These 12 festive vegan holiday recipes include savory and sweet favorites to carry you through the season (and beyond)!
Over the years I have created a number of holiday recipes. And, over my 25+ years eating plant-based, I have bustled through many vegan holiday dinners.
The recipes here are easy vegan recipes for the holidays, that are still impressive enough for guests.
What’s most important about the holidays is enjoying good food with family and friends. We all want perfect vegan holiday recipes for entertaining, but what our guests and family want is for us to enjoy the dinner and day with them.
So I am bringing you reliable, delicious, easy-enough recipes that you can enjoy for your vegan holiday cooking.
I’ve selected 8 savory vegan holiday recipes and 4 sweet recipes for your holiday entertaining. I hope you enjoy them!
12 festive vegan holiday recipes: savory dishes
Holiday Torte: This torte is a beautiful centrepiece, and for a Thanksgiving vegan main, it’s pretty easy!
Easy Vegan Gravy: Meet your new favorite vegan gravy – and oil-free too1
Truffle-Salted Nut Cheese: This recipe has just been posted and is absolutely divine in phyllo rolls. You can find my full phyllo roll recipe in the holiday section of Dreena’s Kind Kitchen.
Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf: Another star plant-based holiday main dish, this vegan meatloaf is especially moist and delicious with the addition of sweet potatoes.
Holiday Kale-Slaw: Since publishing LTEV in 2012, this recipe has been a holiday hit and favorite with the plant-based community. I have just released a NUT-FREE version of this recipe in my new LTEV ebook collections. You can find full details in this post, and you can pick up both ebooks bundled here (use code 2LTEV for a special discount)!
Smashing Squash Soup: Often squash soups are too thin, somewhat watery, or not seasoned well. This soup is creamy, rich, and deliciously seasoned. For other seasonal soups, see this post.
Lemon Dijon Roasted Potatoes: This recipe can be found in Dreena’s Kind Kitchen. They are an easy vegan potato side that’s a nice alternative to mashed spuds. I also have oil-free smashed potatoes in DKK that can also be a fabulous holiday side.
Cran-Apple Compote: This version of vegan cranberry sauce offers more natural sweetness from the apples, as well as the addition of orange zest for a very festive touch. The recipe follows below.
Cran-Apple Compote
This twist on a holiday favorite tones down the punch of cranberries with the homey comfort of apples. I like to round out the flavors with just a tablespoon of maple syrup. If you prefer to omit it, this cranberry sauce is sweetened just with fruits! Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups diced apple peeling optional 1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries 1/3–1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dates
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon orange zest (can substitute lemon)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice or pinch ground cloves 1/2–1 teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup optional
Instructions
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In a pot, combine the apple, cranberries, orange juice, dates, salt, and allspice or cloves. Partially cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low if the sauce is sticking or bubbling too rapidly. Once the cranberries have broken down and the sauce has thickened, stir in the zest and remove from the heat; the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Taste, and if you’d like a touch of maple syrup, stir it in.
12 festive vegan holiday recipes: sweet dishes
Spice Cake: This vegan spice cake comes from DKK. In that book it’s called Guinnessless Cake. I know, what a mouthful. But so is the cake, mmm-mmm-mmm! It’s a cinch to make, and
Heavenly Baklava: GUYS!!! Try. This. Recipe! Then you can send me a box of Nibble chocolate truffles to thank me. 😅 (You can send me those truffles anytime, just sayin’) 😇
Vegan Nanaimo Bars: These bars are a vegan holiday hit! They are fabulous for a vegan cookie exchange (if you do those), or just to prep in advance and store in the fridge for when you need them.
The Great Pumpkin Pie: I first published this recipe on my blog over 10 years ago! Every year I see this recipe popping up on social media as people love making it for the holidays, it’s truly a favorite. You will need a high-speed blender for this recipe. Please don’t try to puree in a food processor – though that processor is a gem to use for the crust.
Now, if you’re all about the filling, skip the pie-making and make these pumpkin custards instead! Of course, chocolate-lovers must, must, must try my Chocolate Pumpkin Pie. It’s decadent, rich, and impressive! Finally, for all the goodness of pumpkin spice in a very healthy & easy treat, try this recipe.
I hope one or more of these festive vegan holiday recipes make it to your table. Wishing you happy, cozy holidays… x Dreena
