49 Ways To Make The Best Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Ever

We love how simple and impressive brie is, whether we're eating it with crackers, folding into appetizers (hello cranberry brie bites), or eating it with pasta, like we did here. With very little effort, you can have a super decadent pasta dish perfect for holiday meals.

Get the Brie Spaghetti recipe.

This hearty "meat" loaf is made mostly out of chickpeas and baby bella mushrooms. We're in love! Serve it with a side of vegan mashed potatoes and green beans for the most comforting, vegetarian Christmas meal.

Get the Vegan Meatloaf recipe.

Craving chicken Parm but not eating meat? This cabbage recipe is about to blow your mind. It's even Italian mother-approved!

Get the Cabbage Parmesan recipe.

Imagine lasagna being turned inside out to form cute pockets stuffed with creamy, garlicky ricotta and cream cheese, which are then slathered in tomato sauce for an impressive dinner with friends or family. That’s the beauty of stuffed shells.

Get the Stuffed Shells recipe.

Spinach artichoke dip + flaky puff pastry + festive design = a Christmas masterpiece. Feel free to swap in whichever cheesy dip you desire.

Get the Cheesy Spinach Dip Christmas Tree recipe.

Grandma pizza has a thin, crispy crust topped first with cheese, then dolloped with a garlicky tomato sauce. It's not the usual way of assembling pizza, but the cheese melting right into the crust really makes some magic happen.

Get the Grandma Pizza recipe.

This gorgeous, whole-roasted stunner is the perfect holiday substitute for vegetarians. It's savory, sweet, and salty on the outside and super-tender on the inside. Topped with lots of silky mushroom gravy, we doubt anyone at your table will be missing meat.

Get the Whole Roasted Cabbage recipe.

This is everything you love about chicken piccata but without the chicken. The sauce is bright and briny and extra buttery. Take your time with the mushrooms; you need to let them crisp and turn a dark golden brown (tip: wait to salt them, as salt will draw out moisture, making them soggy instead of crisp).

Get the Mushroom Piccata Pasta recipe.

Many white baked ziti recipes call for swapping out the marinara for béchamel sauce, but a mixture of Boursin, ricotta, and heavy cream is much simpler—and super delicious. The Boursin, which is packed with garlic and herbs, adds instant flavor to the sauce, and it melts like a dream.

Get the Boursin Baked Ziti recipe.

Fans of creamed spinach will absolutely love this hearty, creamy kale and gnocchi bake that puts the classic side dish front-and-center on your plate with gnocchi as the main attraction. It's quick to put together since the gnocchi cook right in the sauce, making them extra creamy and delicious.

Get the Creamy Kale & Gnocchi Bake recipe.

A whole roasted cauliflower makes for a fantastic vegetarian main dish. This one is roasted around extra veggies and has a slightly sweet balsamic glaze over it. It's easy to throw together and will leave you feeling full, not heavy. Win!

Get the Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Cauliflower recipe.

We combined everything we love about our favorite spinach & artichoke dip with quick-cooking gnocchi, turning it into an easy meatless dinner that’s loaded with flavor. It’s easy enough for when you’re just craving comfort food (just one pan!), but fancy enough to serve to guests too.

Get the One-Pan Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Gnocchi recipe.

Never fear, this lightened-up green bean casserole is here to help you save room for pumpkin pie. Forgoing canned cream of mushroom for a quick homemade mushroom gravy, we'd argue this version is even more delicious than the classic.

Get the From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole recipe.

If you're usually a boxed mac & cheese household, there's nothing more special than busting out a completely homemade version for the holidays. This one is extra creamy, plenty cheesy, and paired with a golden, crunchy topping everyone will flip over.

Get the Homemade Mac & Cheese recipe.

We love a classic lasagna, but it can be a lot of work. This easy skillet version has everything we love about the original—including the frilly-edged long noodles—but without the confusing layering steps.

Get the Tricolore Skillet Lasagna recipe.

There’s your average casserole, and then there’s this cheesy loaded broccoli cauliflower casserole. Filled with plenty of veggies and feel-good flavors, there’s something in this dish for everyone. Hot tip: This goes over like gangbusters at Christmas potlucks.

Get the Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole recipe.

This robust curry is a staple in many Indian restaurants, and with a manageable ingredient list, it's easy to re-create at home. Blocks of paneer are readily available in many large supermarkets. Want to make this vegan? Swap in extra-firm tofu (pressed to remove excess liquid) and canned coconut milk to replace the heavy cream.

Get the Saag Paneer recipe.

If you’ve ever had whipped ricotta toast, you know how the simple ingredient can elevate even something mundane to new heights. The same goes for pasta—in one bowl, you get all the enjoyment of a marinara with the creaminess of something like an Alfredo sauce.

Get the Whipped Ricotta Pasta recipe.

When it's cold out, a steaming hot pot pie filled with creamy, flavorful gravy, sweet and tender veggies, and topped with a shatteringly flaky crust is EVERYTHING. Here, mushrooms replace meat and are every bit as satisfying as their meaty counterparts.

Get the Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie recipe.

We all love classic beef & broccoli stir-fry, but if you're not eating meat (or want something a little less heavy after all those Christmas cookies), it’s time to turn to the almighty walnut. It’s fatty and rich, with a fun, rippled texture that gives sauces lots of nooks and crannies to hug onto.

Get the Walnut Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe.