42 Vegetarian Christmas Dinners That Will Win Everyone Over
Make room for these veggie-packed holiday dishes!
While many Christmas dinner menus feature prime rib, baked ham or roast turkey, there are so many (delicious!) vegetarian options you can serve instead. From hearty pasta dishes to satisfying soups, salads, stews and healthy Christmas recipes, we're sharing our best vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas that feel every bit as celebratory. Some dishes require little to no prep — thanks to shortcut ingredients like frozen or canned vegetables — while others are labors of love. (Once you spend the holiday making homemade pasta, you just may want to make it an annual Christmas tradition!). Some can be made in advance, so you can spend the morning opening up presents or enjoying each other's company. Some take just 20 minutes to make, start to finish. Others utilize a slow cooker, microwave or Instant Pot. But all of these meatless Christmas dinners have one thing in common: They are truly delicious and celebratory enough to satisfy both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. So no, you don't have to throw a prime rib in the oven "just in case."
Gone are the days where a vegetarian has to rely on filling up on vegetable sides or finger food appetizers (read: cheese and crackers). Thanks to these tasty vegetarian and vegan Christmas dinners, there is a meat-free option for everyone at the table. Merry Christmas, indeed!
Sweet Potato Baked Pasta with Hazelnut Brown Butter
This creamy, comforting vegetarian main is a cinch to whip up in just 25 minutes, thanks to boxed pasta and a can of sweet potato puree. A quick finish in the broiler gives this stunner its beautiful crispy edges.
Get the Sweet Potato Baked Pasta with Hazelnut Brown Butter recipe.
Vegetable Torte
Squash, kale, potato and tomato star in this beautiful layered pie that only takes 15 minutes to prep. Use a springform pan to ensure a pretty presentation. You won't regret it.
Get the Vegetable Torte recipe.
Easy Vegetarian Lasagna
In between layers of noodles, you'll find a healthy dose of spinach, broccoli, cheeses and fresh basil. (P.S. We opted to use a store-bought marinara, no-boil lasagna noodles and pre-cooked frozen veggies, so all you have to do is assemble and bake.)
Get the Easy Vegetarian Lasagna recipe.
RELATED: Vegan Lasagna
Marinated Pepper Pasta
This colorful pasta dish starts with a batch of homemade marinated peppers — so you know it feels special enough to serve for a holiday meal. Make a few extra jars to send guests home with (who doesn't love an edible gift?!).
Get the Marinated Pepper Pasta recipe.
Crispy Skillet Carrot Latkes
This creative twist on the traditional Hanukkah dish can double as a fun and tasty Christmas main. Each person gets their own mini cast-iron skillet stacked with crispy shredded carrots and a bright fennel slaw. Yum!
Get the Crispy Skillet Carrot Latkes recipe.
Butternut Mole Enchiladas
A few key pantry players — canned adobo chiles, smooth peanut butter and some chocolate — take this dish to the next level.
Get the Butternut Mole Enchiladas recipe.
RELATED: 37 Best Butternut Squash Recipes That Are Easy to Make for Fall
Polenta with Mushrooms
Polenta is the cheesiest, creamiest blank canvas for piling whatever vegetarian toppings your heart desires, like a medley of sautéed mushrooms and greens.
Get the Polenta with Mushrooms recipe.
Spinach Artichoke Tartines
Turn the crowd-pleasing dip into dinner by piling it on thick country-style bread and pairing it with a festive, filling salad.
Get the Spinach Artichoke Tartines recipe.
Vegan Bolognese
Meaty mushrooms and protein-rich lentils stand in for ground beef in this completely plant-based dinner that is oh-so comforting.
Get the Vegan Bolognese recipe.
RELATED: 70 Vegan Recipes So Good, You'll Forget About Meat and Cheese
Mushroom Ragu and Polenta Egg Bake
Casseroles are a great way to feed a crowd and this cozy meatless dish is perfect proof. By making a large-format casserole, you're using fewer dishes and ensuring you'll definitely have enough food for everyone. Plus, you can host and mingle as everything bakes up in the oven for 20+ minutes.
Pasta with Vodka Sauce
To make this simple pasta entree feel extra special, skip the jarred stuff and whip up your own homemade vodka sauce. Don't worry, the whole dish is still ready in 20 minutes or less.
Get the Pasta with Vodka Sauce recipe.
RELATED: 50+ Easy Pasta Recipes for the Perfect Weeknight Dinner
Onion and Gruyère Quiche
Quiche is always a crowd-pleaser, especially when you devote the time to making your pie dough crust from scratch.
Get the Onion and Gruyère Quiche recipe.
RELATED: 15 Best Quiche Recipes That Will Upgrade Your Brunch Game
Cheesy Mushroom Pizza
Thinking of ordering takeout on Christmas? Now you don't have to.
Get the Cheesy Mushroom Pizza recipe.
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Brown Butter
This stunning squash main is made with a ton of sage-scented maple brown butter, which makes its way into every nook and cranny thanks to the hasselback technique (read: cutting slits into the veg pre-roasting).
Get the Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Brown Butter recipe.
Provolone Veggie Party Subs
Packed to the brim with broccoli rabe, peppers, onions, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated artichokes, these Italian-style party subs are proof you don't need to add meat to sandwiches to make them great.
Get the Provolone Veggie Party Subs recipe.
Shakshuka
Tomatoes simmered with spices and onions, then topped with eggs and baked, make this comfort food for any time of day. Serve with toasts or pita for sopping up every last bit of the umami-packed sauce.
Get the Shakshuka recipe.
RELATED: 35 Easy Egg Recipes That Every Home Cook Can Master
Supergreen Mushroom and Orzo Soup
If your fridge is full of odds-and-end ingredients left behind from other holiday celebrations, consider turning it all into a hearty, soul-warming soup. Be sure to use vegetable stock to keep it vegetarian.
Chimichurri Cauliflower "Steaks"
All the same flavors of a charred steak minus, well, the beef! Cauliflower is sliced, roasted, and topped with a seasonally appropriate green sauce — it's a hearty main all on its own.
Get the Chimichurri Cauliflower "Steaks" recipe.
RELATED: 30 Crazy-Delicious Cauliflower Recipes to Instantly Upgrade Your Veggie Game
Falafel Chopped Salad
What says fa-la-la-la-la better than fresh falafel? We love how the vibrant colors of spinach and red onion pair with the delicious nuggets of goodness in this vegetarian bowl.
Get the Falafel Chopped Salad recipe.
Thyme and Shallot Roasted Butternut Squash
Alongside other delicious and healthy sides, a perfectly seasoned squash boat can stand in for turkey or ham any day.
Zee Krstic is a content strategy manager for Hearst Magazines, leading audience acquisition and affiliate revenue growth for Country Living, House Beautiful, ELLE Decor and VERANDA. He previously served as Health Editor for Good Housekeeping between 2019 and 2023, covering news, wellness trends and executing product reviews in conjunction with the Good Housekeeping Institute. Prior to joining Hearst, Zee fostered a background in women's lifestyle media with seven-plus years of digital editorial experience, including as a site-wide editor at Martha Stewart Living. Zee currently produces design and lifestyle service content as a contributor; he has written about food and dining for Time, among other publications.
Trish (she/her) is the deputy food editor at Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things food, from cooking trends and delicious recipes to top-tested kitchen products and grocery finds. She has more than a decade of experience writing about food for GH, Women’s Health, Prevention, Redbook, Woman’s Day, The Daily Meal and Food Network. When she’s not at the supermarket or trying out a new recipe, you can find her at the beach, in her backyard or on the couch — typically with a glass of wine in hand.
The Best and Worst Christmas Foods, Ranked
Dazzling Christmas Desserts
Impressive Christmas Dinner Recipes to Try
Delicious Holiday Side Dishes
