Vegan Holiday Recipes (over 60!) | The First Mess (2024)

Here is a table of contents for you to navigate which vegan holiday recipes you would like to plan first! Just click on whichever vegan holiday recipes category that you’d like to be taken to.

1. Mains
2. Gravy
3. Salads
4. Sides
5. Appetizers
7. Desserts
8. Drinks

1. Mains

Romesco Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Herbed Tahini Cream. This red and green beauty just looks so festive on the table. I like to lay it on a cute “wreath” of clipped herbs from my garden, but it looks dramatic no matter what. The preparation of this rests on two sauces (romesco and the tahini cream) that you make quickly in a food processor. These sauces can be made up to 5 days in advance, leaving you only the tasks of briefly steaming the cauliflower, roasting it to completion, and then garnishing. Gluten and nut-free too!

. This cozy main is full of flavour from the slow caramelization of onions. Creamy cauliflower and potato mash forms a beautifully baked cloud on top. The caramelized onion and lentil base takes a little bit of extra time, but you can 100% prepare it well in advance.

. This is the coziest plant based main course. The crust is made with chickpea flour and a bit of cornmeal, so it’s naturally gluten-free too (but still so tender—no cardboard crusts here!). Sweet squash is tossed with shallots, apples, a tart sprinkle of sumac, and a swoop of Dijon mustard directly on the crust keeps us in the flavour zone ;)

Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon Pot Pie. This is such a flavourful and cozy Winter meal. A rich red wine mushroom stew with garlic and thyme is topped with golden puff pastry. Ready in about an hour and a half, deeply flavourful, and so impressive looking! You can make the filling up to 3 days in advance and just keep it in a sealed container in the fridge.

. You could make the mushroom and rice portion a day in advance and simply heat it up in the oven with a couple splashes of vegetable stock right before serving. Make your crispy lentils and gremolata the day-of for sprinkling on top!

Spinach and Mushroom Polenta Pie with Vegan Almond Ricotta. This savoury and satisfying pie just looks festive with all of hose red, green, and gold tones. The cozy flavours of sautéed mushrooms with garlic, a good blanket of marinara, and an unmistakable cheesiness will make this a hit with vegans and omnivores alike. You can make the almond ricotta and almond parmesan up to 5 days in advance. Just keep them covered in the fridge. This one is naturally gluten-free too!

Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto. Hardy herbs like rosemary and thyme flavour this cozy vegan and gluten-free entrée. This and a beautiful salad would make for a nice, more low key holiday meal :)

Mushroom Gravy Pie with Garlicky Kale Mashed Potatoes. From my own experience, this appeals to pretty much everyone at the table because it combines a delicious and meaty gravy with a fluffy mashed potato topper. For larger crowds, I do recommend doubling the amount of mashed potatoes (if your dish is deep enough). I’ve frozen this entire dish with great success. Just wrap it tight in its completed state, freeze it solid, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then proceed to drizzle it with olive oil before baking. The texture and viscosity of the gravy was virtually unchanged. Win!

. If you live somewhere warm, but still want those cozy autumnal flavours, this is a great option! The charred edges of the cabbage mingle so nicely with the slightly spicy lentils and creamy sauce. Both the sauce and lentils can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time!

Creamy Vegan Farrotto with Butternut Squash. You could make this one well ahead of time, and then heat it up with an extra pour of vegetable stock the day-of. Kabocha, honey nut, and fresh pumpkin would all substitute beautifully for the butternut squash. I love serving this with a bowl of vegan parmesan on the side and some drizzles of reduced balsamic vinegar.

. The stuffing in this one is so flavourful, vibrant, and delicious. Plus it’s another easily made-ahead option. Just cook up the filling and place it in a sealed container in the fridge and pre-roast the squash. Assemble the two components the day-of, bake them until piping hot and then drizzle with balsamic reduction and sprinkle on the chopped marcona almonds. An equal amount of regular broccoli or broccolini would also be great here.

. You could freeze this one ahead of time just like the gravy pie described above. This is an outright celebration of cold weather vegetables with a filling of carrots, beets, and squash, and then another whipped up veg (celery root) on top. These individual pies glow with an irresistible deep pink hue, but manage to not taste to strongly of beets because of some flavor bombs like balsamic vinegar and tamari.

Spicy Vegan Buffalo Meatloaf Minis. Adorably individual and so flavourful, these white bean and walnut meatloaves are spiked with Buffalo-style hot sauce and lots of spices. You could make the loaves minus the glaze up to 2 days ahed of time, and then bring them to room temperature before baking and topping with the glaze.

. This one is on the higher maintenance end, but it is a complete meal when all is said and done. You roast some squash with a Tamari maple lacquer, simmer some fragrant ginger rice, and then tie it all together with a creamy and fresh Brussels sprout slaw with a kiss of turmeric. Don’t forget the pomegranate seeds! The little juicy pops are so good here. This is feel-good food to the power of a thousand.

s. Another make-ahead wonder dish here! You could even freeze the stew portion up to a month ahead of time. Then, thaw it completely and pour it into the baking dish before proceeding with the cutting and layering of the potatoes. I like to make an extra tray of just basic roasted potatoes so that everyone gets their fill of crispy starchy goodness.

Pot-Roasted Celery Root with Apple Cider & Horseradish Cream. This is on page 153 of my cookbook! It makes a very cozy supper for a smaller gathering. Whole celery roots are braised in apple cider and onions. Then, those sticky cider onions are reduced down and become part of the sauce. It’s all topped with a dreamy, dairy-free horseradish cream and toasty hazelnuts.

Vegetable and Bean Pot Pies with Potato Crusts. Another cozy main from my my cookbook! This one can be found on page 161. Not sure if you can tell, but I have a special affinity for baked savoury pies and little mini casseroles. If you have a mandoline slicer, this is a very simple main to fix up. It’s a flavourful and veggie-packed stew with white beans and whole spelt flour for thickening. The rounds of sweet and regular potatoes on top get crisp and form our “crust.” Super cute!

Butternut and Pesto Cream Lasagna. Another lasagna, but this one from my cookbook has deep, autumnal flavor because of the balsamic butternut “sauce” that we employ here. White beans whipped up with classic pesto ingredients (basil, garlic, lemon) form our protein-rich ricotta here. This hearty dish is perfect with a big green salad on the side. The recipe can be found on page 135.

2. Gravy

. This isn’t a main course per se, but gravy essentially accompanies everything on the plate and in my mind that elevates it to main course status :) This gravy is thickened with a baking potato and soaked cashews (no starch!), so its safe to prepare up to 5 days in advance. Just reheat it slowly in a pot over medium-low heat, adding a few extra splashes of vegetable stock to get it moving more fluidly. You’ll also have to stir diligently as it reheats to prevent any sticking on the bottom of the pot. I make a lot of gravies (is that weird?) and this one is my favourite.

Vegan and Gluten-Free Sheet Pan Gravy. This is a mushroom-free alternative without any added starches or flours. I’ve got a lot of my food-sensitivities friends covered here (I think). You caramelize a big tray of cauliflower, onions, garlic, and potatoes, throw in a hearty sprinkle of poultry seasoning and thin it all out with the best vegetable broth you can find. It’s a totally delicious vegan gravy for all eaters at the table.

Garlicky Winter Vegetable & White Bean Mas with Mushroom Miso Gravy. This recipe is on page 183 of my cookbook! The bulk of this fluffy mash is celery root, cauliflower, and white beans; all flavoured with a healthy dose of garlic. Once you douse the whole thing in the piping hot mushroom miso gravy, the experience becomes so cozy and familiar. It’s deeply flavourful and satisfying, but somehow still light.

3. Salads

Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw with Smoky Roasted Chickpeas. The dressing in this one is sunflower-based, making it a little more friendly for the cashew-averse. I recommend a pine-nut based vegan parmesan for this recipe, but you could easily substitute the nuts with hemp or more sunflower seeds here to make it totally nut-free. I make this salad all year because we love the creamy sunflower dressing so much. It makes kale super crave-able :)

. So many strong and beautiful flavours in this salad! The bitter radicchio plays so well with the mellow sweet potatoes. Shallots get roasted as well for a full-bodied dressing. Coriander candied pumpkin seeds and orange segments bring a citrus lift.

. This apple kale salad is filled with so much veggie goodness. Fine cuts of kale, parsnip, celery, apple, and chives combine for perfection in every bite! The flavourful miso mustard dressing features a tiny splash of maple syrup. Ready in 30 minutes!

. Just a super flavourful and definitely unexpected side/salad. The beets are slightly caramelized and sweet and the mix of olives, capers, and shallots on top make this dish pop. You could boil and roast the beets ahead of time to get a little bit ahead on the prep work!

. This festive vegan holiday salad is covered in a delicious creamy garlic dressing and topped with finely chopped, spiced maple walnuts. So much flavour and texture in every bite. Crunchy, creamy, fresh, sweet, and savoury.

. Chewy farro comes together with tart pomegranate, spice-roasted carrots, chopped radicchio, ripe and juicy persimmon, fresh mint, and almonds. Then, everything is tossed in a simple apple cider vinegar and garlic dressing. Ready in 40 minutes and perfect for holiday potlucks! The farro, dressing, and roasted carrots can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Shredded Fall Veg Salad with Garlicky Orange Tahini Dressing. This one is such a crowd-pleaser if you’re tasked with bringing the salad component (or maybe you’ve just taken it upon yourself). The dressing is a little sweet and tangy, but super garlicky all the way through. I think it ever-so-slightly-reminds people of a typical caesar dressing, and that’s why they enjoy it so much. You can make this salad with whatever root vegetables you happen to have on hand, just as long as you shred them up nice and fine. I love throwing a handful of chopped dill into this salad as well! Dill + tahini anything = best buds.

Loaded Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Maple Mustard Hemp Dressing, Apples and Smoky Pecan Crumble. This one just screams Fall. You can make the dressing and the smoky pecan crumble up to 5 days in advance. Keep the dressing in the fridge and the crumble in a sealed jar at room temperature. So much flavour and satisfaction in one dish! I would happily eat just this at a holiday meal :)

Rd. This simple grain salad has lots of added crunch from cucumber, radishes, and golden pieces of roasted fennel. The quinoa makes this nice and hearty, but the flavors are super fresh. Another excellent make-ahead option or potluck-style contribution.

Broccoli. I love the briny and fresh flavors in this salad. You get the tartness from the lightly pickled shallots, the pungent cruciferous vegetables, a lightly spicy vinaigrette, and some sweet crispy apples to balance it all out. It looks and feels so vibrant. I throw some cooked quinoa into this to make it a bit more hearty, but you could use any cooked grain you like.

Celery Root Radicchio Salad with Warm Date Dressing. This composed salad features a tangy, sweet, and smoky warm date dressing. Crunchy salted pistachios mingle with the bitter radicchio, fresh celery root, and peppery parsley. The perfect side salad for a rich holiday spread!

Thanksgiving Panzanella. This is a holiday-appropriate interpretation of the classic bread salad. Roasted delicata squash mingles with kale, celery, pomegranate seeds, herbs and crunchy sourdough bread cubes. A slightly sweet balsamic dressing ties it all together and softens the edges of the bread just right. This recipe is available in my cookbook on page 102!

Meyer Lemon Romanesco Glow Salad. This is a raw salad of finely blitzed up Romanesco cauliflower with sweet apples and grapes, and a simple, fragrant Meyer lemon dressing. Walnuts and sage finish it off with extra cozy autumnal flavour. It’s so refreshing amidst most of the heavier/starchier foods on offer at holiday times. Kind of like a breath of fresh air ;). This recipe can be found on page 125 of my cookbook.

4. Sides

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Rosemary Walnuts. This one is a symphony of texture and Autumn flavours. The sweet potatoes are whipped up with orange juice, spices, and a little touch of non-dairy cream. Then, they’re topped with maple-y sautéed apples and crunchy bits of toasted rosemary walnuts. This one is perfect for making ahead of time.

Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic. This is a classic side that calls on a fruity and mild olive oil for richness. I infuse the olive oil with a bit of lemon and herbs to perk it up even more. Roasted garlic is robust and perfect here. Lots of tips and step by step photos in this post!

. This staple side has plenty of classic flavour from thyme, rosemary, sage, and celery. The tangy and sweet balsamic shallots, garlic, umami-rich miso in the broth, and hearty sourdough bread take my version over the top. Ready in about an hour!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Almond Bits. A simple veggie side with lots of flavour and textural contrast. The smoky almond bits can be made a few days in advance, and even the Brussels sprouts can be trimmed and cut in advance as well!

. Simple green veg goodness! We infuse some olive oil with lemon peel and smashed whole garlic cloves before sautéing until crisp tender. Sweet soaked currants and toasty almonds finish it off.

. Savoury, carb-y goodness to go alongside everything you’re serving up. These sop up vegan gravy like a champ, but they also just taste amazing solo. They would make cute vessels for leftovers-sandwiches the next day.

. This is my take on the classic side! We bump up a homemade cashew cream with miso, Dijon mustard, and a bit of maple syrup so that every bite is creamy, dreamy, and flavourful. The smoky spiced bread crumbs add the perfect crunchy contrast.

. These are a fun and unusual holiday side, with flavours of lime, spices, tahini, and maple syrup. Minimal chopping and hans-on time involved here!

Harvesth. A nice little alternative to straight up mashed potatoes (celery root and parnips in the mix!) that’s super flavourful on its own or downright ridiculous with a ladle of mushroom gravy. The fried dukkah (spice and seed mixture) on top is an optional step that provides a really fun texture contrast and confetti-like appearance. Like most mashed potato recipes, you’ve got to make this one right at the last minute for the best texture.

Smoky Maple Vegan Sweet Potato Gratin. This vegan sweet potato gratin has richness from a savoury and sweet homemade cashew “cream” that features maple syrup, nutritional yeast, onion powder, Tamari, liquid smoke, garlic, and raw cashews. So deeply flavourful and the bubbly and browned top is gorgeous with a spiral pattern and minced fresh thyme.

Maple Tahini Glazed Cauliflower with Chipotle. A little bit of spice for the table! This is a mega-flavourful take on roasted cauliflower. The tahini enriches the experience a bit, and maple syrup and ground chipotle powder really turn up the flavour. You could pre-cut the cauliflower and pre-mix the glaze up to 5 days ahead of time for this recipe.

. This is such a flavourful and fun side. The carrots roast along with red grapes for a sweet and tart contrast. Dukkah is a toasty nut and spice mixture that provides crunch and and warm spicy flavour. Fresh mint finishes it off!

. Mellow roasted delicata squash is piled on top of soft and tangy cukltured vegan cashew cheese, and then drizzled with a spicy maple syrup. We finish the whole thing with a crisp rosemary and pumpkin seed granola. So many layers of flavour and texture here!

. Smoked paprika, finely minced Kalamata olives, and garlic in the tahini drizzle bring so much flavour to this veggie side! Toasted almonds bring a perfect contrasting texture. I could eat this whole batch myself in one sitting :)

Cider-Glazed Celery Root with Walnuts. This recipe is super flavourful, easy to make, and wonderful as a holiday veggie side dish that’s vegan and gluten-free! Apple cider is reduced on the stove with garlic, rosemary, grainy mustard, and a bit of chili until syrupy and thick.

Sautéed Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pesto. This is a quick and flavourful vegetable side dish that comes together in one skillet on the stove. Vegan pesto, Tamari, lemon, and balsamic glaze make the finely shredded Brussels sprouts extra delicious in just 20 minutes. It’s not traditional, but it is tasty!

Roasted Carrots with Ginger Maple Cream. You could put the lush, cashew-based cream over any roasted root vegetable, tuber, or squash, but I particularly like it with a variety of pretty heirloom carrots. It’s sweet, a little fresh and spicy, and very simple to prep in advance. This recipe can be found on page 187 of my cookbook.

Crispy Maple Mustard Cabbage. This vegetable side is a bit unexpected, but so completely crave-able once you give it a try. The cabbage wedges are brushed with a maple mustard lacquer and then roasted until the edges are crispy and golden–kind of the same appeal as charred Brussels sprouts, but one big wedge of it. This recipe is on page 195 of my cookbook.

5. Appetizers

. This is super creamy and savoury like the classic, much-loved artichoke and spinach dip. We use kale for an even stronger Fall/Winter feel and the acidic spice of chopped pepperoncinis to shake things up a bit. This one is delicious warm or at room temperature and no one will believe that it’s dairy-free. You could prepare it up to 5 days in advance!

Vegan Mushroom Duxelles Crostini Appetizer. Umami-rich and paté-like, this plant-based duxelles is the perfect topper for golden crostini. Perfect warm or at room temperature, made with 10 ingredients, and it can be prepped up to 5 days ahead of time and kept in the fridge.

. Such a great dip for a harvest gathering! Roasted honeynut squash makes it so creamy. We use a whole head of roasted garlic and some finely ground pumpkin seeds as the base here. Unique, beautiful, and so tasty.

The Ultimate Vegan Snack Board with 3 Dips. This post is a 3 for 1! You get recipes for 1) a roasted garlic and butternut dip with sesame, 2) balsamic mushroom and olive pâté, and 3) a soft cashew “cheese” spread with roasted beets and miso. Fill it out with all the crackers, crisp vegetables, pickles, olives etc. you can handle. I would happily go to a party that was serving this and this alone.

. The thing about these is that they come together fast if you’ve already made the pesto or you have a store-bought one on hand. While the mushrooms bake, you whip up the pesto cream in the blender and toast the breadcrumbs on the stove. Throw it all together and voila! Easy and convincingly cheesy-tasting warm goodness. A little bit of green on the appetizer table is always welcome, too ;)

Vegan Dill Pickle Dip. Dill pickle-flavoured everything is the best and, in my opinion, the flavour belongs on your holiday appetizer table too! This dip is creamy, tangy, and undeniably pickle-y.

Roasted Carrot and Harissa Chickpea Dip. This dip has a chickpea base, and is then smoothed out with some sweet roasted carrots and all of the typical components of harissa sauce (chilies, tomato paste, spices). I top it with pomegranate seeds and crispy brussels sprout leaves, but it’s just as good with a simple drizzle of olive oil. It’s spicy, creamy, sweet, and smooth. A crowd pleaser that isn’t too predictable *thumbs up*

Vegan Caramelized Onion Dip with Fresh Za’atar. This is my favourite dip of all time. It’s so creamy, is loaded with flavourful caramelized onions, and we top it with olive oil (I opt for chili-infused) and a freshly made za’atar spice mix that’s tangy and uplifting. This is another one of those dishes that no one will guess is dairy-free. So indulgent! You can make it up to 5 days in advance.

. This dip is so creamy, easy to make, and delicious. It’s completely dairy-free and bean-free, and can easily be made nut-free too. It gets a flavour boost from fresh chili, garlic, shallots, and paprika. No one will guess that this is vegan. The texture is seriously lush!

Creamy Kale Pesto and White Bean Dip. This super savoury, slightly cheesy, and festive green dip would look so pretty on a snack board. Hints of lemon and garlic make the kale go down a bit easier here ;)

s. I don’t think anyone was exactly dying for a vegan version of tartare, but the traditional flavours of it work really well with avocado, so I went for it. I make this as something for people to snack on while I finish up dinner quite often when we’re hosting. It has all the appeal of guacamole (because most people love avocado anything), but it’s a little more interesting and unique. I serve the tartare with crostini, crackers, little slices of roasted beets, olives etc.

Cauliflower and Pine Nut “Ricotta” Toasts. This recipe is on page 220 of my cookbook! The lush texture of this vegan ricotta is incredible. It’s perfect on little toasts with preserves, sliced pears, or juicy figs. Not sure if this is the case for most people, but the first app I go for at any party is the cheesy/dip-like thing on a toast. This version doesn’t make you feel as sleepy/full as a classic cheese crostini option though ;)

6. Cookies & Treats

Vegan and Grain-Free Ginger Molasses Softies. Like little sweet and spiced pillows of heaven. These are sweetened exclusively with dates and molasses, but they’re extra good drizzled with melted vegan white chocolate ;).

No Bake Chocolate Mint Cups with Oat Crusts. These are an easy, naturally gluten-free treat that you can throw together ahead of time and keep in the fridge! Less than 10 ingredients with this recipes as well! They’re so rich and decadent. If you’ve stored the cups in the fridge, I’d recommend letting them come to room temperature before serving.

Vegan Spelt Pumpkin Loaf with Chocolate Chips. This would be nice to just have around for a little dessert table or to have with coffee the next morning. So simple to make and it keeps nice and moist for a couple days if you keep it in a sealed container, or wrap it up in bees wax wrap/foil wrap.

Vegan No Knead Cinnamon Rolls. Ideal for holiday brunching. These are one of the lazier cinnamon roll recipes out there (outside of opening a tube haha). There is minimal hands-on time with these and they are seriously gooey and satisfying.

Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies. This spelt and coconut sugar cookie is stuffed with chunks of chocolate and crystallized ginger. It’s dark, spicy, rich, and gooey. Basically my perfect Christmas/Holiday cookie if I’m batch-cooking some. This recipe can be found on page 239 of my cookbook!

7. Desserts

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake with Toasted Oat Crust. This no-bake cheesecake is so gorgeous and festive! Perfect with all of that citrus that starts coming into season around the Winter holidays. The texture of this cashew and coconut-based “cheesecake” is like a super chocolate-y truffle. Super decadent!

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Salty Date Caramel and Coconut Cream. This gluten-free showstopper is so rich and decadent. It essentially has a dense brownie base that’s topped with a cashew-boosted hazelnut “mousse,” drizzles of a sticky date caramel, and a big cloud of coconut whipped cream. I slice this on the small side because it is luxuriously rich. You could make the brownie base, caramel, and hazelnut mousse up to 3 days ahead of time. Wrap the brownie tightly and close the caramel and mousse in sealed jars, and keep all components in the fridge. bring everything to room temperature before assembling.

Chocolate Orange Mini Bundts with Chocolate Glaze. This gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan cake plays on those much-loved and perfectly festive flavors. It’s also just so fudgy and rich. Your guests will not believe that this recipe ticks off all the “free’s” :). This recipe is from Golubka’s Simply Vibrant, and is a go-to for me when I need to bring an allergen-sensitive dessert.

Pumpkin Mousse Parfaits. This recipe is on page 236 of my cookbook. I honestly prefer these little airy pots of pumpkin and spice goodness over pumpkin pie. The mousse couldn’t be easier to mix up, it’s light as a cloud, and the perfect host for whipped coconut cream, toasted nuts, shaved chocolate, whatever your heart desires.

8. Drinks

Spiced Cranberry Orange Margaritas. These may or may not be a necessity as you get your last minute dinner prep together! It’s a beautiful and festive take on a traditional margarita. The hint of warm spice is so nice on a chilly Fall evening.

Coconut Butter Hot Chocolate. Everyone needs a go-to hot chocolate recipe during the busy holiday times right? This version made lush with coconut butter, cacao powder, chopped chocolate, and dates is just the thing for cozying up.