Plant-based dishes aren’t just sitting on the sidelines anymore; they’ve grown to the forefront of menus. And with the rise in demand for more plant-based options, having a few of these star players on your menu can grow sales and attract new customers.

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Every good menu starts with a delicious selection of appetizers. Your current lineup of appetizers may rightly focus on items such as dips, fried foods, or snack-sized bites. However, adding a seasonal harvest offering is a great way to bring a fresh touch to menus.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Mac & cheese is a versatile option many customers select as their appetizer, side dish, or even main course. Utilizing a seasonal ingredient like butternut squash will help give mac & cheese a sweet element that balances nicely with hearty elbow pasta. If you want to delight your customers’ palate, try adding a bit of sage to bring out an earthy component.

Midday Meal

For restaurants with lunchtime hours, switching a few items out on the menu in favor of heartier plant-based dishes can help drive revenue during the last months of the year. Here are a few simple and affordable options.

Warm Soups

Soups have always been a favorite of patrons who visit restaurants for lunch, but certain options are more popular during this time of year. For example, if you’re looking for a soup that will dazzle your customers try carrot ginger. This soup is packed full of exciting flavors and versatile ingredients. The carrot base is supported by fantastic fall components like fresh ginger and a hearty pumpkin seed oil.

Another soup option is a classic creamy pumpkin. This dish utilizes one of the most popular autumn ingredients, pumpkin, as the main star. Other craveable elements of this soup include coconut milk, kale, and onions.

Chili

Traditionally, chili dishes often have a meat component, but it’s possible to develop all the flavors you need without including items like beef or pork. Utilizing ingredients such as mushrooms and different types of beans can be a great way to give your chili the meaty taste that customers are used to having.

Dinner Bell

It might seem challenging to develop a fall-inspired plant-based dinner menu, but the good news is that many dishes taste great even with a vegan twist. Let’s take a closer look at one of the most popular comfort dishes — meatloaf.

Vegan Meatloaf

For most meatloaf recipes, one of the core ingredients is ground beef. However, making the dish using items such as quinoa, lentils, and even tofu is possible. Combining these ingredients with other plant-based staples from your pantry can achieve an excellent-tasting comfort plate.

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Also traditionally made with meat, there are different ways to add a plant-based twist to this hearty feast. The key to keeping the same consistency that customers are familiar with is using brown or green lentils instead of meat. The lentils and other traditional ingredients, such as peas, carrots, green beans, and onion, produce a delicious alternative.

Last But Not Least

Out of all the menus your restaurant offers, dessert is one spot where you can get especially creative with fruits and veggies. Let’s take a look at pie, a wonderfully versatile dessert.

Fruit Pies

Most people think of pumpkin pie when it comes to harvest dessert dishes, but the truth is that there are many pies you can make that showcase the ingredients of autumn. For example, fruit pies that incorporate apples, rhubarb, or strawberries can help you deliver an unforgettable seasonal dessert to patrons.