Looking for Christmas dinner ideas? I’m sharing my Top 10 Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for a full menu of delicious Christmas recipe ideas, from appetizers to desserts.
Just in time for the holidays, I’m bringing you my Top 10 Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for every category—appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, side dishes, vegetables, condiments, desserts, and beverages—that have starred on my dinner table over the years. From Beet White Bean Hummus and Pomegranate Avocado Quinoa Salad to Sage White Bean Vegan Meatballs with Pomegranate Mandarin Sauce and Cinnamon Apple Crumble, I’ve got you covered for your plant-based Christmas menu planning. Whether you’re planning for Christmas Eve dinner ideas, Christmas dinner plates, or a full vegetarian Christmas dinner, these completely plant-based (they are all vegetarian and vegan) recipes will help you design your holiday menu. Each recipes has been hand-made in my own kitchen (the photos have all been shot in my home and kitchen) with lots of love and care. Every recipe has gotten the thumbs up from my family, who always gives me approval before a recipe appears on my blog. Even if you’re not a vegetarian or vegan, these plant-based Christmas recipes are a great option for you to make your menu just a little bit more plant-based, and offer more choices for your diners. I’m sending you wishes for a happy holiday season this year, spent with those you love.
Eat and Live Goodness,
Sharon
Top 10 Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes
Beet White Bean Hummus
This plant-based hummus really has the wow factor, thanks to the addition of earthy, sweet beets. Just put it on your table, and watch people say “ah”, and then devour it, because it’s as yummy as it is pretty—plus it is packed with plant-powered nutrients, including beet phytochemicals, plant protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Serve it with veggies and whole grain pita as a pretty appetizer.
Pomegranate Avocado Quinoa Salad
This sparkling, satisfying Pomegranate Avocado Quinoa Salad, tossed with a light lemon olive oil vinaigrette, is packed with colorful seasonal produce and powerful nutrition.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Hazelnuts
I really love a creamy squash soup on my holiday table. And by roasting the squash before making a soup, you can maximize the sweet, earthy flavors of squash and let them shine through in the soup bowl. This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Hazelnuts is all that and more. Completely plant-based (vegan), the soup is quick and easy to make. Just roast the squash in the oven or on a grill, sauté the veggies and herbs in a pot with broth, and then whiz it all up in a blender. Garnish with crunchy, nutty hazelnuts, fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, and EVOO to make the soup really sing. And, if you have a smoker, try smoking the squash to add a hint of sweet-smokiness to the soup.
White Bean Sage Vegan Meatballs with Pomegranate Mandarin Sauce
I love the vegan “meatball” trend, which features little savory balls of beans, veggies, and grains baked into golden perfection. These vegan meatballs can be the star of the plate served as your entrée with a pomegranate and mandarin orange dipping sauce.
Jansson’s Temptation (Swedish Potato Casserole)
In Sweden, the most beloved dish has to be Jansson’s Temptation (in Swedish, Janssons Frestelse). In short, people refer to it as “Janssons”, as in, “I can’t wait to taste the Janssons!” It is pure comfort food bliss, and is at the head of every Christmas table. The dish is a traditional creamy potato anchovy casserole (my version swaps anchovies for capers and uses plant-based cream) named after Pelle Janzon, a foodie Swedish opera singer of the early 1900s. Since the 1940s when the recipe was published, it has become a classic Swedish favorite. My husband’s Swedish recipe has been turned into a vegan classic, which appears on our holiday table each year.
Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish
Not to give canned cranberry sauce a hard time, but you just don’t know what you’re missing until you try a good, old-fashioned, fresh cranberry relish for your holiday or comfort food table. This Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish is simple and easy—just 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, and you’ve got a bright, tart, aromatic, cheerful accompaniment for savory dishes at your table. The citrus adds a pop of flavor and aroma to this relish, which calls upon a package of fresh cranberries, in season in the fall and winter months. This recipe is 100% plant-based (vegan), gluten-free, and light in sugar, too. It will soon be a favorite on your holiday menu!
Cranberry Oat Pilaf
Who says that holiday side dishes have toinvolve stuffing and sweet potatoes? I created this super simple plant-based side dish for Oat Cranberry Pilaf that involves one skillet and a short list of ingredients, such as oats, cranberries, pistachios, and turmeric. Yet, it’s so simple, nutritious and flavorful! It’s the perfect holiday dish.
Roasted Winter Vegetables Smothered in Tahini Sauce
This quick and easy vegetable side dish featuring winter vegetables is roasted in a fabulous tahini spice sauce, then topped with parsley and pomegranate seeds. It’s not only gorgeous, this recipe is down right delicious—proving how side dishes can be the best part of a holiday menu.
Vegan Apple Crumble with Cinnamon
Nothing spells holiday comfort quite like this super easy plant-based, healthy, fruit-centric dessert—Cinnamon Apple Crumble—which you can get in the oven in 15 minutes.
Winter Pomegranate Ginger Sparkler
If you’re looking for an alcoholic drink full of winter cheer, here’s the beverage for you! It’s bright with the flavors of pomegranate juice, ginger beer, and mint—with a touch of vodka. Serve it in mason jar glasses filled with crushed ice and a festive straw. You can make a large batch to serve it at a party, too.
For other plant-based Christmas recipes, check out some more of my favorites:
Peter’s Pepparkakor
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Lentil Patties with Basil Arugula Cream
Mini Curried Lentil Wellingtons
Quinoa Risotto with Kale and Pistachios
Balsamic Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Farro
Green Bean Mushroom Pot Pies with Mashed Potatoes
Savory Tarragon Mushroom Loaf with Onion Gravy
Savory Vegan Pot Pie with Sage, Lentils, and Mushrooms
