Menus for Delicious Plant-Based Winter Holiday Meals

The winter holidays mean multiple opportunities to eat well. That also means multiple opportunities to overeat and eat things that aren’t good for us. Yes, it’s only once a year, but feeding our bodies healthy food every day, especially on holidays, helps us associate good-for-us food with celebration.

The more we can center the meals around healthy dishes, the better for everyone. But the meals also have to taste great. They need to feel like a feast from the appetizers to the desserts.

I’ve put together six menus for holiday meals that I hope you’ll find useful as you make your holiday plans. These are no sacrifice. They will taste great, and everyone will thank you.

Gracious Vegan Corn Chowder

Soup-Centered Dinner

• Gracious Vegan Corn Chowder is a creamy, indulgent soup that is filling enough to be an entree.

• Carrot-Beet Slaw with Hummus is a gorgeous salad that tastes as good as it looks.

• Whole grain bread, cornbread, corn muffins, or other accompaniments

• Chocolate Pudding Parfaits can be dressed up as much or as little as you like. With their velvety texture and fun layers, they make a great ending to a celebratory meal.

Almond Goat Cheese

Open House

• Olive Tapenade is an intense olive spread that goes well on whole grain bread or crackers.

• Muhammara, with its red color and roasted flavors, is another spread or dip that’s perfect for a winter party.

• Whole Wheat Flour Tortilla Crisps are a great way to use leftover tortillas, and baking them makes them much healthier than tortilla chips.

• Almond Goat Cheese is creamy and delicious.

For hot hors d’oeuvres, consider:

• Roasted Mini-Peppers Stuffed with Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes are gorgeous and easy to pick up and eat while standing up.

• Vegan Baked Taquitos are easy to make and yummy to eat. Guests can dip them in Gracious Vegan Guacamole or your favorite salsa.

For dessert, I suggest a plate of cookies and other easy-to-pick-up desserts, such as Orange Cranberry Cardamom Bars, Three-Layer Peanut Butter Bars, and Stuffed Dates.

Shepherd’s Pie Dinner

• Gracious Vegan Shepherd's Pie is comfort food at its finest; no one will miss meat with this one.

• Green Salad with Fruit and Fennel complements the pot pie so well with tart, sweet, acidic flavors.

• Lemony Kale Rice is another great complement to Shepherd’s Pie.

• Simple vegetable side dish(es) and/or bread or rolls

• Dessert: Almond Flour Vegan Chocolate Cake (oven or Instant Pot)

Lasagna Dinner

• Hearty Vegan Vegetable Lasagna is perfect for a festive sit-down or buffet meal.

• Vegan Oil-Free Caesar Salad goes well with the lasagna and makes a striking impression with its torn romaine leaves and croutons.

• Green vegetable side dish(es) and/or bread or rolls

• Really Nice Cream with Added Brownie Bits rounds out the meal with a creamy, chocoately treat.

Stuffed Bell Pepper Ring Dinner

• Vegan Stuffed Bell Pepper Rings are a lovely hack on stuffed peppers, and you can pair them with any sauce or gravy you like. Maybe Velvety Tomato Curry Sauce for a bit of an Indian vibe (not spicy).

• Jicama and Avocado Salad with Citrus Dressing adds some sweetness and tartness as accompaniment to the stuffed pepper rings.

• Simple vegetable side dish(es) and/or bread or rolls

• Apple Crisp with Date and Oat Crisp Topping is warm and cozy on a wintery night.