Make light work of Shavuot entertaining with a handy pick-and-mix menu planner! Choose from over 40 easy Shavuot recipes for delicious prepare-ahead main dishes, salads and desserts, including fish, vegetarian and vegan options.
In case you hadn’t noticed, Shavuot is approaching! I love to entertain on YomTov, but when we have guests here I hate to spend all my time in the kitchen. After all, we didn’t invite people over only to see DH and Kipper!
It’s an easy trap to fall into. So many special occasion recipes need to be finished, organised or garnished at the last moment. As our guests talk among themselves or catch up on news, I’m stuck in the kitchen, arranging sprigs of herbs or drizzling sauces into decorative swirls, so I miss all the gossip. It’s the one big downside of YomTov entertaining, on Shavuot or at any other time.
Changing the Shavuot menu
Over the years, I’ve gradually moved away from individually plated, ‘restaurant style’ dishes and towards Shavuot recipes which are just as delicious, but enable me to actually spend some time with our guests! These have tended to be things which can be prepared ahead and either served cold or reheated, and which are carried to the table in generous bowls and platters from which guests can help themselves.
These family-style festive meals work really well for us, because I can spend most of the meal actually at the table. And of course it’s still possible to make the food look gorgeous – I just don’t have to spend ages making it look gorgeous 8 or 12 individual times – I can just do it once for everyone to share.
Shavuot recipes – choose your dishes
The kinds of Shavuot recipes that work well for this style of entertaining tend to be things like:
- exuberant fresh salads
- generously loaded platters of fresh or smoked fishes (or both)
- richly filled pies and quiches
- buttery pastries and flaky bourekas
- bright seasonal vegetable dishes
- luscious dips
- cheese boards
- artisan or homemade breads and muffins
You get the idea!
Personally, all of the above sounds to me like an absolutely perfect Shavuot meal. Our Shavuot entertaining has been revolutionised!
Summer dining
At this time of the year, fresh seasonal vegetables and salads are at their best. The weather is warm – often hot! – so dishes that are prepared ahead and served cold are ideal. We often end up doing our Shavuot entertaining in our garden, and sitting in the sunshine at a table laid with a colourful and inviting smorgasbord makes me very happy indeed!
Shavuot recipes – Pick-and-Mix!
To help you plan your Shavuot entertaining – or small-scale family YomTov meals come to that – I’ve put together a pick-and-mix collection of prepare-ahead dishes that can be combined to create your perfect menu. Simply select one or two of these Shavuot recipes for main dishes, a few salads and sides, and maybe a dessert, and you’re all set!
Shavuot cooking has never been easier!
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Fish dishes
Delicious recipes using fish to create stunning YomTov worthy dishes.
Main dishes – vegetarian and vegan
Wonderful Shavuot recipes using fresh seasonal vegetables to create showstopper main dishes.
Salads and side dishes
Fresh, vibrant and delicious recipes for side dishes that will round out and complete a wonderful Shavuot meal.
Desserts
Delicious desserts! Classic Shavuot recipes that feature dairy products like cream, cheese and yogurt, as well as stunning vegan options and fruity summer favourites.
Choclette
Lots of lovely and delicious ideas here. Now you’ve really got me in the mood for summer entertaining. And eating in the garden is the absolute best way to do it. Weirdly, it’s your asian style beans I most want to tuck into at the moment. They look so inviting.
I can’t believe you used to plate up food for guests. That’s such a lot of work. This is much more my style of entertaining, plus I prefer a help yourself approach so you can take what you like and leave what you don’t.
Helen
Thanks Choclette. Looking back, I’m not sure I can believe I used to plate up food either! All that time spent arranging chives and balancing croutons – I much prefer this way of doing things!
Janice
I want to come to your summer party, the food sounds so good. What a handy guide for easy entertaining, thank you.
Helen
Any time Janice! Thanks 🙂
Lucy
Loving these ideas for for my next summer get together, your salmon with sundried tomatoes looks delish, and then a nice potato salad on the side would be great. Thanks for including my recipe!
Helen
Thanks Lucy. I can’t wait for the warm weather to be here to stay!