Last Christmas I went all in: a fully vegan menu for a very mixed crowd: my carnivore uncle, my dairy-adoring neighbor, and two skeptical teens who swore they would order pizza after dinner.
Spoiler: no one ordered pizza. These are the five dishes people raved about most.
They are cozy, festive, and practical to pull off, even if your kitchen is more “weekday meal prep” than “holiday test lab.”
1. Golden butternut bisque with chile-lime pepitas
This soup was my opener. It looks fancy in tiny cups, but it is basically roasted squash blitzed silky with coconut milk.
Serves: 6–8 as a starter
Time: About 1 hour (mostly hands-off)
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 2.5 lb / 1.1 kg)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
1 (13.5-oz / 400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
3–4 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp maple syrup
Juice of ½–1 lime
Pepita topping
½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp chili powder or smoked paprika
Zest of 1 lime
Pinch of salt
Method
Toss squash, onion, and garlic with olive oil, salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F / 220°C for 25–30 minutes until caramelized at the edges.
Tip roasted veg into a pot with coconut milk and 3 cups stock. Blend until silky. Add more stock to reach your ideal texture. Stir in maple and lime juice. Taste for salt and brightness.
Toast pepitas in a dry skillet until they pop. Toss with oil, chili powder, lime zest, and salt.
Ladle soup into warm bowls and scatter pepitas on top. Add a coconut milk swirl if you like.
Make-ahead: Keeps 3–4 days chilled or 2 months frozen. Stir in lime juice just before serving to keep the flavor bright. For nut-free and seed-free, top with crushed toasted tortillas instead of pepitas.
2. Mushroom-walnut Wellington with miso-thyme gravy
This is the dish that made my uncle forget there was not beef on the table. Use a good vegan puff pastry. Most store-bought versions are accidentally vegan, but always check the label.
Serves: 6–8
Time: 90 minutes (plus cooling time for the filling)
Ingredients
2 lb (900 g) mixed mushrooms (cremini, oyster, portobello), chopped
2 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp vegan butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (plus extra for garnish)
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup dry white wine (or veg stock)
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1–2 sheets vegan puff pastry, thawed
2 tbsp plant milk + 1 tsp maple syrup (for glaze)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Gravy
2 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups vegetable stock, warmed
1 tsp white miso
1 tsp soy sauce
Fresh thyme, to taste
Method
Spread chopped mushrooms on two lined sheets and roast at 425°F / 220°C for 15–20 minutes to evaporate moisture.
In a large skillet, heat oil and vegan butter. Sauté onion with a pinch of salt until golden. Add garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in roasted mushrooms, walnuts, miso, soy sauce, thyme, and pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes. Deglaze with wine and cook off. Fold in panko. Cool completely.
Roll pastry into a rectangle. Brush with Dijon. Mound filling down the center, shape into a log, and wrap tightly, sealing the seam with a little water. Place seam-side down on a lined tray. Score gently, brush with plant-milk glaze, and chill 20–30 minutes.
Bake at 400°F / 200°C for 30–35 minutes until deep golden.
For the gravy, make a roux with vegan butter and flour. Whisk in warm stock until glossy. Finish with miso, soy sauce, and thyme.
Make-ahead: Filling can be made 2–3 days ahead. The assembled unbaked Wellington freezes well. Bake from frozen at 375°F / 190°C for about 50–60 minutes, tenting with foil if browning quickly.
Pro tip: Do not crowd the pan or tray when roasting mushrooms. Space equals browning. That single habit, space and high heat, turns “mushroom steam” into “mushroom steak.”
3. Crispy rosemary potato pavé with garlic cashew cream
If scalloped potatoes put on a tuxedo, you would get this. It slices into neat blocks with shattering edges. The cashew cream gives you the lushness you want. No dairy required.
Serves: 8
Time: 2 hours (mostly bake time) + chilling
Ingredients
3 lb (1.4 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1½ cups raw cashews, soaked in hot water 30 minutes and drained
1 cup water
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 garlic cloves
1½ tsp salt, divided
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for pan
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
Flaky salt, to finish
Method
Blend cashews with water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, 1 tsp salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
Slice potatoes thinly (2–3 mm) on a mandoline.
Brush a loaf pan with oil and line with parchment, leaving an overhang. Toss potatoes with cashew cream and rosemary. Layer snugly in the pan, pressing down to remove air pockets. Cover with foil.
Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 60–70 minutes until a knife slips through easily. Cool, then weigh it down in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Turn it out, cut into rectangles, and pan-fry in olive oil over medium-high heat until all sides are golden. Sprinkle with flaky salt.
Make-ahead: Bake and chill the day before. Crisp just before serving. No cashews? Use silken tofu for a lighter cream and add another tablespoon of lemon.
4. Maple-roasted Brussels sprouts with pomegranate and pistachio dukkah
Every holiday table needs a pop of color and crunch. This one brings both. Even my Brussels-sprout skeptics asked for seconds.
Serves: 6–8
Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
2 lb (900 g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ cup pomegranate arils
⅓ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Zest of ½ orange (optional)
Method
Toss sprouts with oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan, cut-side down. Roast at 450°F / 230°C for 15–18 minutes until browned.
Pull the pan, add maple and vinegar, and toss. Roast 2–3 minutes more to set the glaze.
Mix pistachios, sesame, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes for a quick dukkah. Transfer sprouts to a platter and add pomegranate and orange zest.
Make-ahead: Trim the sprouts the day before and keep them covered with a damp paper towel. Rewarm quickly in a hot oven if needed. Add pomegranate and dukkah at the last minute for crunch.
Why it works: Sweet, bitter, acidic, and nutty. When a dish hits multiple taste notes, it feels complete.
5. Sticky gingerbread date pudding with warm toffee sauce (aquafaba magic)
If you want a mic-drop dessert, this is it. Think gingerbread meets sticky toffee pudding, but vegan. The key is aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) which whips into a meringue-like foam for lift.
Serves: 8–10
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1½ cups pitted dates, chopped
1 cup hot strong tea (or boiling water)
½ cup vegan butter, melted
¾ cup dark brown sugar
⅓ cup molasses (or black treacle)
½ cup aquafaba, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
Toffee sauce
½ cup vegan butter
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
Big pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
Method
Combine dates and hot tea. Let soften 10 minutes.
Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and molasses. In a separate bowl, whip aquafaba with a hand mixer until pale and foamy. Combine butter mixture with aquafaba. Stir in dates plus their liquid.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Fold into wet mixture just until combined.
Spread into a greased 9-inch (23-cm) square pan and bake at 350°F / 175°C for 28–32 minutes, until a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Simmer butter, brown sugar, and coconut milk for 5–6 minutes until glossy and slightly thick. Stir in salt and vanilla.
Poke holes in the warm cake and pour over half the sauce. Let it soak a few minutes. Serve with extra sauce at the table.
Make-ahead: Bake earlier in the day and rewarm gently. Sauce it right before serving. Leftovers are excellent with coffee the next morning.
How I planned the menu
Front-load flavor. Roasting vegetables at 425–450°F (220–230°C) concentrates sweetness and adds caramelized edges.
Mix textures. Creamy soup, crisp sprouts, a flaky Wellington, and a sticky dessert create variety.
Balance richness. If your main and potatoes are indulgent, bring acidity and brightness elsewhere: lime in the soup, vinegar and pomegranate in the sprouts.
Stagger the oven. Soup and pavé can be made the day before. On the day, roast sprouts while the Wellington bakes and finish the sauce on the stovetop. Dessert goes in while you slice the Wellington.
What guests noticed
“It felt festive, not like a compromise.” These are holiday dishes first, vegan second.
“So many layers of flavor.” Herbs, umami boosters, and bright finishes make plant-based food feel abundant.
“Texture heaven.” Crispy pavé edges, flaky pastry, crunchy dukkah, and plush pudding. No one missed butter or cream.
Shopping and substitutions
Mushrooms: Use a blend for depth: cremini for body, shiitakes for meatiness, and a few oysters for sweetness.
Puff pastry: Many frozen brands are dairy-free, but always check. For gluten-free, use GF puff sheets and bake a bit longer.
Coconut milk: If you are coconut-averse, use a rich oat cream in the soup and toffee sauce.
Nuts: Swap walnuts for sunflower seeds in the Wellington and pistachios for pepitas in the dukkah if you need nut-free.
Final thoughts
You do not have to go fully vegan for the holidays all at once. Start with a single dish that excites you. Watch how your guests respond, and build from there. Food is an invitation more than a lecture.
If you try any of these, tell me what your crowd loved most. And if a teenager at your table quietly asks for seconds of Brussels sprouts, enjoy the moment. That is holiday magic.
What’s Your Plant-Powered Archetype?
Ever wonder what your everyday habits say about your deeper purpose—and how they ripple out to impact the planet?
This 90-second quiz reveals the plant-powered role you’re here to play, and the tiny shift that makes it even more powerful.
12 fun questions. Instant results. Surprisingly accurate.
Dining and Cooking