Christmas may be coming, and the proverbial goose may be getting fat… but that doesn’t mean you have to eat it. Meatless holidays are becoming more and more popular, especially at Christmas, where the menu isn’t as carved in stone as the turkey/stuffing/pumpkin pie combo that’s become canon at Thanksgiving.
While it’s easy to feel that Christmas dinner has to revolve around a goose, or a turkey, or a slab of roasted red meat, really the essence of a holiday feast is that the centerpiece be a dish large and hearty enough to share. Any of the recipes below will fit that bill. If you’re normally a meat-eater and worried that “vegetarian” really means “Spartan and unsatisfying,” cast those fears aside because these recipes are full of delicious goodness. (Also butter and cream, although there are always tricks and swaps you can implement to keep flavor levels high while cutting the richness a little.)
The holidays are an over-the-top time of year, so no matter what holiday you’re observing, serve your vegetarian guests a decadent feast worth celebrating.
Great Vegetarian Dishes to Anchor Your Holiday Meal
Tortelli di Radicchio
Scribe chef Kelly Mariani says this pasta “feels like a hug on a cool day. The creamy radicchio filling is delicious with the nuttiness of brown butter and hazelnuts.” She suggests using a scale for the best results with the pasta.
Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi
There’s a hefty amount of spinach in these gnocchi–which for us justifies the indulgent brown-butter sauce. Shape and freeze the gnocchi ahead, so at dinnertime you can just boil them and make the sauce.
Campanelle with Mushrooms and Roasted Garlic
The “meaty” flavor of the mushrooms makes this a hearty dish.
Lentil Stew with Winter Vegetables
This hearty vegetarian stew is so satisfying that even the most devout of carnivores won’t miss the meat.
Eggplant Parmesan
This (non-casserole) version of eggplant parmesan is lighter and fresher tasting than the classic—we ditched the breading and added spicy sauce and fresh herbs.
Roasted Fall Vegetables with Lentils and Spices
This vegetarian dish is fragrant with garam masala, an Indian spice blend that typically includes black pepper and a mix of sweet and savory spices.
Whole-Wheat Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Kale
Bags of pre-cubed and peeled butternut squash are a great short-cut for this hearty dish.
Sweet Potato and Gouda Gratin
This brilliant side dish (or vegetarian main, if made with vegetable broth) is a colorful version of scalloped potatoes. For richest flavor and color, look for deep-orange-fleshed sweet potatoes with skin that’s burnt orange to dark red. A food processor’s shredding disc and 2-mm. slicing blade make quick work of the cheese, sweet potatoes, and shallot.
Rainbow Chard with Chanterelles and Walnuts
Chanterelles accent the vibrant, knee-high chard in this recipe.
Heirloom Pumpkin Cooked on the Embers
This recipe is just as wonderful with kabocha squash. Mushroom dashi is available online.
Turnips Anna
Pommes Anna, a classic French dish of thinly sliced potatoes, takes on an appealing sharpness in this turnip version. Although you can use any pie pans, metal ones brown the turnips most evenly; you’ll also need a handheld slicer.
Nick’s Cove Delicata Squash
The naturally sweet squash is seared and roasted to perfection, then finished with a rich brown butter infused with sage and the tang of malt vinegar.
Caramelized Carrot Risotto
It’s made the traditional way, but this risotto hits some extraordinary flavor notes, mainly because of two not-so-common risotto ingredients. One is creamy sweet mascarpone cheese. The other is carrots, slow cooked in a butter-oil bath until their sugars caramelize.
