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Whether you’re hosting a vegetarian friend, aiming for more meatless meals, or are a seasoned veteran looking for fresh inspiration, you’re looking to embrace more vegetarian foods this Christmas. Don’t fret, it’s not hard at all, in fact, we often make things with more meat products than are truly necessary, for composition or flavor.
It does not take much to make Christmas dinner vegetarian-friendly, and you don’t have to give up the traditional aspects of the meal either. You can still have the Christmas dinner you get so nostalgic over, the one you dream about all year long, all while adding more veggies, in 4 easy ways.
These four steps are a pick-and-choose situation. Meaning, do one of them or do all of them, whatever works best for your personal meal set-up and schedule. Choosing just one can make a huge impact so you can’t go wrong.
Plenty of foods that are eaten on Christmas are already vegetarian however, if you aren’t a vegetarian, it can be difficult to think of them as such. So, first and foremost, consider compiling your meal of foods that are already vegetarian-friendly. Consider making something that your family doesn’t traditionally make or that you haven’t made in a few years. Here are a few foods to add to your menu.
Traditional American Christmas Foods That Are Vegetarian
- Cranberry Sauce
- Brussels Sprouts
- Mashed Potatoes
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Potato Salad
- Devilled Eggs
- Candied Yams
- English Peas
- Green Beans
- Green Bean Casserole
- Broccoli Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Tamales
- Cornbread
- Rolls
1. Adjust The Foods You’re Already Making
Make some easy switches and substitutions to the foods you’re already making. If you’re making dressing or stuffing and usually use chicken or beef stock, swap it for a bold and flavorful vegetable broth. I often use Better Than Boullion because of the variety of options and ability to adjust the flavor and concentration.
If your menu item typically adds in meat for flavor, research alternative ways to get the same flavor profiles. Pork is often used in sides such as green beans. Pork flavors tend to be a balance of sweet and salty flavors with notes of umami and kokumi. Kokumi notes can also be found in garlic and onions. Try adding onions and a bit of garlic to your green beans to see how it compares. If you’re looking for a smoky aspect, try out something like liquid smoke.
2. Add More Vegetarian Proteins
Proteins are often the more filling portion of a meal, so you can adust your menu to be more filling for your veggie eaters by adding in more proteins. This can be in the form of alternatives or it can just be additional menu items that you may not have considered to fit the theme of the meal.
A lot of vegetarian proteins make great side dishes such as peas, lentils, and beans. They also are easy to adjust the flavor profile to fit in with the rest of the meal. You can also make standalone dishes like a festive Quinao Salad filled with seasonal produce.
3. Offer Meat Alternatives
An easy adjustment you can to your menu is to offer up meat alternatives. Everything from a vegan Turk’y Roast to Brown Sugar Tofu are easy alternatives to replace the Christmas ham or Turkey options. There are a ton of meat alternatives and you don’t have to limit yourself to traditional holiday inspired options. However if you are looking to create something that still has the feel of a nostalgic holiday dinner, search up recipes that include vegan gravy recipes, seasonal produce such as cranberries or squash, or that lean into the flavors used in ham or turkey such as sage or brown sugar.
4. Swap Out Your Main Dishes
If you are looking to skip the meat altogether, in addition to adjusting recipes you’re already making to make them vegetarian-friendly, consider brand new main dish ideas. There are no rules that say you have to have chicken, turkey or ham for the holidays. In fact, you can swap out your main dish for seasonal delights like a Butternut Squash Ravioli or a something that is just as much as a comfort food such as a Vegetarian Mushroom Wellington.
Vegetarian Christmas Recipes
1. Vegan Turk’y Roast
2. Brown Suagar Tofu
3. Butternut Squash Ravioli
4. Mushroom Wellington
5. Seasonal Quinoa Salad
6. Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
7. Vegan Thanksgiving Pot Pie
8. Vegan Cranberry Meatballs
If you are making adjustments to accommodate a family member or friend, whatever efforts you make will most definitely be appreciated. Don’t fret too much about the details, instead focus on making delicious dishes that reflect the spirit of the holiday.
