Spread a little holiday cheer to everyone at the table with these vegan Christmas recipes!
Plenty of traditional Christmas dishes can be made vegan.
And honestly, some vegan dishes are even better than their meaty cousins. Just wait until you try the butternut squash lasagna!
You might wonder, “What do vegans eat for Christmas dinner?”
Well, my go-to recipe is a fancy vegan Wellington (there’s a recipe at the end!). But you also can’t beat sweet squash and meaty mushrooms.
Drooling yet? Without further ado, here are vegan Christmas recipes yule love from head to mistletoe.
Vegan Appetizers and Sides
Classic Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Vegans and carnivores will flock to this sinful cheesy mac and cheese.
The vegan cheese sauce packs a powerful punch with nutritional yeast (for that nutty finish), coconut milk, Dijon mustard, and smoked paprika.
It’s the perfect meat-free meal for your next holiday party.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Making traditional green bean casserole is so easy!
Swap out dairy with vegan milk and creamer to achieve that sinfully creamy texture.
It’s creamy, packed with savory flavors, and loaded with green beans. It’s a classic dish no one can pass up.
Vegan Orange Cranberry Sauce
No holiday dinner is complete without cranberry sauce.
If you’re running short on time, this recipe comes together in 10 minutes and is much better than canned!
Fresh cranberries are delightfully tart and pair well with rich, fragrant maple syrup and cinnamon.
For an extra pop of flair and flavor, garnish it with orange zest.
Vegan Thanksgiving Stuffing | Wild Mushroom Stuffing
This rustic wild mushroom stuffing packs massive earthy flavors that don’t even require gravy.
It infuses fresh veggies and herbs, and it’s baked in a bundt pan for a stunning presentation.
The secret ingredient is miso paste. It’s a great way to include rich umami flavors without the need for meat. Plus, a little goes a long way.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes without dairy seem impossible, but this recipe is surprisingly easy (and delicious).
Swap dairy milk and butter with vegan alternatives. That’s it!
A great way to infuse flavor into your potatoes is to use fragrant vegetable stock and a touch of nutritional yeast for nuttiness.
It’ll surely be a big hit at your next holiday party.
Healthy Vegan Creamed Spinach
This creamed spinach recipe achieves creamy goodness without dairy (or heavy calories).
It pairs vegan milk (almond works best for a slightly nutty flavor) with nutritional yeast to achieve that cream-like consistency.
To add a little spice, stir in red pepper flakes. It adds a spicy kick and a hint of holiday flair!
Vegan Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole
This recipe marries all the robust fall flavors in one seriously addicting dish.
The sweet potatoes earn a savory punch from nutmeg, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla extract.
Top it with a delicious crumble (no marshmallows needed), and watch as it disappears!
Perfect Vegan Cornbread
Nothing quite compares to cornbread slathered in butter and honey.
Even without dairy, this recipe creates light and fluffy sweet cornbread with a perfect crumbly finish.
Buttermilk lends tender and buttery flavors, but it’s easy to make a simple swap.
Instead of using buttermilk, swap it out for almond milk and lemon juice.
Vegan Potato Salad
Potato salad is the perfect side dish to lighten up your holiday meal. This vegan version is made with a creamy cashew dressing.
It’s just as smooth and tasty as regular potato salad, but it’s totally plant-based.
It gets extra flavor from whole-grain Dijon mustard and fresh herbs.
Vegan Pumpkin Soup
This velvety soup is the perfect starter for your feast. It’s creamy, nutritious, and full of flavor!
The recipe creator suggests making this with roasted pumpkin instead of cooked for the very best taste.
Garnish it with pumpkin seeds and parsley for the perfect finishing touch.
Vegan Mashed Potatoes
These vegan mashed potatoes are one of the most popular vegan Christmas recipes.
Swapping vegan butter for dairy butter still infuses rich buttery flavors into creamy potatoes.
Season them with garlic and chives, and season with salt and pepper. No one needs to know they’re vegan! (And they won’t find out).
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Good gravy needs to check two boxes. It must be thick and hearty, and it needs robust flavors.
This vegan gravy more than delivers! It has a thickened vegetable stock with rich herbs and mushrooms.
It’s so easy to make. Even the meat-eaters at the table may prefer it over the giblet gravy!
Quinoa, Kale, and Squash Salad
If your Christmas table seriously lacks nutrition, this winter veggie salad adds color and nutrition. You might not even require a post-dinner nap before digging into presents.
Quinoa is soft and slightly nutty, while kale adds a bright crunch.
The squash adds a bit of nuttiness, and pomegranate arils provide a pop of tartness and festive flair.
Vegan Sweet Potato Soup
Christmas isn’t Christmas without a healthy dose of sweet potatoes.
Even without dairy, this soup is impossibly creamy.
It earns its creamy notes from coconut cream. It also adds a sweetness to combat the savory notes from nutmeg, ginger, and garlic.
The bright orange coloring (from carrots and sweet potatoes) is hard to resist.
Winter Jewel Brussels Sprout Salad
This recipe is worth checking out if you need a bit of color to add to your vegan Christmas dinner.
The greens from the salad and the red pomegranate seeds are fit for a festive Christmas sweater.
It’s sure to be a hit with plenty of veggies and a creamy mustard vinaigrette to pull all the flavors together.
Vegan Mains
Vegan Wellington
Beef Wellington is notoriously difficult to execute well. But this vegan version is far more approachable.
The “beefy” filling is from Impossible Meat and has a heavy helping of savory spices.
Garnish it with vegan butter for a flaky finish, and watch the Christmas ham suffer neglect at the dinner table.
Gluten-Free Cranberry Maple Lentil Loaf
This cranberry maple lentil loaf adds holiday flair to the dinner table.
It looks almost like a savory take on fruitcake. The cranberries give this loaf a touch of red holiday cheer and work so well with chopped nuts.
Top it with an irresistible maple glaze to fuse the flavors of savory nuts, lentils, and cranberries.
Vegan French Onion Soup
To make this dish vegan, you need a good recipe for vegan Mozzarella cheese.
It’s surprisingly simple. Replace the dairy ingredients with soaked cashews and infuse them with bright flavors.
Top your delicious vegan broth with a thick slice of crusty bread, and top it with vegan mozzarella cheese.
Best Vegan Lasagna
Even carnivores at the party can’t resist the siren call of lasagna.
It’s robust and fragrant, with loads of winter veggies like carrots, spinach, and meaty mushrooms.
To keep it vegan, make a decedent Mozzarella cream sauce using soaked cashews and Dijon mustard. You’ll love this meatless meal.
Vegan Turkey Roast
Impress your guests with this vegan turkey roast.
It earns its rich and meaty texture from pureed chickpeas, which add a ton of healthy protein and a meaty texture.
When paired with rosemary, thyme, nutritional yeast, onion, and garlic, it’s hard to resist.
Herbed Vegan Vegetable Pot Pie
No one can resist the call of pot pie. While traditional pot pie can take hours, this innovative recipe cuts the preparation time.
Instead of making your crust, opt for pre-packaged phyllo dough to create a rustic and showstopping crust.
The filling is rich and meaty (even without meat or dairy) and infuses classic winter vegetables in a savory gravy.
Chestnut and Cashew Nut Roast
This fragrant and impossibly nutty chestnut and cashew roast almost looks too good to eat.
The loaf infuses classic holiday fare, including chestnuts, squash, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
The chestnuts add a meaty and chewy texture with a slightly sweet finish.
Baking it in the oven fills your home with sweet and nutty aromas.
Creamy Vegan Mushrooms Risotto
Risotto sounds intimidating, but it’s surprisingly easy. If you can work a spoon and stir, you have all the skills needed for an indulgent vegan mushroom risotto.
Adding mixed mushrooms provides a filling and meaty finish that pairs well with fragrant herbs.
You can even throw all the ingredients into your Instant Pot to save time!
Garlic and Smoked Paprika Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Tender on the inside, crispy and fragrant on the outside, you’ll never look at cauliflower the same way again!
This recipe is perfect for those on a budget. And you can get inventive with garnishes to make this cauliflower roast more festive for your holiday meal.
It’s a healthy side dish everyone will love.
Simply Festive Stuffed Squash
This festive stuffed squash will shake things up this Christmas.
This recipe blends rich winter flavors like chestnuts (for a meaty texture), cranberries, and fragrant herbs.
You can serve it as a main dish (it’s pretty filling) or use smaller pieces for a side dish or appetizer.
Extra Tender Vegan Roast Beef
It’s a little surprising how much this vegan loaf resembles roast beef.
It’s just as tender and succulent and has the same coloring as roast beef. How is that possible?
The trick to this indulgent loaf is wheat gluten and beets. The wheat gluten provides a meaty texture, while beets add subtle sweetness and color.
Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
This vegan mushroom stroganoff will surely be a big hit. It has thick noodles, meaty mushrooms, and a creamy sauce.
Plus, it comes together in just 15 minutes, including cooking time!
It’s rich and hearty thanks to plenty of cremini mushrooms, and it’s so filling, it works as a main dish.
Garnish it with fresh herbs or a sprinkling of vegan Parmesan cheese.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
This plant-based version of shepherd’s pie is just as good as the original! Instead of meat, it’s made with lentils, mushrooms, pecans, and vegetables.
It’s all topped with luscious mashed potatoes, which have a tasty crust when baked in the oven.
This hearty dish is such a treat!
Vegan Meatloaf
Make “meatloaf” the star of your holiday table this year! (Faux meatloaf, that is.)
Instead of beef, this loaf is made with lentils, mushrooms, chickpeas, onion, garlic, flax, and oats.
It holds up well in the oven, just like the traditional version. As a bonus, it’s also gluten-free.
Butternut Squash Lasagna
Move over, traditional lasagna! This butternut squash version is simply to die for.
It’s layers of lasagna noodles, kale, mushrooms, and a butternut squash cashew sauce. It couldn’t be more decadent.
With 30 minutes of prep and an hour of cooking time, it’s an easy-to-make masterpiece.
Portobello Pot Roast
Comfort food doesn’t get much more classic than pot roast. With this recipe, you’ll use portobello mushrooms instead of beef.
It also features carrots and potatoes, just like traditional pot roast. Using stout beer makes for such a delicious gravy.
You’ll want to sop it all up with some crusty bread!
Drinks and Desserts
Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Cinnamon Cream
There’s nothing that screams Christmas more than delicate poached pears. They’re incredibly fragrant with that deep red hue.
This recipe calls for heavy cream for the cinnamon cream sauce. But you can easily swap it out for coconut whipped cream.
It’s a little sweeter than heavy cream, so experiment with the amount of sugar to ensure it’s not too sweet.
Secretly Vegan Eggnog
This holiday staple has rich flavors from nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.
The frothy egg base is more of a vehicle for rich spices.
Making simple swaps is easy if you want to keep it vegan (or don’t like the idea of drinking eggs).
Use sweetened condensed coconut milk paired with arrowroot powder for that classic frothy consistency.
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Is it even Christmas without gingerbread cookies?
You can use this vegan recipe for happy gingerbread men or building materials for a festive Christmas cabin.
Swap out eggs for a flax egg mixture to achieve that same buttery snap. These cookies are rich in molasses and ginger flavors and are highly addictive.
Vegan Sugar Cookies
Traditional sugar cookies don’t use eggs, so making a vegan option only requires swapping dairy butter for a vegan alternative.
The frosting is also dairy-free and comes together in a snap.
When decorating your delicious sugar cookies, it’s important to note not all food coloring is vegan.
Always check the labels first, but Watkins food coloring is always a safe bet.
Vegan Yule Log
If you want a vegan dessert to impress, you can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned yule log.
This chocolatey dessert with a creamy swirled center is a little finicky to get right, but it’s worth the effort!
Garnish it (aka cover mistakes!) with a rich vegan chocolate ganache and artificial berries (or cranberries) for a pop of holiday color.
Vegan Pecan Pie
You can’t have Christmas without pecan pie! This vegan treat is just as good as the real deal.
It’s made with maple syrup and brown sugar instead of corn syrup. It’s sweet, buttery, crunchy, and sticky.
Everyone at the table will devour it!