Are the holidays not some of the best times of the year?! There’s something so magical about turning off everything- work, your phone, distractions and just spending time relaxing with the people you love.
I always get way too into planning, making, and obsessing over my family’s holiday dinners. I’m not sure why. Thanksgiving and Christmas are like the Super Bowl of cooking for me. I spend weeks researching recipes and deciding on the perfect plant-based spread that I want to make for the dinner.
I have a list of recipes that I usually go to every single year. This is that list. 🙂
All the recipes here are plant-based, vegan, and gluten-free. I also try to make them so that they are low in oil and added sugar. (If you have any questions about how- leave a comment below so I can fill you in!)
Drinks:
Is it ok to still want pumpkin in December? I’m on the yes train with that and this latte is the perfect way to kick off Christmas morning.
Appetizers
I usually pair this vegan cheese ball with some Mary’s Gone Crackers and veggie sticks. I like also have some Trader Joe’s gluten-free crispbread crackers with the hummus and Food Should Taste Good Multi-Grain Tortilla Chips.
I love having this hummus along side the vegan cheese ball. This might just be the most addicting hummus I’ve ever had. If you want it spicier- just add more hot sauce.
Salad
Vegan Caesar Salad (best salad ever!)
This really is my favorite salad of all time. I make it every single year without fail. It’s just so good. Be sure to get both kale and romaine for this mix. I like curly leaf kale instead of lacinto- it’s not as bitter and goes so well with the romaine.
Sides
This was a new edition to the lineup this past Thanksgiving. Miso sounds like it might be strange with roasted carrots, but I promise you this recipe is a keeper! Swap the honey for maple syrup to keep this recipe fully vegan.
Best Damn Vegan Mashed Potatoes
My go-to for vegan mashed potatoes. I make these every single year, with extra chives. I use Earth Balance for the butter.
This casserole is the perfect touch of sweet without being overly sickeningly sweet. The nut oat topping adds some awesome texture.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts on the stalk
This past Thanksgiving has also been the first year that I roasted an entire stalk of brussel sprouts. It really is a conversation piece and you can dress them up any way you’d like. I added some toasted coconut bacon to mine.
Main Dish
Glazed Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf
I absolutely love this lentil loaf for the center stage main dish at holiday meals. It’s hearty, packed with good-for-you ingredients, and it’s delicious! I usually make 2x the amount of barbecue glaze because I like to have a little side bowl of that handy for guests during dinner.
Desserts
Last year I decided to make 5 million different kinds of gluten-free vegan Christmas cookies. (Ok, maybe 10.) My fave were the Chocolate Chip. You just can’t beat a good Chocolate Chip, you know?
I made this bark for my mom- she is obsessed with peppermint bark. She was always picking up bark from different stores and at some point I looked at the ingredients. It was filled with sugar and weird chemicals. So I remade the bark and make it vegan with a coconut butter topping to replace the white chocolate.
Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Roll
Another recipe that was inspired by my mom. She made Pumpkin Rolls at every holiday dinner when I was growing up and I was always obsessed with watching her make them. So the Pumpkin Roll is back in all it’s gluten-free vegan glory!
Date-Sweetened Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
This chocolate chip cookie recipe was inspired by Oh She Glows Jumbo Chocolate Chunk Cookies. But instead of using sugar, I sweetened them with dates. They’ve become a go-to for me, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year whenever I am craving something sweet!
So there you have it- all of my absolute favorite plant-based recipes to make for holiday dinners! Do you have any holiday dinner favorites? I’d love to know! Leave a comment below and we can swap recipes. 🙂
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