For many families, the traditional Christmas meal doesn't feel complete without a meaty main like roast turkey or glazed ham on the holiday table. So when a vegetarian comes to dinner, it’s often about creating a satisfying meal out of the abundant side dishes. But what if vegetarian dinner options weren’t an afterthought, but rather the stars of the show?
Whether your entire table is meat-free or you want an array of show-stopping plant-based options to round out the omnivorous options, our roundup includes dozens of ideas for vegetarian sides, main courses, desserts, and more. Think savory dishes including potato and Brussels sprouts gratin, eggplant parmesan meatballs, crispy roasted broccolini, and turmeric roasted beets with orange bell pepper romesco. Our list also includes an array of soups and chilis to warm the body as well as the soul on a wintry eve. And for the sweets, how does cranberry pie with snickerdoodle crust sound? (Beyond delicious, we say!)
This particular recipe may not appeal to the little ones, but any adult at the table will love the combination of lentils, cauliflower, and spinach, with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.
This flatbread is the sweet-and-sour pizza of your dreams. Eggplant, peppers, honey, and ricotta are just a few of the tasty aspects of your new favorite flatbread.
While some of the vegetables included in this tasty dish are technically summer veggies, that doesn't mean you can't whip it up for Christmas this year.
Get your daily dose of veggies and then some with this power bowl that'll make anyone's mouth water, especially when they hear the black beans are flavored with cilantro and lime. Yum.
ALEXANDRA ROWLEY; FOOD STYLIST: CHRISTINE ALBANO; PROP STYLIST: KAREN OLSEN
You're going to want to make at least two servings of these potatoes because once your family tries one, they're going to want them all. They won't even realize it's a vegetarian dish.
Turn your leftover butternut squash from Thanksgiving into this butternut squash and turmeric soup. A splash of coconut milk and vegetable bouillon base make of the tastiest butternut squash soup you've ever had.
Christy Piña is the digital fellow at WomansDay.com, where she covers women’s issues, lifestyle, and entertainment. When she’s not writing about everything under the sun, she’s probably marathoning her newest streaming obsession, reading fiction, or making brunch plans with her friends. She speaks fluent Spanglish and drinks way too much iced coffee.
Alesandra is a digital travel and lifestyle journalist based in Los Angeles whose work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Prevention, Insider, Glamour, Shondaland, AFAR, Parents, TODAY and countless other online and print outlets. Alesandra has a masters degree in journalism with an emphasis on cultural reporting and criticism from NYU, and a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. An avid traveler, she trots the globe with her husband and their twins.