Vegetarian Christmas - what are you having?

[WhereDidSummerGoAgain]

I've got the following in my M&S food to order basket but having a wobble about the No Turkey.

• No Turkey crown x 2
• Butternut Squash, Brie & Caramelised Onion Wellington
• Potato Dauphinoise
• Christmas pudding

And we'll make roasties, carrots, parsnips, red cabbage, stuffing etc plus some kind of starter.

I'm not sure about the pretend turkey though. We had it last year and it was great for mirroring a traditional meaty Christmas meal (which was a bit of a novelty) but the actual fake turkey wasn't that amazing tbh.

I'd like two "mains" so it's feels like a feast and so people have options.

What are you having?

Can anyone suggest something instead of the no turkey crown?

Have you checked out Cook for ideas? Fake turkey sounds grim.
www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas/vegetarian-dishes

I haven't tried the "no turkey" thing, but I have settled on vegetarian haggis with Christmas dinner the last few years, it is lovely, easy to cook and goes really well with all the usual vegetables.

Veggies here rate the quorn roast lump which does for sandwiches too after, and maybe Linda McCartney sausages with red current sauce on. I do not want a nut roast. That is basically just another type of stuffing, and one lot of stuffing is already more than enough.

I usually get a mushroom Wellington (I think omv is the brand - I get it from Asda) and the ‘this isn’t’ chicken and stuffing crown - both really good and not too expensive

Their wellingtons look lovely, but I'm already getting a Wellington. Their tarts look really lovely too, but I wonder if that's not really different enough from a Wellington IYSWIM?

The No Turkey wasn't bad as it happens! But not amazing either. It was mainly a good way to have a Christmas dinner that was like a meaty one, which one of our guests really wanted.So, it was a success last year. I want something taster this year though.

Ooh, now veggie haggis is a good idea. Definitely on the shortlist!

Veggie haggis is excellent. You need to really like black pepper.

I love nut roast, love it, so I’ll make my usual one. Mum is vegan and will be with us and so is the nut roast.

DD loves the Quorn roast too! But so much so that we do have it for Sunday lunch not infrequently, so I wonder if it won't feel special enough?

Nice idea about veggie sausages and red current sauce.

Sounds good!

I'm torn. I love nut roast but DS doesn't like nuts, so I think we probably won't have any :(
Not as a main, anyway.

DS and I love a stuffed pepper will all the trimmings.

I have the same dinner as everyone else just without the turkey and meat gravy. All the ‘trimmings’ are vegetarian and a plateful is enough for me!

Jamie Oliver’s vegetarian filo snake is the nicest veggie main I’ve ever had (although I do love a nut roast, and the Quorn roast is also quite nice). Never had the no turkey though

Oh yes, totally with you - if I'm at a meat eater's Christmas dinner I'm.happy to do that too.

But this is in an all-veggie household, so I'd love a vegetarian centrepiece (or two!).

We make a nut roast and have Linda McCartney country pie for dd

There is a Gizzi Erskine recipe for a vegetarian wellington made with a veggie haggis 😋

We're having the Linda McCartney Veggie chicken roast, it's a bit like a meat loaf. It's easy to cook and we all like it.

I have to make 2 of these every year. Might not be a very good suggestion as you have brie in the Wellington.

If anyone wants to try it, my firm advice is do not attempt on Christmas day. It has several steps and you need space

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/vegetarian-recipes/cheese-and-parsnip-roulade-with-sage-and-onion-stuffing

Really recommend the COOK Nut Roast we’ve ordered it the last 3 or 4 years

Do you want to buy ready made or are you happy to make something? Are you all veggies or a mixed table on the day?

If the latter then the recipes I linked here work well, especially the raised pie which was a regular in my house for years:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/foodandrecipes/3059054-What-is-your-favourite-most-indulgent-and-decadent-vegetarian-meal?reply=72640100

I would also consider the Bosh! Mushroom Wellington and I used to have a recipe for a Sarah Brown mushroom pie (but a fancy festive one with filo pastry) - if I find it I’ll dig it out.

Anything nutty or mushroomy works well if alongside a meat roast and can share the same veg.

If buying then look out for the Christmas line specials in nut roasts/winter pies/Wellingtons from the likes of Waitrose, Abel and Cole, Riverford etc. They are pricey but tend to be better than any of the fake meat options. I’ve not had a fake meat version from any maker which I liked overmuch.

If you are all veggie then the world is your oyster and you could make eg Christmas mezes or other sets of shared plates or anything just a bit special.

This thread is making me hungry!

Thanks for your suggestions everyone 🥰

Happy to make something in the day.

We're going for a mix of home made and ordered in. Last year we ordered in the mains and made the veg and trimmings, but we could just as well do that the other way. (Small kitchen, need to make it easy and not stressful!).

I'll check those out, thanks ☺️

We're a mix of vegetarians and pescatarians. Happy to have fish on the table, might do a salmon-something as a starter for the fishy people.

We might have a meat-eater guest or two on the day - tbc - but we're definitely not serving meat (sorry-not-sorry 😁)

For those who've recommended Cook - their food looks gorgeous but it's really pricey. Is it worth it?

Looks gorgeous! 🐍

I'm having the Cook mushroom wellington and doing my own veg as their veg portions with the full meal are quite small and I love loads of veg and roast potatoes.