The Perfect Playbook to Destress Your Day and Impress Your Vegan Friends
The Super Bowl is one of North America’s most watched occasions, bringing together family and friends for the ultimate game day showdown, maybe a friendly wager or two, and of course, the feast! I am sure many of you attended or threw Super Bowl parties this past weekend. Did you have a spread that included your vegan friends? Superbowl with your vegan friends doesn’t have to be boring or daunting.
For many of us, thinking outside of the box doesn’t always come naturally. You are likely used to serving up a spread full of chilli, BBQ chicken and ribs, flaming hot wings, and a boatload of deli meat-stuffed sandwiches, which all sounds great. But what about your vegan friends? We are happy to provide a playbook for vegan party planning, for next year’s Super Bowl, or for any occasion where your vegetarian and vegan friends can feel welcomed
Appetizers:
Kick off your food options with a variety of appetizers that cater to carnivores, omnivores and herbivores.
Dips & Chips – Easy one here, grab your favourite tortilla chip and veggies and pair with a guacamole or hummus dip. Feel free to spice them up to your level of heat preference. Kale chips are also tasty and easy to make…trust me, it’s one of the best ways to eat Kale!
Minis – Upscaling your appetizers with some minis is just as easy. Bruschetta is an easy and flavourful option, which you can alter in many ways such as using sundried tomato, caponata dip, or an olive tapenade for some examples. And…traditional baguettes are made with vegan ingredients (but double-check the label). What about buffalo-flavoured cauliflower, these are a big hit and easy to make. Vegan sliders can include a meat substitute from mushrooms to an easy-to-make lentil Bolognese.
Charcuterie – Of course, one of the easiest options is to have a veggie or fruit tray, the simple charcuterie board. Throw in a variety of funky-flavoured nuts and if so inclined, experiment with some of the amazing vegan cheeses available (I’ve included a link to an article that highlights the 9 best vegan cheeses for 2024).
Plant-Powered Main Course:
The main course can be just as mouth-watering with a few key vegan options.
Chilli – Vegan chilli is just as hearty as regular chilli, and uses most of the same ingredients, sans the meat. Using a variety of beans (kidney beans, black beans and even red lentils), you can also pulverize walnuts or pecans to add some texture and throw in whatever veggies speak to you, like corn, zucchini, or carrots. I found this recipe on Instagram to be flavourful and chilli textured with the use of nuts.
Sandwiches – Utilize some spreads to bring out the flavours in your sandwich and then pile on the veggies and lightly drizzle with a zesty dressing. Think grilled veggies, with hummus, and a drizzle of lemon, olive oil, garlic and paprika dressing. Use falafel as your base, and just add in whatever cold veggies your heart desires, top with a tahini dressing. Make sure your bread is vegan and away you go!
Pizza – Another versatile option given the combination of varieties in base sauce and toppings. Cauliflower crust is one of the best pizza doughs (recipe here), but you can also purchase vegan pizza crust to simplify the work. Now, go wild with your combinations…use a babaganouj base, top with artichokes, and arugula and drizzle with spicy olive oil. Pesto base, with tomato, zucchini ribbons, spinach leaves, and some more pesto to top it off. Tomato base, vegan cheese (if you desire), caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, hot peppers, and mushrooms, and top with your vegan cheese of choice!
Plan Now for Next Year:
In this day and age with a variety of diets and food allergens and intolerances, hosting a party can feel like a lot of work. But with a little due diligence, you’ll find a myriad of easy and sophisticated vegetarian and vegan recipes that will be sure to win over your non-carnivore friends. When planning next year’s Super Bowl party, don’t forget about your vegan friends, they will appreciate the effort!
