Sometimes it can be tricky to come up with a vegetarian Christmas dinner idea that's (first and foremost) delicious, and is also special enough for The Big Day. So, here's some inspiration for you - a bumper collection of 25 delicious vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas!
Best of all, you don't need to miss out on any of your favourite Christmas side dishes - these vegetarian main courses can all be served alongside the usual festive trimmings, like roast potatoes, vegetables, and gravy!
❤️ Why You'll Love These Recipes
- These Christmas recipes may be a little more show-stopping than your standard weeknight dinner, but just like all of my other recipes, they're simple and straightforward to make - so you can be sure your Christmas day will go off without a hitch!
- My recipes are always big on flavour, and these ideas are no different. Even if some of your Christmas guests are meat-eaters, they won't feel they're missing out with these tasty dishes.
- All of these vegetarian main courses can be served alongside the usual Christmas side dishes - including the essential roast potatoes and gravy!
🥔 Christmas Side Dishes
Once you've chosen the main dish for your vegetarian Christmas dinner, from the list below, make sure you choose a few Christmassy side dishes to cook as well:
🎅🏻 Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes
Without further ado, onto the recipes! Check out the yellow boxes below each recipe for details of timings, and how many people it will serve - so you can choose the dish that will fit your family's Christmas plans perfectly. Whether you're planning a small celebration with just your immediate family, or a huge family party, there will be something here that works for you!
Vegan Lentil Loaf
(Vegan - Gluten Free - Dairy Free)
This simple lentil loaf couldn't be easier to prepare, and ends up moist and flavourful, with a crispy crust. Slice it up in the centre of the table for a proper festive atmosphere!
Creamy Mushroom Pie with Chestnuts
This creamy mushroom pie has added chestnuts to make it feel extra festive - and the simple vegetarian suet pastry crust is surprisingly foolproof, even if you're not experienced with pastry.
Spinach and Goat's Cheese Self-Crusting Quiche
This spinach quiche doesn't have a pastry crust like a regular quiche, but the clever mix of ingredients produces its own crust as it bakes. With toasted pine nuts and dollops of creamy goat's cheese, you certainly won't miss the pastry!
Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart
A slice of this cheesy broccoli tart goes perfectly alongside some roast potatoes and gravy. Use shop-bought pastry to make it even easier to prepare!
One Pot Rice and Vegetable Casserole
A simple casserole with beans, rice, and plenty of fresh veggies. Feel free to mix and match the vegetables to fit the rest of your meal. I would quite happily have a scoop of this alongside the rest of my Christmas dinner - or, you can cook it on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day instead.
Cheesy Vegetable Pie
One for the veggie lovers! A beautiful variety of vegetables is coated in a creamy, cheesy sauce, tucked inside a puff pastry crust. Luxurious enough for a celebratory meal!
Crispy Tofu Escalopes
These crispy breaded tofu escalopes are essentially a very posh vegetarian chicken nugget. Here I served them with a simple (but fancy-sounding!) buttery caper sauce, but if you're having gravy with your Christmas dinner, you might want to just skip the sauce altogether.
Cheesy Veggie Fritters
Fritters are such a versatile dish, and these vegetable fritters can work perfectly in any kind of meal. Go easy on the cheese, and they will slot right in alongside the rest of your Christmas dinner.
Lentil and Veggie Slice
(Gluten Free)
This hearty lentil slice can be packed with all sorts of different veggies, and is a great protein option to serve with your Christmas side dishes. Bonus: the leftovers are amazing served cold on Boxing Day!
Mushroom Bourguignon
(Vegan - Gluten Free - Dairy Free)
The best stew I've ever made (and I've made a lot of stews), this mushroom bourguignon is the perfect rich, hearty vegetarian stew. Spoon it over your roasties for the ultimate Christmas meal.
Feta and Kale Spanakopita Spiral
For some reason, pastry always feels festive to me. Roll your pastry into an impressive-looking spiral, and you've got something really special. This one's stuffed with a tasty spanakopita-style filling, using kale and feta cheese.
Carrot and White Bean Cutlets
These tasty bean cutlets are perfect smothered with gravy - such a nice alternative to a piece of meat!
Veggie En Croute
Roasted vegetables, pumpkin seeds and feta cheese make an incredibly tasty filling for this veggie en croute. It's all wrapped up in puff pastry, and makes the perfect vegetarian centrepiece for your Christmas table.
Mushroom Stroganoff Pie
A creamy mushroom pie with a tasty sauce inspired by mushroom stroganoff, topped with a flaky puff pastry lid.
Cheesy Bean Roast
This bean roast is super hearty, with rich, deep flavours and a crispy topping. Such a good alternative to nut roast!
Creamy Vegetable and Halloumi Pie
I absolutely adore halloumi cheese, and since Christmas is a time to indulge, why not put it in a pie? Make sure to add tons of colourful vegetables and a luxurious creamy sauce!
Mushroom and Goat's Cheese Wellingtons
If you'd like a super simple Christmas meal that's quick to assemble, try these easy mushroom wellingtons. With a simple parsley pesto (or shop-bought pesto, if you prefer!) and a slice of goat's cheese, they're simple but full of flavour.
Vegetarian Haggis and Mushroom Wellington
(Vegan - Dairy Free)
If you can get your hands on vegetarian haggis, this one's well worth making! Just wrap it up in pastry with some portobello mushrooms for a seriously tasty vegetarian wellington.
Vegetable Toad in the Hole
Toad in the hole is a classic British recipe, with veggie sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding. This version also has plenty of extra vegetables!
Cheesy Potato and Lentil Pie
A slice of this potato and lentil pie goes absolutely perfectly with some extra roasted veggies and some gravy.
Sage and Onion Seitan Roast
(Vegan - Dairy Free)
Homemade seitan is surprisingly easy to make, and this sage and onion flavoured roast is perfect for Christmas dinner. It's absolutely packed with plant-based protein too.
Cheesy Carrot Nut Roast
This cheesy carrot nut roast is one of my all-time favourites. The flavour is awesome, with beans, nuts, veggies and cheese. Such a great people-pleaser!
Cheese and Onion Plait
A pastry plait may look impressive, but it's so easy to do. This one's stuffed with a simple cheese and onion mixture - such a brilliant classic combination.
Chestnut and Chickpea Roast
This chickpea roast get beautifully crispy around the edges, with a moist and flavourful middle made with chickpeas, chestnuts and vegetables.
Cauliflower Cheese Tart
Why make a simple cauliflower cheese, when you can turn it into a show-stopping cauliflower cheese tart instead? It's creamy in the middle, with a perfectly crispy pastry crust.
🧾 Top Tips for a Perfect Vegetarian Christmas
- Don't overcomplicate things! If you don't have the time or energy, there's no need to spend hours preparing a complex vegetarian main course. A lot of the recipes above can be prepared in just 15 or 20 minutes, and then popped in the oven (my goat's cheese quiche, for example) - and a few super simple vegetables on the side is all you need!
- If you're cooking for meat-eaters as well as vegetarians, make sure all your side dishes are veggie-friendly (no goose fat roast potatoes, for example). This way, the majority of your meal can serve everyone, with just the main part of the meal differing.
- Too many flavours on a plate can compete and clash, so I tend to opt for one slightly more 'fancy' side dish (like feta and lemon roasted green beans), and then I keep the rest simple - perhaps just some boiled, steamed or roasted vegetables.
- A lot of the vegetarian main courses listed here can be prepared the day before, then just popped in the oven on Christmas morning - so you can spend your time opening presents and drinking snowballs, not chained to the stove!
- If you have the space, it's always worth cooking more roast potatoes and vegetables than you'll need, as you can fry up the leftovers the next day for a perfect British bubble and squeak.
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Viv ( Daizy-Mae) says
Oh wow I am so happy to have found your amazing blog while Pinterest surfing. I look forward to trying all your gorgeous recipes, I am also mad about advocado's lol.I am now following you over at Pinterest too :) My blog is mainly about card making and jewellery though......with the odd recipe thrown in sometimes.
ps. For Xmas I always make a casserole type thing using Vermicilli, lentils, cheese, onions,garlic,breadcrumbs, herbs, eggs. Tastes yummy :)
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks so much Viv! That casserole sounds amazing, I'd love to see your recipe! :)
Elizabeth says
I found your list and tried the vegetarian nut loaf for our Christmas Eve dinner. It was amazing! (Especially with cranberry sauce on the side!) The meat eaters in my family insisted it had sausage in it. Which it most certainly did not. :) Thank you for helping me find the recipe! I have tried so many nut and lentil loaf recipes over the years and while they were all really tastey, none held together like an actual loaf. I was so proud of this one that I served it on a giant platter.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Yay I'm so glad I helped you find something that you all enjoyed so much :) thanks Elizabeth!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I'm a bit late getting over here. Not been on much over the festive period. A great roundup and one I think I'll be having a look through next Christmas, Thanks for including my recipe and I hope you had a fabulous Christmas and Santa was good to you x
Hannah says
My parents and brother - who are pescatarians - have salmon on Christmas Day and so did I, until about six year ago when I gave up fish as a New Year's resolution and never looked back! Since then, I've always had either a nut-loaf (which the rest of the family have on Boxing Day in our second roast opportunity!) or a pepper stuffed with rice and veggies...not everyone's idea of a festive meal, but it's perfect for me!
easyfoodsmith says
I am sure this list is a vegetarian's delight. You have done a great job compiling it all together!
Gillian says
I'm not a vegetarian, my traditional Christmas dinner is pot roast, but my in-laws are coming this year, and they don't eat red meat. I could rerun Thanksgiving and do turkey, which is what they're used to, but instead I thought it would be fun to do something completely new and different. One of my family's favorite dinners is a squash lasagna recipe that I found yeas ago in a magazine as a vegetarian suggestion for Thanksgiving. I thought I'd go looking for a vegetarian Christmas recipe that would go well with cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and roasted potatoes, and here I am. So many recipes so little time, what a delicious problem to have! I'm thinking mushroom and chestnut pie, or carrot and white bean cutlets, or mushroom thyme and lentil pies...
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
It's great that you're trying something different! Hopefully if you serve it alongside your usual side dishes, people won't mind that it's vegetarian :) I find it interesting that your usual Christmas dinner is pot roast - here in the UK we obviously don't have Thanksgiving so everyone has turkey at Christmas (apart from us veggies obviously!)
Gillian says
So here's the update - I auditioned a couple different options for my husband and kids last week, and stuffed zucchini was the clear winner (I used the recipe I found here for starters, with a few variations). On Christmas I served stuffed zucchini, rice pilaf, sweet potato casserole, green beans, and cranberry sauce for nine (my husbands parents and grandparents, as well as our 3 kids). The dinner was a hit. I wish I'd taken a picture of a plate dished up. It was so pretty, and made for quite a feast. Thanks!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
That sounds awesome :) glad it worked out well!
DesignedByBH says
These all look great!!!! I love the layout of the post, too. Pinning!
Thank you so much for sharing this on today's DBB!
- Brooke -
Veronica@ wrapped in newspaper says
Wow these all sound so good. We'll be having a nut roast this year (first vegan christmas), so I will be coming back to these ideas in the future!
Kenneth Goh says
A rare collection. Share in my facebook group. Have a nice day
lydiaf says
I had to wipe my mouth at the mushroom and chestnut pie. Awesome collection :)