40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (2024)

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (1)

For many families, the traditional Christmas meal doesn't feel complete without a meaty main like roast turkey or glazed ham on the holiday table. So when a vegetarian comes to dinner, it’s often about creating a satisfying meal out of the abundant side dishes. But what if vegetarian dinner options weren’t an afterthought, but rather the stars of the show?

Whether your entire table is meat-free or you want an array of show-stopping plant-based options to round out the omnivorous options, our roundup includes dozens of ideas for vegetarian sides, main courses, desserts, and more. Think savory dishes including potato and Brussels sprouts gratin, eggplant parmesan meatballs, crispy roasted broccolini, and turmeric roasted beets with orange bell pepper romesco. Our list also includes an array of soups and chilis to warm the body as well as the soul on a wintry eve. And for the sweets, how does cranberry pie with snickerdoodle crust sound? (Beyond delicious, we say!)

With the Christmas dinner menu planned, don’t forget to brighten the table with some stylish Christmas table decorations, hang a Christmas wreath on the front door to welcome guests, and transform the whole house into a DIY winter wonderland with some Christmas crafts.

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1

Potato and Brussels Sprouts Gratin

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (2)

Add to the flavor profile — not to mention the nutritional value — by adding shredded Brussels sprouts to au gratin potatoes.

Get the Potato and Brussels Sprouts Gratin recipe.

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2

Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (4)

If you like meatballs, you'll love this meat-free version. It's every bit as satisfying with eggplant, parmesan, and marinara sauce.

Get the Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs recipe.

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3

Crispy Roasted Broccolini

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (6)

In this vibrant side dish, golden brown crumbs and lemon zest top the nutritious veggie for crowd-pleasing appeal.

Get the Crispy Roasted Broccolini recipe​​.

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4

Turmeric-Roasted Beets With Orange Bell Pepper Romesco

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (8)

This side dish is as visually appealing as it is colorful, with orange bell peppers and beets.

Get the Turmeric-Roasted Beets With Orange Bell Pepper Romesco recipe.

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5

Creamy Chickpea Soup

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (10)

Chickpeas make a creamy, hearty base for this wholesome soup. A drizzle of paprika oil on top brightens the presentation.

Get the Creamy Chickpea Soup recipe.

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6

Olive Oil Clementine Cake

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (12)

This festive cake, topped with sliced almonds and candied clementines, makes a pretty presentation on the dessert table.

Get the Olive Oil Clementine Cake recipe.

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7

Charred Cauliflower

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (14)

This flavorful roasted cauliflower dish is easy to make and packs a flavor punch with a perfectly salty anchovy sauce.

Get the Charred Cauliflower recipe.

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8

Roasted Carrots With Carrot-Top Pesto

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (16)

Top roasted carrots with pesto made from carrot-top greens. The pesto also freezes easily and is great on pasta or as a party dip, too.

Get the Roasted Carrots With Carrot-Top Pesto recipe.

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9

Mâche, Beet, and Orange Salad

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (18)

Beets and navel oranges add beautiful color and big flavor in this pretty salad with a lemon-herb dressing.

Get the Mâche, Beet, and Orange Salad recipe.

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10

Chickpea and Kale Stew

High-fiber and high-protein chickpeas serve as the base for this colorful, hearty stew.

Get the Chickpea and Kale Stew recipe.

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11

Asparagus and Potato Galette

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (22)

This galette looks fancy and even fussy, but it’s actually quick and simple to make.

Get the Asparagus and Potato Galette recipe.

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12

Chickpea, Spinach, and Quinoa Patties

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (24)

These patties are loaded with feta, garlic, and jalapeño, making them incredibly tasty even for meat lovers.

Get the Chickpea, Spinach, and Quinoa Patties recipe.

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13

Grilled Squash Garlic Bread

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (25)

Ricotta and roasted veggies take this garlic bread to the next level.

Get the Grilled Squash Garlic Bread recipe.

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14

Spiced Tomato Soup with Flatbread

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (26)

Complementing this spiced tomato soup are flatbreads smothered in an herbed butter and coconut spread.

Get the Spiced Tomato Soup with Flatbread recipe.

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15

Warm Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach Salad

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (27)

This particular recipe may not appeal to the little ones, but any adult at the table will love the combination of lentils, cauliflower, and spinach, with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.

Get the Warm Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach Salad recipe.

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16

Caponata Flatbread

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (28)

This flatbread is the sweet-and-sour pizza of your dreams. Eggplant, peppers, honey, and ricotta are just a few of the tasty aspects of your new favorite flatbread.

Get the Caponata Flatbread recipe.

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17

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (29)

While some of the vegetables included in this tasty dish are technically summer veggies, that doesn't mean you can't whip it up for Christmas this year.

Get the Corn and Zucchini Fritters recipe.

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18

Roasted Vegetable Bowl

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (30)

Get your daily dose of veggies and then some with this power bowl that'll make anyone's mouth water, especially when they hear the black beans are flavored with cilantro and lime. Yum.

Get the Roasted Vegetable Bowl recipe.

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19

Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Chive Butter

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (31)

You're going to want to make at least two servings of these potatoes because once your family tries one, they're going to want them all. They won't even realize it's a vegetarian dish.

Get the Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Chive Butter recipe.

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20

Butternut Squash and Turmeric Soup

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (32)

Turn your leftover butternut squash from Thanksgiving into this butternut squash and turmeric soup. A splash of coconut milk and vegetable bouillon base make of the tastiest butternut squash soup you've ever had.

Get the Butternut Squash and Turmeric Soup recipe.

40 Incredible Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes for Your Holiday Menu (2024)

FAQs

What are the top 10 Christmas dinner foods? ›

Top 10 most popular Christmas recipes
  • Yule log. ...
  • Christmas pudding with citrus and spice. ...
  • Sticky spiced red cabbage. ...
  • Cola ham with maple & mustard glaze. ...
  • Sausage, sage & onion stuffing. ...
  • Mary's Berry Christmas chutney. ...
  • Ultimate roast potatoes. ...
  • Nut roast.

What is the most popular veg at Christmas? ›

What Is the Most Popular Vegetable at Christmas?
  • Brussels Sprouts. A traditional Christmas vegetable, often cooked with bacon or chestnuts. ...
  • Carrots. Commonly served as a side dish, either roasted or as part of a medley. ...
  • Potatoes. ...
  • Sweet Potatoes. ...
  • Parsnips. ...
  • Red Cabbage. ...
  • Green Beans. ...
  • Peas.
May 27, 2024

What is the most popular vegetarian alternative to a turkey dinner at Christmas? ›

Nut Roast. The most popular Christmas meal for vegetarians and vegans is the nut roast. This typically describes a mixture of nuts, breadcrumbs, leeks, onions, broth and either oil or butter. However, this recipe is malleable and offers the opportunity for many alterations according to personal preference.

How much veg per person for Christmas dinner? ›

How much veg is too much? Whether it's parsnips, sprouts, braised cabbage or carrots, 80g of each per person will do the trick. Clear your cupboards and fridge before writing your shopping list, it'll stop you from overbuying at the shop.

What is the most eaten food during Christmas? ›

What are the Most Popular Christmas Foods Eaten Around the World?
  • Roast turkey or ham, a standard main course for holiday dinners.
  • Eggnog, a rich and creamy beverage made with eggs, milk, and spices. ...
  • Gingerbread cookies and houses are popular festive treats and decorations.

What do Germans eat on Christmas? ›

These delicious holiday recipes represent typical German Christmas food. Treat guests to a traditional German Christmas dinner with classic dishes like roasted goose legs, braised red cabbage. and dumplings, and don't forget the mulled wine and platter of gorgeous, festive cookies.

What is a festive veggie tray for Christmas? ›

Arrange broccoli on serving platter to form tree shape and tomatoes to form garland. Arrange bell pepper to form star and cauliflower to form snow (see photo). If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Just before serving, arrange pretzels at bottom of tree to form trunk.

What vegetable is particularly associated with a Christmas dinner? ›

Not far behind Brussels sprouts are roasted parsnips and carrots when you think of traditional Christmas vegetables. Roasted root vegetables can be delicious but perhaps always suffer from being shovelled onto your plate alongside roast potatoes, which are of course one of the highlights of Christmas day dinner.

What is the most famous veg? ›

Top 10 most popular fresh vegetables revealed
  1. Carrots.
  2. Potato.
  3. Tomato.
  4. Onions.
  5. Broccoli.
  6. Mushroom.
  7. Lettuce.
  8. Capsicum.

What do vegetarians eat on Christmas Day? ›

Vegetarian Christmas mains recipes
  • Spiced squash, feta & beetroot wellington. ...
  • Pumpkin & sage sformata. ...
  • Sprout, comté & walnut tart. ...
  • App onlyChristmas tree goat's cheese tart. ...
  • Whole roasted butternut squash with Christmas stuffing. ...
  • Hasselback butternut squash with tahini yogurt & gremolata.

Do vegetarians eat eggs? ›

Well, the short answer is yes! Unless they are vegan (meaning they don't eat dairy products, eggs, or any other products which are derived from animals), some vegetarians do eat eggs and belong to a group known as lacto-ovo-vegetarians which according to the Vegetarian Society is the most common type of meatless diet.

What is a traditional Italian Christmas dinner menu? ›

In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are common Natale entrées worth celebrating.

Can you pre cook veg for Christmas dinner? ›

Prep your veg the night before

This will save you a lot of faff and additional mess on Christmas morning. If you've got lots of space in your fridge (unlikely), you could even pre-cook your potatoes and parsnips on Christmas Eve to save even more time.

How many carrots should I eat a day? ›

In reality, 100g of carrots a day, or just under one carrot (the average weight of which is 125g), should suffice. This serving of carrots contains about 8200 micrograms (µg) of beta-carotene, while the daily requirement for an adult is around 700 µg. Eating a carrot a day will certainly speed up the process.

How many potatoes do I need for Christmas? ›

Roast potatoes Each person will get through 250g – so buy 2kg for eight. Stuffing You should allow 100g per person, so that's 800g for eight people. Sprouts Serve 80g per person, or 650g for eight.

What is a traditional Christmas dinner menu? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What foods will be served at Christmas dinner? ›

Christmas dinner recipes
  • Flavour-bomb roast turkey & gravy. A star rating of 5 out of 5. ...
  • Hot honey-glazed gammon. ...
  • Mini maple & mustard pigs in blankets. ...
  • Cranberry, orange & rosemary sauce. ...
  • Shredded carbonara sprouts. ...
  • Croissant bread sauce. ...
  • Turkey crown with roast garlic & pancetta. ...
  • Honeyed hasselback carrots.

What is the most popular Christmas Eve dinner? ›

Turkey is classic, of course, as is ham, but you could also serve a roast chicken, roast beef, or pork tenderloin. Fill out your meal with some Christmas-y side dishes, and you'll be all set for the perfect holiday dinner.

What are 5 Christmas foods? ›

Candy Cane can be hung as edible decorations.
  • White Christmas, a sweet slice made of copha and mixed fruit.
  • Cold ham and cold turkey.
  • Seafood and salads.
  • Roast chicken, ham and turkey.
  • Stuffing.
  • Christmas cake or Christmas pudding.
  • Custard.
  • Gingerbread in Christmas shapes.

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