Recipe Ideas for a Vegan Christmas Dinner

Christmas is all about quality time and quality food. But it can be a tricky time to be vegan, what with the emotional mind-field of relatives upset that you won’t be trying their “famous” Christmas dish. Still, a plant-based Christmas doesn’t have to mean missing out.

With the right recipes, you can serve up a vegan Christmas dinner that’s every bit as delicious as the traditional spread. Our festive vegan ideas will help you cook something special and guaranteed to impress.

4 Recipes for a Vegan Christmas Dinner

From speedy midweek-style mains to longer, show-stopping centrepieces, these four vegan Christmas recipes suit every style of celebration and schedule.

 1. One Hour Vegan Nut Roast Christmas Dinner

Warm, nutty, and festive, this plant-based roast combines mushrooms, pistachios, and cranberries into a richly flavoured loaf, served with crispy roast potatoes, parsnips, and vegan gravy. And the best part is that it’s all ready in under an hour.

Why It’s Perfect for a Vegan Christmas

• Festive centrepiece: Rich, hearty, and elegant enough for the big day
• Balanced and comforting: Roasties and veg give classic Christmas vibes
• Quick to cook: A full vegan roast dinner in under 60 minutes
• Crowd-pleasing: Big flavour and texture that everyone enjoys

2. The Ultimate Christmas Vegan Burger

A juicy, plant-based burger patty served in a soft brioche bun with sprout slaw, chunky herby chips, and warming vegan gravy, a festive feast packed into an utterly indulgent burger.

Why It’s Perfect for a Vegan Christmas

• Festive flavours: Sprouts, gravy, and herby chips in one indulgent burger
• All-in-one feast: A full Christmas dinner without the faff
• Quick cook: Christmas comfort on the table in 35 minutes
• Casual and fun: Ideal for relaxed festive gatherings

3. Vegan Christmas Dinner With All the Trimmings

A plant-based feast featuring crispy vegan “chicken” bites, roast potatoes, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, stuffing balls, sweet-mustard glazed veggies, and rich gravy. All the cosy holiday favourites are completely vegan.

Why It’s Perfect for a Vegan Christmas

– Full festive spread: Every classic side and all the trimmings, but 100% vegan

– Rich, comforting flavours: Hearty bites, golden roasties and warming gravy for a true holiday feel

– Well-rounded plate: Balanced with vegan protein, veg, and carbs, perfect for a nourishing Christmas dinner

– Great for sharing: Designed to satisfy a full table, making it ideal for family or friends gathering

4. Plant-Based Pigs in Blankets With Mash and Cranberry Sauce

Crispy, savoury plant-based “sausages in blankets” served with creamy mash, rich gravy, and a zingy cranberry sauce. A cosy, comforting dish that brings festive feels without the meat.

Why It’s Perfect for a Vegan Christmas

– Festive comfort food: Classic Christmas flavours and textures — all fully plant-based

– Balanced plate: Mash, sauce, and savoury “sausages” give you the full mix of carbs, protein, and good fats

– Easy to love: Familiar textures and flavours make it great for fussy eaters

– Family-friendly feast: Perfect for groups or cosy dinners, with crowd-pleasing appeal

Our Top Tips for a Vegan Christmas Dinner

New to the vegan Christmas game? You’re in the right place. We’ve pulled together nine easy, flavour-packed tips to help you create a plant-powered festive feast without the faff.

Before you dive in, a quick heads-up: while vegan diets are all about plants, some everyday ingredients (and even a few festive drinks!) aren’t as vegan as they seem. So it’s worth giving those labels a speedy check to keep every part of your menu on track.

And if you need a hand choosing vegan-friendly sips, you’ll find plenty of delicious options waiting over on Gousto Market.

1. Offer a Vegan-Friendly Sweet Treat

Vegans usually appreciate a sweet treat, since so many desserts are off-limits. Home-baked cookies or brownies can feel like an extra thoughtful touch. It’s a simple way to make everyone feel included at the table.

Replace your non-vegan ingredients with plant-based alternatives or try our vegan brownie recipe.

2. Offer Easy Vegan Nibbles

With meat spreads and cheese plates being the go-to Xmas nibble, the plant-based among us can often go hungry. But why, when hummus is everyone’s favourite snack, and it’s vegan too! Serve with some vegetable sticks and tortilla chips (or make your own crisps) along with a few other dips like salsa and guacamole. Delicious!

Our Easy Red Pepper Hummus Recipe 

1. De-seed one red pepper and cut it into wedges
2. Pop on a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and put them under the grill for 10 minutes or until soft and lightly charred.
3. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and peel and roughly chop one clove of garlic.
4. Add the red peppers, chickpeas and garlic to the food processor with 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and the juice of half a lemon.
5. Blitz until smooth.

And if you’re feeling too tired for even that (I feel you), check out our recipe for tasty savoury pumpkin seeds in the video below, for another delicious vegan snack.

3. Veg Out on Sides

Vegans know their way around a side section; years of scanning menus for something plant-based will do that. So if in doubt, serve ’em what they know with some classic sweet potato fries. They’re simple, satisfying, and always a crowd-pleaser.

4. Don’t Forget the Vegan Gravy

We can all agree that Christmas isn’t Christmas unless it’s drowned in gravy. But with a lot of great gravy recipes relying on butter and meat juices for flavour, that doesn’t mean vegans have to miss out. Try our vegan gravy recipe below for a flavour-packed gravy that brings all the comfort without the compromise.

Gousto’s Easy Vegan Gravy 

1. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp coconut oil over a medium heat with 1 tsp flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently until you’re left with a sandy paste.
2. Gradually stir in 200 ml boiled water, 15 ml soy sauce and 1 tsp Henderson’s Relish. Cook for 4 minutes or until the gravy has thickened.

Add ¼ tsp sugar to taste and season with a very generous grind of black pepper!

5. Bring Back Figgy Pudding (Vegan-Style)

Traditional figgy pudding is off the menu for most vegans, but nutritionist Jessica Andersson has a plant-based version that’s ready to steal the show.

Our Vegan Figgy Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

• 30g olive oil or vegan spread
• 30g coconut oil
• 70g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 40 ml black treacle
• 60 ml stout beer
• 2 tbsp rum
• Zest from an orange
• 200g vegan mincemeat
• 25g mixed peel
• 20g chopped blanched almonds
• 70g raisins
• 2 apples, peeled and grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C, fan 160°C and line and grease an ovenproof pudding bowl with oil.
2. Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the cinnamon and allspice. Mix well.
3. In a jug, mix together the treacle, stout, and rum. Pour into the bowl with the flour and whisk together.
4. Stir in the orange zest, apple, almonds, currants, mixed peel, and mincemeat.
5. Pour the mixture into the lined bowl. Place the bowl on a baking tray and surround it with 2 cm of boiling water. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until the puddings are springy and firm. Remove from the bowl.
6. Allow to cool and either serve or store in an airtight container.

6. Serve a Vegan Creamy Topping

Cream is a Christmas staple, and one that we can’t really ignore. We all love to drain our festive desserts with it, so it’s lucky that switching your classic dairy with a cashew version is easy, delicious, and great for vegans.

Just soak 150g of cashew nuts overnight. Drain them, then blend with 150 ml of water (or more, depending on what consistency you like). Add vanilla paste and a little icing sugar for the perfect dairy-free accompaniment to your pud.

7. Make a Festive Vegan Eggnog

Borrow the flavours of cashew cream and blend them with bourbon, maple syrup, and nutmeg for a super special Christmas treat.

Simple Vegan Eggnog (Serves Two)

You’ll need:

• 2 cups of cashew milk
• 2 teaspoons of maple syrup
• Ground nutmeg and cinnamon
• Bourbon or a non-alcoholic alternative

Then all you need to do is bring it to the bubble, taste and adjust the seasoning as you fancy. Stir in the alcohol (or leave it out if that’s not your thing),  pour into mugs, and enjoy a cosy vegan-friendly festive treat!

8. Add Some Classic Crowd-Pleasers

It can feel tempting to slip into full force with Christmas flavours; spice here, winter berries there. And why not? If there’s one time a year to go all out, it’s Christmas.

But don’t forget what works and is popular. All-year classics like meze boards filled with Mediterranean flavours like olives and soft, warm bread can be the easiest and fastest way to please both vegans and meat-eaters alike.

9. Plan Together for a Stress-Free Christmas Dinner

If you’re hosting a vegan friend, family member, or work colleague this holiday season, don’t be afraid to ask them if they have any ideas they’d like to bring to the table. Chances are, they’ll have a few cracking recipes you might never have heard of that they’d be delighted to share with you. It’s also possible that they have a slightly flexible approach to their diet and are happy to make a few exceptions to the totally plant-based rule.

Equally, if you’re eating a vegan diet and you’re a guest around someone else’s table this Christmas (or if you’re heading out to an office Christmas party) make sure to flag this to whoever’s in charge of food well in advance. No one wants to get stuck with a plateful of plain sprouts on Christmas Day!

Ready to Enjoy Vegan Goodness All Year Round?

Whether it’s Christmas dinner, a midweek comfort bowl or a quick plant-based lunch, Gousto makes eating vegan easy, delicious, and totally stress-free.

With nutritionist-approved recipes, pre-portioned ingredients, and new vegan dishes added every week, you can enjoy vibrant, flavour-packed meals long after the festive season ends.

From cosy winter warmers to fresh summer plates, our weekly plant-based menu is full of vegan inspiration. Sign up to Gousto today and enjoy delicious vegan meals all year round.