Five Vegetarian Appetizer Recipes for Holiday Parties

If you’ve just learned you will be having a vegetarian guest this holiday, you may panic when you realize your shopping list needs some modification.  Below I’ll share a few simple recipes that will “wow” your guests and won’t demand a complete overhaul on the part of your shopping list or budget.

1.  Hummus
This is a Middle Eastern dish that has gained popularity in the west.  The base for hummus is ground-up chickpeas.  They are mixed with garlic, tahini (sesame paste used for seasoning), lemon juice, olive oil and salt.  Depending on your taste, you can add sun-dried tomatoes to the puree. Add parsley and other herbs as a garnish or to change the flavor.  Serve hummus with pita bread triangles (toasted or untoasted) or tortilla chips.

2.  Antipasto
This is an Italian dish that is light and fun to eat.  Most of the time it includes some type of meat like salami or pepperoni, but you can skip the meat and make this a vegetarian dish.  Use a large platter for serving and cut your foods up into bite-sized pieces for easy snacking.  Here are a few suggestions: olives, tomato wedges, green beans, broccoli, provolone, feta cheese, onion, peppers, roasted garlic, toasted pita slices, baguettes or Melba toast. Drizzle with olive oil and a selection of herbs.

3.  Salsa Dip
This can be poured straight out of the jar from the store or made fresh at home.  Add some cubes of cheese for a creamier taste.  Serve with tortilla chips, green pepper sticks and grape tomatoes.

4.  Sweet Potato Fries
These are less greasy than regular white potato fries.  Cut a sweet potato into long, thin strips as you would for regular french fries.  If you have a fancy cutter, then turn them into crinkle cut sweet potatoes.  Bake them in the oven until crispy and then top with spray butter and a touch of cinnamon and sugar.  They can be eaten alone or with a vegetable dip.

5.  Loaded Nachos
Layer your nacho chips on the bottom of a pan.  Cover them with a layer of shredded cheddar and asiago cheeses.  Top that with banana pepper slices and jalapeno slices.  Add some black beans and top with more cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted.   Remove from the oven and add diced tomatoes, olives and sour cream.

Now you’ll be ready for you vegetarian guest.  You might even surprise yourself and other meat eating friends – vegetarian dishes are full of flavor and they aren’t just for vegetarians!

Chele Neisler is your host for Moms Love Shopping. As a mother of three boys, Chele is happy to have Moms Love Shopping as an outlet and a connection to other women. Spending every moment with all males isn’t easy! Hosting the show also allows her the chance to return to her two first loves, shopping and chatting.