Christmas is a time for indulgence, a time for scoffing mince pies, Christmas cake’s and puddings, and lots of chocolate too! But eating a plant based diet doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favourite seasonal sweet and savoury dishes, and we’ve rounded up our pick of the most scrumptious vegan festive fare from food blogger Bianca Zapatka to show you the light. From chocolate mousse to spinach pizza you’re sure to find the perfect treat to indulge in this holiday with our pick of the best vegan Christmas recipes.
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Vegan cherry cheesecake
This easy to make and dairy-free baked vegan cherry cheesecake is a super delicious refreshing light cake with a wonderfully creamy filling and juicy topping freshly chilled from the fridge, it’s a perfect dessert for warm summer daySo if you’re still looking for a weekend treat, this might be a good idea. Ingredients For the crust: * 100 g light flour (I used spelt flour) * 1 tbsp cocoa * 1 tsp baking powder * 50 g raw cane sugar * 1 knife tip ground vanilla * 1/2 ripe mashed banana * 50 g soft vegan butter For the filling: * 50 g soft vegan butter * 70 g raw cane sugar (or more/ less to taste) * 500 g soy quark * * 100 ml coconut milk * 1,5 tbsp semolina * 1/2 packaging of vanilla pudding powder (optionally 20 g corn starch + 1/2 tsp vanilla) * 2 lemon juice (+ a little bit of peel, optional) topping: * 250 g of cherries pitted (from the glass or fresh) * * 1/2 packaging of red cake glaze * * pomegranate (optional for garnish) Instructions For the crust: * Knead all ingredients for the dough. Then form the dough into a ball and place it in the fridge for about 1/2 hour. * Afterwards, spread the dough evenly in a greased springform pan and press firmly. Pull up the edges as you go. For the filling: * Slowly melt the vegan butter in a small saucepan and allow to cool slightly. * Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). * Now fill the soy quark, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, pudding powder and semolina into a blender or large mixing bowl and mix well until smooth and creamy. Then stir in the soft vegan butter and lemon juice. * Spread the filling on the base and smooth over. * Bake the cake on a medium rack for about 50 minutes until golden-brown. (If the cheese cake gets too brown in the meantime, cover with baking paper.) * Turn off the oven and leave the cake in the closed oven for about 10 minutes more. Then open the door of the oven a little and allow to cool. * Prepare the glaze according packaging instructions with cherry juice (or water + a bit of sugar) and let cool down a bit. Spread the cherries on the cooled cake and pour the glaze on top. Place in the fridge until firm. * Enjoy! Notes * If you do not find any soy quark in the supermarket, you can simply drain about 26,5 oz (750 g) of soy yogurt for 12 hours in a strainer lined with a cloth. That should make approx. 17,6 oz (500 g) of soy quark. Of course, you can also use any other yogurt to make quark. Otherwise, you can also use vegan cream cheese or silken tofu. * I used this vegan cake glaze. Optionally you can easily stir 1/2 tbsp of potato starch or cornstarch in 1/2 cup (125 ml) juice (or water + 1-2 tsp sugar) and bring to the boil. * Instead of cherries, you can also use any other fruits/berries of choice, f.ex. strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc. * Leftovers can be frozen (best when you freeze in slices). When desired, you can defrost slowly in the fridge, then the cake stays nice and creamy.
Vegan Mushroom Leek Quiche with Chestnuts
It’s super delicious, made with healthy organic ingredients and fresh herbs from @netto_marken_discount and can be made soy-free & gluten-free, too! Serve it as a side dish or main course for a perfect holiday dinner that is sure to satisfy! Ingredients Pie Crust * 2 cups all-purpose flour or sub gluten-free flour* * 1/2 tsp salt * 1/2 cup vegan butter cold & cut into small pieces * 5 tbsp cold water * 2 tbsp non-dairy cream optional for brushing Vegan Mushroom and Leek Quiche * 1 leek use white and light green parts only * 14 oz mushrooms thinly sliced or chopped * 2 cloves of garlic minced * 2/3 cup cooked chestnuts optional * 1-2 tbsp olive oil * 14 oz silken tofu drained (*see recipe notes for soy-free option) * 1 tsp salt or to taste * 1/2 tsp pepper or to taste * 2-3 tbsp yeast flakes optional To Garnish (optional) * garlic mushrooms * pine nuts * vegan parmesan * fresh herbs e.g. thyme, scallions, cress * Instructions Pie Crust * In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cold cubed vegan butter and the cold water. Knead with your hands until a smooth dough forms (or use a food processor to process the ingredients into a dough). * Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes. * Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). * After the chill time roll out the dough evenly on a lightly floured surface a little larger than your pan. Then transfer into a 10-inch (25,5cm) lightly greased tart pan (or 9-inch pie dish), pressing the bottom and sides firmly. Prick the bottom a few times with a fork, then line with parchment and fill with pie weights (e.g. dried beans, chickpeas or rice). Pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes. (*see step-by-step photos in this blog post). Vegan Mushroom and Leek Quiche * In the meantime, make the filling. Clean and cut the leek (*see step-by-step photos here). Thinly slice the mushrooms (or chop them if they’re too large). Mince the garlic and roughly chop the chestnuts. * Heat the oil in a large skillet or pan. Add the leeks and mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the leeks are soft and the mushrooms are tender. Generously season with salt, pepper and yeast flakes. * Blend the silken tofu until creamy, then mix in the chestnuts (if using). Add the tofu mixture to the pan with the mushrooms and leeks. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. * Spread the tofu quiche filling onto the pre-baked crust, smoothing out evenly. (Brush the edges with non-dairy cream for a golden color shiny as desired). * Bake the vegan quiche at 355°F (180°C) for about 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and slightly golden-browned. (*If the top gets too dark during baking, cover loosely with aluminum foil or parchment paper.) * Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Then garnish with more sautéed garlic mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, vegan parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs. Enjoy! Notes * Flour: I recommend using all-purpose flour or light spelt or wheat flour. To make the tart crust gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free flour blend 1:1 and adding an additional flax-egg (stir 1 tbsp ground flax seeds into 3 tbsp hot water and set aside for about 5 minutes until jelly) to prevent a crumbly dough. * Soy-free option: Instead of silken tofu, you can also make a "vegan chickpea egg mixture" by mixing 1 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (300ml) with 2/3 cup chickpea flour (65g). * The baking time may vary depending on your oven, your baking pan, or if you cover the vegan quiche during baking. So I recommend checking every now and then how it looks.
Cheesy Spinach & Vegan Feta Pizza Buns
Cheesy Spinach & Vegan Feta Pizza Buns who wants one? if you’re looking for a quick & easy #pizzafriday dinner, this one is just perfect! Ingredients * 1 batch pizza dough* (1/2 lbs) (gluten-free, if desired) Spinach Cheese: * 7 oz spinach (200 g) fresh or frozen * 3 garlic cloves * salt, pepper to taste * 2/3 cup dairy-free cream cheese* (150 g) * 3/4 cup dairy-free cheese (75 g) shredded Roasted mushrooms: * 1 tbsp olive oil * 5 oz mushrooms (150 g) * salt to taste Topping: * 2 tbsp pine nuts Instructions * Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C).Ricotta/ Crème fraîche * Roll out your pizza dough with a rolling pin. Place the pizza dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (You can also use a pizza pan or pizza stone). * If using frozen spinach, simply thaw and squeeze the liquid. * If using fresh spinach, bring salted water to a boil in a pot. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it starts to wilt. Then squeeze the spinach well and chop roughly. * Heat up a little oil in a small pan and roast garlic for 30 seconds while stirring. Then add the cream cheese along with the spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine. * Spread the spinach cream mixture over your pizza dough followed by vegan cheese. * Bake the pizza for about 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted. * In the meantime, fry mushrooms in a pan with some oil for 6-8 minutes until golden browned. Add a little salt to taste. * Toast pine nuts in another pan without adding any oil. * When your pizza is done top with mushrooms and pine nuts if using. * Enjoy!
Quick & easy 4-ingredient vegan Chocolate Mousse Pie
This quick & easy 4-ingredient vegan Chocolate Mousse Pie is the perfect last minute festive dessert. Ingredients Cookie Pie Crust * 28 Oreo cookies 320g, or sub other (gluten-free) cookies, *see recipe notes * 1/3 cup vegan butter 80g, melted Chocolate Mousse * 2 cups non-dairy whipping cream 480ml, or sub coconut cream & coconut milk, *see recipe notes * 8 oz dark chocolate 225g, coarsely chopped (I used 70%) Chocolate Ganache * 3/4 cup non-dairy whipping cream 180g, or sub coconut cream & coconut milk, *see recipe notes * 6 oz dark chocolate 170g, coarsely chopped (I used 70%) Toppings (of your choice) * fresh fruit e.g. figs, blackberries, blueberries * shredded coconut Instructions Cookie Pie Crust * In a food processor or blender, pulse the whole Oreos into fine crumbs. (Alternatively, put the cookies into a freezer bag and crush them using a rolling pin). * Transfer ground crumbs to a medium bowl, add melted vegan butter and stir until crumbs are evenly moistened. * Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9 or 9,5-inch (23/24cm) tart pan with removable bottom (or pie pan). Place in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes to firm up (or bake it for a crispier result *see notes). Chocolate Mousse * Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat 1/2 cup of the non-dairy cream in a small saucepan until it begins to boil. Then immediately pour it over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Let come to room temperature. * In a mixing bowl, beat remaining chilled non-dairy cream with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Then gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Stir just until combined. Spoon into the prepared tart shell, smoothing out evenly. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Chocolate Ganache * Repeat step 1 of the chocolate mousse: Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the non-dairy cream in a small saucepan until it begins to boil. Then immediately pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, then spread on top of the chocolate mousse. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes or until the ganache has set. To Serve * Decorate your tart with fresh fruit, shredded coconut or other toppings you like. Serve chilled and enjoy! Notes * To make this pie gluten-free you can use gluten-free sandwich cookies. If you can’t find any sandwich cookies, you can sub other 8,8oz/ 250g (gluten-free) cookies like vegan butter cookies. Make sure to add 1/4cup (55g) more vegan butter when using regular cookies because you want to substitute the cream filling. * If you prefer a crisper and less soft crust, you can bake the cookie crust in a 350°F (175°C) preheated oven for about 10 minutes, then let cool completely before adding the chocolate mousse or it will melt. * You can substitute the non-dairy whipping cream with pure coconut cream & full-fat coconut milk. For the chocolate mousse, you'll need 1/2 cup of coconut milk to melt the chocolate & 1 1/2 cups coconut cream for whipping. For the ganache, you'll need 1/4 cup coconut cream + 1/2 cup coconut milk. * If you can’t find pure coconut cream in a store, you can chill 3 cans full-fat coconut milk overnight. Then scrape the thick cream off the top, discarding the liquid.