The ultimate guide to a vegetarian or vegan Christmas. Tips and recipes including starters; main course; side dishes; sauces; desserts and puddings as well as drinks and sweet treats.
Family Christmas
Since our son was born Christmas has been celebrated at home, apart from one Christmas when we decided to eat Christmas dinner at a local hotel.
Needless to say the Christmas offering at the hotel wasn't great. The veggie option felt like it was added to the menu last minute because they had to have one and it was a real disappointment.
The meal started with a delicious butternut squash soup which was the highlight of the meal and it all went downhill after that.
Enjoying Christmas dinner at home is definitely the best option.
Plan Ahead
Every November I sit down and plan Christmas dinner. It always takes a bit of thought and planning.
When you're vegetarian or vegan you really need to be creative to present something special.
Once I've decided what I'm cooking I can set that aside and concentrate on all the other things that happen at Christmas, the shopping; wrapping gifts; decorating; baking and all the fun events.
Lets make Christmas dinner easy!
I'll pulled together lots of easy recipes for you to try this Christmas.
They've all been tested on my family and have photos and simple printable instructions, with no fancy ingredients.
There are a selection of both vegetarian and vegan dishes for starter; main course; sides; sauces & dressings; dessert; sweet treats; soft drinks and cocktails.
Open the recipes you'd like to try and print them out to take into the kitchen this Christmas.
If there are any you aren't sure about, try them out before Christmas day and remember I'm always happy to help if you need any tips.
Email: tinnedtomatoes@googlemail.com
SCROLL DOWN FOR RECIPES
- Make a list. Add all the things you need to prepare and buy for Christmas. Tackle the list a little at a time.
- Set a budget and try to stick to it. Over-spending will make you feel stressed.
- Don't try to be perfect, just keep things simple and try to enjoy Christmas. It's all about spending time with family and friends.
- Plan your Christmas dinner as soon as possible and try out anything you aren't sure about before Christmas Day.
- Make things easy and plan Christmas dinner with a mixture of ready made dishes and homemade dishes. This way you'll have more time to spend with your guests on the day.
- Have a look on Pinterest for table setting and decoration ideas.
- Start a Christmas folder, either online or in a ring binder or box. Print out your recipes and save them in your folder with notes and any ideas you've collected.
- Stock up on plenty of gift wrap, ribbons and sellotape in advance, so you don't have that last minute panic.
- Build some fun things into your list. Take time out to visit seasonal displays and take part in fun Christmas activities, but have some time off from Christmas too. When it becomes too much, have a long bubble bath, read a book or watch a movie.
- Have fun!
VEGGIE CHRISTMAS
Have yourself a Very Veggie Christmas from my home to yours.
STARTERS
These starters can be served with a small side salad and dip.
The soup is best served with crusty bread and we often buy part-baked rolls to finish baking just before the soup is ready to serve.
Just remember to keep your portions small if you are having a few courses. We all tend to make too much food.
Vegetarian Starter
Batter
Pastry
Pate
Serve with oatcakes and grapes or at the end of the meal with a cheese board.Soup
Stuffed
Vegan Starter
Batter
Pate
Serve with oatcakes and grapes
Soup
Carrot, Leek & Mustard Seed Soup
Creamy Butternut Squash & Tomato Soup
Fridge Lentil Soup
Lightly Spiced Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
Slow Cooker Carrot & Coriander Soup
Winter Minestrone Soup
Yellow Split Pea Soup
Stuffed
MAIN COURSE
A Christmas main course is the star of the show. If you are going to save time by buying ready made options for Christmas dinner, add them as a starter or side. Love and care needs to be taken over the main course.
Here are a few main courses that you and your guests will enjoy. They are easy to make but really worth taking the time to make.
Vegetarian Main Course
Brie, Potato and Mushroom Tart
Butternut, Red Onion & Potato Puff Pastrry Plait
Cheesey Vegetable Puff Pie
Garlic Mushroom and Spinach Puff Pastry Tart
Mushroom Lentil and Nut Wellington
Mushroom Nut Roast with Tomato Sauce
Tomato Gnocchi Bake with Cheesey Oat Crumble
Veggie Haggis & Red Lentil Nuf Loaf
Veggie Sausage Rolls
Vegan Main Course
Cheesey Vegetable Puff Pie
Easy Mediterranean Tart
Garlic Mushroom and Spinach Puff Pastry Tart
Mushroom and Chestnut Sausage Rolls
Mushroom Lentil and Nut Wellington
Puff Pastry Tomato, Red Onion and Vegan Feta Tart
Tomato Gnocchi Bake with Cheesey Oat Crumble
Veggie Haggis & Red Lentil Nuf Loaf
SIDE DISHES
Vegetarian Side Dishes
Creamy Mushroom & Potato Dauphnoise
Jamie's Blackened Potatoes
Rumbledethumps
Rustic White Beans
Vegan Side Dishes
Moroccan Style Potato Bake
Paprika Spiced Sweet Potato Fries
Roast Potato and Double Red Onion Bake
Rustic Greek Beans (Fasolia Gigantes)
Vegan Coleslaw with Fresh Herbs
SAUCES, DIPS & PICKLES
Veggie Sauces, Dips and Pickles
All recipes are suitable for vegetarians and vegans
Chutney & Pickle
Cheeseboard ChutneyChuck-It-All-In Chutney
Chunky Plum & Apricot Chutney
Hot Mango Chutney
Dip
Red Pepper Sweet Chilli SauceSmutty Sweet Chilli Jam
Mayo
Vegan MayonnaiseSauce
Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce
Simple Tomato Sauce
Tomato & Chilli Sauce
FESTIVE DESSERTS
Vegetarian Desserts & Puddings
Cheesecake
Deep No-Bake Bounty Coconut CheesecakeDeep Lemon Curd and Raspberry No-Bake Cheesecake
Individual Strawberry Cheesecakes
Lemon Cheesecake
Oreo and Caramel Cheesecake
The Ultimate Rolo Cheesecake
Dessert
8 Minute Banoffee PieChocolate Truffle Torte
Easy Banoffee Trifle
Key Lime Pie with Meringue
Lemon Honey & Pear Syllabub
Mum's Trifle
Scottish Cranachan
Pudding
Panetonne Chocolate and Cranberry PuddingPear & Ginger Crumble
Rich Sticky Toffee Pudding
Vegan Desserts & Puddings
Vegan Cakes
Indulgent Chocolate Cake with Coconut Whipped CreamQuick Vegan Blackberry Chocolate Cake
Quick Vegan Lemonade Cake
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Pear
Vegan Cheesecake
Vegan Banoffee Pie CheesecakeVegan No-Bake Oreo and Caramel Cheesecake
Vegan Dessert
Chocolate Caramel TartSin-Free Chocolate Mousse
Traditional Strawberry Trifle
Vegan Apricot Trifle with Sprinkles
Vegan Choc Chip & Peanut Butter Mousse (made with aquafaba)
Vegan Pudding
Panetonne Chocolate and Cranberry PuddingPear and Mincemeat Strudel
Vegan Dark Chocolate Magic Pudding
SWEET TREATS
Vegetarian Sweet Treats
Brownies
Cheesecake BrowniesMaltesers Fudge Brownies
Rich Chocolate Brownies
Toffee Pecan Brownies
Cookies
Cranberry & White Chocolate CookiesWhite Chocolate & Macadamia Nut Cookies
Pastry
Caramel Apple CoopersCaramel and Banana Filo Hand Pies
Easy Filo Apple Crumble Pies
Traybake
Mars Bar SlicePeanut Butter Blondies with White Chocolate
Truffles
White Chocolate Peppermint TrufflesVegan Sweet Treats
Vegan Banana Bread
Dark Treacle GingerbreadEasy Choc Chip Banana Bread
Peanut Butter Choc Chip Banana Bread
Vegan Brownies
Fudgy Pineapple Chocolate BrowniesPrune and Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Vegan Cookies
Peanut Butter & Coconut CookiesPumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies
Sweet Basil & Lemon Shortbread
Vegan Cupcakes & Muffins
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Pineapple FrostingVegan Pastry
Vegan Traybake
3 Ingredient Chocolate FudgeNo-Bake Peanut Butter and Cornflake Tiffin
Oreo Chocolate Tiffin
Peanut Butter Bars
Vegan Truffles
Sneaky Chocolate Maple TrufflesSOFT DRINKS
Vegetarian Soft Drinks
Cold Drinks
Mangolicious Shake
Mango Lassi with Cardamom & Cinnamon
Hot Drinks
Frothy Babyccino
Real Spiced Hot Chocolate
Vegan Soft Drinks
Cold Drinks
Plum & Apple Smoothie with Fizz
Mango & Ginger Mocktail Smoothie
Oreo Chia Shake
Pineapple & Ginger Sparkler
Winter Mixed Berry Smoothie
Hot Drinks
COCKTAILS
Check out this Drinkaware Vegan Guide to make sure the spirits you are using are vegan.
Frozen POM Orange & Tequiila Cocktail
Honey Badger Cocktail
Prosecco, Elderflower & Mint Cocktail
Ruby Red Gin Cocktail with Clementine
Mulled Wine with Orange Liqueur
Purple Stag Cocktail
Scottish Raspberry Mint Cider Cooler
Strawberry & Elderflower Cocktail
Summer Sip Cocktail
Traditional Sangria
pin it for later
also try Vegan Christmas Feast Sandwich
ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS GUIDE
I hope my Christmas recipe guide has given you lots of inspiration for planning a veggie Christmas.
My main Christmas dinner tip is to try and prepare as much as you can the day before so you just have to prepare the vegetables and gravy on the day while everything else just needs heated up.
My main Christmas dinner tip is to try and prepare as much as you can the day before so you just have to prepare the vegetables and gravy on the day while everything else just needs heated up.
I hope you have a really happy and food filled Christmas with some time to just sit back and relax too.
I will be adding to this guide as I create more Christmas recipes in the run up to the big day, so do bookmark or favourite this page to come back to for fresh ideas.