ARTICLE
Best Vegetarian Christmas Recipes For A Meat-Free Feast
October 20, 2023-4 min read
So you’re cooking Christmas lunch this year? Chances are, you’ll have at least one vegetarian at your table. Maybe you’re team green yourself? Vegetarians deserve a Yuletide feast as scrumptious as everyone else’s. And with the best cooking appliances, barbecues and benchtop heroes, you can create vegetarian options that will pop with festive colours and taste as good as they look.
We’ve got all the tips and tricks you need, plus some fantastic vegetarian Christmas recipes that are sure to rise to the occasion, whether you’re dining indoors or poolside.
Let the meat-free feasting begin!
Want more entertaining inspo? Check out our Christmas Hub!
Assemble Your Crack-Team Appliances
Learn from the cleverest home cooks. They know that when you’re feeding the masses, especially for a ‘high-stakes meal’ such as Christmas, relying on just one appliance can be a recipe for stress, not success!
“When it comes to Christmas catering of any kind, it makes more sense to divide and conquer by splitting the cooking between your oven, your barbecue and benchtop appliances, like an air fryer or slow cooker,” says Tania Grillinzoni, The Good Guys Buyer – Cooking Appliances. “That way you’ll spend less time in the kitchen, get that feast on the table faster, and maximise your mingling with your loved ones, which is what Christmas is really all about!”
Throw Some Veg On The Barbie!
Planning a laid-back Aussie Christmas spread outdoors? Chargrilled veggies hot off the barbie make divine Christmas Day starters and will give any meaty morsel a run for its money. Don’t believe us? Wait until you try the heavenly combo of chargrilled pumpkin and haloumi!
Chargrill thinly sliced wedges of Kent pumpkin for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Meanwhile, cook halloumi slices on your barbecue’s flat plate for about 2 minutes on each side. Serve on a bed of salad leaves and drizzle with your favourite zesty summer dressing.
Or grill some peaches on the barbie and team with blueberries, fresh spinach leaves, basil and chilli, crowned with some creamy ricotta and a spritz of lemon juice and maple syrup. So easy, so good!
Shop Best Barbecues
Air-Fried Satay Eggplant Skewers
While your oven is busy with the main course, whip up a winning vegetarian starter in a roomy air fryer like the Philips XXL Connected Digital Air Fryer. These flavour-packed sticks from Philips will fly off the table faster than Santa’s sleigh just before sunrise!
Prep time: 20 minsCook time: 7 minsServes: Makes 12
Ingredients:
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sesame oil
2 small eggplants, cut into 3cm cubes
Coriander sprigs, chopped peanuts, red chilli and lime wedges, to serve
Satay Sauce
¼ cup crunchy natural peanut butter
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp tamari
Squeeze of lime juice
Method:
In a large bowl, combine tamari, honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Add eggplant and toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes.
To make the satay sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually add a little water until the sauce is a smooth drizzle consistency.
Thread marinated eggplant onto 12 small bamboo skewers, about 3 pieces on each.
Insert the Philips Grill Master accessory plate into your Philips XXL Airfryer with Smart Sensing technology. Set the temperature to 200°C and time to 5 minutes to preheat the grill plate.
Arrange eggplant skewers on the hot grill plate. Cook for 7 minutes or until tender and charred.
Serve eggplant skewers hot, drizzled in satay sauce and topped with coriander, peanuts and chilli, with lime wedges on the side.
Shop Best Large-Capacity Air Fryers
Sunbeam Multi-function Oven & Air Fryer
Tefal Easy Fry Grill & Steam XXL Air Fryer
Marvellous Meat-Free Mains To Serve For Christmas
Short on inspo for Christmas-worthy vegetarian mains? The secret is single-dish stars that belong centrestage and that everyone can share. Bake up a huge tray of vegetarian lasagne, loaded with pumpkin, basil, red peppers, zucchini and ricotta, and oozing with mozzarella at every bite. And watch everyone fight over it!
Or shoot for a festive red and green theme with a platter of Greek-style oven-roasted tomatoes and green peppers stuffed with rice, pine nuts, grated zucchini, chopped fresh mint leaves and lashings of olive oil!
Stick with those feel-good Mediterranean holiday vibes and get a vegetarian paella on the go in a slow cooker such as the Russell Hobbs 7L Slow Cooker while you get on with the show. Along with paella rice, toss in a medley of colourful peppers, artichokes, asparagus, a slug of white wine, vegetable stock, saffron and smoked paprika. Yum!
Spinach & Mozzarella Arancini With Tomato Sauce
Meat-eaters, join the queue for these Italian-inspired balls of cheesy goodness by Westinghouse, topped with a rich tomato sauce and sprinkles of tangy parmesan.
Prep time: 30 mins (plus 2–3 hours cooling time)Cook time: 1 hourServes: Makes 12
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 eggs
⅓ cup milk
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup panko crumbs
50g mozzarella, cut into 1cm cubes
Rice bran oil spray
Grated parmesan, to serve
Spinach Risotto
1 litre vegetable stock
5 saffron threads
1 onion, finely diced
1 tbsp oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1½ cups (330g) arborio rice
1 cup white wine
150g baby spinach, finely chopped
1 tbsp pesto
50g butter
1 cup grated parmesan
Tomato Sauce
½ cup red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
10 basil leaves, finely chopped
½ cup water
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper
Method:
To make risotto, bring stock just to the boil and stir in saffron. Reduce heat and hold at a gentle simmer.
Sauté onion in oil until just golden and sticky. Add crushed garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add rice and stir for 3 minutes. Add wine and stir until absorbed.
Add 1 ladleful of stock, stirring constantly until fully absorbed. Continue, one ladleful at a time. Before adding last two batches, stir in the spinach and pesto. Add boiling water if rice is still not cooked (it should be soft on the outside).
Stir in butter and parmesan. Remove risotto from heat, cover and set aside. Allow to cool for 2–3 hours before assembling arancini.
To make tomato sauce, sauté onion in oil until softened. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then puree.
Preheat the Westinghouse 60cm Pyrolytic Oven to AirFry 250°C.
Spread flour onto a plate, whisk eggs and milk in a bowl, and combine breadcrumbs and panko crumbs on a separate plate.
To make arancini, shape ⅓ cup risotto into a ball, push a cube of mozzarella into the centre and close the hole. Repeat with remaining risotto and mozzarella. Coat balls in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture then roll firmly in crumbs. Spray all sides with oil.
Air fry arancini for 10 minutes, until golden. Serve with tomato sauce and grated parmesan.
Shop Best Ovens
Electrolux 60cm Duo Steam Oven Dark Stainless Steel
Haier 60cm Double Oven Stainless Steel
Vegetarian Side Dishes That Double As Decoration
Add some seasonal sass to your Christmas spread with vegetarian edibles that also make cool festive statements. Roast up a mound of crispy golden chat potatoes in your air fryer and secure stacks of two with a toothpick. Pop a sprig of rosemary on top and plate them up for a forest of Christmas Tree Potatoes!
Or make a supersize Caprese salad from sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and sweet basil, seasoned with salt and olive oil, and arrange it on a circle of spinach leaves to resemble a Christmas wreath.
You’ll find everything you need to dazzle the meat-free crowd this Christmas at The Good Guys. Visit us in-store or online to explore a huge range of small kitchen appliances, high-performance ovens and outdoor cooking options.
