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With Christmas right around the corner, we have decided to help you get a head-start on your Christmas dinner prep, keeping your vegan friends and familia in mind of course.
Christmas dinner, for many of us, calls for a dinner spread that literally only comes around once a year. We have compiled a list of our favorite vegan swap outs for classic Christmas Dinner dishes. 🎄
Note: Please enquire with us about our various vegan Christmas catering options.
Mince pies, a Christmas classic. Whether you are planning to enjoy mince pies as mid-morning treat, or served up on silver trays at your upcoming Christmas party, make sure you keep your vegan guests in mind.
Although the name suggests otherwise, typically, mince pies do not contain any meat (yay!). The filling of mince pies usually contains a mixture of dried and stewed fruit, sugar, nuts. and alcohol.
The pastry is where you would need to make a few adaptations to the recipe to make it vegan. There are tons of different ways to make pie pastry vegan but to save you the search, here are a few of our favorites:
BBC Good Food - Vegan Mince Pies
Lazy Cat Kitchen - Vegan Mince Pies
Olive Magazine - Vegan Mince Pies
Whether you like your gingerbread cookies in the form of people, houses or just a regular ‘ol cookie, gingerbread is another Christmas morning classic. Nothing says ‘Christmas is here’ more than the smell of freshly baked gingerbread am I right?
Luckily, gingerbread people are very easily pursued to convert to veganism (hehe) - with a few easy ingredient swaps.
Here is a list of the easiest vegan gingerbread recipes:
Loving It Vegan - Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Domestic Gothess - Vegan Gingerbread
Sweet Simple Vegan - Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Ahhhh the Christmas gravy - arguably the best part of the Christmas meal. Covering crispy potato wedges or drowning the peas, the gravy is truly the plate-licking temptation essential to every successful Christmas dinner.
Luckily, vegan gravy is simple enough to prepare, allowing every guest at the dinner party the pleasure of enjoying the beauty of a good gravy.
Vegan gravy can be made using a lot of what you would presumably have left over from your other vegan Christmas meal preparations, helping to reduce your food waste as well - love that.
Jamie Oliver - Port and Blackcurrent Gravy
Minimalist Baker - Easy Vegan Gravy
Beef wellington is a centerpiece of many tables during the festive season.
Wellingtons are typically made with a beef center, layered with pate and duxelles (a mushroom mixture) wrapped in a golden brown puff pastry. Move aside petrol station pies.
Luckily, vegans are always innovative, and now everyone can enjoy wellington with these simple recipes:
Vegan Huggs - The Ultimate Vegan Wellington
The Edgy Veg - Vegan Beef Wellington
Cauliflower and cheese sauce is a classic comfort food that goes beyond Christmas time. This ooey-gooey, cheesy dish comes close tothe definition of ‘comfort food’.
Vegan cheese sauce may seem like a bit of an undertaking, however, these few recipes break it down into a very doable feat.
Healthy Living James - The Best Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
Loving It Vegan - Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
Ela Vegan - Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
Let’s not forget that Christmas pudding is the highlight of the night. When friends and family insist on ‘leaving room’ for pudding, we cannot disappoint.
Whatever your pudding-preferances, there are vegan alternatives out there for you.
Here are just a few we looooove, and are definitely craving:
Jamie Oliver - Vegan Chocolate Pots
Vegan Society - Vegan Christmas Pudding
Loving it Vegan - Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding
As South Africans, there is no occasion or holiday, that excludes a braai. Christmas is no exception. Meat does not have to be the star of your braai this Christmas, with these easy vegan braai options:
Try a vegan burger out for size: There are many various options for vegans. Here is a great recipe for making your patties at home.
What's For Dinner - Vegan burger and sweet potato wedges.
Sneaky Steaks: Ditch traditional steaks for mushroom steaks. Basting a large brown Portobello Mushroom with braai spice and flavors makes a great substitute steak and cooks perfectly on the braai.
Vegan Hugs - Grilled Portabello Steaks
Veggie Kebabs: Who doesn't love braai food on a stick? Veggie kebabs are a great way to make sure everyone is getting their veggies in and are easy vegan swap-out. They are simple and easy to prepare and cook and work with almost all veggies.
The Citizen - Vegetarian Skewers on the braai
Of course, there are many possible vegan side dishes, but this year, let us all be a bit more creative than some iceberg lettuce and tomatoes when it comes to side-salads. Let’s think bigger, better, and yummier.
Thinkorange, pomegranate, and walnut salads, perfect for the beautiful South African summer heat.
Or maybe a beetroot, cabbage, and apple side, adding a pop of color to your dinner spread.
Make sure to eat your greens with a blanched broccoli and roasted almond side.
Remember to enquire with us about our various vegan Christmas catering options if any of the above recipes seem a bit daunting.
We are wishing everyone a very merry, very vegan Christmas xx
With much love - Nourishd xx 🤍