A slightly rebellious summer dinner: three vegan courses for evenings that refuse to end

21 Jun, 2026

Summer food often gets reduced to salads and restraint. I'm not sure why.

Long evenings deserve proper meals. The kind where people sit outside a little too long, open another bottle, and somehow find room for dessert despite claiming they couldn't possibly eat another thing half an hour earlier.

This menu came together for one of those evenings. Three courses that lean into the season without becoming precious about it. Cold pea soup that tastes like June. A smoky tomato risotto that refuses to apologise for being comforting. A vanilla panna cotta with blueberry reduction because summer berries deserve better than being thrown into a smoothie.

None of it is complicated and most of the work can be done the day before, which means less time standing over the stove and more time sitting with friends. Preferably somewhere the sun doesn't seem to understand that it's supposed to set.

The lowdown

Serves: 4

Active prep time: Around 2 hours, with most of the work done the day before

Cooking time: About 45 minutes on the day

Chilling time: At least 4 hours for the panna cotta, preferably overnight

Difficulty: Relaxed dinner party

Equipment needed:

• Blender
• Saucepan
• Large frying pan
• Medium pot for the risotto
• Baking tray
• Sieve or strainer (optional)
• Four glasses or ramekins for the panna cotta

Best served: Outside, with a decent bottle of wine and no plans for the evening.

Starter: Cold pea, apple, and mint soup with horseradish oil

Cold soup doesn't get enough credit. It should. Sweet peas, sharp apple, fresh mint and just enough horseradish oil to wake everything up.

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 500 g frozen peas
• 1 green apple
• 1 shallot
• 700 ml vegetable stock
• 100 ml oat cream or vegan yoghurt
• Small handful fresh mint
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and black pepper

For the horseradish oil:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1–2 tsp prepared horseradish (I used Motyl Riven Pepparrot)

Method

1. Sweat the chopped shallot in a little oil for 3–4 minutes.
2. Add the stock and peas and simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Add the chopped apple and mint.
4. Blend until completely smooth.
5. Stir in the oat cream and lemon juice.
6. Season generously and chill thoroughly.
7. Mix the horseradish into the olive oil and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.

To serve

• Serve cold with a spoonful of horseradish oil over the top.
• A bowl of soup and a thick slice of freshly baked bread is one of those combinations that doesn't need improving. I usually serve this with a still-warm loaf and let everyone help themselves. If you're in the mood to bake, you'll find my bread recipe here.

Main course: Smoked tomato risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes, crispy mushrooms, basil oil, and lemon pangrattato

Risotto has an undeserved reputation for being fussy. It isn't. It just asks you to slow down and pay attention for half an hour, which isn't exactly the worst thing in the world.

The smoky tomato base carries plenty of savoury depth, while the roasted tomatoes, crisp oyster mushrooms and lemon pangrattato stop it from becoming too serious.

Ingredients

For the roasted tomatoes:

• 500 g cherry tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh thyme

For the basil oil:

• Large bunch basil
• 100 ml olive oil
• Pinch of salt

For the lemon pangrattato:

• 2 slices stale bread
• Olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt

For the crispy mushrooms:

• 300 g oyster mushrooms
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

For the risotto:

• 320 g risotto rice
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 150 ml white wine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 50 g vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the roasted tomatoes (see "Notes")

• Roast at 160°C for 45–60 minutes until the tomatoes collapse and become sweet and concentrated.
• Let cool and refrigerate on a flat tray/plate until needed.

2. Prepare the basil oil (see "Notes")

• Blend until bright green. Strain if you want a smoother oil.
• Refrigerate until needed.

3. Prepare the lemon pangrattato (see "Notes")

• Blitz the bread into crumbs.
• Fry in olive oil until crisp and golden.
• Add the lemon zest and a little salt.
• Let cool and store in an airtight container until needed.

4. Prepare the crispy mushrooms (see "Notes")

• Tear into strips.
• Roast at 220°C until dark around the edges and properly crisp.
• Let cool and refrigerate on a flat tray/plate until needed.

5. Prepare the risotto

• Keep the stock warm.
• Sweat the onion in olive oil until soft.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste and smoked paprika.
• Add the rice and toast lightly.
• Pour in the wine and let it reduce.
• Add the stock gradually while stirring regularly.
• Cook until creamy and loose.
• Finish with the soy sauce, vegan butter and vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast.

To serve

• Serve with the roasted tomatoes, crispy mushrooms, basil oil, and plenty of lemon pangrattato.

Dessert: Vanilla panna cotta with blueberry reduction

Summer berries deserve better than being hidden inside breakfast oats.

This is simple, clean and just sweet enough. A splash of bourbon in the blueberry reduction doesn't hurt either.

Ingredients

For the panna cotta:

• 500 ml oat cream
• 250 ml oat milk
• 70 g sugar
• 1½ tsp agar agar powder
• 1 vanilla pod or 2 tsp vanilla paste

For the blueberry reduction:

• 300 g blueberries
• 2–3 tbsp sugar
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Pinch of salt
• Optional splash of bourbon or gin

Method

1. Prepare the panna cotta (see "Notes")

• Combine the oat cream, oat milk, sugar, vanilla and agar agar.
• Whisk thoroughly before heating.
• Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Pour into glasses or ramekins and chill for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

2. Prepare the blueberry reduction (see "Notes")

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook gently for 10–15 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.
• Allow to cool completely.

To serve

• Serve the panna cotta with plenty of blueberry reduction on top.

Notes

Do yourself a favour and prepare these in advance:

• Panna cotta
• Blueberry reduction
• Soup
• Roasted tomatoes
• Basil oil
• Horseradish oil
• Lemon pangrattato
• Mushrooms, cleaned and ready

Then on the day itself, all that's left is cooking the risotto, crisping the mushrooms, warming the tomatoes, and putting everything together.

Summer evenings are too short to spend them washing up.

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