doorbell rings, and let the evening unfold at its own pace.