What would you make a vegetarian family on Christmas Eve?

[Jezebelz]

I like to plan in advance but stuck for ideas. It will be 6 adults and 3 kids and they don't eat fish.

Wow @AnneLovesGilbert that pie!

OP do that! With a big generous winter salad, cheeses and pickles, baby potatoes roasted with garlic and sea salt, I'm also thinking a really good quality spicy ketchup on the side. and can I come?

Yes to the spicy ketchup! Speaking of, we picked up a bottle of tiptree ketchup and it’s beyond belief. Not really spicy but the tomatoeist thing there’s ever been.

OMG that Goodwill Pie looks incredible! I will probably attempt with ready made pastry and make in advance to heat up in the day.

Loving the Ottolenghi veggie paella idea too that looks perfect.

Thanks for the links you have all been so helpful. Feeling tempted to go veggie for Boxing Day as well even though the family will have left by then.

Phyllo pastry Christmas parcels. Filled with mushrooms, nuts, cranberries, port wine gravy.

Did you reheat the whole thing or in slices? Only DH is veggie but it’s nice to have something big enough for leftovers that last a bit.

You can do helena. It’s also nice cold with nice salads or pickles.

We had unexpected visitors who ended up staying for lunch and had a big chunk. I don’t think they even really realised it was veggie.

OP, I bought pastry last year to skip a step and it wasn’t big enough. You need a big old circle to fill the tin and I ended up making it which was pretty quick and easy. You get it together then chill it before rolling and as the filling layers are all cooked before you assemble nothing will spoil if you do them and the pastry in advance then lob it all together and either bake it or cook the day after.

Google Lincolnshire poacher pie. It is lovely

That pie looks fab AnneLovesGilbert

I can also confirm ythat ottam's veggie paella is amazing, but you should pre chop everything so that once you start cooking everything is ready to go.

Camembert hedgehog always goes down well - look it up essentially Cristy bread with a well cut out for Camembert, cut both ways along and across bread to make the spikes, full between spikes with garlic butter and bake

That pie! Yum!
I struggle a bit as DS doesn't like mushrooms or goats cheese which both seem to feature strongly in many Christmas veggie dishes.

I once made a chestnut and mushroom risotto in a filo pastry case for Christmas Eve. I think red wine featured too? It was delicious anyway - festive without being too Christmas dinnery, if that makes sense. I've Googled but can't find the recipe now..

Mushrooms stuffed with blue cheese amd breadcrumbs, feta and sundried tomato filo pastry tarts (buy pre made pastry), battered mozzarella sticks and mini pizzas (Iceland do then for a quid), mushroom stroganoff is lovely or risotto, frittata, olives, cheese and crackers, veggie sticks and hummus/guacamole/etc.
Nachos are always easy and go down well too...

Plus a nut cracker and big bag of nuts and some satsumas- festive and involve lots of cracking/peeling which is enjoyable while sat round the table enjoying a glass of something warming. Mulled wine or apple juice, I think they make mulled cordial too...

Failing that bean chilli fajitas.
My fall back is always Mexican!

Here are some veggie options- realfood.tesco.com/christmas/vegetarian-christmas.html

Another good choice is a nut roast
Or you could always make a veggie platter or something for Christmas dinner

Another absolute stunner from Ottolenghi is his braised shallots with root veg mash. Google it, the Guardian has it online. We've had that for Christmas a couple of times.

Every year I make Lorraine Pascale's nut roast pie and it is delicious (I'm not even veggie) and always goes down a treat with my veggie family!

For years I did an Australian Woman's Weekly veggie stuffing pie.

You basically make veggie stuffing (onions, peppers, mushrooms - really any veg you want chopped very finely and fried off with sage (essential) and whatever other herbs you like). Fry it till it's dry, that bit is important.

Once cooled you get a ready rolled pastry and do a line of stuffing down the middle, topped with blanched and tried savoy cabbage leaves, then a layer of cream cheese (or I guess you could use feta), then leaves then stuffing. Wrap it up, glaze and bake. Bloody good.