12 Amazing Vegetarian Holiday Meal Ideas

When you envision a holiday feast, you probably picture a large piece of meat on display at the center of the table. Whether it's a golden brown baked bird, a glazed ham, or a perfectly cooked roast beef, the holidays are known for some meat-filled feasts. While meat is the traditional centerpiece of most holiday meals, it’s also possible to make incredible vegetarian dishes this holiday season.

Some of the best vegetarian meals to prepare for the holidays include food with winter squash, like pumpkin macaroni and cheese, butternut squash risotto, and stuffed acorn squash. Eggplant parmesan, ratatouille, stuffed mushrooms, and vegan meatloaf are vegetarian crowd-pleasers. Stuffed artichokes, roasted cabbage, vegetable pot pie, and sweet potato gnocchi are also great meat-free options for a holiday feast.

Whether you are a vegetarian looking for some inspiration, or cooking a meat-free holiday feast for the first time, we have you covered. There are all sorts of tasty vegetarian and vegan options in the list below, so no matter how skilled you are in the kitchen, you’ll find the perfect plant-based meal to serve for your company this holiday season.

12 Tasty Vegetarian Meals For The Winter Holidays 

1. Pumpkin Macaroni And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is one of the most beloved dishes on the planet. From children to the elderly, everyone loves mac and cheese. While you can serve up classic macaroni and cheese as an option, you can also make it more festive by folding in some pumpkin.

Pumpkin macaroni and cheese is a delicious, creamy, and flavorful twist on this classic casserole. It is also very easy, as you simply need to add some pumpkin puree and possibly switch up a few ingredients to balance the flavors. Whether you serve this as a side dish or main course, it is sure to wow your vegetarian and meat-eating guests alike.

2. Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto is a deliciously indulgent Italian rice dish that is tasty without adding meat. There are all sorts of vegetarian risottos you can choose from, including wild mushroom, or tomato and cheese, but if you want to tie in the holidays, you can use butternut squash.

Butternut squash risotto is an amazing vegetarian holiday meal. It has the indulgent buttery flavors you expect from a winter feast, the signature butternut squash flavor, and no meat. This makes a great main course option, but can also be served on the side of a meat dish for those who aren’t vegetarian.

3. Vegan Meatloaf

If you are cooking for vegans, or are a vegan yourself, you might be struggling with a main course for your holiday meal. One great option is a vegan meatloaf. There are dozens of vegan meatloaf recipes out there.

To form the loaf you can use fake meat, beans or lentils, or even grains like quinoa. Combine this base with seasoned vegetables, and top it with a glaze after you bake it.

4. Whole Roasted Cabbage

Cabbage might not seem like the most exciting vegetable in the world, but there are ways to cook it to make it stand out. Whole or half-roasted cabbage is a beautiful sight to behold. The large head of cabbage will brown and caramelize just like a piece of meat. You can serve it with other vegetables around it to make it stand out as an edible centerpiece on the dining table.

5. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a great choice for those looking for a vegetable to substitute for meat. They are loaded with protein, have a firm texture, and have a rich umami flavor. Portobello is popular, tasty, and large mushroom that can make a great main course for a holiday feast. You can serve these mushrooms grilled, as a burger, or even stuffed with cheese, bread crumbs, herbs from your garden, and other vegetables. These massive and flavorful mushrooms are so delicious, no one will notice there’s no meat on the menu.

6. Sweet Potato Gnocchi 

Gnocchi is a soft and pillowy pasta that is typically made with potatoes. If you want to give gnocchi a winter holiday twist, you can make sweet potato gnocchi instead of the traditional potato gnocchi. 

Sweet potatoes are served with nearly every fall, winter, and holiday feast, but making gnocchi allows you to serve them as a main course. Pair the gnocchi with a creamy sauce of sage or rosemary from your herb garden to give it an extra special festive touch.

7. Ratatouille 

If you are looking for a healthy yet elegant vegetarian meal for the holiday season, ratatouille is a fantastic choice. Many people became aware of this vegetarian dish from the popular Disney film, but this meal, featuring eggplant, squash, tomatoes, and other fresh plant-based ingredients has been a French staple for more than 100 years.

Ratatouille can be a full meal, especially when served with fresh French bread. It can also just be one of the many healthy and tasty vegetarian sides on your meatless holiday buffet. 

8. Stuffed Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is emblematic of the fall and winter months, as this is when this uniquely shaped squash is harvested. 

This fall squash has a taste similar to a pumpkin and has a hollow center once you scoop the seeds out. You can stuff this hollow center with nuts, cheese, vegetables, bread crumbs, and whatever else you’d like to make a delightful stuffed squash dish. This dish will also look incredible and will be a lovely centerpiece for those who don’t eat meat.

9. Vegan Pot Pie

Pot pie is a wholesome meal that is always delicious when you live somewhere that gets cold during the holidays. Chicken and other types of poultry are the most common types of pot pie, but you can also make a vegetarian or even vegan pot pie quite easily.

Vegetarian pot pie is usually stuffed with various vegetables, including potatoes, and uses vegetable stock instead of chicken, with the same flakey crust as other pot pies. A vegan pot pie is a little different, as you must substitute the butter, but with a few simple recipe tweaks, you can have a vegan-friendly and indulgent savory pie.

10. Eggplant Parmigiana

Italian food can be a great holiday feast theme. There are crusty fresh breads, creamy and zesty pastas, and decadent desserts. While many Italian main courses are meat-based, one Italian classic is completely vegetarian.

Eggplant parmigiana is an indulgent main course that is bursting with flavor and has no meat. It’s also a great meal to make when you are feeding a larger group of people, as it’s best prepared, baked and served up in a large casserole pan.

11. Baked Stuffed Artichokes

Another Italian meal that is indulgent and meat-free is stuffed artichokes. Fresh artichokes provide a real “wow” factor on any dinner table, with their unique textured shape. You can stuff them with cheese, herbs, butter, oil, and other delicious flavors. 

They make a great appetizer during the holidays, but can also be served as the main event for those who don’t eat meat.

12. Scalloped Potatoes With Rosemary Cream Sauce

Lastly, if you love scalloped potatoes, consider serving them vegetarian-style this holiday season. Instead of using meat, use herbs like rosemary to add flavor and give this potato casserole a holiday spin. This meat-free version is a fun twist on the original and is sure to have your home smelling incredible.

Summing Up Delicious Vegetarian Holiday Meal Options

Holiday feasts often feature a lot of meat and poultry, but there are plenty of ways to enjoy a vegetarian, or even vegan, holiday meal. Some popular meatless holiday meals that are sure to be crowd-pleasers include eggplant parmesan, pumpkin macaroni and cheese, and sweet potato gnocchi. You can also opt to stuff mushrooms, artichokes, or acorn squash with various cheeses, vegetables, and other savory ingredients.

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