Vegetarian Main Courses

Whether you are vegetarian, are having vegetarian friends to dinner or simply don’t fancy meat, poultry or fish sometimes, here is a selection of utterly delicious main courses for you to enjoy. They all use simple ingredients including cans, packets and other convenience foods combined with some fresh vegetables and salads to make easy, elegant meals in no time at all. Make sure any cheeses you use are suitable for vegetarians, if true veggies are eating the meals!

Wild mushroom risotto with parmesan wafers

Using a packet of mushroom risotto mix ensures a creamy, authentic texture, and adding the little extras means the flavour is fantastic too! Parmesan wafers bring a gourmet touch, but do use fresh grated Parmesan (you can buy it ready grated), not the sort sold in tubs, which is dried so won’t melt.

Serves 4–6

For the Parmesan wafers

100 g/4 oz /1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the risotto

1 x 250 g/9 oz packet of mushroom risotto mix

100 g/4 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced

15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter or margarine, plus extra for greasing

60 ml/4 tbsp double (heavy) cream

Freshly ground black pepper

A little chopped fresh or dried parsley, to garnish

To serve

A crisp green salad

1 Put 12 spoonfuls of Parmesan cheese well apart on a greased baking (cookie) sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake in a preheated oven at 200˚C/400˚F/gas 6/fan oven 180˚C for 10 minutes until melted. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

2 Make up the risotto mix according to the packet directions. While it is cooking, stew the mixed sliced mushrooms in the butter or margarine, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

3 When the risotto is just cooked, stir in the mushrooms and their juices and the cream. Season with pepper.

4 Spoon into warm shallow bowls or deep plates and garnish with parsley. Serve with the Parmesan wafers and a crisp green salad.

Ratatouille and cheese dolmas on garlic chick peas

If you had to start by making the ratatouille you would be embarking on a very time-consuming dish. However, cheating and using canned ratatouille works a dream and the flavour is extremely moreish. The whole effect is very Mediterranean and everyone will be sure to enjoy it.

Serves 4

8 large cabbage leaves

1 x 425 g/15 oz/large can of ratatouille

30 ml/2 tbsp long-grain rice

2.5 ml/½ tsp dried basil

50 g/2 oz/½ cup finely diced Cheddar cheese

300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube

30 ml/2 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)

30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil

1 x 425 g/15 oz/large can of chick peas (garbanzos), drained

50 g/2 oz/½ cup sliced black olives

30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh or frozen parsley

1 Cut out and discard the thick central base stalk from the cabbage leaves. Cook the leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Dry on kitchen paper (paper towels).

2 Mix the ratatouille with the rice, basil and Cheddar.

3 Lay the leaves upside-down on a board and overlap the two points where the stalks were. Spoon the ratatouille mixture on top. Fold in the sides, then roll up. Pack into a heavy-based flameproof casserole dish (Dutch oven).

4 Mix the stock with the tomato purée, season to taste and pour over. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes until the cabbage and rice are tender.

5 Meanwhile, cook the garlic gently in the oil for 1 minute without browning. Add the chick peas and crush with a fork. Stir in the olives and parsley and season to taste. Heat through, stirring.

6 Pile the crushed chickpeas on to warm plates and arrange the dolmas alongside. Spoon the juices over and serve.

Falafel with minted cucumber salsa

Traditionally falafel are made by soaking dried chickpeas, then boiling them for ages, then mashing them and mixing them, and finally frying them. Here the process takes just a few minutes to prepare and cook – including making a fresh salsa to serve with them. Brilliant!

Serves 4

For the falafel

1 x 425 g/15 oz/large can of chickpeas (garbanzos) drained

1 small onion

1 small garlic clove or 2.5 ml/½ tsp garlic purée (paste)

1.5 ml/¼ tsp dried chilli flakes

5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin

5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander (cilantro)

5 ml/1 tsp dried parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

15 ml/1 tbsp potato flour

40 g/1½ oz/1/3 cup plain (all-purpose) flour

60 ml/4 tbsp milk

Oil for deep-frying

For the salsa

¼ cucumber, finely chopped

2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

15 ml/1 tbsp bottled mint sauce

A good pinch of caster (superfine) sugar

75 ml/5 tbsp plain yoghurt

To serve

Pitta breads and a mixed salad

1 To make the falafel, put all the ingredients except the flour and milk in a blender or food processor and purée to a coarse paste.

2 Shape the mixture into 20 small balls. Roll in the flour, then in the milk, then the flour again. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

3 To make the salsa, mix together all the ingredients and season to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

4 Deep-fry the falafel a few at a time for 3 minutes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper (paper towels).

5 Serve with the salsa, pitta breads and a mixed salad.

Velvet macaroni cheese with tomato topping

This is a traditional and popular family dish, but you normally have to make a cheese sauce to add to the pasta – which takes effort and two dirty pans. Here you just throw in the cheesy ingredients after cooking the pasta and the result is a smooth, creamy, very rich dish, perfect for lunch or supper in a hurry.

Serves 4

225 g/8 oz short-cut macaroni

200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup cheese spread

60 ml/4 tbsp milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4–6 tomatoes, sliced

To serve

Ciabatta bread and a crisp green salad

1 Cook the pasta according to the packet directions. Drain and return to the pan.

2 Stir in the cheese spread and milk. Season to taste. Heat through, stirring.

3 Spoon the mixture into one large or four small flameproof dishes.

4 Arrange the tomato slices over the surface. Cook under a preheated grill (broiler) until the tomatoes are cooked and lightly browning round the edges.

5 Serve with ciabatta bread and a crisp green salad.

Gnocchi with creamy dolcelatte and celery sauce

Making gnocchi from scratch is such a fiddle and I just can’t see the point when the vacuum packs of ready made are so good. The important thing is that the sauce is very good and very easy. Here I’ve mixed blue cheese and crème fraîche with some chopped celery and onion for a simple but delicious combination.

Serves 4–6

2 vacuum packs of ready-made gnocchi

3 celery sticks, chopped

1 onion, chopped

15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter or margarine

450 ml/¾ pt/2 cups crème fraîche

175 g/6 oz/1½ cups crumbled Dolcelatte cheese

25 g/1 oz/¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

10 ml/2 tsp dried chives

Freshly ground black pepper

Tiny sprigs of fresh basil or a few extra dried chives, to garnish

To serve

Crusty bread and a tomato salad

1 Cook the gnocchi according to the packet directions. Transfer to one large or four to six small serving dishes.

2 Meanwhile, gently cook the celery and onion in the butter or margarine for 2 minutes, stirring, to soften. Remove from the heat and stir in the crème fraîche, cheeses and chives. Add a good grinding of black pepper.

3 Spoon the sauce over the gnocchi. Bake in a preheated oven at 200˚C/400˚F/gas 6/fan oven 180˚C for about 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

4 Garnish with tiny sprigs of basil or a sprinkling of dried chives. Serve with crusty bread and a tomato salad.

Spinach and tagliatelle bake with glazed tomatoes

Creamed spinach makes a perfect sauce for pasta, with the addition of a few extra flavourings to make the texture and flavour truly delicious. The glazed vine tomatoes add an elegant touch and are so easy to prepare. They are worth the little extra cost as they have such a wonderful flavour.

Serves 4

350 g/12 oz tagliatelle

1 large onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)

75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup butter or margarine

1 x 450 g/1 lb packet of frozen creamed spinach, thawed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A good pinch of grated nutmeg

4 sprigs of small tomatoes on the vine (3–4 on each sprig)

30 ml/2 tbsp olive oil

30 ml/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

5 ml/1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar

1 Cook the tagliatelle in boiling, lightly salted water in a flameproof casserole dish (Dutch oven) for 8 minutes until almost tender but still slightly ‘nutty’. Drain thoroughly in a colander.

2 Fry (sauté) the onion and garlic in the casserole dish in 50 g/ 2 oz/¼ cup of the butter or margarine for 2 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden.

3 Return the pasta to the pan and toss gently. Add the creamed spinach and toss again. Season to taste and add the nutmeg. Toss again.

4 Dot with the remaining butter or margarine. Bake in a preheated oven at 190˚C/375˚F/gas 5/fan oven 170˚C for 30 minutes until hot through and lightly golden on top.

5 Meanwhile, lay the tomatoes in a shallow baking dish. Trickle with the oil and turn over gently to coat completely. Sprinkle all over with the balsamic vinegar, then the sugar and a little salt and pepper. Place in the oven with the tagliatelle half way through cooking (they will take about 15 minutes in all).

6 Spoon the pasta mixture on to four warm plates. Lay a sprig of cooked tomatoes to one side and spoon any juices over. Serve hot.

Baked tofu and egg madras

Nothing could be simpler than this delicious dish and the result is truly sensational! Use microwave rice if you’re not too great with boiling it from scratch or for a completely hassle-free meal. Or you could use boil-in-the-bag rice, which is also simple and foolproof.

Serves 4

1 x 250 g/9 oz block of firm tofu, cubed

1 x 425 g/15 oz jar of Madras curry sauce

8 eggs

30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

To serve

Plain basmati rice

1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas 4/fan oven 160˚C.

2 Put the cubes of tofu in four individual ovenproof serving dishes. Spoon the sauce over. Cover the dishes with foil and bake in the oven for 5 minutes to heat through.

3 Carefully remove the foil. Stir gently, then make two hollows in each dish and break an egg into each hollow (two per dish). Sprinkle with the coriander and re-cover with the foil. Return to the oven for 10–15 minutes until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

4 Serve with plain basmati rice.

Vegetable and lentil stir-fry with black bean sauce

Almost instant noodles mixed with canned pulses – so no soaking or boiling – and the easiest of sauce mixtures all from storecupboard ingredients makes a surprisingly delicious dish. The chopped spring onions add a touch of elegance but you could just sprinkle the dish with dried chives if you don’t have any.

Serves 4

2 slabs of Chinese egg noodles

45 ml/3 tbsp sunflower oil

1 x 225 g/8 oz packet of fresh mixed stir-fry vegetables

1 x 425 g/15 oz/large can of green or brown lentils, drained

30 ml/2 tbsp bottled black bean sauce

15 ml/1 tbsp soy sauce

15 ml/1 tbsp medium dry sherry or apple juice

1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), chopped, to garnish

1 Cook the noodles according to the packet directions. Drain thoroughly.

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) or wok. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

3 Add the cooked noodles and lentils and toss for 1 minute.

4 Add the sauces and sherry or apple juice and toss again. Spoon into bowls and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Conchiglie alla genovese

You can use cooked leftover new potatoes and French beans if you have them. This colourful, filling meal is based on a classic Italian peasant dish and still has all the flavour but none of the effort. If you have some fresh basil, tear a few leaves and sprinkle over before serving.

Serves 4

225 g/8 oz conchiglie (pasta shells)

1 x 300 g/11 oz/medium can of new potatoes, drained and quartered

1 x 295 g/10½ oz/medium can of cut French (green) beans, drained

15 ml/1 tbsp olive oil

12 cherry tomatoes

45 ml/3 tbsp pesto from a jar

Grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish

1 Cook the pasta according to the packet directions. Drain and return to the pan.

2 Meanwhile, put the potatoes and beans in a non-stick saucepan with the oil. Cover and cook over a very gentle heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until hot through. Add the tomatoes and heat for a further 1 minute until the tomatoes are hot but still hold their shape.

3 Add the pesto to the pasta and toss to coat. Tip the heated vegetables into the pan and toss again over a gentle heat until thoroughly mixed and piping hot. Spoon into warm bowls and sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese.

Asparagus and flageolet soufflé

Don’t leave soufflés to the professionals. You don’t need any skill for this gloriously light and fluffy, pale green concoction! Try other mixtures such as canned sliced mushrooms and mushroom soup with brown lentils. Bake small scrubbed potatoes on the top shelf for 30 minutes before putting the soufflé in the oven to cook.

Serves 4

Butter for greasing

1 x 410 g/14½ oz/large can of cut asparagus spears, drained

1 x 295 g/10½ oz/medium can of condensed asparagus soup

75 g/3 oz/¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh or frozen parsley

4 eggs, separated

1 x 300 g/11 oz/medium can of flageolet beans, drained, rinsed and drained again

Freshly ground black pepper

To serve

Baby jacket potatoes and a mixed salad

1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F/gas 6/fan oven 180˚C. Grease a 20 cm/8 in soufflé dish and put the asparagus spears in the base.

2 Whisk the soup with the Parmesan, parsley and egg yolks. Stir in the beans.

3 Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the soup mixture with a metal spoon.

4 Turn into the prepared soufflé dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until risen and a rich golden brown.

5 Serve straight away with baby jacket potatoes and a mixed salad.

Peanut and soya bean flan with tomato chilli salsa

No need to worry that you can’t make pastry; this peanut one is simply mixed together with a fork – no rubbing in or rolling and folding required. The filling, too, is just a simple mix of storecupboard standbys. The golden flan is then served with a fresh salsa for added goodness and flavour.

Serves 4–6

For the pastry

45 ml/3 tbsp smooth peanut butter

100 g/4 oz/½ cup soft tub margarine

30 ml/2 tbsp water

225 g/8 oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

5 ml/1 tsp salt

For the filling

1 x 425 g/15 oz/large can of soya beans, drained

2 spring onion (scallions), finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

50 g/2 oz/½ cup roasted peanuts

60 ml/4 tbsp mayonnaise

Freshly ground black pepper

50 g/2 oz/½ cup grated Cheddar cheese

For the salsa

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

75 ml/5 tbsp tomato and chilli salsa from a jar

To serve

A mixed salad

1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F/gas 6/fan oven 180˚C. Put all the pastry ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork until it forms a dough. Press the dough into the base and sides of a 20 cm/8 in flan dish (pie pan). Prick the base with a fork and fill with crumpled foil.

2 Bake the pastry case (pie shell) in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes to dry out.

3 Turn down the oven to 190˚C/375˚F/gas 5/fan oven 170˚C. Mix together the filling ingredients except the cheese and spoon into the flan. Cover with the cheese and return to the oven for 25 minutes until golden and hot through.

4 Meanwhile, mix together the tomatoes and salsa and season to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

5 Serve the flan warm with the tomato chilli salsa and a mixed salad.

Onion and white bean stroganoff

You do need to peel onions for this, but they don’t have to be cut up precisely, and you could use frozen chopped onions if you really can’t be bothered! They are then just fried and mixed with canned beans, soured cream and some fresh parsley for a glorious taste sensation to serve with easily cooked wild rice mix.

Serves 4

For the rice

225 g/8 oz/1 cup wild rice mix

1 vegetable stock cube

15 ml/1 tbsp pickled green peppercorns

For the stroganoff

50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter or margarine

4 large onions, halved and sliced

2 x 425 g/15 oz/large cans of cannellini beans, drained

300 ml/½ pt/1¼ cups soured (dairy sour) cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A little chopped fresh or dried parsley, to garnish

To serve

A mixed salad

1 Cook the wild rice mix in plenty of boiling water with the stock cube added for 20 minutes. Drain in a colander, return to the pan and stir in the peppercorns.

2 Meanwhile, melt the butter or margarine over a gentle heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until softening but not browning. Turn down the heat to low, cover the pan and cook very gently for a further 5 minutes until soft but not brown, stirring occasionally.

3 Add the beans and soured cream and heat through. Season to taste.

4 Pile the rice on to warm plates and spoon the stroganoff to one side. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a mixed salad.

Limoges potato pie

Traditionally you would have to fiddle around scrubbing potatoes and cutting them very thinly so they cook properly in the pie – the result can be really disappointing if they aren’t cooked through! Here canned potatoes ensure a soft, creamy filling encased in golden, flaky pastry. Minimum effort but maximum flavour guaranteed!

Serves 4–6

1 box of 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry (paste), thawed

2 x 550 g/18 oz/large cans of potatoes, drained

10 ml/2 tsp dried minced onion

1 large garlic clove, chopped, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)

10 ml/2 tsp dried chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter or margarine

150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup double (heavy) or whipping cream

1 egg

To serve

Pickles

1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F/gas 7/fan oven 200˚C. Use one sheet of pastry to line an 18 x 23 cm/7 x 9 in shallow ovenproof dish.

2 Slice the potatoes. Layer the potato slices, onion, garlic and chives, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper and dotting each layer with butter or margarine.

3 Beat together the cream and egg and pour over the potatoes, reserving about 10 ml/2 tsp for glazing.

4 Lay the remaining pastry on top, crimping the edges together between the finger and thumb. Brush the top of the pie with the reserved egg and cream to glaze. Make leaves out of the pastry trimmings and arrange on the pie. Brush the leaves with the very last of the egg and cream. Make a hole in the centre to allow steam to escape.

5 Place the pie on a baking (cookie) sheet and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until risen and golden and the filling is just set but still creamy.

6 Serve warm with pickles.