If you grew up in a kitchen-first family like mine, Christmas was never about the tree. It was about the simmer. Pots quietly bubbling, spices blooming, relatives hovering with hopeful spoons.
When I shifted my holiday table to plant-based cooking a few years back, my goal was not reinvention. It was translation.
Could the flavors my abuela taught me still shine in new, more sustainable forms?
The answer is yes, and the proof is in these five dishes. Each one carries tradition, comfort, and plant-forward benefits that support health, climate, and community all at once.
Here are my must-make Christmas recipes, packed with warmth and kitchen wisdom you can feel good about serving.
1. Creamy roasted garlic lentil bisque
This soup started as a riff on my mom’s chilly-weather caldo. What surprised her is how silky a pot of lentils can get without cream. Lentils are high in protein, and they help manage appetite and support weight balance because they keep you full longer than many other nutrients. Just the thing before a dessert-heavy holiday.
Ingredients (serves 6)
1 head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 cup cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk
Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with a little oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until soft and caramelized.
In a large pot, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until softened.
Stir in smoked paprika and thyme. Add lentils, broth, bay leaf, salt, and the roasted garlic squeezed from its skins.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until lentils are falling apart.
Remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until creamy.
Return to the pot, stir in cashew cream, and adjust seasoning.
Serve with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Why it works
The roasted garlic gives deep sweetness that balances the earthy lentils, creating a restaurant-level creaminess without dairy.
2. Charred brussels sprouts with citrus chile caramel
This dish converts brussels sprouts skeptics every year. High heat creates a crisp, almost smoky crust. The citrus glaze pulls everything toward brightness, which keeps the holiday table from feeling too heavy.
Ingredients (serves 6)
2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved
3 tablespoons neutral oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon chile flakes
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Directions
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil. Place brussels sprouts cut-side down and sprinkle with salt. Do not stir for 4 to 5 minutes so they develop a deep char.
While they cook, combine orange juice, brown sugar, chile flakes, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until syrupy, about 10 minutes.
Once sprouts are tender and golden, pour the citrus caramel over them. Toss to coat.
Transfer to a serving platter and top with sesame seeds.
Why it works
The glaze transforms bitterness into brightness, adding a sweet-spicy lift that balances starchier holiday dishes.
3. Smoky mushroom tamale pie
A full tamalada is a beautiful tradition, but sometimes you need holiday comfort on a weeknight schedule. This bake delivers the masa aroma and cozy texture without hours of assembly.
Ingredients (serves 8)
Filling
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup salsa roja
Salt and pepper to taste
Masa topping
2 cups masa harina
2 1/2 cups warm vegetable broth
1/3 cup neutral oil
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Heat oven to 375 F.
For the filling, heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until starting to brown. Add garlic and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms release liquid and reduce.
Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, beans, and salsa roja. Season to taste. Spread the filling into a baking dish.
For the masa, mix masa harina, broth, oil, and salt until thick and spreadable.
Dollop over the filling and gently spread to cover.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is firm and lightly golden.
Why it works
You get tender masa, smoky mushrooms, and spoonable comfort that still honors tamale tradition.
4. Maple-glazed tofu ham with pineapple pan sauce
My family’s holiday ham was always about the glaze. Sweet, sticky, punchy. This plant-based version captures all of that while offering a heart-healthier twist. Increasing the proportion of plant-based protein in the diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular and coronary artery disease.
Ingredients (serves 6)
1 extra-firm tofu block, pressed
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 pineapple rings
1 tablespoon oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Score the tofu in a shallow diamond pattern. Place in a baking dish.
Whisk together maple syrup, soy sauce, mustard, smoked paprika, and garlic.
Brush half the glaze over the tofu and bake for 15 minutes.
Add pineapple rings to the pan, brush tofu with more glaze, and bake another 20 minutes, basting every 10 minutes.
Transfer tofu and pineapple to a plate.
Pour the remaining pan juices into a small pot and simmer until thickened into a sauce.
Slice tofu and serve with pineapple and pan sauce spooned on top.
Why it works
Slow basting creates glossy caramelization and allows tofu to absorb flavor deep into its center.
5. Abuela’s cinnamon arroz con leche vegan style
No dessert brings me back to childhood faster than this one. During the holidays, my cousins and I used to hover near the stove waiting for the first ladleful. This vegan version keeps every bit of memory in the bowl.
Ingredients (serves 6)
1 cup short-grain white rice
4 cups oat milk
2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 strip orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
Ground cinnamon for serving
Directions
Rinse rice until water runs mostly clear.
In a pot, combine rice, oat milk, water, cinnamon sticks, and orange zest. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook uncovered on low for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often so the rice does not stick.
When thick and creamy, remove cinnamon sticks and zest. Add vanilla and sugar to taste.
Serve warm with a dusting of cinnamon.
Why it works
Oat milk thickens naturally as it cooks, creating a silky and nostalgic dessert that matches the dairy version spoon for spoon.
Bringing it all together
Christmas cooking carries a special kind of energy. The kitchen fills with stories, familiar scents, and people drifting in to check what is bubbling on the stove.
These five recipes are built to fit right into that rhythm. They highlight plants at their best, lean into tradition without feeling heavy, and offer flavors that feel generous on a holiday table.
What matters most is the experience you create around them.
A pot left to simmer while someone tells a family story. A platter passed around until everyone finds a favorite bite. A dessert that reminds someone of home.
When food can do all of that while aligning with the way we want to care for our bodies and the planet, the moment becomes even more meaningful.
So as you cook your way through this menu, think of it as an invitation. Play, taste, adjust, and let these recipes become part of your own family rhythm.
The season always shines brightest when the kitchen feels open, warm, and welcoming.
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Dining and Cooking