Help with vegetarian versions of favourite Christmas foods/dishes

[OMGitsnotgood]

I'm looking for ways of adapting a couple of dishes for vegetarian guests over the festive season but not including Christmas dinner. Where possible, I'd like to offer a vegetarian option of the same thing rather than something completely different.

Very happy for other people to add requests for help with vegetarian alternatives they are wrestling with too.

'Christmas dinner leftovers pie' (turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, white sauce, veg, chestnuts, mixed in white sauce topped with puff pastry): looking for vegetarian protein. I've used tofu or veg sausages in the past. Any different ideas? I'd rather keep the veggie sausages for making sausage rolls for same group on another day and I know people get bored of tofu.

Smoked salmon and cream cheese is always a hit - bagels/blinis etc. What can i replace the smoked salmon with to make a special vegetarian topping? (please note my vegetarian friends eat all cheeses)

Egg and bacon rolls are a popular breakfast when we have people staying over. I've made portobello mushroom & cheese alternatives or avocado and tomato. Any other ideas? One of the vegetarian friends doesn't like eggs but is an option for one of the others.

Interesting sandwich fillings for baguettes/ciabatta to go with soup. Usually tuna mayo, salmon, coronation turkey, or hot pork & stuffing. Vegetarian alternatives that are a bit more interesting than humis or cheese? I saw 'Coronation Chickpea' on a cafe menu recently and am kicking myself for not trying it!

I'm sure I'll think of more and as said very happy for others to add their questions as I am always looking for new vegetarian ideas . Thank you.

There are some lovely vegetarian pie recipes which won't need fake meat. I would seek one of them out. Have a feeling that Jamie Oliver had a nice one.

Coronation chickpea would be pretty easy to recreate, I reckon, or even coronation halloumi (careful of the salt) or tofu or tempeh.

Vegan sushi often uses cured carrot in place of smoked salmon. No idea how you prepare it, but that's an option for the blini. Cream cheese and caramelised onion chutney, perhaps? Or something interestingly marinated with miso?

Why do you want to offer a vegetarian version of the same thing rather than a vegetarian dish that’s different?

I wouldn’t fancy fake ‘salmon’ tbh. There are lots of versions out there but you’d be crazy to faff about with slices of carrot and liquid smoke. It’s all a lot of extra work for what is unlikely to be a huge amour of enjoyment.

Amount 🙄 when have I ever typed Amour?!

Aldi usually do a lovely vegetarian pie, often with filo pastry. Think chickpeas, camembert that sort of thing (but not together!); ingedients that you'd be interested to eat. They're fresh so not out on the shelves until mid-December.

Why do you want to offer a vegetarian version of the same thing rather than a vegetarian dish that’s different?
Mainly because I want the vegetarian guests not to feel like I've gone to a lot of extra effort. The pie is lovely and full of vegetarian friendly ingredients, was just looking for protein replacement
Vegetarian friendly sandwich fillings means we all have sandwiches but looking for ideas for more special fillings.

I wouldn’t fancy fake ‘salmon’ tbh. There are lots of versions out there but you’d be crazy to faff about with slices of carrot and liquid smoke. It’s all a lot of extra work for what is unlikely to be a huge amour of enjoyment.
Totally agree, am not looking to make 'fake' anything - i like the suggestion of caramelised chutney as a smoked salmon replacement on cream cheese.

Re pie recipes/Aldi alternatives - am happy to make the pie but might get ideas for protein replacements from recipes / shop bought. Just wondered if anyone reading this has any favourite & satisfying ingredients.

For the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels try cream cheese, capers and cucumber pickles in rice vinegar (or cornichons )

Apologies, I misunderstood. I pictured you making vegetarian versions of what you were serving the meat eaters. I was up at 5am for work, my brain is obviously too tired!

Not a problem - maybe my OP a wasn't clear. You must be shattered, hope your day isn't too long x

I make my own stuffing balls with toasted brown breadcrumbs and walnuts, finely chopped shallots, apricots and fresh sage and rosemary, bound together with egg. They taste sublime and would make a great filling for the pie instead of veggie sausage meat. DS is veggie and loves them.

for the blinis, I'd just do cream cheese with maybe a bit of olive tapenade on top, to look like caviar.

DS says vegan bacon has massively improved recently and the smoked kind is delicious so you could wrap that around veggie sausages for pigs in blankets

For the pie you could do Quorn pieces in leek and cheese sauce. Alternatively roast butternut, pepper and courgette with feta and pinenuts. Although I would prefer this in filo pastry.

For blinis or bagels some baba ganoush, or cream cheese whipped with pesto and topped with roasted cherry tomatoes.

It’s nice that you are trying to accommodate & come up with interesting vegetarian options. Honestly a vegetarian would usually be happy with a vegetable pie or roll. I wish people didn’t keep trying to add a meat substitute, it’s not always needed! A lot of vegetarians didn’t like meat especially so don’t always want a copy of it.

Breakfast bap - spinach & grilled halloumi & possibly a slice of tomato? Or just offer them honey or jam or a banana. Alternatively a pastry.

cream cheese with sun dried tomatoes works well

sandwich with soup - personally I would just have bread with soup as both may be too filling and the flavours of the sandwich or soup may compete with each other. If that’s your preference though Brie and mango chutney is nice. Or just put out mushroom pate or baba ganoush to go with bread if they want it?

It sounds like your guests will be well catered for.

Chickpea 'tuna'

I make my own stuffing balls with toasted brown breadcrumbs and walnuts, finely chopped shallots, apricots and fresh sage and rosemary, bound together with egg.

That sounds delicious! Could you post the recipe please? Or DM me?

I would recommend miso aubergine on cream cheese bagels.

Quorn mince in the pie might work, won't add much texture but would get the protein in.
Agree that coronation chickpea sounds great and should be really easy to recreate or with cauliflower chunks instead of the chicken.
Quite easy to make a spicy bean sandwhich filling which would also fit the bill.

Halloumi buns are a great alternative for bacon.

Lots of lovely ideas, exactly what i was after, thank you all.

Re I wish people didn’t keep trying to add a meat substitute, it’s not always needed! A lot of vegetarians didn’t like meat especially so don’t always want a copy of it.

I can appreciate that, hence asking specifically for protein replacements as I know one of my friends says they often struggles with getting enough protein. I know they often cook veggie sausages hence having that as an option, and I know they get fed up with tofu. I could just do vegetables and can handle that easily, it was just the protein question really.

Butterbeans are a good protein sauce, and have a good chunky texture. Nuts are also good, lots of interesting nut butters or you could make a satay sauce to drizzle over tofu to make it more interesting.

Scrambled tofu is also a good breakfast bap option, with lots of turmeric.

You have some suggestions already but wanted to say that it’s so nice of you to put so much thought into this OP! You sound like an excellent host.

Tofu satay skewers is a fab recipe, I would serve it in bao buns with shredded carrot and spring onions.

For the smoked salmon substitute, I’d buy a really nice smoked cheese and serve with a posh onion chutney.

thank you @Switchingoff , that's very kind, and yes lots of lovely suggestions already. I know it's only September but by starting planning now, I have time to pay attention to these details, which I won't later in the year. Makes for better fed guests and a more relaxing time for me!

i wouldn’t worry too much about not being protein heavy on that meal as people tend to not go hungry or empty over Christmas😁

Lentils are a good source of protein so you could make something like these pies in advance https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-lentil-spinach-pies Personally I would far rather that than a quorn mince pie although obviously can’t speak fir your friends,

otherwise something like sweetcorn fritters with sweet chilli sauce would make a nice brunch.

Excellent protein rich meals are things like bean chilli & you could do a meat version too or you could all eat veg chilli?

Not aiming this directly at you OP but there’s been such a rise recently in meat substitutes when vegetarians go out to eat as though people think the ‘meat’ is the missing element in a meal.

Mmmmm these all sound good https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/5_veggie_pies

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/individual-christmas-pies