Bienvenue au Le Restaurant Mademoiselle Ashley! In this post I will share with you how to plan, prepare, and deliver a fun, fancy, and vegan French dinner party. Bon Appétit babes.
I found what made my dinner party most successful was the choice of food along with the ambiance. Just the basics, like a tablecloth, made such a difference in creating a French restaurant atmosphere. I found most of my decorations at thrift stores. I used a thrifted pillowcase to create the napkins (link to instructions) which I wrapped my guest’s silverware with. I felt that this added detail made the table look beautiful, and also made my guest feel so ~proper~. And of course, I had some French music playing throughout the evening. I really enjoyed this playlist I found on Spotify. Included are a few classic versions of La vie en rose. Enough said…
Tips for hosts
- Keep all of your recipes in one place. I made a document listing the links to my recipes, some notes on how long they take, and my grocery list. This will help you stay organized and get everything cooked on time.
- Make desserts the day before. If you are a basket case like me you will end up adding 10 extra things to your to-do list the day of the party. You should not worry about desserts. If you make them ahead of time you will have some confidence that one of your dishes turned out, and have one less stressor the day of the party.
- Don’t invite assholes. Cooking for people can be a really vulnerable time. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Invite people you are close with and who are just happy to be there, no matter how your food turns out.
The Food
A typical French dinner includes seven courses (link to a more detailed breakdown); a small appetizer, a larger appetizer, a fish course, the main course, salad, cheese, and dessert. If you have the time and motivation to do all seven, there are plenty of vegan “fish” recipes and vegan cheese is at almost every grocery store. I did about four courses.
- L’Aperitif (smaller appetizer). Grapes, french bread (non-vegan, store-bought), olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and vegan butter on the table as my guests arrived.
- Entree (larger appetizer). Ughh French Onion Soup. This was the greatest hit of the night, and I have made the recipe two times since (Link to recipe.) This recipe is quite easy, it is just really time-consuming as you must carmelize the onions. All that time is worth it when you sink your teeth into the perfectly toasted, cheese-coated, soaked in soup bread. Soggy bread never tasted so good. I purchased by French Bread, however, I have made this French Bread recipe three times now, and it has turned out well each time, even with varying amounts of wheat flour
- Plat Principal (main dish). I made a vegan Ratatouille and roasted asparagus. Following the French Onion soup, this dish was a little underwhelming. However, it did have a nice flavor and was easy to make.
- Dessert. I made chocolate mousse and a lemon tart the day before the party. They were absolutely delicious. I found the mousse incredibly easy to make, instead of beating egg whites, you use aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas) and you get STIFF PEAKS. It does take a while, so I would recommend an electric mixer. The lemon bars were the favorite of my guests, with a homemade crunchy crust a creamy smooth inside. I would highly recommend either of these for any occasion.
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le menu
I made this menu (even though my guests had no choice in what they would eat) using a free online template. I printed it out and glued it onto some photo paper so it was a little fancier. I autographed it and sent it home for my guests so they would never forget me?
Final Notes
- I only served two other guests at my party, however, I would say these recipes could comfortably serve a total of five. Otherwise, it might be good to double a recipe or add something like a salad or more roasted vegetables to the meal.
- The more you get into the party, the more you will get out. I was pumped for my dinner party the entire week preceding it. I would listen to french music and dance around my kitchen. I pretty much convinced myself I was French. Pretty inaccurate, but so fun!
- If your guests are coming at 6:00, time out your recipes to be done at least 30 minutes in advance. If you’re anything like me, it will take you longer than you expect. And we are getting too old to be running around our homes pantless with half-curled hair when our guests arrive.
I hope this gives you some ideas on how to throw an awesome Vegan French Dinner Party. Feel free to share any of your favorite vegan French recipes, or photos/notes from your own dinner party.
Peace out,
Shley