Anonymous wrote:I’m the PP. Next time I’ll read the previous responses before jumping in with my response 🤦‍♀️. Lessons learned !

I don't think I've ever seen such consensus on DCUM. If OP doesn't do falafel I will be very disappointed! Cleary shawarma and falafel are meant to be!

I’m the PP. Next time I’ll read the previous responses before jumping in with my response 🤦‍♀️. Lessons learned !

Anonymous wrote:op- I was thinking about making chicken shawarma. Good idea about sides, thx

Do the chicken shawarma and get a bag of frozen falafel to bake and serve as well. The same tahini sauce you’ll make for the shawarma goes with the falafel and the same chopped veggie sides go for both as well.

You can get good frozen falafel at Trader Joe’s. I cook mine in a skillet with a little olive oil.

I personally have never made falafel so would order it or would roast chickpeas instead as another side and the vegetarian could use those as his/her main.
- NP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:op- I was thinking about making chicken shawarma. Good idea about sides, thx

Vegetarian here. It would be great if you would make some falafel that could be the main for your vegetarian plus a side for your other guests. Add pita, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, and you’ve got a great meal for everyone!

Omnivore who cooks for mixed groups, this is where my mind went too. Make some falafel, and then everything else in the meal can be the same. Anything you would make that goes with shawarma would go with falafel too.

I wouldn't think of it as a separate main, just put out a spread for people to choose from. Dip, veggies, pitta, sauce, whatever.

Anonymous wrote:op- I was thinking about making chicken shawarma. Good idea about sides, thx

That's easy then - add falafel. And the sides can all be veg dips and salads etc - tzatziki, olives, Israeli salad, eggplant salad, pita....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:op- I was thinking about making chicken shawarma. Good idea about sides, thx

Vegetarian here. It would be great if you would make some falafel that could be the main for your vegetarian plus a side for your other guests. Add pita, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, and you’ve got a great meal for everyone!

Not a vegetarian here, but I was going to suggest similar: hummus, pita, tabbouleh, and falafel. People can choose what they call their main and their sides.

Anonymous wrote:op- I was thinking about making chicken shawarma. Good idea about sides, thx

Vegetarian here. It would be great if you would make some falafel that could be the main for your vegetarian plus a side for your other guests. Add pita, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, and you’ve got a great meal for everyone!

I would think most vegetarians prefer just to be accommodated with a simple omission. So if your plan is meat/potato/veg add a salad with cheese and nuts and bread and they won't eat the meat. Offer additional cheese on the side. Salad, potato, veg, and bread is a plenty good meal. And to be fair, if you're eating something like a bowl of greens, a potato or risotto or polenta dish with cream and cheese, a hunk of bread with tomato herb butter, and some balsamic vinaigrette, parm, pecans, olives, and beets (this is an example) you do not need a hunk of salmon or slice of filet to round out your dietary needs for the evening.

If it's pasta based, pasta alone is fine.

If you're grilling (unlikely in winter) have some veggies and offer to everyone.

Some vegetarians don't want the spotlight of something special they have to take, eat, talk about. Others are "veggies" due to restricted eating and you're going to trouble for no reason. Most are totally reasonable and will just eat vegetables and some other non animal protein and call it a meal.

op- I was thinking about making chicken shawarma. Good idea about sides, thx

Veggie lasagna, meatballs, salad, bread, dessert, done.

What's the rest of the meal? Can you do you meat main, 1 veg main, and keep the sides veg?

Just make a spinach lasagna with salad and garlic bread.

I'm having some friends over for dinner, since one is a vegetarian, should I just make a separate dish? Any good recipes?