As the cold weather threatens to freeze over festive plans, we’ve put together a menu of vegan courses to warm you right up! Whether swapped in as alternatives around the Christmas dinner table or used to spice up your usual menu, these delicious dishes take into account both seasonality and seasonings.

Yes, vegan meals are delicious, but they are also great for the planet. Did you know that just 500g of beef needs over 11,365 litres of water to be produced?  With the fruit and veg alternatives in these vegan meals, both your conscience and your tastebuds will thank you.

Tried and tasted by our very own vegan foodie, Kat, these vegan options are not only healthy but simple to make too.

Let’s start with an entreé…

Starter: Kale & Potato Enchiladas

Ok, so this one might seem like more of the main course, but we couldn’t resist adding it to the menu, envisioning mini-mash potato parcels! 

Instead of using mince as the bulk of this dish, the vegan alternative adds fluffiness with potato and texture with kale — it’s a win-win!  Spiced with cloves, cumin, and pumpkin seeds, these parcels offer a healthy twist on a Mexican classic.

Pro-Tip 

Kat recommends adapting this recipe into simpler burritos if you’re short on time, using whatever casing and spices you have on hand since it can be quite labour intensive!

To see this recipe in full, head over to Epicurean Vegan’s site and follow the steps to deliciousness. 

Main: Nut Roast 

A nut roast is the classic vegan alternative to the meat offering on Christmas day. 

You get all the warmth and taste without the guilt … and the harm to the animals. 

While nut roasts have been done before (lots and lots of times) there’s nothing dry about this recipe from Deliciously Ella which combines mushrooms for moisture with nutmeg and sage for festive flavours. 

Did you know that nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and are actually a great source of protein and fibre? Making a nut roast, then, is not a copout alternative but a healthy, tasty choice in its own right. 

Pro-Tip

When Kat makes this meal at home with her family, she swaps out the cashews for more locally-grown walnuts to reduce the carbon footprint of the meal!

You can view the recipe in full here. 

Dessert: Chocolate Cupcakes 

Described by Kat as “insanely delicious, fluffy and containing no ‘weird’ ingredients”, these cupcakes are simple, sweet, and sure to be a family favourite this Christmas. 

Using soy milk instead of cow’s milk and peppermint, almond, or vanilla extracts for flavour, this recipe makes subtle changes to the classic cupcake ingredients for excellent results.

Pro-Tip 

To stick with the festive theme, add a smattering of Tate and Lyle’s icing sugar over the top for a snowy feel. Choose your icing sugar carefully, though, as not all of them are vegan. 

Follow the full recipe here.

Snack: Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

This one’s for those who just can’t quite let go of Halloween yet. 

A proper winter warmer snack, these scones are perfect for impromptu tea breaks or snacks on the go since they are simple to make and even easier to eat. Filled with a spiced pumpkin puree, lots of sugar, and topped with pure maple syrup, these scones are a mouthwatering tasty treat. 

Head over to the Simple Veganista website to follow the recipe in full. 

And there you have it, a menu brimming with vegan variety. If you decide to try your hand at any of these dishes, let us know what you think!

(All images from the relevant recipe websites – check them out!)