One of the best things ever about the holiday season is the holiday-themed recipes that you can make and enjoy with your family. However, if you’ve been making the same old recipes year after year, then chances are it could be time for something new—or at the very least, brush up on the other holiday classics that you may not know about. Whichever the case, get ready for a whole lot of cooking by checking out our very own list of simply vegan holiday recipes you absolutely need to share with your loved ones.
Simple Vegan Holiday Recipes
1. Vegan Eggnog
Now, right off the bat, we know what you’re thinking. How do you make vegan eggnog? Work on the street is that vegan recipes have a bit of a reputation of tasting pretty flat or bland, all for the sake of being healthy. However, this particular one we’re sure you’ll enjoy, it is literally the best vegan eggnog I have had…even if you’re lactose intolerant. I personally think it is because it uses nut-based milk as a healthy ingredient, rather than regular dairy. The result? An eggnog that tastes delicious and that you can enjoy guilt-free, without having to worry about your waistline or digestion!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of cashew milk/peanut milk/almond milk, or any other nut-based milk of your choice
- ½ full fat coconut milk
- 1/3 raw cashews, soaked for 30 minutes
- 4 to 6 Medjool dates
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1 pinch of ground cinnamon
Put all the ingredients into a high speed blender and pulse it until you get something that’s smooth and creamy in consistency. Enjoy as is or add a bit of spiced rum or bourbon for that added kick!
2. Oven Roasted Shredded Brussel Sprouts
Brussel sprouts by themselves sound awfully plain, don’t they? However, with this recipe you’ll have a healthy holiday snack that everyone around you will be sure to enjoy, as this features a wonderful and crispy outside texture and a soft, meaty inside that’s akin to biting into a French fry.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds of shredded Brussel sprouts
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/4th cup of balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt and ground pepper
Start things off by preheating your oven to at least 375 degrees F. Toss together the Brussel sprouts, the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar in a bowl before spreading it evenly on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste, before roasting in the oven for 20 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Enjoy!
3. Vegan Lemon Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes
Let’s continue the simple vegan holiday recipe theme with these Vegan Lemon Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes. This is simple to make but can easily impress any palate, what with the savory taste of roasted potatoes being dramatically enhanced with a sweet and lemony zest. This is sure to be a hit with your loved ones, especially if it seems like they’re tired of just having plain mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound baby potatoes, or 500 grams
- 1 ½
tablespoons olive oil - 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch of black pepper, or to taste
Lemon Herb Olive Oil Mixture Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves, finely minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut fine slits on each of your baby potatoes, but take care not to cut them all the way through. Once that’s done, toss the potatoes thoroughly with the rest of the ingredients, making sure that every potato is coated well. Place them with their cut sides up on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper, before roasting everything in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
While you’re waiting for the potatoes to bake, mix up all the ingredients for the lemon herb olive oil mixture in a small bowl. Make sure that it’s thoroughly mixed, as you’ll be using this mixture to baste the potatoes once their first roasting period is done. Use only half of the mixture to do so. After that, pop the potatoes back into your oven for a further 25 minutes of roasting, or until golden brown and crispy. Serve drizzled with the remaining lemon herb or with a bit more salt to taste.
4. Maple Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce
No holiday recipe list is complete without sweet and fruity desserts that make you feel absolutely guilty eating. However, since we’re going with the healthy simply vegan holiday recipe trend, here’s something that tastes sinful yet isn’t actually all that bad, especially if you’re watching your sugar intake: maple cinnamon cranberry sauce. It takes very little time and ingredients to prepare, and once you’re done, you’re left with a delicious fruity sauce that you can spoon over ice cream, pie, or even have by itself as a snack.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces of fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of maple syrup
- 1 stick of cinnamon
Toss all ingredients into a saucepan, cover it, and simply let it boil. You’ll hear the delightful sound of the cranberries popping and sizzling as they slowly begin to bake and form a thick, sweet sauce. That strong, tangy cranberry flavor will then be softened by the maple syrup, while the cinnamon will bring it out with just that added hint of sharpness. A perfect dessert through and through!
5. No Bake Peppermint Fudge Bites
Let’s finish this recipe list off strong with another dessert that everyone is sure to enjoy, whether they’ve got a sweet tooth or no. These no-bake peppermint fudge bites are not only a cinch to make, but they’re also a not-so-guilty indulgence that can help cleanse your palate and get rid of that bloated after-meal feeling.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/3 cup pitted
medjool dates, or about 6 - 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon mini dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermints
First, put the almonds in your food processor and chop them up to a pebbly mix. Then, throw in the dates and blend it well and fine. Toss in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and coconut oil after that, blending until everything combines in a thick, chunky mixture. Add the chocolate chips last and continue to blend—however, be sure to stop before the chocolate chips disintegrate. You want them to retain their shape as much as possible while still being incorporated into the mix.
After ensuring that every ingredient has gotten to know each other, take a heaping teaspoon of the mix and roll it into a ball. Use culinary gloves in this instance as the coconut oil will make handling the mixture messy. The warmth of your hand will help hold the bite together, however, so it’ll be easy to make it into the shape you want. Once that’s done, either dust it with the peppermint crumbs or roll it around like you would with tempura. Serve chilled for a great and chewy crunch!
Holiday food doesn’t always have to be fattening, greasy, or sugar-loaded to taste good. Make these simple vegan holiday recipes for your loved ones this Christmas and show them that eating healthy doesn’t mean giving up your sense of taste. Just make sure to check for allergies as some of these recipes do involve nuts!
Do you have any simple vegan holiday recipes that you would like to share? Inquiring minds would love to know.
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