Make the main thing naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, then offer a couple optional add-ons so everyone's eating the same meal with small tweaks. A taco or burrito-bowl setup works great: roast a big sheet pan of spiced peppers, onions, mushrooms, and squash, make a pot of cilantro-lime rice, warm corn tortillas, set out black beans, salsa, guac, and a little cheese or lime crema, and put shredded rotisserie chicken on the side. A Mediterranean bowl night is similar: lemony rice or quinoa, roasted eggplant and cauliflower with chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, herbs, olives, plus bowls of feta and tzatziki, with a tray of spiced chicken thighs baked on a separate pan. Or do a big pot of coconut vegetable curry with tofu over rice using gluten-free tamari, then offer roasted shrimp or chicken on the side, with lime wedges and chili oil. All of these are cohesive, feel like one meal, use sheet pans and one pot, and fit in two hours with store-bought shortcuts for sauces. Keep any gluten to something contained like a bread basket or flour tortillas, and you can even skip them entirely since the base is already satisfying.
When you message guests, try: "I'm planning a mostly vegetarian, gluten-free menu with optional add-ons—are there any no-gos or cross-contamination concerns I should know about?" If you need specifics, ask gently: "Are corn tortillas and shared tongs okay, or should I keep gluten items completely separate?" Day of, prep the veg and rice first, line pans with foil, use a clean board and knife for gluten-free items, and give gluten items their own serving spoon on a separate side of the table. Double-check labels for hidden gluten or animal products in soy sauce, stock/bouillon, Worcestershire, malt vinegar, and premade dressings or spice blends, and you're set to have a relaxed, mix-and-match dinner that doesn't single anyone out.
