Quick-to-prepare fingerfoods for vegan & gluten free crowd?
April 1, 2017 5:37 PM Subscribe
My friends often have social gatherings - about three a month, where we each bring one small plate of finger foods to serve 5-10 of us. One in our group is vegan, one is gluten free and I try to be sensitive to their needs but I only have an hour in between work and the gatherings, so no time to make something fancy or complicated. Hummus, chips, and grapes are often served, so those are out. I've brought nooch popcorn, vegan pesto, and, when the GF friend was not attending, homemade jam with bread (big hit!). What other ideas do you have? Ideas that can be prepared in advance are a plus.
Best answer: Crispy chickpeas!
White bean dip with rosemary and sage
posted by purenitrous at 6:00 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
White bean dip with rosemary and sage
posted by purenitrous at 6:00 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Sweet potato fries
posted by invisible ink at 6:10 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by invisible ink at 6:10 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Fruit kebabs with an optional sweet dip
posted by Northbysomewhatcrazy at 6:26 PM on April 1, 2017
posted by Northbysomewhatcrazy at 6:26 PM on April 1, 2017
Best answer: These lentil snacks look interesting.
Plantain chips
posted by bunderful at 6:43 PM on April 1, 2017
Plantain chips
posted by bunderful at 6:43 PM on April 1, 2017
Best answer: Baked falafel - make ahead and re-heat
Edamame
Carrot dip
Muhammara - leave out panko to make it gluten-free.
posted by bunderful at 7:13 PM on April 1, 2017
Edamame
Carrot dip
Muhammara - leave out panko to make it gluten-free.
posted by bunderful at 7:13 PM on April 1, 2017
Deviled eggs are good for everybody but the vegan.
Fruit kabobs with yogurt dip.
Carrots and celery with blue cheese.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:37 PM on April 1, 2017
Fruit kabobs with yogurt dip.
Carrots and celery with blue cheese.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:37 PM on April 1, 2017
Best answer: Melanzana! Cut an eggplant, two peppers, and an onion into one inch cubes, toss in olive oil, and roast till mooshy. Puree with salt and pepper. Keeps in the fridge for a week or so; bring to room temperature to serve. Serve as a dip with bread and/or corn chips.
posted by gideonfrog at 8:24 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by gideonfrog at 8:24 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Lentil salad in lettuce or endive cups
Onigiri
posted by bunderful at 8:31 PM on April 1, 2017
Onigiri
posted by bunderful at 8:31 PM on April 1, 2017
Chi chi dango is a make ahead Japanese-Hawaiian treat, but it's always insanely popular when I bring it to parties. They're much less sweet than people generally expect, and the texture is unusual to Western palates, but people go nuts for this. It's gluten free, vegan, kid and adult friendly, and best of all, dead easy to make.
It does require a couple of slightly difficult to find ingredients (glutinous/sweet rice flour--I usually use the Koda Farms brand Mochiko--and potato starch). Easy to find at an Asian market, but fancier grocery stores also generally have them, and I've even had good luck in the international and gluten-free aisles of regular grocery stores.
Pro tip, use a disposable plastic knife to cut it if you want to avoid a sticky mess. Traditionally you'd throw in a couple of drops of red food coloring to make it pink, but that's entirely optional. I've also substituted almond extract for the vanilla to excellent results.
posted by Diagonalize at 8:35 PM on April 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
It does require a couple of slightly difficult to find ingredients (glutinous/sweet rice flour--I usually use the Koda Farms brand Mochiko--and potato starch). Easy to find at an Asian market, but fancier grocery stores also generally have them, and I've even had good luck in the international and gluten-free aisles of regular grocery stores.
Pro tip, use a disposable plastic knife to cut it if you want to avoid a sticky mess. Traditionally you'd throw in a couple of drops of red food coloring to make it pink, but that's entirely optional. I've also substituted almond extract for the vanilla to excellent results.
posted by Diagonalize at 8:35 PM on April 1, 2017 [6 favorites]
Baked herby polenta. I tend to top mine with a tomato and chickpea and moved paprika stew, but that stays to strain the definition of finger food.
You can get lovely gluten free flat breads and make a thick dal to eat with them.
Many Indian veggie snacks are or can be gluten free and can be partly or fully made in advance.
I love the idea of veggie sushi - maybe look at recipes for Korean gimbap/kimbap as it is more often made with veg.
Loaded potato skins with roast veg? Might be a bit sad without cheese.
posted by kadia_a at 8:45 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
You can get lovely gluten free flat breads and make a thick dal to eat with them.
Many Indian veggie snacks are or can be gluten free and can be partly or fully made in advance.
I love the idea of veggie sushi - maybe look at recipes for Korean gimbap/kimbap as it is more often made with veg.
Loaded potato skins with roast veg? Might be a bit sad without cheese.
posted by kadia_a at 8:45 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
I usually pick up a supermarket veggie tray for the herbivores when I do coffee hour at church.
posted by tully_monster at 8:50 PM on April 1, 2017
posted by tully_monster at 8:50 PM on April 1, 2017
Arepas freeze well and can be served with all sorts of things.
posted by kmennie at 9:04 PM on April 1, 2017
posted by kmennie at 9:04 PM on April 1, 2017
Best answer: My go-to for this situation is to have plenty of those shelf stable plastic polenta tubes on hand. Satisfyingly squeeze them out, cut them into circles and top with a basil leaf, tomato and your spread of choice. This part can be prepared ahead of time. If your gathering place has an oven, just heat and serve. They can also be eaten cold.
posted by oxisos at 9:30 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by oxisos at 9:30 PM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Candied Pecans
Hummus
Guacamole
This fantastic NYT sweet potato recipe:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017992-gjelinas-roasted-yams
posted by Ostara at 9:52 PM on April 1, 2017
Hummus
Guacamole
This fantastic NYT sweet potato recipe:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017992-gjelinas-roasted-yams
posted by Ostara at 9:52 PM on April 1, 2017
Pappadums and chutney.
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:56 AM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:56 AM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Skordalia! Serve with raw veggies.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 5:21 AM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 5:21 AM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: These cucumber cups are delish! You can substitute the salmon salad for hummus, diced tomatoes, .... other veg delights?
Tofu & veg skewers?
I am not above using fake cheese (Daiya brand) when feeding my dairy-free sister. It melts very nicely.
posted by dotparker at 4:13 PM on April 2, 2017
Tofu & veg skewers?
I am not above using fake cheese (Daiya brand) when feeding my dairy-free sister. It melts very nicely.
posted by dotparker at 4:13 PM on April 2, 2017
Your homemade jam again, with store-bought gluten-free bread and/or gf crackers (Trader Joe's makes reliably tasty gluten-free baked goods.)
posted by furtive_jackanapes at 10:53 PM on April 2, 2017
posted by furtive_jackanapes at 10:53 PM on April 2, 2017
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Corn chips, salsa, guacamole
Drunken mushrooms, baba ganouj, gluten-free bread or crackers
Roasted veggie plate
Raw veggie plate
Gluten-free fruit crumble or pie
posted by bunderful at 5:54 PM on April 1, 2017