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Our 40 Best Vegetarian Holiday Recipes For A Meatless Feast

No roast, no problem

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated: December 13, 2019

Hearty vegetarian holiday recipes can be every bit as satisfying as the meaty dishes found on most menus. Crowd-pleasing classics like mashed potatoes get a silky upgrade by using a potato ricer. Cheesy green bean casseroles and hearty vegetarian pastas will leave your guests full and content. Don't be afraid to try making new grains—cracked wheat, fonio, and quinoa make great hearty vegetarian holiday dishes with little preparation. We'll help you set the perfect meatless table with our best vegetarian holiday recipes.

Vegetarian Potato and Cheese Tortelli with Porcini Mushrooms — "It's a common misconception that tortelli and tortellini are the same," chef Evan Funke of Felix in Los Angeles says. Unlike round tortellini, tortelli (the proper name for these ravioli-like stuffed pastas) are squares or rectangles simply folded over a filling and sealed. Get the recipe for Potato and Cheese Tortelli with Porcini Mushrooms »Heami Lee

Anzelottos Stuffed with Swiss Chard topped with Pomodoro Sauce — From the tortelli family, anzelottos are rectangles often with ridged edges. "They're made with a thicker, bright white dough of plain semola flour and hot water, which penetrates the proteins in the rustic flour more easily," chef Evan Funke of Felix in Los Angeles says. Get the recipe for Swiss Chard Anzelottos with Pomodoro Sauce »Heami Lee

Celery Root Mashed Potatoes — Get the recipe for Celery Root Mashed Potatoes »Jenny Huang

Risotto — Chef Massimo Bottura developed this recipe to utilize the nearly 1,000 wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano damaged after earthquakes devastated the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy in 2012. Get the recipe for Risotto Cacio e Pepe »Jenny Huang

Roasted Garlic Polenta “Mash” with Herbs and Mascarpone — Using a medium-coarsely ground cornmeal for this dish leaves some texture in the polenta while getting it as close to the consistency of soft, fluffy mashed potatoes as possible. (If using a more coarsely ground meal, increase both the cooking time and quantity of stock accordingly.) Get the recipe for Roasted Garlic Polenta "Mash" with Herbs and Mascarpone »Matt Taylor-Gross

Broccoli Rabe with White Beans and Preserved Lemon — The bitter bite of broccoli rabe is tempered by creamy cannellini beans and brightened by salty preserved lemon. A quick and pretty 1-pan side dish, this is easy to scale up for a crowd; unlike softer, more watery greens, rabe retains plenty of volume after cooking. Look for greens with healthy-looking stems and dark green florets. Get the recipe for Broccoli Rabe with White Beans and Preserved Lemon »Rachel Dolfi

Layered Pumpkin and Cheese Gratin Squares (Boureki) — Boureki cut from a traditional Cretan gratin may be eaten at room temperature, but they are especially irresistible when the cheese is still warm. Get the recipe for Layered Pumpkin and Cheese Gratin Squares (Boureki) »Dimitris Alvanos

Vegetarian Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini — Whole cauliflower is quartered and roasted with paprika, turmeric, and jalapeño in this wintry side dish. Get the recipe for Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini »Neal Santos

Sweet Potato Casserole Pecan Crumble — This sweet potato casserole is an especially festive, over-the-top take on the Thanksgiving classic, topped with a crisp pecan crumble and dotted with marshmallows. Get the recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble »Todd Coleman

Sweet Potato Collard Green Salad, Senegalese Thanksgiving — The flavor of raw collard greens combines perfectly with tender roasted sweet potatoes and tangy, rich goat cheese in this hearty starter. Get the recipe for Shredded Collard Green Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cashews »Ryan Liebe

Lima Bean Gratin with Herbed Bread Crumbs — Think of this gratin as a meatless cassoulet, meant to accompany a roast, or as a stand alone, next to a tartly-dressed green salad. Get the recipe for Lima Bean Gratin with Herbed Bread Crumbs »Ryan Liebe

cast-iron squash pudding — This luscious, cakelike pudding, made with milk-poached butternut squash batter and crowned with caramel-drenched delicata, rides the line perfectly between side dish and dessert, "kind of like yams with marshmallows," says Joe Beef's Red Morin, who serves it with caramel sauce or sweetened whipped cream. Get the recipe for Cast-Iron Squash Pudding »Christina Holmes

roasted onions wild rice — Finish the rice by toasting it in a twirling barrel over a wood fire. Real wild rice like ours is delicate, light brown instead of black, cooks in a mere 20 minutes, and takes on some of the smoke from its parching fire. It's an entirely different beast (and species) from the black paddy rice commonly found in stores. Rice this fresh shines with a simple treatment—in this case just a buttery tangle of roasted garden onions. (If using black rice, add 20 minutes to the cooking time) Get the recipe for Wild Rice with Roasted Buttered Onions »Matt Taylor-Gross

Classic Green Bean Casserole — With a creamy mushroom sauce and topped with flash fried onions, this holiday classic is the epitome of a crowd-pleasing casserole. Get the recipe for Green Bean Casserole »Laura Sant

Beet and Ricotta Gnocchi with Wilted Beet Greens and Aged Balsamic — For this Piedmontese dish, a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar adds a tangy complexity. Get the recipe for Beet and Ricotta Gnocchi with Wilted Beet Greens and Aged Balsamic »Con Poulos

Cracked Wheat Porridge with Mushrooms — This hearty porridge is bolstered by roasted vegetables and enlivened with a salsa of turnip greens. Get the recipe for Cracked-Wheat Porridge with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Turnip-Top Salsa »Ingalls Photography

Moroccan Carrots with Aleppo Pepper and Mint — The dressing for this cumin-spiced salad is made from the carrots' cooking liquid, which concentrates into a sweet syrup when reduced. Get the recipe for Moroccan Carrots with Aleppo Pepper and Mint »Neal Santos

Julia Child's Garlic Mashed Potato recipe — Thirty cloves of garlic go into this creamy side dish, adapted from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume 1 (Alfred A. Knopf, 1961). The cloves are first blanched whole, which enhances their sweetness, then used to make a rich béchamel sauce that's stirred into mashed potatoes with cream and parsley. Get the recipe for Julia Child's Garlic Mashed Potatoes »Romulo Yanes

Macaroni au Gratin — The foundation of this creamy casserole is a classic mornay sauce, a béchamel sauce to which cheese has been added—in this case, comté, a French cheese with a complex, nutty flavor that melts beautifully. With lots of freshly grated nutmeg to season it and a golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping, it's a luscious, satisfying side dish for the Thanksgiving table. The dish comes from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bistro, in the Napa Valley, where the staff makes it as part of their annual Thanksgiving dinner for veterans and their families. Get the recipe for Macaroni au Gratin »Ingalls Photography

zuppa alla frantoiana — In this traditional Lucchese soup, vegetables and beans are slow-cooked until little to no bite remains, making it a rustic, comforting dish. Be sure to give any tougher vegetables all the time they need to scompare, or disappear. The quantities are flexible, so use whatever you have on hand. Get the recipe for Italian Bean and Vegetable Soup »Ryan Liebe

Broiled Spaghetti Squash with Walnut-Miso Glaze — Chunks of Spaghetti squash reveal a beautifully yielding texture and a savory, subtle flavor that's perfectly offset by a rich walnut-miso glaze. Prepare the squash ahead of time, and then pop them under the broiler for 3 minutes when you get to your host's kitchen. Get the recipe for Broiled Spaghetti Squash with Walnut-Miso Glaze »Maxime Iattoni

soupe de chalet — A traditional dish enjoyed year-round in the Alps of southern Switzerland, this homey soup takes its name from the mountain huts where it's commonly made. Typically incorporating cheeses from the region, this version is fortified with L'Etivaz (which can be found at specialty cheese shops) and heavy cream. If you can't find L'Etivaz, substitute Gruyère instead. Get the recipe for Swiss Cheese Soup »Christopher Bagley

Pomme Puree — Passing cooked potatoes through the fine holes of a potato ricer ensures a silky consistency for this ultrarich side. Get the recipe for Pomme Purée »Ingalls Photography

Cauliflower and goat cheese souffles — Adding puréed cauliflower to an appetizer-sized soufflé gives the dish the heartiness to be a vegetarian main when served with a salad. Get the recipe for Cauliflower and Goat Cheese Souffles »Joseph De Leo

Open-Faced Lasagna with Acorn Squash and Smoked Caciocavallo — This layerless lasagna recipe from Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri uses an egg-rich dough, but store-bought fresh pasta sheets can be substituted. Get the recipe for Open-Faced Lasagna with Acorn Squash and Smoked Caciocavallo »Andre Baranowski

Spiced Red Cabbage — Red cabbage and apples are stewed with wine, sugar, and dried cranberries in this spiced side dish. Use tart apples, such as Granny Smith, if you want a more sour-sweet flavor from this cabbage dish. Get the recipe for Spiced Red Cabbage With Apples and Cranberries »Saveur

Maitake Mushrooms with Red Chiles and Cilantro — Fragrant with star anise, chiles de árbol, and cilantro, these mushrooms brown to a crisp on the outside while remaining tender inside. Get the recipe for Maitake Mushrooms with Red Chiles and Cilantro »Matt Taylor-Gross

Spaghettini with Carrots, Olives, and Red Endive — Carrot ribbons cooked al dente and lightly braised red endive add color to this simple vegetable-packed pasta dish, brightened with lots of lemon zest. Josita Hartanto of Berlin's Lucky Leek uses multicolored carrots for a beautiful presentation. Get the recipe for Spaghettini with Carrots, Olives, and Red Endive »Matt Taylor-Gross

Fried Eggplant with Tahini and Pomegranate Seeds — This eggplant dish from Michael Solomonov's Zahav restaurant in Philadelphia highlights classic Middle Eastern ingredients: carob molasses, tahini, and pomegranate. Get the recipe for Fried Eggplant with Tahini and Pomegranate Seeds »Matt Taylor-Gross

Carrot and Pistachio Salad — Carrots are roasted before being topped with crunchy pistachios and a sweet fig vinaigrette in a simple salad from Eli and Max Sussman's Classic Recipes for Modern People (Olive Press, 2015). Get the recipe for Carrot and Pistachio Salad »Matt Taylor-Gross

Fonio Pilaf — This gluten-free grain, a type of millet, provides a wonderfully nutty backbone to a salad of sweet dates and carrots, and crunchy roasted peanuts. Get the recipe for Fonio Pilaf with Dates, Carrots, and Peanuts »Ryan Liebe

Fort Rice Pilaf — This 19th-century American recipe for rice pilaf from the Denver, Colorado, restaurant The Fort draws sweetness from dried fruit, earthiness from black quinoa and pine nuts, and crunch and color from bell pepper. Get the recipe for Fort Rice Pilaf »Ingalls Photography

Roasted Carrot Salad with Burrata — April Bloomfield offers her crazy-good recipe for pan-roasted carrots with carrot-top pesto, shaved carrot salad, and creamy burrata. Get the recipe for Roasted Carrot Salad with Burrata »Ingalls Photography

Creamed Swiss Chard with Gorgonzola, Rye Bread Crumbs, and Walnuts, Late Winter Feast — In this bulked-up version of the classic side dish, chard replaces spinach, and Gorgonzola adds depth and a creamier texture. Get the recipe for Creamed Swiss Chard with Gorgonzola, Rye Bread Crumbs, and Walnuts »Bill Phelps

Farfalle with Cavolo Nero Pesto — In this rendition of traditional Genoese pesto, sweet and nutty cavolo nero (also known as Tuscan kale or Lacinato kale) is used in place of basil and pine nuts. Get the recipe for Farfalle with Cavolo Nero Pesto »Laura Sant

Fall Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale Chips, and Pomegranate Seeds — Crispy baked kale, sweet roasted squash, and peppery arugula and watercress are combined with pumpkin and pomegranate seeds in this colorful salad. Get the recipe for Fall Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale Chips, and Pomegranate Seeds »Ariana Lindquist

Pappardelle with Cauliflower and Mustard Brown Butter — Simple ingredients—chewy, charred cauliflower, fried capers and bread crumbs, and browned butter, bolstered by whole grain mustard—combine for the ultimate late-winter pasta. Get the recipe for Pappardelle with Cauliflower and Mustard Brown Butter »Joseph De Leo

Skillet-Braised Swiss Chard — We love this quick braised side dish with Swiss chard, but any hearty green will work. Try it with bok choy, kale, or even green or purple cabbage. Get the recipe for Skillet-Braised Swiss Chard »Christina Holmes | Food Styling: Eugene Jho

Spinach Madeleine — A sauce of unabashedly flavorful ingredients—including evaporated milk and, yes, Velveeta cheese—makes for a spectacularly rich take on creamed spinach. Get the recipe for Spinach Madeleine »Vanessa Rees

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