Vegetarian And Vegan Christmas Recipes: An All-Out Festive Feast

When it comes to food, Christmas is all about indulgence. We want a meal to remember and one that will impress family and friends. It can be hard trying to come up with an interesting and delicoius vegetarian or vegan festive feast if you’re not used to it. Or you could just be looking for new ideas. Here’s a bountiful basket of over seventy vegetarian and vegan Christmas recipes that should take some of the stress out of your yuletide decision making.

Vegetarian and Vegan Christmas Recipes

Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or just looking for some non-meat alternatives, you’ll find plenty of ideas in this comprehensive festive recipe guide. Start with homemade mincemeat and finish with leftovers and a ‘cheese’ board on Boxing Day. Wake up to cinnamon rolls for breakfast, enjoy a drink with some festive canapés then tuck in to the main event.

I hope you find something to inspire you in these vegetarian and vegan Christmas recipes. If not, head to my Vegetarian Christmas board on Pinterest. You’ll find even more recipes there. May your festivities be merry and go with a swing.

Mincemeat Recipes

Before you get too stuck into all these vegetarian and vegan Christmas recipes, do try and make some mincemeat. It’s such useful stuff. Don’t be limited to mince pies alone, although they can be delicious. It can be used as an ingredient for all sorts of things, including a last minute Christmas cake (see Christmas cake section for a recipe).

I have several recipes for mincemeat on Tin and Thyme; I’ve included two of them here. The earlier you prepare it the better it will taste.

(vegan) via Tin and Thyme

fat-free mincemeat via Tin and Thyme

(vegan) via Tin and Thyme

mince pies via Recipes Made Easy

the ultimate vegan mince pies (vegan) via The Veg Space

chocolate mincemeat flapjacksvia Tin and Thyme

via Tin and Thyme

mincemeat brownies via Tin and Thyme

Recipes for Christmas Cookies

Christmas is a time for giving and cookies make an excellent gift. You’ll find heaps of biscuit recipes here on Tin and Thyme, but I’ve extracted the ones I thought were the most festive. A Scottish shortbread recipe is also a must.

chilli Christmas shortbread biscuitsvia Tin and Thyme

boussou la tmssou (Algerian shortbread cookies) (vegan) via Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey

coconut shortbread stars (vegan) via The Vegan Larder

wholemeal clotted cream shortbreadvia Tin and Thyme

chocolate orange Scottish shortbread via Farmersgirl Kitchen

via Tin and Thyme

gingerbread cookies (vegan + gluten-free) via Rhian’s Recipes

via Tin and Thyme

Breakfast Recipes

My favourite Christmas breakfast is a bowl of frumenty. It’s an old fashioned recipe, but so good. It’s best cooked overnight in a slow cooker, or, as my mother does, in the bottom of the Aga. It consists of whole wheat grains such as spelt or kamut with raisins, orange zest, spices and double cream – mmm! I still haven’t managed to get the recipe onto the blog, but I will some day.

Alternatively, porridge with a slug of whisky and a big dollop of clotted cream is rather good. If that doesn’t float your festive boat, here’s a few other ideas.

cheat’s stollen croissants via Fab Food 4 All

cranberry nut rolls(vegan option) via Green Gourmet Giraffe

Danish pastry cinnamon rolls via Apply to Face Blog

gingerbread fluffy pancakes(vegan) via Veggie Desserts

mincemeat buns via Tin and Thyme

Strasbourg kouglofvia Tin and Thyme

Canapés

It’s nice to have something other than posh crisps to nibble on whilst you’re waiting for dinner. I usually try and make something a bit special. Sadly, I don’t seem to have documented many of my recipes here on the blog. Luckily, I’ve found a few to include in this guide to vegetarian and vegan Christmas recipes.

bruschetta Christmas trees (vegan) via Thinly Spread

chocolate mushroom vol au vents via Tin and Thyme

via Tin and Thyme

onion & butternut squash bhajis(vegan) via Gingey Bites

Vegetarian and Vegan Mains

Call me old fashioned, but I do enjoy a good nut roast. Please don’t think nut roast has to be boring, dry or tasteless; it can be a real star. I always find meat eaters dig into my nut roast with gusto, so there must be something to it.

If we’re having Christmas at my mother’s, she always makes me a mock goose and that’s pretty good too. I have no recipe for mock goose here, but you’ll find a few nut roasts and a couple of alternative recipes. Most of those below are vegan or have vegan options, which makes them suitable for pretty much everyone.

(vegan)via Tin and Thyme

cauliflower & porcini mushroom Wellington via Food to Glow

chestnut & cashew nut roast(vegan) via Thinly Spread

chestnut & cranberry nut roast via Veggielicious

kale lovers Christmas pie(vegan) via The Veg Space

layered nut roast(vegan option) via Green Gourmet Giraffe

mushroom, lentil & nut Wellington(vegan) via Tinned Tomatoes

whole roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce via Tin and Thyme

Christmas Sides

Much as I love my nut roast or my mum’s mock goose, it’s always the Christmas side dishes that I really look forward to. Jerusalem artichokes in lemon sauce, parsnips in orange sauce, sticky red cabbage, never mind the roast potatoes, parsnips & onions. Even Brussels sprouts when cooked well can be delicious. For a quick guide on how to do this, head over to my post on how to cook the perfect Brussels sprouts.

So with this in mind, you’ll find a good selection of sides included in these vegetarian and vegan Christmas recipes.

pigs in blankets (vegan) via Tin and Thyme

perfect roast potatoes(vegan) via Amuse Your Bouche

rosemary roast potatoes (vegan) via Veggielicious

Roasted squash with sage and hazelnut brown butter via Tin and Thyme

roast parsnips with honey & thyme(vegan) via Easy Peasy Foodie

honey butter glazed carrots via Tin and Thyme

fennel & maple roasted carrots(vegan) via Food to Glow

maple balsamic roasted carrots and parsnips (vegan) via Sneaky Veg

braised red cabbage(vegan) via Tin and Thyme

(vegan) via Tin and Thyme

roasted balsamic Brussels sprouts via Veggielicious

creamed kale (vegan & vegetarian versions) via Food to Glow

Stuffing Recipes

Just because we vegetarians and vegans don’t want to eat a bird, it doesn’t mean we don’t want a bit of stuffing.

via Tin and Thyme

Sauces & Gravy

No guide to vegetarian and vegan Christmas recipes would be complete without some bread sauce and gravy. Cranberry sauce is always good too. I make a mean cranberry sauce, so I usually make some to take along to whoever’s hosting on the big day – sometimes that’s us.

red wine gravy (vegan)via Tin and Thyme

easy bread sauce via Amuse Your Bouche

(vegan) via Tin and Thyme

Christmas Pudding

Perhaps I would say this, but my mother makes the best Christmas puddings. Even CT likes them and he hates fruit cakes, mince pies and Christmas pudding. It’s a bit of a tradition now that she makes them for family members and many of her friends too.

To my shame, I’ve never made one in my life and don’t have the recipe. I guess I’m going to have to bite the bullet some day. Meanwhile, it’s my job to provide an alternative pud for the big day. I’ve tried all sorts over the years, but the favourites are always trifle and my cheesecake surprise.

cavalo nero Christmas pudding via Veggie Desserts

ultimate vegan Christmas pudding(vegan) via A Virtual Vegan

no-churn Christmas pudding ice cream via Recipes Made Easy

family-size festive sweet mince pie (vegan) via A Bit of the Good Stuff

via Tin and Thyme

pomegranate & kiwi crown pavlova via Baking Queen 74

spiced prune chocolate pots with amarettovia Tin and Thyme

magical gingerbread mousse (vegan) via The Healthy Tart

Drinks

We tend to stick to the tried and tested when it comes to drinks. We’ll have a glass of mulled cider or mulled wine before the main meal, some fizz to go with the meal itself and maybe some sort of Irish cream drink in the evening. But in case you want something a bit different, here are a few Christmas drink recipes you might like.

mulled gin co*cktail with mulled wine ice cubes via Veggie Desserts

Amaretto white cream liqueur (vegan) via Glutarama

Apple Mac co*cktailvia Tin and Thyme

mulled cider or mulled apple juicevia Tin and Thyme

mulled wine spritzer via Veggie Desserts

winter warmer mulled gin & ginger beer via Foodie Quine

Christmas Cake

No Christmas is complete without a Christmas cake, even if it doesn’t actually get sliced until Boxing Day. If traditional Christmas cake isn’t your thing, there’s lots of enticing alternatives that can be made just a day or two before needed.

Personally, I find Christmas cake a bit too rich and heavy, although I love the marzipan. I infinitely prefer lighter fruit cakes that don’t need to be made weeks in advance. Or how about a roulade filled with all sorts of deliciousness?

via Tin and Thyme

Amaretto Christmas cake via Something Sweet, Something Savoury

classic Christmas cake via Farmersgirl Kitchen

Earl Grey fruit cake with orange icingvia Tin and Thyme

via Tin and Thyme

Italian chestnut cake (castagnaccio) via Tin and Thyme

naked Christmas cake with glazed nuts & cherries via Supper in the Suburbs

panforte via Tin and Thyme

ultimate Christmas cake(vegan) via The Veg Space

chocolate chestnut rouladevia Tin and Thyme

Homemade Chocolates

You can’t have Christmas without chocolate. It starts with the Christmas stocking and goes on for the rest of the day. Or it does in CT’s case anyway. Homemade chocolates and fudge are generally much nicer than commercial offerings. They don’t need to be nearly as sweet and sickly, they’re not full of e-numbers and you can add all sorts of interesting flavours and touches.

I don’t make fudge very often as we always get a pack of homemade Bailey’s fudge from one of my aunts, although I do have one recipe for chilli chocolate fudge which is rather good. If that doesn’t suit, there are plenty of other delicious fudge recipes out there. I do, however, usually knock up a box or ten of chocolates. And really, what would you have with your post Christmas dinner coffee, if you didn’t have chocolate?

whisky trufflesvia Tin and Thyme

candied orange peel dipped in dark chocolatevia Tin and Thyme

chocolate coated caramel Brazilsvia Tin and Thyme

(vegan)via Tin and Thyme

ginger chocolatesvia Tin and Thyme

glitzy chocolate mendiantsvia Tin and Thyme

via Tin and Thyme

raw chocolates with a boosted cashew cream filling(raw & vegan) via Tin and Thyme

rosemary chocolate trufflesvia Tin and Thyme

gingerbread chocolate truffles (vegan) via Tin and Thyme

Boxing Day

Eating all the leftovers on Boxing Day is definitely one of life’s pleasures. My stepfather used to throw a selection into the frying pan for Boxing Day breakfast, including any leftover Christmas pudding.

Cheese and crackers, however, are de rigueur. I use the term loosely, as I basically mean anything that goes with crackers. A cheeseboard with some chutney, juicy ripe fruit, dried figs, nuts and anything else that grabs your fancy is great, but so is homemade pâté.We never seem to have room on Christmas day itself for cheese and crackers; we’re always completely stuffed from the main event, so I look forward to this treat with great anticipation.

spiced apple chutney(vegan) via Tin and Thyme

festive baked camembert via Supper in the Suburbs

mushroom pâté(vegan) via Tin and Thyme

seaweed spelt crackers (vegan) via Tin and Thyme

sesame & chia seed crackers(vegan option) via The Baking Explorer

smoky ham dip and a party platter (vegan) via Tin and Thyme

Your Favourite Vegetarian and Vegan Christmas Recipes

So after sifting through this lot, the big question is, what have I left out? What are your favourite vegetarian or vegan Christmas recipes? Do tell by commenting below. I really enjoy reading about what people are preparing and eating over Christmas and I’m always up for new ideas.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter,Facebook, InstagramorPinterest. And don’t forget toSUBSCRIBEto my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?

If you’d like even moreChristmas recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course. Or head to my Vegetarian Christmas board on Pinterest.

Choclette x

Vegetarian And Vegan Christmas Recipes: An All-Out Festive Feast | Tin and Thyme (2024)