Vegetarians don’t have to be an afterthought at the Christmas buffet. These festive vegetarian main dishes will delight everyone at the table — even meat-eaters. Bonus: many of the best recipes here are vegan, too.
A few weeks ago we shared a post of favorite Thanksgiving vegetarian mains and the response was wonderful. Many readers told stories about vegetarian guests being overlooked during holiday gatherings, so we wanted to create a Christmas-focused collection with show-stopping vegetarian and vegan main dishes.
These recipes are meant to be festive, seasonal, and satisfying. Some are dressed in holiday colors, others highlight classic winter ingredients like chestnuts, and a few are even shaped for extra seasonal charm.
Festive Vegetarian Christmas Mains
Several dishes from our Thanksgiving round-up work beautifully at Christmas, but here I’ve highlighted ideas that feel especially winter-y and celebratory. Most of the selections below are naturally vegan — and I’ve noted whether a recipe is vegetarian or vegan when helpful.
Most Recipes Are Vegan-Friendly
As I narrowed this list, I noticed that many of the best vegetarian mains are vegan as well, making it easy to accommodate vegan guests without extra effort. Where a recipe is vegetarian but easily made vegan, that option is mentioned.
Meat-Eaters Might Be Jealous
When you present beautiful vegetarian and vegan mains alongside traditional fare, they’ll get plenty of attention — you may find your holiday ham taking a back seat this year.
Try any of these inspired recipes — they’re all guaranteed to impress:
Festive Lentil and Mushroom Bowl with Star Potatoes (vegan)
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Vegan Holiday Pie with Hot Water Pastry (vegan)
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Little Lentil Loaf with Mushrooms and Sage (vegan)
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Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash Rings (vegetarian with vegan option)
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Ratatouille (vegan)
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Mini Vegetable Pot Pies (vegan)
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Instant Pot Stuffed Squash (vegan)
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Parsnip and Carrot Rostis with Mushrooms and Wensleydale Sauce (vegetarian)
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Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Borek (vegan)
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Oven Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Garlic and Herb (vegan or vegetarian depending on the condiments used)
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Holiday Stuffed Squash (vegan)
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Hearty Portobello Wellingtons (vegan)
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Vegan Fried Eggplant Casserole
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Mushroom-Walnut Meatless Loaf with Ketchup Glaze (vegan)
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Vegetable Wellington (vegan)
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Spinach Pesto Lasagna with Creamy Mushroom Sauce (vegan)
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Tender Vegan Steaks
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Broccoli Tofu Quiche (vegan or vegetarian depending on the crust)
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Vegan Swedish Meatballs
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Vegan and Vegetarian Christmas Side Dishes (and Desserts)
Round out your holiday menu with seasonal side dishes and healthy desserts. A few great options to serve alongside the mains include:
- Wreath-Shaped Christmas Salad (vegetarian)
- Blistered Green Beans (vegan)
- Roasted Green Beans with Balsamic Browned Butter (vegetarian)
- Microwave Spaghetti Squash with Sage-Browned Butter and Toasted Walnuts (vegetarian)
- Easy Cranberry Sauce with Apples, Pecans and Pineapple — 5 minutes, no cooking (vegan)
For dessert, offer a cookie plate with crowd-pleasers like:
- Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Balls (“Buckeyes”) (vegetarian)
- No-Bake Gingerbread Date Balls (vegan)
- Pistachio-White Chocolate (No Butter!) Cookies (vegetarian)
Merry Christmas — wishing you a joyful, healthy holiday. I hope these vegetarian and vegan mains make your celebration delicious and inclusive.