If you or your dinner mates are vegetarians, then you might wonder about the cuisine of different international restaurants. Unless you head out to a restaurant that is strictly advertised as vegetarian-friendly it can be hard to know what to get. However, there are lots of entrees available that will fulfill the vegetarian qualification and also be delicious. Many international menus will feature meals that are vegetarian but are not advertised as such. This article is designed to illuminate some of the most popular international entrees that are also compatible with vegetarians.

France: Ratatouille

If you're eating at a restaurant that serves French cuisine, make sure to look out for ratatouille. This is a meal that is made by slow roasting vegetables in olive oil. The vegetables include eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and fennel. Many recipes call for the vegetables to all be roasted separately so that there flavors don't bleed into one another prior to plating.  This recipe was developed by the French farmers who needed a meal that used all of the vegetables of their harvest and also proved them with energy for the following days labor. It is a delicious, classic, French meal. You will often find it served with crusty bread.

China: General Tso's (But With Tofu)

If you're in the need for a vegetarian meal and are near a Chinese restaurant, then make sure to look for General Tso's Tofu. This is a vegetarian alternative to the classic General Tso's chicken.

The main ingredients include sauteed broccoli, a sweet sauce that includes rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. It should be noted that most Chinese restaurants also use oyster sauce in the preparation. Oyster sauce is used to provide umami.You can ask that the chef prepare the dish without the oyster sauce. It won't be bland, however, because is has the sweet vinegar and soy sauce dressing.

Italy:  Eggplant Rollatini

Do you love eggplant parmigiana? If you do, the you will love eggplant rollatini. The dish is very similar to eggplant parmigiana except for the presentation. You will see this offered at many Italian restaurants. Here is what to expect.

Thin slices of eggplant are dipped in egg and breaded. They are then fried so as to seal the crust. They are then filled with a ricotta, eggs, parsley, and Parmesan filling. They are then layered in a dish and covered in a light sauce.  Finally, they are baked for a short time so the filling is cooked through.

These rollatini are easy to pickup and eat. This is one reason that many catering companies like to serve them. They are much easier to eat than eggplant parmigiana.