Vegan Christmas Recipes

Celebrate the holidays with an entirely plant-based menu that everyone will be able to enjoy. From tofu and jackfruit-studded main dishes to incredible chocolate cakes, pies, and cookies, these recipes are a great way to celebrate the holidays this year and bring everyone together around the table this holiday season. You don't have to be vegan to enjoy these fantastic dishes, and you might just find your new favorite recipe to enjoy again and again.

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Dark Chocolate Avocado Cake with Chocolate Avocado Frosting

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Dark Chocolate Avocado Cake with Chocolate Avocado Frosting Recipe

This vegan cake (no eggs or butter!) is so delicious that our kids begged for more. The frosting is silky smooth, and the cake is light and loaded with chocolate flavor, and healthy fats.

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Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing

Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing Recipe

Cube the bread a day or two ahead and leave it out on the counter to dry, so it will fully absorb the flavors of the dressing. (If you forget, you can dry it in a 375° oven for a few minutes.) For a moister dressing, use the larger amount of broth. This makes a good main dish for vegans (use kosher rye, which excludes dairy). But it's good with sausage too; add about 1 pound, casings removed, browned and crumbled.

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Tofu Saag

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Tofu Saag Recipe

Saran's eye-opening technique here is to pat the tofu dry very briefly, rather than for 20 or 30 minutes. This keeps it moist and creamy inside, and the outside still gets browned. Look for ghee--clarified, toasted butter--at Indian or Asian markets.

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Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Crisp Root Vegetable Strips

Photo: Alex Farnum; Styling: Randy Mon

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Crisp Root Vegetable Strips Recipe
No need to toss those peels in the compost. Roast them with sage leaves and a little oil, and you've got a crisp and ingenious topping. In the mash, the coconut spread brings out the parsnips' sweetness.

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Vegan Pavlovas with Pomegranates and Chocolate

Photo: Thomas J. Story

Vegan Pavlovas with Pomegranates and Chocolate Recipe

Aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) is paired with coconut cream to create a completely vegan version of a pavlova dessert.

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Carrot Osso Buco

Photo: Lucy Schaeffer

Carrot Osso Buco Recipe
In Richard Blais's playful vegan take on osso buco (braised veal shanks), he braises very large pieces of carrots in red wine and mushroom broth until tender. Ground dried porcini mushrooms give the dish rich, meaty flavor.

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Molasses Cake with Maple-Sugared Pecans

Photo: Thomas J. Story

Molasses Cake with Maple-Sugared Pecans Recipe
This ultra-moist, can't-believe-it's-vegan cake is a version of one in Oakland cookbook writer Bryant Terry's The Inspired Vegan. Terry's Tennessee grandmother used a lot of molasses in her cooking, and it's a favorite ingredient for Terry too. You'll have extra candied nuts, but that's okay--they make great snacks.

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Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Chili-Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe

Coat acorn squash slices with a mixture of chili powder, cumin, and paprika before roasting them until tender.

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Tempeh with Charred Peppers and Kale

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Tempeh with Charred Peppers and Kale Recipe

Ever tried tempeh? This soybean-based veggie protein is a great option for vegetarian or vegan sandwiches and wraps because of its firm texture and incredible flavor adaptability. We love it here with a quick soy sauce hit, layered over earthy kale.

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White Bean and Jackfruit Chili

Photo: Daniel Agee, Styling: Blakeslee Giles and Audrey Davis

White Bean and Jackfruit Chili Recipe

The jackfruit brings a great texture while the supporting flavors lend an unforgettable quality that simply proves that a meatless chili can be very satisfying.

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Vegan Queso

Photo: Daniel Agee, Styling: Rishon Hanners and Audrey Davis

Vegan Queso Recipe

This creamy and dreamy queso dip is something that even the greatest non-vegans will appreciate.

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Roasted Broccoli with Pistachios and Pickled Golden Raisins

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Paige Hicks

Roasted Broccoli with Pistachios and Pickled Golden Raisins Recipe

From the Kitchen of…Rich Landau, Longtime Cooking Light Friend

Rich, chef and owner of Vedge in Philadelphia, offered us this lovely autumn salad, in which bright bursts of sweet-tart raisins accompany each bite of toasted broccoli.

Some version of broccoli, usually laden with cream and cheese, lands on many a Thanksgiving table. But this dish, with its beautifully balanced flavors, is much lighter--and vegan.

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Spiced Lemon Quinoa

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Robyn Valarik

Spiced Lemon Quinoa Recipe
Back home in South India, Sunset reader Kavita Aiyar's mom made traditional lemon rice scattered with channa dal (a yellow, lentil-like legume). At her home in Silicon Valley, Kavita cooks quinoa instead of rice and adds spinach or other greens, "basically California-izing it," she says. She suggests split peas instead of the dal because they're easier to find. You can serve the recipe as a side dish or a vegan entrée.

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Roasted Squash Salad

Photo: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Roasted Squash Salad Recipe

Top winter greens with roasted butternut squash for a clean, light meal.

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The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies

Photo: Lara Ferroni

The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies Recipe

These incredible brownies are a lot of things all at once: they're no-bake, vegan, and gluten-free. They're also incredibly delicious, and feature a luxurious layer of chocolate ganache on top.

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Banana-Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yunhee Kim

Banana-Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These great cookies are gluten-free, vegan, and are also incredibly delicious. If following a strict gluten-free lifestyle, be sure that your baking powder is gluten-free, as some varieties contain trace amounts of gluten.

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Pumpkin-Orange Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Photo: Jessica Colyer

Pumpkin-Orange Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

If you're a fan of pumpkin desserts, look no further than these festive cookies.

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Chocolate Infinity Pie