Our top 9 vegan Christmas mains

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, with each roll holding a good serving of the creamy mushroom filling. Check out our guide for more chestnut recipe inspiration.

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.

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.

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

Our ultimate vegan Christmas collection
How to switch to vegan diet
Vegan family breakfast menu

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