Vegetarian main course for Christmas Day

[Artus]

Can anyone suggest a vegetarian main course for Christmas day? We will be having turkey and the usual trimmings but have two veggie guests this year. I'd like to give them something a bit special, but ideally something I can prepare the day before and just cook on the day. It is going to be a challenge because they are a bit fussy over which vegetables they will eat and don't like blue cheese or goats cheese.

All suggestions welcome.

Look up the BOSH mushroom wellington

Yes, mushroom Wellington would be lovely. I’ve made nut roast before for veggie guests at Christmas, which as gone down well, as they can have everything else that others are eating. Also got some veggie sausages instead of pigs in blankets.

I’m a vegetarian and usually get one of the various nut roasts the supermarkets do this time of year. They’re all much of a muchness but usually quite nice. I wouldn’t worry too much because they’ll be eaten with all the trimmings. It may go without saying but you’ll maybe want to consider avoiding adding meat to the other bits too? As in, sometimes brussels sprouts are cooking with pancetta, and stuffing has pork, and Yorkshires are all cooked in meat fats. Hope that helps!

Delia’s parsnip roulade

I'm veggie I usually have but roast

If you want really simple make filo parcels filled with cream cheese and something they like. Mushrooms work well but you need to cook them first.

You could easily make them the day before and just stick in the oven for 20 mins. You could do 2 or 3 different fillings. Maybe, mushroom, pine nuts and spring onions.

Stuffed cabbage leaves, you could use chestnuts to make it seasonal. If you are making gravy with meat juices then cook them in passata so there is something 'wet'

Vegi Quiche.

Stuffed pancakes, yo can make the pancakes ahead and freeze them.

Nut roast?

Check out vegetarian society's seasonal recipes section. The not just a nut roast recipe is lovely and can be cooked the day before.

Thanks everyone, some good suggestions.

I second delia’s parsnip roulade

The Waitrose recipe for mushroom and chestnut puddings is amazing.
We love it and we're omnivores.

There is a nut roast in one of the Leon cookbooks that has blue cheese and cranberry jam in it and it’s delicious

pithivier
onion tart
roasted tomato tatin
posh quiche
•Squash stuffed with fruit and nut pilaf
wellington
weve tried a few off here.the wellington near the top is fantastic
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/vegetarian-christmas

I made individual beet Wellingtons the other day and they went down well with veggie DP turns out I don't like goats cheese. I sort of made up the recipe but I used goats cheese, spinach, garlic and onion in place of mushroom duxelles (don't like mushroom either). I think I could make them ahead and freeze them or at least refrigerate overnight.

This is one of my xmas favourites when I used to be proper veggie and always goes down well with vegetarian guests.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2005/dec/17/features.weekend4

A nut roast made with Brazil's and cashew nuts is really nice. If you make it in a 1lb loaf tin- put half in and then put in cooked, mashed, buttered parsnip then other half of mix. Or butternut squash or even cranberry sauce with extra cranberries. Delish !

We have a parsnip roulade every year, and none of us are vegetarian. It's really bloody delicious. Also Sarah Brown's cashew nut roast, even better cold in sandwiches, mmm.

Cook do a brilliant nut roast if you have one near you.

VictoriaBun - any chance of a recipe?

Here is the original recipe. I have tweaked it over the years for a various layer. It is never dry.

Layered Cashew and Mushroom Roast
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

8oz (225g) cashew nuts

4 oz (110g) fresh breadcrumbs

1 egg

3 med parsnips, cooked and mashed

1tsp rosemary

1tsp thyme

1 tsp yeast extract, dissolved in 1/4 pint boiling water

Seasoning

1 0z (25g) butter

8 oz (225g) mushrooms

Method
Heat the oven to 180C. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil gently until soft. Grind the cashew nuts (I just whizz them in my food processor), then mix with the breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg, then stir in the mashed parsnips, herbs and onion. Mix well and then add the yeast extract dissolved in the hot water. Season with some salt and pepper.

Melt the butter or oil and saute the chopped mushrooms. Grease and line a 2lb (900g) and press in half of the nut mixture. Cover with the mushrooms and then top with the rest of the nut mix. Press down, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. I like to remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to slightly brown the top. Leave it in the tin for another 10 minutes to cool before turning it out and slicing.

Thank you. It sounds delicious.

I love a nut roast, but I am not a vegetarian and my experience is that lots of actual vegetarians tend to turn their nose up at them - probably a result of being served terrible ones for too many meals with no other option! I love a mushroom one, but for Christmas I would do a walnut and cranberry based one with lots of parsnip. Check with them first though in case they are nut-roast haters!

The Rose Elliot chestnut and red wine en croute linked above from the Guardian is nice. I use a tin of chestnuts broken up as well as chestnut purée as I like the texture.

I might try Delia’s roulade this year as I think my Uber fussy teen might even like it so thanks for that.

OP if it all gets too much I’d be grateful for any of these if someone was kind enough to cook for me

christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/l/mains/all-mains/vegetarian-dishes?intid=AIF_MainEvent_Veggie_ShopVeggieCFTO

That parsnip roulade looks lovely, but Parmesan isn’t vegetarian, so you’d need to substitute it for another cheese...

These all sound delicious.

I have a very fussy veggie ds who doesn't really like vegetables and two other omnivores who like trying new things, however one hates mushrooms (literally the only thing that she won't eat) and the other has a nut allergy.

Inspiration would be gratefully received! Usually when we have a roast I just do a couple of Linda McCartney sausages for ds but would like something more special for Christmas.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions. After more chat with family members I find mushrooms, blue cheese, parsnips, carrots and red pepper are out, thus ruling out several delicious sounding recipes. The list of exclusions sounds particularly bad because what one person does like the other doesn't.

I think a quiche or a nut roast might be acceptable though, and if I can find veggie sausages and stuffing no-one will starve!