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Recipes

15 Vegan Christmas Recipes That’ll Keep You on Santa’s Nice List

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UGA chapter.

Foods like ham, stuffing, and pie are all holiday staples that people eat during Christmas. While these dishes may be delicious, vegans with specific diets can’t enjoy these meals. Vegans tend to have limited food choices around the holidays, but there’s no reason why they should miss out on classic Christmas foods. Good thing there are vegan Christmas recipes that anyone can make, so no one goes hungry during the most wonderful time of the year! Here are 15 vegan Christmas recipes to make this year for the holiday feast you deserve. 

1. Sugar Cookies

vegan Christmas recipes cookie sweet
Kristine Mahan

Santa needs his milk and cookies on Christmas Eve, and this vegan Christmas recipe for sugar cookies will leave him wanting more. This recipe is also gluten-free with the use of gluten-free baking powder in the dough. These cookies are so good that the reindeer might even try to steal some for the road.

2. Sweet Potato Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Thanksgiving side pasta sauce
Julia Gilman

This sweet potato cashew mac ‘n’ cheese is sure to please not only vegans, but anyone craving some hearty pasta. This mac ‘n’ cheese is unlike anything you’ve ever had before. This recipe even includes lime juice, so be prepared for a new and exciting twist on this classic dish.

3. French Onion Dip

vegan Christmas recipes cream bread
Andrea Leelike

No party is truly a party without chips and dip. For those hosting a Christmas party, try this vegan French onion dip that will go well with any chip. The only thing wrong with eating this dip is that you might get onion breath. Just avoid mistletoes at all cost, and you should be good.

4. Chickpea, Sweet Potato & Apple Farro Salad

easy Fall Recipes vegetable parsley
Katherine Baker

Before you start digging into the main courses for Christmas dinner, you need to start things off with this farro salad. It’s savory and sweet with potatoes, apples, and farro. It’s made with simple ingredients that taste simply amazing.

5. Veggie Chorizo

If you’re making a dish and looking for a meat substitution, this veggie chorizo recipe will work well in any meal. This chorizo will taste better than the fake tasting meat substitutes at the grocery store. Try adding this to a pasta dish that typically has meat in it.

#SpoonTip: Swap out the egg in this recipe with a flax egg or another vegan egg substitute. 

6. Maple Glazed Stuffed Squash

frozen spinach recipes acorn squash squash
Kendra Valkema

If you want a tasty dish that also looks amazing when plated, then you need to make this maple glazed stuffed squash recipe. This is a showstopper that will impress your guests. It’s also a great way to make use of winter squash that’s in season.

7. Carrot Cake Waffles

breakfast in bed recipes waffle sweet
Kristine Mahan

Before any presents can be opened on Christmas morning, everyone needs to eat some breakfast first. These carrot cake waffles taste so authentic that you will think you grilled an actual piece of carrot cake in the waffle maker. 

8. Cashew Cheese Lasagna

meal preps for every situation vegetable meat
Keni Lin

This cashew cheese lasagna would make a great entree for Christmas dinner. This dish has noodles layered with zucchini and cashew cheese, so you can get your carbs and veggies in for the day with a square of this. 

9. Tomato, Onion & Basil Pasta

meal prep hacks spaghetti pasta
Abigai Wang

If you’re not a lasagna person and you want something a little fancier, this tomato, onion, and basil pasta will do the trick. Also, this is a one-pan recipe, so all you have to do is throw everything into a pot and let the magic happen.

#SpoonTip: Omit the Parmesan cheese to make this recipe 100% vegan. 

10. Sage Garlic Biscuits

vegan Christmas recipes bread biscuits
Emma Brant

No Christmas dinner is complete without warm rolls on the side. Trade in your flavorless boring buns for these sage garlic biscuits. All bread is good bread in my book, so this sounds like a good vegan Christmas recipe addition.

11. Avocado Potato Salad

High School Musical vegetable meat
Jody Brimacombe

You might think potato salad is for picnics, but think again. Once you try this avocado potato salad, you’ll want it every Christmas. Not to mention this avocado potato salad is healthier than your average potato salad that has loads of mayonnaise.

12. Gingerbread Cookies

Ginger chocolate
Hannah Latour

If classic sugar cookies weren’t enough for you, let me introduce you to this gingerbread recipe. Gingerbread cookies are great for when you really want a taste of Christmas in the form of a bite. With ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these vegan gingerbread cookies taste as good as any holiday cookie. 

13. Carrot Soup

Fall Food squash carrot
Julia Gilman

If you live somewhere cold where it snows during Christmas, it’s nice to have a warm cup of soup to feel cozy. If you make the sage garlic biscuits in this list, you could dip them in this carrot soup for a lovely flavor combination.

14. Vegetable Pesto Quinoa

balsamic vinegar recipes couscous quinoa
Jody Brimacombe

If you want a high protein course, this quinoa recipe delivers. Plus, look at how fancy you can make this dish. The red grape tomatoes and green basil even showcase traditional Christmas colors. That fact alone will give you a 10/10 for presentation skills. 

15. Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

Hot Cocoa coffee chocolate
Kate Donald

If you want to sit by the fire and drink hot cocoa, this recipe for pumpkin spice hot chocolate will turn into your favorite vegan Christmas recipe. It you think pumpkin is strictly a fall flavor, think again, and get back to me once you make this.

Whether you’re attending a Christmas party or chilling at home for the holidays, these vegan Christmas recipes will make even the most skeptical meat-lovers hungry for more. Stay on the nice list this year and make these vegan Christmas recipes. Or, just make the sugar cookies, because you know Santa can’t resist a good cookie.

Kara McKenna idolizes Guy Fieri and wants to take a trip to Flavortown with him one day. Follow more of her adventures on her blog: www.karammckenna.wixsite.com/work.