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    Home » Holidays

    15 main course ideas for vegan Christmas dinner

    Published: Dec 4, 2020 · Modified: Mar 29, 2023 by Cadry Nelson
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pot pie in cocotte with spoon breaking into it.

    Vegan Christmas dinner main course ideas – including pot pie, risotto, arancini, and eggplant parmesan.

    Many of the recipes can be made in about a half an hour, and several have an air fryer option.

    That means more time celebrating and less time cooking.

    Collage with mini pot pie, polenta stack, artichoke cakes, and pasta.

    When the holidays come around, there’s a draw to make a vegan Christmas dinner that’s festive and maybe even a little fancy.

    Today’s main course ideas for holiday dinners offer just that.

    They’re worthy of being a centerpiece on your dinner table, no matter what you celebrate.

    (Not celebrating anything? That’s fine too! They’re delicious any day of the year.)

    Plus, many of these main courses can be made in a half an hour or so.

    After you’ve chosen your entrée, fill out the rest of your meal with these Christmas dinner side dishes and a glass of vegan eggnog.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Creamy mushroom risotto
    • Vegan arancini
    • Vegan crab cakes
    • Vegan fried chicken
    • Vegan skewers
    • Eggplant parmesan
    • Vegan chicken pot pie
    • Mini vegetable pot pie
    • Lasagna in the air fryer
    • Mediterranean pasta
    • Polenta stacks
    • Roasted gnocchi
    • Air fryer stuffed peppers
    • Cauliflower steaks with romesco
    • Buttered noodles

    Creamy mushroom risotto

    Close up vegan risotto with mushrooms, seitan sausage, and thyme.
    Make this recipe

    Vegan risotto is a rice dish that really feels like an indulgence.

    With velvety cashew cream, mushrooms, and seitan sausage, it can be served as a main course or hearty side dish.

    To make it gluten free, simply leave out the seitan. Or replace it with Beyond Meat sausage or white beans.

    Vegan arancini

    Vegan arancini on plates with basil.
    Make this recipe

    Make things easy on yourself and use leftover risotto for vegan arancini. It has all of the creamy goodness of risotto, but with the added crisp crunch of bread crumbs.

    This arancini recipe can be made in the oven or air fryer.

    To make it gluten free, leave out the seitan and use gluten-free bread crumbs.

    I’ve also made it without the seitan in the risotto, but with a vegan meatball in the middle. It’s a fun surprise in the center!

    (If you break a thawed Gardein meatball in half, it’s just the right size. And it stretches the bag out that much further.)

    Serve them as your holiday main course with marinara or as an appetizer.

    Vegan crab cakes

    Vegan crab cakes on plate with lemon dill aioli.
    Make this recipe

    Elegant vegan crab cakes are made with artichoke heart and chickpeas.

    They’re finished with a dollop of lemon dill aioli.

    I recommend frying these cakes for best results. However, they can also be baked or made in the air fryer.

    Feel like making them well ahead of time?

    They freeze well too!

    Vegan fried chicken

    Hand holding vegan fried chicken leg.
    Make this recipe

    Lean into the kitschy & fun vibes of the holidays with vegan fried chicken.

    It’s served on a skewer – drumstick style. Then it’s breaded and fried.

    It even includes a crispy “skin” for maximum textural appeal!

    If you need more vegan comfort food in your life, this is the answer.

    Vegan skewers

    Vegan Thanksgiving kabob on plate with salad and cranberry sauce.
    Make this recipe

    If you live in a warm weather climate, why not fire up the grill at Christmas with vegan skewers?

    These seitan and veggie kebabs include many traditional holiday favorites in deconstructed form.

    There’s lemony seitan, stuffing, potatoes, and even sweet potatoes with marshmallows.

    Eggplant parmesan

    Bowls of pasta with eggplant parmesan slices.
    Make this recipe

    If your oven has been working overtime this season, why not give it the night off?

    Vegan eggplant parmesan comes together quickly in the air fryer.

    This dinner party-worthy dish is made by coating eggplant slices in panko, seasonings, and non-dairy parmesan.

    (To make it gluten-free, use gluten free bread crumbs.)

    The slices get crisp in the air fryer. They are then topped with marinara and non-dairy mozzarella.

    Serve with your favorite pasta.

    Vegan chicken pot pie

    Slice of vegan pot pie on white plate for vegan Christmas dinner. Full-sized pot pie in background.
    Make this recipe

    Vegan pot pie is always a crowd pleaser. It’s filled with carrots, onions, celery, peas, and chicken-style seitan in a creamy cashew sauce.

    As a time saving bonus, this pot pie is made using store-bought frozen pie crusts. (And yes, there’s a top and bottom crust!)

    This is a good one to bring to holiday potlucks in an insulated carrier.

    I brought one to Thanksgiving in a carrier. And my pot pie stayed warm for two hours in it!

    Mini vegetable pot pie

    Personal sized vegan pot pies on plates with rosemary.
    Make this recipe

    Or make a top crust from scratch and serve your guests adorable mini vegetable pot pies.

    They are filled with carrots, onions, celery, and chickpeas.

    The vegetables are enveloped in an indulgent creamy cashew sauce.

    Lasagna in the air fryer

    Vegan lasagna on black plate with fresh basil & chives.
    Make this recipe

    If you’re having Christmas dinner for one or two, make individual vegan lasagna in the air fryer.

    It’s layered with your favorite jarred pasta sauce, tofu ricotta, zucchini, fresh basil, and spinach.

    Plus, it’s ready in only 30 minutes thanks to the air fryer!

    Mediterranean pasta

    Mediterranean pasta in bowl with basil.
    Make this recipe

    Here’s another noodle option!

    Mediterranean pasta is made with roasted tomatoes, olive tapenade, fresh basil, and vegan feta cheese.

    It’s finished in a garlic olive oil sauce.

    Polenta stacks

    Fried polenta stacks on plates.
    Make this recipe

    Here’s a great way to use some seasonal produce this holiday season. Make fried polenta stacks with barbecued delicata squash.

    Each layer also includes a creamy dollop of thick cashew cream.

    An eye-catching gluten-free entree for your holiday table or dinner party!

    Roasted gnocchi

    Roasted gnocchi in vegan almond pesto.
    Make this recipe

    There’s no reason to spend hours over the stove to make a holiday-worthy dish.

    Roasted gnocchi comes together in only 25 minutes.

    Roasting gnocchi gives it a fabulous texture and bite that you can’t get from boiling it alone.

    Toss it in almond pesto for a satisfying and colorful Christmas dinner.

    Air fryer stuffed peppers

    Stuffed bell pepper half on plate with sauteed kale.
    Make this recipe

    Air fryer stuffed peppers are deliciously cozy and hearty.

    They’re loaded with veggie sausage, marinara, rice, onions, garlic, and Italian spices.

    Cauliflower steaks with romesco

    Overhead cauliflower steak in black bowl with romesco sauce and French lentils du Puy.
    Make this recipe

    Make vegetables the star of the dish with vegan cauliflower steaks.

    This gluten-free meal is served with lentils and flavorful romesco sauce.

    For another roasted cauliflower steak option, finish the dish with cilantro chimichurri sauce instead.

    Buttered noodles

    Bowl of vegan buttered noodles with red wine mushrooms.
    Make this recipe

    When the winter wind is biting, cozy up to a bowl of vegan garlic butter noodles with red wine mushrooms.

    Pappardelle is tossed in garlicky non-dairy butter.

    Then it’s finished with red wine-infused mushrooms and a smattering of chives.

    Content updated January 4, 2023. Originally posted December 11, 2019.

    More Holidays

    • Bowl of plant-based chicken noodle soup with crackers.
      One pot vegan chicken noodle soup
    • Air fryer radishes on white plate by cashew parmesan and salt.
      Air fryer radishes with vegan parmesan
    • Olive oil drizzling off of bread into bowl.
      Simple olive oil bread dip
    • Toasted bagel sandwich with vegan cream cheese, Impossible sausage, and Just Egg.
      Vegan bagel breakfast sandwich
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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

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    1. Bianca N Phillips

      December 04, 2020 at 4:49 pm

      Oooh, lots of good ideas in here! I love the gingerbread man falafel!!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        December 07, 2020 at 2:40 pm

        Thanks, Bianca! I think I need to circle back and make them again this year.

        Reply
    2. Adam Burton

      December 17, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      I was just starting a web search on this exact topic and then thought “hmm… what does Cadry have to say about it?” This! You had this post ready and waiting! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Cadry

        December 18, 2019 at 8:52 am

        It’s kismet! So glad it worked out, Adam, and I hope the list was helpful!

        Reply
    3. Susan

      December 11, 2019 at 6:39 pm

      This is a lovely list of ideas, and it is making me feel quite hungry!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        December 12, 2019 at 8:20 am

        Oh, good. That’s the goal! Thanks, Susan!

        Reply

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