Holiday

13 Recipes to Accommodate Any Guest and Any Diet

November 21, 2014

These days, we might as well introduce ourselves by name and dietary restriction. And when everyone has foods they can and can't eat, it's easy for hosts to feel frazzled and guests to feel burdensome. A meal that accommodates the gluten-free, the dairy-free, the soy-free, and the vegan, however, is not beyond your reach. We've gathered a few dishes that (almost) everyone will be able to enjoy. Most, but not all, of these recipes steer clear from animal products and gluten (but watch out for nuts and optional garnishes).

If you make just a couple of these recipes, no guest will go hungry. And if you're a party-goer rather than a host, bring one to the dinner you're attending -- you'll make fast friends.

Eat Your Greens! Rainbow Chard with a Maple-Vinegar Drizzle by Lizthechef

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Paul Bertolli's Cauliflower Soup by Genius Recipes

 

Moro's Warm Squash and Chickpea Salad with Tahini by Genius Recipes

 

Kale, Cabbage, and Brussels Sprout Chopped Salad by Kenzi Wilbur

 

Roasted Baby Turnips with Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette and Tarragon by Ty Ryavec

 

Farro with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, and Pomegranate Seeds by Ann S

 

Roasted Carrots with Mustard Greens Gremolata by EmilyC

 

Mustard-Roasted Cauliflower by Maja Lukic - Veggies & Gin

 

Roasted Carrot Soup by Reeve

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears and Pistachios by Bevi

  

Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles by Emily Hu

 

Caramelized Crisy Rice Bark by Couldn't Be Parve

 

Apple Chips by Merrill Stubbs

52 Days of Thanksgiving
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52 Days of Thanksgiving

Top-notch recipes, expert tips, and all the tools to pull off the year’s most memorable feast.

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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • xxx
    xxx
  • abbyarnold
    abbyarnold
  • lelang
    lelang
  • dinaofdoom
    dinaofdoom
  • Nikki Garmon
    Nikki Garmon
I used to work at Food52. I'm probably the person who picked all of the cookie dough out of the cookie dough ice cream.

6 Comments

xxx November 7, 2015
Any suggestions for mods for those of use who are allergic to soy products, including soy lecithin?
 
abbyarnold November 23, 2014
I have one son who is allergic to nuts, the other son is lactose-intolerant, and my mother is gluten-free. Luckily no vegans yet. I keep the Roz Chast cartoon, "The Last Thanksgiving", on my fridge. I make a variety of vegetable side dishes, keep the stuffing out of the turkey, and make the mashed potatoes with lactose-free sour cream and ghee.
 
lelang November 23, 2014
i like apple chips.
 
dinaofdoom November 22, 2014
farro is a type of wheat, and has gluten in it. don't understand what it's doing in this article. hopefully no well-meaning hosts poison a guest who is celiac or otherwise intolerant.
 
Sarah J. November 23, 2014
Thanks for pointing that out! That's why we wrote that "Most, but not all, of these recipes steer clear from animal products and gluten." It's always important to double-check when someone has a serious allergy.
 
Nikki G. November 21, 2014
Cooking for my mom is a nightmare. Not only is she gluten-free but she also has a laundry list of other things she won't eat. Christmas dinner is going to be a big challenge.