Minced meat can be made entirely from vegetables.
A memorable vegetarian Christmas dinner should include a variety of appetizers, a great main course, and tasty desserts. Vegetarians often forgo foods that contain meat products, so cooks must ensure that they use acceptable ingredients. An important tip is to choose recipes where these elements are not included or can be substituted with vegetarian substitutes.
French onion soup can be served as an appetizer for a vegetarian Christmas meal.
The holiday dinner can start with light appetizers like red, white and green salad or roasted chestnuts. Soup is another appetizer option, and many flavors can be served hot or cold. Vegetarian options include bell peppers, French onions, and minestrone soup.
For appetizers, a plate of crudités, French for raw vegetables, can be placed on a buffet table. A variety of vegetables can be used, including mushrooms, broccoli, and celery. Vegetables must be prepared in such a way that they are attractive and ready to eat. They should be peeled, seeds and blemishes removed, and cut into bite-sized sticks or slices. A variety of vegetarian sauces, such as hummus, herb sauce, and Caesar sauce, should be served with the vegetables.
A vegetarian Christmas dinner can include vegetarian lasagna.
A main dish for a vegetarian Christmas dinner should be in keeping with the meaning of the occasion and make sure that the main course is special enough for the holiday. Vegetarian options include butternut squash risotto, eggplant au gratin, or a Greek dish, spanakopita, which is a spinach and cheese pie. Other main course options for a vegetarian Christmas dinner include cabbage rolls, lasagna, and vegetable gratin.
Vegetarian pizza is a good casual snack for the Christmas crowd.
Side dishes for a vegetarian Christmas dinner should focus on traditional favorites like stuffings, potatoes and gravy, which can be adapted to be vegetarian. For example, a nut-based sauce recipe can be used instead of meat. Adding garlic to traditional mashed potatoes adds extra flavor, and the stuffing can be pan-roasted with apples and walnuts instead of turkey. Other side dishes include stuffed tomatoes and stuffed sweet potatoes.
Another main course of the vegetarian Christmas dinner is bread. Cookies, cornbread, and rolls can be made using vegetarian recipes. Another option is to make popovers, which can be served hot, fresh from the oven.
Adapt mashed potatoes for a vegetarian Christmas dinner.
No vegetarian Christmas dinner would be complete without a delicious dessert. One tip for choosing a suitable dessert is to choose a family favorite recipe and adapt it to be vegetarian, such as plum pudding or ground filling. Minced meat can be made with vegetables instead of meat, and plum pudding can be made without suet. Other vegetarian dessert options for Christmas dinner include apple pie and gingerbread. A vegetarian Christmas dinner can be complemented with mulled wine.