But just because there are extra chocolatey products around in the festive season, and the centerpiece of most meals is meat based, it doesn’t mean that those on a plant based diet have to miss out.
Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy a compassionate, cruelty free, and above all else, delicious Christmas thanks to a variety of incredible recipes that evolve each year. In fact, last year supermarkets saw increases of up to 40% in their vegan festive range sales.
So with the help of some amazing vegan Christmas recipes, we’re going to answer some of the most commonly asked vegan Christmas questions!
What do vegans have for Christmas dinner?
Sometimes propositioned as, what can I feed a vegan for Christmas dinner, the answer is: The possibilities are endless! Vegans are spoilt for choice over the festive period for main meals, desserts and even accompanying side dishes.
Below we’ve listed what a vegan’s Christmas day dinner could look like.
Mains:
Vegan Nut Roast
Vegan Nut Roasts have been glorious centrepieces for special occasions, and no more so than over the festive period. Nut roasts combine root vegetables with grains, nuts and herbs to make a warm, filling dish.
Try these highly rated vegan nut roast recipes from BBC Good Food and Loving it Vegan to serve up your own centrepiece!
Vegan Christmas Wreath
An alternative to the vegan nut roast, vegan Christmas wreaths are also stunning centrepieces that guests of all dietary requirements will find themselves tucking into! Vegetables, nuts, herbs and tofu are all nestled inside flaky pastry shaped as a wreath.
BBC Good Food have a great Vegan Christmas Wreath recipe, as do The Vegan Larder so be sure to let us know which one you try!
Sides:
Sizzled Sprouts with Pistachios and Pomegranates
Sprouts. They get a bad reputation over Christmas, and they’re bound to divide opinion but why not try serving them up in an entirely different way!
This recipe from BBC Good Food takes 10 minutes to prepare, and 20 minutes to cook. All you need is:
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 500g brussel sprouts, halved
- 50g pistachios, chopped
- 100g pomegranate seeds
- 1 tsp pomegranate juice (optional)
To make simply:
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Place the sprouts cut side down in the pan, and fry them for around 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally. If they are only lightly browned after the specified time, continue for at least 5 minutes until they are blistered.
- Scatter the pistachios into the pan, stir frying them until they are toasted. Then, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pomegranate seeds.
- Tip into a serving dish, adorn with salt and drizzle with pomegranate juice.
Festive Mac n’ Cheese Stuffing Balls with Mince & Cranberry
Stuffing balls are commonplace in Christmas dinners, and thankfully the majority of them are vegan friendly. However if you want to offer up a completely new alternative on the stuffing ball, look no further than these indulgent sides!
Vegan Food and Living combine gloriously soft vegan cheese with pasta, vegan mince and a dash of cranberry sauce for a crispy stuffing ball bound to delight!
Desserts:
Vegan Christmas Pudding
The only differences between Vegan Christmas Pudding and those of the traditional Christmas pudding is the dairy-free subtleties in both the margarine and the use of no eggs.
Combining mixed fruit like sultanas, raisins and citrus peel, as well as a generous helping of rum or brandy, vegans can still enjoy one of the staple pieces of the Christmas Day dinner.
Try this Vegan Christmas pudding recipe from BBC Good Food, or alternatively try this Spiced Orange take on the Christmas pudding from Vegan Food and Living.
Vegan Buche De Noel With Chocolate Mousse Filling & Mocha Buttercream Frosting
We don’t know about you, but our mouths are watering just at the thought. Buche De Noel is the traditional name for a Yule log!
Combining vegan chocolate mousse with vegan mocha buttercream and made up of ingredients such as soy milk, cornstarch and flaxseed meal, this is a recipe that is completely cruelty free whilst remaining utterly indulgent! Find it at The Blooming Platter.
What do vegans eat for the holidays?
Another popular question around Christmastime is that of what vegans eat. Commonly this refers to snacks. When the big brand names announce their non-vegan friendly chocolate Santas and gift boxes, it can be easy to think that vegans may miss out on some of the festive treats on offer.
However, that couldn’t be further from the truth as this delightful array of snacks just goes to prove!
Vegan & Gluten Free Gingerbread Men
The smell of ginger and cinnamon wafting throughout the town, or even up the street in the festive season is a smell to behold. It’s also something else that vegans don’t have to miss out on, thanks to a recipe that uses gluten-free grains like buckwheat and brown rice as well as almond butter and a flax egg recipe to bind it all together!
Find this decadent recipe at The Minimalist Baker to have your kitchen smelling Christmassy!
Read More: What do we mean by Free-From Foods?
Chocolate Cherry Fudge Truffles
With only 8 ingredients and 9 steps for the instructions, these chocolate cherry fudge truffles are easy to make and the perfect alternative to those Christmas selection boxes!
Made of vegan dark and milk chocolate, as well as coconut oil and Cointreau, they’re the ideal (ans ever so slightly alcoholic) festive snack. The recipe can be found over at Vegan Food and Living.
Vegan Pigs in Maple Parsnip Blankets
Pigs in blankets are one of the Nation’s favourite delicacies when it comes to Christmastime. Yet once again, this doesn’t mean those on meat-free diets have to miss out! Instead these incredible vegan pigs in blankets use parsnips soaked in maple to give a new twist on the festive classic!
All you need for these is one pack of your favourite vegan sausages, 2 large parsnips, a bottle of maple syrup, vegan butter and vegetable oil. The method to combine all of those into these irresistible vegan finger foods can be found here.
Vegan Tofu Egg Nog
Eggnog is another festive time treat that divides crowds! Some love it, some hate it, but no matter which camp you’re in this recipe ensures vegans can indulge in it if they wish to. Using silken tofu and soy milk, all you need is a food processor and your favourite spices. Easy to make and made vegan friendly in under 10 minutes.
What can I get a vegan for Christmas?
At the Goodness Project, we’re experts in this kind of thing! In our Christmas shop we have a variety of different gifts made for vegans. From free-from foods and gifts, to vegan Christmas hampers and snack boxes, you’re bound to find something to make someone’s day. Below are a couple of our favourites.
Packed full of Christmas treats like Vego and Halo chocolate bars, as well as sweet treats like Jealous Sweets free-from Love Bears, this hamper will keep someone snacking for hours!
The hamper itself is presented in a signature branded 100% eco-friendly gift box, wrapped in lovely crisp red tissue paper with raffia ribbon. All items in The Wonderful Vegan Chocolate & Snack Hamper feature artisan products and are vegan-friendly.
The centrepiece of many European Christmas tables, this panettone is made from whole grain wheat and vegan friendly chocolate. It’s dairy free, egg free, and utterly delicious.
Baileys is a Christmas tipple of choice for many families. Something about its creamy taste and strong kick makes it perfect to pour in hot chocolates or enjoy on a cold winter night. Now, thanks to their new diary-free Almande version, vegan’s can enjoy that too.
Our hamper pairs the bottle with mouth-watering chocolate truffles, sweet almond biscuits and superior cranberry chocolate all presented in a luxury magnetic gift box.
Sustainable is on the rise, so why look any further for a travel mug than this eco-friendly vintage mug? Made from biodegradable bamboo, the mug features an eye catching design and is suitable for reuse. Better yet, when it finally runs out of uses, it will be able to be recycled preventing plastic waste.
A note from us:
We hope our roundup of recipes and gifts inspires you to serve up some incredible vegan Christmas meals.
From all of us at the Goodness Project, we hope that you have a very Merry, and very safe Christmas.
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