Happy holidays and welcome to this epic vegan Christmas dinner recipes roundup! It’s true that there are other vegan Christmas food recipe roundups out there, but this one focuses on more traditional holiday recipes closer to what I ate growing up in Ireland.
That means no appetizers, but lots of comforting sides, one or two mains, and a decadent dessert or two to round it off.
Of course, when I was a kid we would have a big turkey and a baked ham and other non-veggie friendly sides such as bacon-wrapped sausages, and I’m obviously not interested in repeating those memories now.
But creamy scalloped potatoes, roast potatoes, potato croquettes (yup as many types of potato dishes as possible), roasted vegetables, Brussel sprouts, stuffing galore…..with some tasty mains to take the place of meat, and some gorgeous vegan Christmas desserts riffing on traditional favourites?
I’ll take all that and more, please. With 26 beautiful show-stopping vegan recipes in this post, contributed by the most talented food bloggers on the web, we’ll all be spoiled for choice this holiday.
Why no Christmas appetizers?
Well, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a good appetizer. But I like to save my stomach space for my Christmas dinner. Much like Sunday lunch back home, Christmas dinner was normally not served at the usual dinnertime in my family, but more between lunch and dinnertime (with no lunch in between).
Of course, because the kids normally wake up early on Christmas day, this can lead to a lot of I’M STARVING complaints before lunch. So this year I’m going to do a predinner appetizer an hour or so before lunch, which I can make ahead.
Some crusty vegan soda bread, baked the day before (sorry not sorry, no extra cooking on Christmas day for me) paired with this beautiful festive cranberry jelly and pistachio nut vegan cheese from the amazing My Pure Plants website, also perfect for making ahead.
Easy vegan Christmas dinner food
No time to waste in planning or grocery shopping for your impressive vegan Christmas dinner? Then use this section to jump ahead and get straight to where you need to be. With just three carefully curated sections encompassing vegan Christmas dinner mains recipes, side dishes, and desserts, we promise to not drag you down the rabbit hole as you plan ahead (drooling over the gorgeous recipes is optional).
- Easy vegan Christmas dinner main dish recipes
- Easy vegan Christmas dinner side dish recipes
- Easy vegan Christmas dinner dessert recipes
Easy vegan Christmas dinner main dish recipes
Into the nitty-gritty of vegan Christmas food, I present to you some spectacular main dishes to replace the meat dishes of our childhoods. Will you be preparing one or two? With gluten-free options, healthy options, high protein counts and beautiful presentation, these are the dishes your Christmas table needs!
Vegan Christmas Dinner Main Dish Ideas
Struggling to find a beautiful vegan centerpiece for your Christmas dinner, or just feeling a bit more plant-based this year? We've got you covered with this collection of beautiful Christmas main dish recipes (all vegan).
This Vegan Wellington is crispy and flaky, rich and hearty and so full of flavour! A seriously satisfying plant-based showstopper! Also gluten-free.
This festive, cranberry-studded Holiday Tofu is easy to make and so, so flavorful. It’s a real sweet, tart flavor explosion!
This isn't your mamma's meatloaf. Pecans, mushrooms, and herbs give it a festive touch, and the purely plant-based ingredients will leave everyone satisfied, but not overindulged. I also love that it cooks away in the crockpot so the chef doesn't need to miss any festivities!
Fill up your guests with this gorgeous vegan Wellington, easy to make and meaty enough to please even the pickiest eater.
A 1-inexpensive-ingredient dish that will please Vegans and meat-lovers. Just add a little magic blend of herbs and condiments... The smell of this Vegan Holiday Roast will make everybody rush to your holiday table.
Little lentil loaf with mushrooms and fresh sage is a satisfying main course to serve with cranberry sauce at the festive table
If you are looking for the perfect gluten-free and vegan main course for the holidays, this Maple Dijon Baked Tempeh is it! Covered in a rich, sweet and savory sauce flavored with maple syrup, Dijon mustard, tamari and apple juice with a touch of garlic and tarragon, this vegan tempeh recipe will give you all the holiday feels.
A hearty plant-based dinner idea that will satisfy even meat-eaters! A Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf that mimics the classic meatloaf with no meat, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free! Get all your protein and veggies in this healthy recipe!
Easy vegan Christmas dinner side dishes
My husband is Omni and so will sometimes prepare a meat dish for Christmas dinner. I make sure to have plenty of sides so that everyone is happy (vegan Christmas sides of course). In fact, sometimes I don’t even bother with a vegan main dish as give me a plate of roasted potatoes, scalloped potatoes, stuffing, and veggies and I’ll be happy.
Vegan Christmas Dinner Side Dish Ideas
All the sides you could ever want to complete your delicious vegan Chrismas dinner. Delicious old favourites and twists on timeless ingredients make up these beautiful side dishes.
Cashew gravy with chestnuts is spiced with thyme and rosemary. Pour this velvety gravy over mashed potatoes for a festive addition to your holiday dinner.
Mashed potatoes have been a staple for as long as I can remember! This doesn’t mean that we have to stick to the same butter-laden, bland mash your grandma forced you to eat growing up! Change it up, vegan style, with roasted garlic and creamy cauliflower.
Bread crumbs, sage, olive oil, and onions combine to make this simple yet addictive traditional Irish stuffing that has been veganized. Bake it up in balls for golden delicious bites or in a tray for a more moist stuffing. You can make it days ahead unlike Christmas, it won't cost you the earth!
Every bite of these cheesy vegan scalloped potatoes is ultra-rich, super creamy, and loaded with spinach! Complete your holiday meal and impress your family with this decadent vegan side dish! Gluten-free and oil-free.
Few dishes capture the color, smell, and taste of a perfect holiday dish quite like classic cranberry sauce. But don't reach for a can! As an easy, no-fuss side dish, homemade cranberry sauce is always worth the effort.
These easy oven-roasted potatoes are flavored with warm Moroccan spices, olive oil, and garlic. A delicious vegan and gluten-free side dish loved by all.
Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Puree is a very simple and full-flavored side dish that is as comforting as mashed potato.
These Brussels sprouts are oven-roasted in a maple-balsamic glaze until they are crispy and caramelized and SO delicious!
Bourbon maple glazed green beans from Bad to the Bowl are savory and sweet. Minimal effort will make these steal the show at the holiday dinner table!
This beautiful dressing brings all the best flavours of the tastiest stuffing recipes to the table, vegan style! With just 14 ingredients, we feel you could definitely just eat this side dish by itself.
These Roasted Rainbow Carrots make an easy side dish that is naturally gorgeous and delicious, and simple too!
Easy vegan Christmas dinner desserts
Sure as I’m Irish, I will prepare a luscious traditional Irish vegan Christmas cake (veganized) every year weeks before Christmas dinner, and wrap it in layers of smooth soft marzipan and vegan royal icing in the days leading up to Christmas, while getting my kids to help decorate it as a family tradition.
But as my Nan used to always do, I love to go all out and have a second spectacular dessert. Check out this selection of beautiful modern riffs on traditional Christmas desserts.
Vegan Christmas Dessert Ideas
The luscious icing on the cake, this mixture of traditional Christmas desserts are all vegan and ready for your family or guests to drool over this holiday season!
A warm, sweet, nutty and fragrant winter holiday cake.
This whiskey-spiked traditional Irish Christmas cake can be made weeks in advance or the day before. All the beautiful flavours from home, but vegan! Cover in a layer of marzipan and crunchy royal icing for the ultimate end to a spectacular Christmas meal
A non-traditional boozy vegan tiramisu made with coffee-soaked vanilla cake, kirsch and cherries, layered with a luscious vanilla filling.
This Gluten-Free Vegan Yule Log is moist and fluffy, super indulgent, and coated in a velvety chocolate buttercream made from chestnuts! Also refined sugar-free.
Vegan eggnog Panna Cotta with refreshing, fruity raspberry sauce – a dessert to delight your guests. This vegan eggnog Panna Cotta is a lighter version of the original and is a great dessert for family gatherings and holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve or Easter.
The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Pudding. It’s dark, rich, fruity, moist & boozy & so much lighter than the dense, heavy puddings you might have tried in the past!
Your easy vegan Christmas dinner menu
So, what will you make for Christmas dinner? I tend to err on the side of:
- One vegan main (I love a good vegan Wellington)
- Five side dishes (stuffing, roast potatoes, scalloped potatoes, plus two more vegetable dishes)
- Two desserts
And the best part about your sumptuous vegan Christmas dinner? With no salmonella or other meat-or-dairy-or-egg-based food hygiene issues to worry about, you can make most of your side dishes ahead of time and save yourself the annual Christmas dinner stress and rushing around on the holiday.
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas!
Let me know in the comments below what you are planning on having for your Christmas dinner, or take a picture on the day and tag me on Instagram (@the_fiery_vegetarian). For some easy Christmas planning, you can also check out my Vegan Christmas recipes board on Pinterest.
Don’t forget to show some comment love on the recipe pages I know you’ll be trying and loving, which many amazing bloggers contributed to this roundup.
Janette
Sunday 22nd of December 2019
Wow, so many delicious choices. Thank you for including my roasted carrot parsnip puree.