Top 15 vegan Christmas mains

A quintessential Christmas dinner staple, our easy nut roast makes a dazzling centrepiece with it's ruby red cranberry garnish and topping of chopped pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Each slice will reveal a veg-packed filling of mushrooms, butternut squash and chestnuts, infused with the fragrant aroma of festive spices. It's equally delicious served warm for your Christmas dinner or cool for a festive buffet.

Discover more nut roast recipes and also take a look through our vegan roast recipes.

2. Christmas wreath

Cranberries are essential at Christmas and they look gorgeously festive scattered over our vegan pastry wreath. Inside, you'll find a satisfying combination of spinach, pine nuts and tofu. It's an impressive party piece that's easy to assemble – in fact, it's Christmas in a pastry parcel!

3. Roasted stuffed cauliflower

Need an alternative to your standard nut roast recipe? Try our stuffed cauliflower for a healthy vegan main course. Packed with classic seasonal flavours, this rosemary, chestnut and nutmeg cauli is best served golden brown. Crisp it up under the grill.

4. Beetroot & red onion tarte tatin

Add a pop of colour to the Christmas table with this bold vegan tart. Your guests won't believe how easy this recipe is to make. You can even get some bonus 'cheesy' straws from your pastry offcuts – simply follow the tip on our main recipe page. Find more bright beetroot recipes in our ultimate collection.

5. Beetroot & squash wellingtons with kale pesto

Another beautiful beetroot creation that you can make ahead to save time and stress. These squash-stuffed wellingtons use various shortcuts for a fuss-free Christmas Day so you can enjoy the festivities with your guests. Our butternut squash collection boasts even more indulgent dishes.

6. Vegan rainbow pie

Slice into this hefty vegan pie to reveal a rainbow of seasonal veg. Using sweet potato, beetroot, chard and celeriac, this jaw-dropping dish is perfect festive fare. It will feed 10 people, so it's great for a big gathering. Serve it with a glass of creamy vegan eggnog.

7. Parsnip gnocchi

Try a sophisticated twist on this Italian classic using a versatile Christmas vegetable. Parsnips make wonderful crisp gnocchi that we've coated with a crunchy walnut crumb. We just can't get enough of it and the bonus is, it's healthy, too – perhaps one for a Boxing Day get-together. Take a look at our top 10 ways to serve gnocchi for more dishes using these delicious little dumplings.

8. Mushroom & chestnut rotolo

Chestnuts and sage lend a festive flavour to this mushroom rotolo, making it ideal for Christmas. (At any other time of year you could substitute with nuts and seasonal herbs for a standout dinner party dish.) The honeycomb effect of the rolled lasagne sheets not only looks fab, it's great for portioning out to guests, too, with each roll holding a good serving of the creamy mushroom filling. Check out our guide for more chestnut recipe inspiration.

9. Butternut, chestnut & lentil cake

Chestnuts feature again in another hearty but healthy centrepiece dish, with a lentil and butternut squash base, that you can make ahead and freeze for the big day. This is a modern take on the classic nut roast with plenty of festive spices. Pair with our ultimate roast potatoes and classic cranberry sauce.

10. Stuffed pumpkin

Pumpkin isn't just for Halloween. It's ideal for carving out to make a wonderfully festive serving bowl. Our baked pumpkin is stuffed with rice that's richly flavoured with spices, then mixed with fennel, apple and pecan nuts, and topped with jewel-like pomegranate seeds for a Christmassy burst of colour. Serve with paprika spiced potatoes and thyme roasted veggies. Don't discard the pumpkin seeds either – roast them. They're perfect with pre-dinner drinks.

11. Easy vegan wellington

Attempting a wellington for the first time, or want a foolproof option? It doesn't get easier than our showstopping sweet potato and porcini mushroom version. Punchy festive flavours such such as cranberries, nutmeg and pomegranate molasses balance well with herby sage and rosemary, while walnuts provide a satisfying crunch. Save time and effort by wrapping your filling in a ready-made dairy-free puff pastry case and brush with a mustard-milk mixture to seal and give it a flavour boost.

12. Cranberry & lentil bake

This tart and fruity lentil bake makes an ideal Christmas dinner for one, but can easily be doubled or tripled to serve bigger numbers. Ramp up the flavour levels with herbs, tomato purée, smoky paprika and soy, and serve with roasted veg, drizzled in a vegan gravy. These simple ramekin-baked puddings can be made up to two days ahead and are also freezable.

13. Sweet potato parcel

Looking for a fuss-free vegan main? This sweet potato and chestnut-filled filo pastry take just 15 minutes to prep and then you can let the oven do all the hard work. It uses only a handful of ingredients, but punchy additions such as sage and cranberry sauce give it a real flavour boost.

14. Jewelled squash, chestnut & mushroom wreath

If you want a vegan centrepiece to impress, this magnificent jewelled wreath really does deliver the wow factor. A hearty filling of squash, mushrooms, lentils and onions is flavoured with sage, rosemary and nutmeg. The crowning glory is a vibrant 'jewelled' glaze of cranberries and apricots which not only looks stunning but provides a touch of sweetness to balance the umami stuffing. It takes a little bit of effort to make but is well worth it for a celebratory occasions, and you can also make the uncooked wreath up to two days ahead before storing in the fridge. Go one step further and serve with an equally impressive side of hasselback parsnips with orange and maple syrup.

15. Vegan 'cheesy’ leek crumble

Being on a plant-based diet doesn't mean you should miss out on the cheese! This creamy leek, potato and cashew crumble is full of umami flavour from nutritional yeast, which also mimics the tanginess of cheese. Top with a crunchy layer of rolled oat and thyme crumble and you have one satisfying main. Complete the festive spread with paprika roasties, chilli-charred sprouts and red cabbage with coriander seeds.

Looking for more festive lunch ideas? We've got plenty more vegan Christmas mains to choose from.

Like these recipe ideas? Check out other vegan guides...

Our ultimate vegan Christmas collection
Vegan Christmas menu
Our most indulgent vegan Christmas desserts
Best ever vegan Christmas party food
Vegan Christmas baking recipes
How to switch to a vegan diet

Which is your favourite Christmas main course? Leave a comment below...