Please talk to me about a vegetarian Christmas

[misson]

Just that really. I admit that for me Christmas food does have meat and fish as a focal point. Will be doing all that plus vegetarian this year.

I would like to offer a meat free alternative to turkey that goes with all the (meat free) trimmings. Am also looking for meat free buffet ideas.

My main problem so far has been finding something that won't taste out of place with roasties, sprouts and breadsauce.

Do consider cheese free, dairy free or even vegan options. There's a lot of vegan thanksgiving dishes which would work well alongside Christmas dinner.

www.ordinaryvegan.net/vegan-roast-wellington/

eatwithinyourmeans.com/easy-tofu-bacon/ this would work wrapped around nut stuffed dates.

www.veganricha.com/2014/11/vegan-thanksgiving-recipes-2014.html

That fennel tart sounds amazing.

I'd like a nut roast or a fancy pie, either homemade or bought. I do eat quorn etc but I don't think it's nice enough for a special dinner, especially a quorn scotch egg!

Last year, I made a mushroom, leek and Gruyere cheese pin wheel - doing it again this year as was delicious (I'm veggie, but meat eating family enjoyed it too).

Ready made puff or filo pastry,would work if doing little parcels: pan fry mushrooms in butter, add some garlic, chopped leek and then add the cheese. I then added the mixture to the pastry, rolled and baked in the oven for 15 mins - job done! No measurements, I just added until I thought there was enough 🙈

Honestly, as a vegetarian of 25 years, I don't need a replacement for the meat. As long as I get loads of roasties and veggies I'm very happy :)

You could also add spinach to the mix too :-)

I don't see it as a replacement for the meat, it's a special main plus side dishes.

A homemade nut roast goes beautifully with all the trimmings - I use a version of this recipe (www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/dec/15/how-cook-perfect-nut-roast?client=safari) but without the cabbage leaves (i like it a bit crispy on the outside) and with cheddar rather than Stilton.

I also sometimes do a veggie Wellington which goes down well but I prefer the nut roast myself.

We tend to also have a veggie stuffing and cauliflower cheese with our Christmas dinner as well as some roasted portabello mushrooms and veggie sausages for DH (but we are a family of veggies)

We always have the Cranks mushroom Wellington. Goes well with a roast dinner, loved by the meat eaters as an extra, leftovers taste great cold. Plus you can do it in advance and freeze, so literally all you need to do on Christmas Day is put it on a baking tray in the oven. That way it isn't adding to your list of things to do.

Have to agree with pp that Quorn and meat substitutes aren't really that exciting for Christmas. I don't usually go for nut roasts but I made this last year and it was amazing - the meat eaters were all trying to grab some too

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/incredible-nut-roast/

It's got chestnuts in, but loads of other stuff so wouldn't be too samey with your chestnut stuffing

Another vote for nut roast or a pie. I love nut roast but hardly ever get to eat it. Pies are easy, if you get an individual pie dish and just stick a pastry top onto whatever filling you fancy. Can be made in advance too.

I'm a meat eater, so prefer a meat option, but last year I made the Hairy Bikers nut roast with a goats cheese centre- it was gorgeous and perfect with roast trimmings :-)

I can't stand nut roast so when I go to my parents for Christmas my mum tends to do cauliflower cheese for me, which works really well IMO. I don't really like mushrooms either though so I'm not always the easiest veggie to cater for!

Sainsbury's do a spinach and feta pie which I think would also go well. I'm sure there's a recipe somewhere for similar if you didn't want to buy one.

Oh, great thread, I'm another meat cooker doing a vegetarian Christmas meal, although we've decided not to cook a joint as well so our vegetarian main needs to look and taste pretty special. I was wondering if something like a stuffed pumpkin would work? Or is a wellington a better option? Nut roasts look a bit boring but I've seen a few very Christmassy looking recipes. We're doing a Moroccan chickpea pie on Boxing day when we will also have our Christmas ham (my veggie relative is staying for a week).

We won't be using any meat substitutes as I doubt I could buy them where I live and don't really like processed stuff in general (plus I don't think my veggie relative or my meat eating mum would eat them).

I have always done mushroom, cranberry and cashew roast in puff pastry (for me and other veggie relatives) but DD (newly veggie) hates mushrooms and DS allergic to nuts, cheese, milk. I have never liked the Quorn roast so a bit stuck. ...

How about a couple of veggie sausages for your son (is he vegetarian?) and then a different pastry without mushrooms for you and your daughter?

Our canteen at work does a Stilton and onion Wellington that is really nice. It is a peeled onion with the core taken out and stuffed with stilton and mushrooms, then covered in pastry. I have that instead of the meat option at work because the turkey is usually a bit dry.

A layered pie? Or individual pies then you can fill with whatever they will eat.

For one vegetarian, I would get the nut roast wellington from Waitrose as it is two individual slices that are cooked from frozen and go beautifully with all the trimmings.
For more people I would second (or third) the Delia strudel. I've made it a few times and it always go down well.

I have also made Delia's vegetarian sausage rolls every year for as long as I can remember. I make a huge batch when I make my sausage rolls and open freeze them on trays before bagging them and cooking them from frozen as required. They are fallen upon by veggies and meat eaters alike and I have requests when we are having a pot luck meal to bring them.

My grandma makes a quiche for me on christmas eve, and I have a slice of that with all the rest of the trimmings. Can be made ahead with minimal fuss, keeps for a few days in the fridge and is nice with cold meats on boxing day for the non veggies.

Buy a quiche if you don't want to make one

This one is fantastic. Very Christmassy. Goes well with all the trimmings....does contain chestnuts but don't be put off!
www.meatfreemondays.com/recipes/sage-onion-roast/

Mushrooms looking good thanks. The nut roasts look fab too, but it's apparently a no. Might do it for myself though.

Cranks looks amazing, thank you for the link. Am going to the library tomorrow and will see if they have Delias Christmas. My mum uses her recipes all the time but she isn't on my food radar but they do sound lovely.

Delia's Vegetarian is also good and most of the festive veggie recipes are in there as well.

I'm the only veggie on Christmas day and I do the cooking so I just toss a couple of Linda McCartney sausages in the oven. Not overly special - I had them for tea tonight - but I'm happy. If I was having Christmas dinner at a restaurant then I love a nice nut roast.

Be wary of mushrooms. I know a lot of vegetarians who can't stand them. I can eat a lot of things that I don't really like but I can't chew a mushroom without gagging.

I'm fancying this for Christmas www.google.co.uk/amp/www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1799642/individual-christmas-pies%3Famp?client=ms-android-sonymobile

But I may have a look at the waitrose Wellington mentioned by a PP