10 Easy Vegan Holiday Recipes

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Creating beautiful, simple yet flavorful vegan dishes this holiday season is phenomenally easy.

There are plenty of ingredients you can play with to create uniquely delicious combinations for your dinner table. With a wealth of nutritious, fresh ingredients, you can confidently serve up healthy meals loaded with essential vitamins and minerals and chock-full of flavor.

Try out these easy vegan holiday recipes at your next holiday party. We promise they’ll be a big hit!

The PDF version is available here.

Wild Mushroom Tart

Fresh herbs and a dash of sherry take this earthy, flavorful mushroom tart to the next level. It’s a fantastic option for when you need an easy-to-prepare dish for entertaining friends and family, going from pan to plate in under 20 minutes. This wild mushroom tart should definitely be a staple in your repertoire as it’s also phenomenal for meal prep year round.

Recipe created by: Chef Robert Gomez, Fresh n’ Lean

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of mushrooms (your choice of mushroom)
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (leaves only)
• ⅓ cup of sherry wine
• 3 tbsp of chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp Vegan butter
• 1 wheel of Boursin cheese
• 2 6” rounds of puff pastry (dairy-free)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Saute mushrooms with for about 5 minutes. Deglaze with sherry wine. Finish with the fresh thyme and parsley.
2. Bake the puff pastry for about 10 minutes.
3. Spread Boursin cheese on puff pastry and top with mushrooms. Bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees.

Lentil Shepherd Pie with Sweet Potato Mash

This vegan shepherd pie really shines thanks to the addition of coconut cream to the sweet potato mash. It adds a wonderful light sweetness which complements the savory lentil vegetable pie filling to perfection.

Recipe created by: Chef Robert Gomez, Fresh n’ Lean

Ingredients:

• 3 cup French green lentils
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup of tomato paste
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 8 cups of vegetable broth or water
• 6 cloves of garlic

Directions:

1. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery.
2. Add the herbs and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add vegetable broth or water and allow it to simmer.
4. Add lentils and cook for about 30 minutes.

Charred Pumpkin Risotto

Every holiday party needs a couple of good sides and this charred pumpkin risotto is a real winner. This is comfort food at its finest. What’s more, by adding nutritional yeast to the recipe, you’ll also be sure to get your daily dose of B12, an essential for anyone on a plant-based diet.

Recipe created by: Chef Rich Falbo, Firefly

Ingredients:

• ½ cup small diced white onion
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup carnaroli rice
• 1 cup white wine (optional)
• 4 cups pumpkin stock**
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ cup large diced kabocha squash, roasted
• ½ cup mixed mushrooms
• 1 cup baby kale
• Plant-based cheese (optional)*

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add onions over medium heat.  Sweat until translucent.
2. Add rice and stir until rice becomes hot to the touch.
3. Add wine and allow to be absorbed, while stirring rice occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Add nutritional yeast and reduce heat to low.
5. Add 3 cups of pumpkin stock and continue to stir occasionally. Rice should start to look creamy.
6. When most of the stock is absorbed, test a piece of rice. If crunchy, add remaining stock and continue to cook until rice is al-dente.
7. In separate sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat Add mushrooms and pan roast until they smell meaty. Add squash. Add ½ cup water and risotto rice. Stir. Add baby kale. Stir. Season to taste with salt.
8. Finish with vegan cheese if desired.

**Pumpkin stock recipe:
Ingredients: 2 quarts water plus 1 small pumpkin (washed and cut into 4 pieces)

Directions: Add pumpkin to saucepot, cover with water, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until tender. Strain and reserve the liquid.

Vegan Dinner Rolls

Everyone loves a hot dinner roll fresh from the oven and these vegan dinner rolls are just the ticket for your meat-free holiday menu. Plus, they’re perfect in a pinch. You can throw them together in under 20 minutes. Serve them warm with a generous helping of vegan butter and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Recipe created by: Hollan Hawaii, VegNews

Ingredients:

• 6⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1½ cup vegan milk
• ⅔ cup olive oil
• Vegan butter, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Into a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk milk and olive oil, and pour into flour mixture. Using your hands, work together just until no dry spots remain.
2. Divide into 15 rolls, place onto an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, and serve with vegan butter.

Slow Cooker Vegan Portobello ‘Pot Roast’

Looking for a hearty meal to keep you warm this winter? A portobello ‘pot roast’ is a real showstopper. Filled with savory mushrooms, vegetables and seasoned with fresh herbs and garlic, this slow cooker entrée will satisfy all of your guests.

Recipe created by: McCormick Team, McCormick

Ingredients:

• 8 large portobello mushroom caps, sliced 1 1/2-inch thick
• 1 1/2 cups Kitchen Basics® Unsalted Vegetable Stock
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions
• 2 small carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce Substitutions available
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Rosemary, Crushed
• 1/2 tsp McCormick Gourmet™ Sicilian Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Thyme
• 1/4 tsp McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Black Pepper, Coarse Ground
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients, except cornstarch and water, in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover.
2. Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH or until carrots are tender.
3. Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl with wire whisk. Stir into slow cooker. Cover. Cook 30 minutes on HIGH, or until thickened. Serve over mashed potatoes, if desired.

Vegan BBQ Pulled Jackfruit

Whip up a batch of this ultra-tasty vegan BBQ pulled jackfruit and serve it on sliders for finger food that is as effortless as it is delicious. This is a make-ahead recipe, so be sure to give yourself a few hours to let it simmer away. The best part? You can save leftovers and enjoy it the next day with wild rice or quinoa.

Recipe created by: McCormick Team, McCormick

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Kitchen Basics® Unsalted Vegetable Stock
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Paprika, Smoked
• 1/4 tsp McCormick Gourmet™ Chile Pepper, Chipotle
• 2 cans (20 ounces each) young jackfruit in brine, drained

Directions:

1. Mix stock, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, garlic and spices in slow cooker. Add jackfruit. Cover.
2. Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH, stirring halfway through cooking.
3. Shred jackfruit in a slow cooker. Serve on rolls, if desired.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Pumpkin spice is virtually synonymous with winter. Nothing beats the combination of the subtly sweet squash flavor of fresh pumpkin married with ground spices. Looking for a crowd-pleasing dessert that takes less than half an hour to make? Three words: pumpkin spice cake.

Recipe created by: Chef Kajsa Alger, Veggie Grill

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ cup earth balance
• ½ oz vegetable oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cup cane sugar
• ¾ cup canned pumpkin
• ½ tbsp egg replacer
• ½ cup soy milk
• 2 tbsp soy sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and spices. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, place your butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar and cane sugar and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low.
4. Slowly add in the pumpkin and sour cream. Mix for another 2 minutes.
5. Slowly pour in the flour mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Whisk the egg replacer and soy milk together and add to the mixer. Continue to mix for a few more minutes until all of the ingredients are combined.
7. Pour into a greased 9” cake pan or individual 4” cake pans.
8. Bake for 16-20 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out dry.
9. Cool on a baking rack and turn over to remove from pan.
   *Garnish with powdered sugar or icing.

Holiday Hobnails Dessert

Cranberries are another favorite winter ingredient that are sensational at any point in the meal. These soft cookies are a brilliant way to harness their sweet-tart flavor. The tartness of the dried cranberries is balanced with chocolate chips (we recommend using dark chocolate), and ginger for a hint of spice. Watch out though, it’s hard to have just one.

Recipe created by: Chef Kajsa Alger, Veggie Grill

Ingredients:

• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 2 ounces brandy
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup Earth Balance (or other vegan butter)
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp egg replacer
• 4 Tbsp warm water
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Soak the cranberries in the brandy for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg replacer and the water until frothy.
4. Add the Earth Balance and the brown sugar and beat until light and airy.
5. Beat in the salt, vanilla, baking soda, and spices.
6. Stir in the flour, the chocolate chips, the cranberries (and any leftover brandy) and the walnuts until all are evenly combined through the dough.
7. Drop the dough by the spoonful onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. They will be golden brown in color when done.
8. Remove and let cool on a cookie rack.

Cafe de Olla

If you’re a fan of a little coffee post-meal to aid with digestion, you’ll adore our Cafe de Olla. Cinnamon and clove add a wintery hint of warming spice as well as a dose of antioxidants. It’s so good, we wouldn’t blame you if you decided to permanently replace your morning cup of joe with a Cafe de Olla.

Recipe created by: Chef Robert Gomez, Fresh n’ Lean

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of water
• 8 tbsp coarse ground coffee
• 2 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 piloncillo

Directions:

1. Simmer water with clove, cinnamon sticks, and piloncillo for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add coffee. Allow it to steep for 5 minutes.
3. Strain and enjoy
4. Add Bailey’s or Kahlua if wanted.

That’s How We Cass-e-Role

This one is for all the home mixologists out there. That’s How We Cass-e-Role is an excellent cocktail which brings together smoky mezcal, sweet green Chartreuse, and Italian digestif Cynar (made from artichokes) with a bright citrus pop and that delectable flavor of green beans. This is a great cocktail for anyone who loves complex cocktails that are rich in taste.

Recipe created by: Brendan Ambrose, Firefly restaurant

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 oz El Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal
• 1⁄2 oz Green Chartreuse liqueur
• 1⁄4 oz Cynar liqueur
• 1⁄4 oz Salted lime simple syrup*
• 1 oz Pureed green beans**

*Salted lime simple syrup:
Ingredients:
– 2 limes
– ½ cup sugar
– 1 tsp sea salt
– ½ cup of water

Directions:
1) Combine the peels of 2 limes, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 cup water to a simmer, and continue to simmer until sugar and salt are dissolved.
2) Remove it from the heat, allow to cool, and add 3 oz lime juice.
3) Refrigerate the mixture for 12 hours, and then strain out solids.
4) Store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

**Pureed green beans:
Ingredients
– 1 lb of fresh green beans
– 1 qt mixed nuts
– 1 bottle of El Peloton mezcal

Directions:
1) Add 1 lb fresh green beans, 1 qt mixed assorted nuts and 1 bottle El Peloton mezcal to a 1/3-inch-deep hotel pan and place the pan in a smoker at 165 degrees F for 2 hours.
2) Remove the pan and let cool.
3) Remove the nuts and 3 green beans and save to serve on the side as a garnish.
4) Place the green beans and mezcal in a blender, and blend until smooth.
5) Strain into a sealed container and refrigerate.

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Double-strain into a coupe glass.
3. Garnish with 1 cooked green bean.