How do you make dinner for vegetarian and meat eating guests?

Make a lot of veggie dishes just like eggplant parmesan or similar and just prepare meat any way you want (chicken, beef, pork) for the non vegetarians who can eat the vegetarian dishes as side dishes. You can serve potatoes to every one or pastas. Just make sure to know: some vegetarians eat dairy and egg products and some don't.

To be sure with the dessert...fruit is always right.

Eggplant parmesan

2 medium sized eggplants (about 1.5 pounds, total)

olive oil

salt

4-6 ripe, beautiful tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced

1/4 pound Parmesan cheese, grated

fresh garlic, oregano, basil, and parsley to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Slice eggplants about 1/4" thick. Place the slices on cooling racks, sprinkle with salt on both sides, and let sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse off extra salt, and pat dry with paper towels. Heat about 1/8" olive oil in a large frying pan, and fry the slices on both sides until golden. As each batch is done, drain it on paper towels while the remainder is frying. Place one layer of eggplant in an oven-proof casserole. Cover with slices of mozzarella and half of the herbs and tomatoes. Put remaining slices on top, add the remaining mozzarella, herbs, tomatoes, and the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

OR

Chile rellenos

8 large fresh chiles poblanos

4 cups grated cheese (mild cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack)

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup flour

canola oil, about 1/2 cup

Roast and peel the chiles, being careful not to break the stems. Remove the seeds carefully. Grate the cheese and form into 8 ovals. Fit one oval into each of the prepared chilis. Add salt to the egg whites, then beat with an electric mixer until stiff enough to hold a peak. Gently beat the egg yolks with the flour. Fold the yolks into the whites. Heat the oil in a very large skillet. Pour half the egg mixture into the hot skillet. Place the eight stuffed chilis on the egg mixture. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the chilis. When brown on the underside, carefully flip the chilis and cook thoroughly on the second side.

OR

many more ideas here

http://emr.cs.iit.edu/~reingold/ruths-kitchen/vege...

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I never cook two different dishes when having vegetarian and meat eating guests. There are a lot of dishes which don't contain any meat which meat eaters would not feel deprived eating - pasta, lasagna, bean and cheese burritos...

Alot of times meat eaters will be satisfied with vegetarian dishes if its tasty. For example, vegetable bisque is a classic and is super easy to make. The bisque is filling, colorful and its a thumbs up for both vegetarians and meat eaters. The best way to approach satisfying both groups is to remember to start with a great base like a really good stock or sauce. Once this is done meat can be added later or not at all.

Here are seven more meatless dishes to appeal even to the chronically carnivorous:

Bean there, done that! Beans make great meat replacements, probably because they're super-satisfying with high amounts of protein and fiber. You might not notice the meat's missing when you dine on chili bursting with beans. A bean burrito makes a fine meal, and vegetable stew can be quite filling when you add beans.

Veggie pot pie, featuring potatoes, peas, mushrooms and any other vegetables with a vegetarian gravy and a vegetarian pie crust (if desired).

Mexican dishes featuring beans and veggies instead of beef and chicken: burritos, nachos, enchiladas, etc.

Stir-fry up some Chinese entrées with veggies and tofu, and serve atop rice or noodles.

Stuff bell peppers with a mixture of rice with spices and vegetables. Add vegetarian sausage, tofu, or beans to make the dish more satisfying.

Layer your lasagna with veggies, not meat. Lasagna has so much going for it (sauce, cheese, noodles, spices, etc.) that you won't miss the meat. You can do the same with other pasta dishes, too. Macaroni & cheese doesn't need meat to pass muster. Neither does fettuccine Alfredo, nor cheese tortellini with pesto or marinara sauce.

Substitute hearty vegetables that have substantial texture and a rich, satisfying flavor (like eggplant, spinach, portabella mushrooms, zucchini) for the meat in your favorite dishes. Thick slices of broiled eggplant can replace chicken in eggplant parmesan, and spinach can stand in for ground beef in lasagna. Tofu can take the place of beef in chili. A grilled portabella mushroom served on a bun can even take the place of a burger.

what you should do is prepare your meal as you would normally and just cook your meat item on the side and add your recipe to the meat so as not to cook a whole seperate dish. or you could make food items that have no meat at all and have grilled items on the menu for both types of diets. keep in mind no one ever died because they didnt eat meat. two different starches make a complete protein: beans and rice, beans and corn, corn and rice, rice and lentils,etc

I make a pasta bar. I put out a thick meat sauce, a marinara sauce, cheeses, and a couple of different types of pasta. It's always a big hit and an easy way to serve a crowd.

What my mother does is when she gets the family together at Christmas, she makes baked ziti (for me, a vegan) and includes some sausage or meat balls on the side to please the meat-eaters. Pasta dishes often go well with meat (or so meat-eaters think), and pasta is usually a crowd-pleaser.

I read somwhere that you shouldn't make a different dish for vegetarians, because it makes them feel 'different' and that they put you out. The article recommended that you make a hearty vegetarian dish. If it's hearty, the meat-eaters won't feel deprived. Mushrooms are a good "meaty" ingredient choice. And even though people eat meat, they don't have to eat it at every meal! I eat meatless meals often.

And it's easier for you; you only have to cook one meal.

EASY! Make Tofurkey. It's tofu, but it tastes like turkey...if you make it right:

TOFU TURKEY

5 lbs. medium firm tofu

1/2 c. sesame oil (do not substitute any other kind of oil)

1/4 c. soy, tamari, or shoyu sauce

-Mash tofu well. (For optimal results, blend a firm Chinese style tofu with a smaller portion of Japanese style, such as Mori-Nu Firm.) Line an 11 inch colander with a single layer of moistened cheesecloth. Transfer tofu to colander. Press tofu to flatten, and fold edges of cheesecloth over it. Place a cake tin or other flat object over the surface of the tofu and weigh it down with a heavy object (about 5 lbs.) to press the liquid from the tofu.

-After the tofu has drained for 1 hour, hollow out to within 1 inch of the colander. Fill the cavity with your favorite stuffing. Pack in stuffing and cover with remaining tofu. pat down so surface is flat and firm. Oil a roast or turkey pan, place pan over colander, and flip over so that flat surface of filled tofu faces down. Remove cheesecloth.

-Mix sesame oil and soy sauce to use as a basting liquid. Baste tofu with liquid. Bake covered at 400 degree for 1 hour. Remove cover, baste, and return to oven to bake uncovered until top becomes golden brown, about one hour more. Baste again at least once during remaining cooking time.

Make one big batch of chili with beans & veg... cook meat seperately and a to half of it.... serve over baked split sweet potatoes.