The best vegetarian Christmas dinner recipes for 2024
Vegetarians will be impressed with these delicious Christmas recipe options, triple-tested to ensure they taste amazing and work perfectly every time.
Looking for a show-stopping recipe to feed vegetarian or vegan guests this Christmas? You've come to the right place. Here at Good Housekeeping, we have plenty of Christmas-worthy veggie recipes to inspire you. From fancy pithiviers to the classic, cranberry-studded nut roast, we have every vegetarian Christmas craving covered.
An easy vegetarian Christmas main is hasselback squash. Just like hasselback potatoes, cut slices across the width of the halved squash – then cover in a mix of maple syrup, oil and thyme and top with crumbled goats cheese (choose a vegan cheese option if you prefer). Simple yet sophisticated.
Pies can also make wonderful vegetarian Christmas dinners such as this brie and mushroom pie which is given a festive lift with the addition of crunchy walnuts and a dash of sherry. Fancy a challenge? Our root vegetable pithivier takes some effort but the results are well worth it.
This beetroot and shallot tarte tatin makes a wonderful vegan main or side dish. We’ve used vegan Jus-Rol pastry to make it easier and the tarte tatin is served with a dressing of hazelnuts, parsley and capers.
No Christmas dinner is complete without stuffing, so don't miss out on our lentil and nut stuffing – it pairs perfectly with our collection of vegetarian mains, as well as traditional turkey, too.
Remember, make sure if you are serving your vegetarian meal with gravy that you have a vegetarian alternative to hand (you can follow any normal recipe but be sure to use vegetable stock instead and omit any meat juices and products that might be used).
Time to start planning your tastiest vegetarian Christmas yet...
Caramelised Onion & Camembert Pie
Oozing with creamy Camembert in the middle and plenty of sweet, caramelised onions, you won't be able to resist tucking into this come Christmas day.
Beetroot and Hummus Tart with Horseradish Drizzle
This tasty vegetarian tart makes use of two super convenient supermarket ingredients – hummus and ready-cooked beetroot – to deliver maximum flavour with minimum effort.
Vegan Crispy Polenta and Roasted Squash Cake
This is a real visual centrepiece, full of seasonal vegetables, with a protein boost from the tofu.
Stilton, Leek and Walnut Quiche
Serve this cheesy, nutty quiche warm or at room temperature.
Recipe: Stilton, Leek and Walnut Quiche
Cauliflower Wellington
This delicious centrepiece makes the perfect main course alternative for vegetarians on Christmas Day, and meat-eaters will love it too.
Recipe: Cauliflower Wellington
Root Vegetable and Lentil Terrine
This terrine is, unusually, served warm, which means it pairs perfectly with a vegetarian gravy. Any leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 days, and are delicious served chilled or at room temperature.
Giant Savoury Mince Pie
We’ve taken inspiration from the sweet festive favourite for this veggie showstopper. Swap the sage for fresh thyme, if you like.
Recipe: Giant Savoury Mince Pie
Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese Roulade
The colour of this roulade alone will tempt everyone to try a slice! If you’re not a fan of goat’s cheese, cream cheese works well here too, but it will need a bit more seasoning.
Whole Baked Tofu ‘Ham’
Tofu’s ability to take on flavours really comes into its own in this vegan roast, where the smokey, salty rub evokes the cured flavour of ham. Glazed and clove-studded, it looks a treat, too.
Recipe: Whole Baked Tofu ‘Ham’
Root Vegetable Pithivier
This wow-factor, vegan pie centrepiece is utterly delicious and worth the extra effort. If you're making a vegan Christmas dinner, make it this one.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Root Vegetable Pithivier
Spiced Whole-Roasted Cauliflower
This vegetarian centrepiece is sure to wow. We originally made this for an Easter celebration, but it would work as a veggie Christmas centrepiece, too.
Recipe: Spiced Whole-Roasted Cauliflower
Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut Puff Pocket
This is the perfect budget-friendly vegetarian option for Christmas Day. The sweetness of the pears and honey cut through the saltiness of the blue cheese wonderfully.
Individual Beetroot Wellington
Beetroot and goat’s cheese are a match made in heaven, and even more delicious when enveloped in pastry - the perfect veggie Christmas dinner.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Individual Beetroot Wellington
Mushroom and Shallot Bourguignon Galette
Echoing the flavour of our venison main – plus it works brilliantly with the horseradish crème fraîche.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Mushroom and Shallot Bourguignon Galette
Caramelised Onion and Squash Baked Ricotta
Serve this delicious vegetarian Christmas centrepiece at the table alongside your turkey and the meat eaters will all want a slice too!
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Caramelised Onion and Squash Baked Ricotta
Jewelled Sprouts and Chestnuts
It’s not Christmas without sprouts! The sweetness of apple juice and maple syrup here helps balance their brassica bitterness.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Jewelled Sprouts and Chestnuts
Whole Stuffed Celeriac
The earthiness of the mushrooms combined with the truffle oil makes this a perfect vegan Christmas dinner.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Whole Stuffed Celeriac
Hasselback Squash
We love this easy vegetarian Christmas dinner recipe, and it can be a vegan Christmas dinner too with just a little tweaking! Just replace goat's cheese with a substitute, we like Violife Feta Style Non-Dairy Cheese Alternative.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Hasselback Squash
Brie and Mushroom Vegetarian Pie
Earthy mushrooms and oozing Brie combine for a moreish vegetarian Christmas dinner that will be the envy of the non-veggies, while crunchy walnuts and a dash of sherry bring a touch of festive cheer to the table.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Brie and Mushroom Vegetarian Pie
Creamy Sweet Potato and Celeriac Bake
Earthy root veg in a herby cream makes a deliciously comforting accompaniment to just about any roast.
Vegetarian Christmas recipe: Creamy Sweet Potato and Celeriac Bake
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